Up Helly Aa

Up Helly Aa

On the last Tuesday of January every year, up in the UK’s northernmost town, around a thousand local men (more than 10 per cent of the entire population) dress up as Vikings – the twist being that they’re accessorised Vikings, with wigs and dresses and animal costumes, leading some to call this ‘Transvestite Tuesday’. They parade through the streets with a huge longship they’ve made, which will soon be in flames as the town dance around it singing their traditional Up Helly Aa songs. That night, squads of the men visit halls around the town, in schools and public buildings, to perform skits, sing and dance. The Up Helly Aa festival is a celebration of Lerwick’s Norse connections (‘We were Viking before we were Scottish,’ as some locals put it) and a flaming, hilarious, folk-surrealist response to post-Christmas blues – perhaps not ancient, but definitely authentic.

Highlights

The burning of the longship is the focal point of the night. Street lights are switched off at 19h15, and a rocket is fired to signal that it’s time to light the torches. From the assembly point at Lower Hillhead, the squads – groups of 20 or so local men – march for an hour or so, accompanied by brass band and pipers, until they reach the park, where they circle the galley – a replica Viking longship – that is then set spectacularly alight as all the torches are tossed aboard. After a round of fireworks, the ‘guizers’ (‘disguised’ members of the squads) then do the rounds of the halls, where parties take place, and the singing, dancing and partying goes on through the night.

In The Know

Head Count

Pretty well everyone in and around Lerwick (around 8,000 people) turns out, plus perhaps 1,700 visitors.

Meeting Point

Before the procession, you can keep warm in the pubs around the centre of town (try upstairs at the Lounge on Mounthooly Street). Later on, the halls are the focal point of the revels, each with a dance band and a master of ceremonies.

Best View

Get as close as possible to the walls of the park where the galley goes up in flames, on Saint Olaf Street.

Packing Tips

Take your warmest hat, scarf and gloves – you’ll be outside most of the time, and it’s never very warm in Lerwick. The locals dress up in their finery to attend the halls.

Escape

The fun only lasts an intense 24 hours, but if you fancy some post-Viking quiet time, you could spend a day looking around Scalloway, the old capital of Shetland, some six miles west of Lerwick.

Dos and don'ts

• Arrange your accommodation in advance, as the hotels in the area get fully booked very quickly.
• Bring your own alcohol if you are attending a hall, and find out about etiquette for the night from your host – get as involved as you can.
• Don’t expect to join the Viking squads – they’re definitely for local men only.
• Don’t try to get too near to the burning galley during the night. Check out the ashes mournfully in the morning, instead.

Need To Know

Children

There are no special family activities, though kids might like to watch the Junior Guizers gather for their light-up at Lower Hillhead at 17h15, and the subsequent procession and burning. There’s a morning procession from 10h, when children can get a better view of the costumes, with an opportunity to take photos with squad members. You can also go and look at the galley during the day at Alexander Wharf. Later on, most of the halls welcome children.

Parking

There’s a car park on the Victoria Pier, five minutes from where the procession begins.

Disability Access

Wheelchair users are invited to watch the procession from the grounds of Islesburgh House on King Harald Street. There is parking available. Ring 01595 692114 to make arrangements.

Food & Drink

Get fresh, local food at Monty’s Bistro on Mounthooly Street (01595 696555), at the Grand Hotel restaurant or the Queens Hotel restaurant on Commercial Street (both 01595 692826), or the Lerwick on South Road(01595 692166). At most of the halls, a spread featuring homemade soup and bannock bread is laid on for invited guests, but there are no bars, so bring your own tipple.

Sleep

See if you can get a room with a sea view at the Grand Hotel or at the Queens Hotel (both 01595 692826), or try Brentham House on Harbour Street (01950 460201). Busta House Hotel (01806 522506), 25 miles north of Lerwick, is an elegant white building on the shore, and also serves excellent food.

VIP

There is no commercial presence at Up Helly Aa, with only a few local companies donating money, and so there’s no VIP area. The only real VIP here is the Guizer Jarl – the head of the Viking squad that leads the parade, whose identity is a secret.