Highlands & Islands

Gallery: Our best images from the fiery climax to Up Helly Aa in Shetland

Scenes from the Junior Up-Helly-Aa 2023 festival. Here is one of the girls who took part for the first time ever. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

By David Mackay

January 31 2023, 10:54 pm

January 31 2023, 10:54 pm

Up Helly Aa has reached its traditional spectacular and fiery conclusion in Shetland.

After a day of celebrations in Lerwick, the traditional Viking galley was paraded through the town centre with a procession of nearly 1,000 guisers.

This year the centrepiece was inspired by Guizer Jarl Neil Moncrieff’s love of Aberdeen FC.

Torches were launched into the boat to burn it to the ground in front of thousands of spectators to bring Up Helly Aa to a close for another year.

Our photographer Wullie Marr captured the stunning images of the fiery climax. We have included the best of them in this dedicated gallery.

Torches being thrown onto the boat at the Up-Helly-Aa. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Parading through the town centre of Lerwick. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

A couple of young vikings holding the torches high. Image: Wullie Marr/ DC Thomson

Spectacular flames and silhouettes of the participants. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Squads waiting to start marching. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Getting ready to march. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

The galley alight. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

This year’s Up Helly Aa galley burned bright. Image: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson.

The galley and Jarl Squad. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Jarl squad around the burning galley Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

One of the four females taking part in the festival for the first time ever. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Junior Jarl squad lighting their torches. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

One of the girls who took part for the first time ever. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

another of the girls who took part for the first time ever. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Junior galley burns. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

A stunning image that shows the proceedings of the night. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

The Up-Helly-Aa 2023 festival. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Some of the squad members. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Jarl squad and galley. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Fourth woman squad member to join this year. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

A Jarl squad member in front of the burning galley. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

A fantastic night at Up-Helly-Aa 2023 festival. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

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