Vikings on the Shetland Islands: Up Helly Aa!

"Up Helly Aa", which literally means "Up Holy [Day] All" is a dramatic Viking fire festival. The tradition is only around a century old, but its roots stretch back much further. In Viking times, when the Jarl, the chief Viking died, a boat was set on fire and the Jarl went off to Valhalla.

The parade takes place in Lerwick on the Shetland Islands, which lie in the middle of the North Sea around 640 kilometers (400 miles) from Edinburgh. The Shetlands are closer to Norway than mainland Scotland and their residents are proud of their Norse heritage.

In the late 19th century, Shetland authorities formalized the event, taking inspiration from the Scandinavian mythology and sagas which were popular throughout northern Europe at the time.

An experienced Viking is appointed to lead the parade and becomes known as "Guizer Jarl," from the old norse word for "chief". A person must be on a special committee for 15 years before they can be a Jarl. This year, it's Lyall Gair from the nearby town of Quarff.

… and the galley is dragged through the streets. Once the galley has burned and the flames die down, guizers sing the traditional song "The Norseman's Home" before a night of partying begins.

Some 60 Vikings parade through Shetland's biggest settlement, trailed by around 1,000 torchbearers. Daniel Kim, who traveled 7,200 kilometers (4,500 miles) from Houston, Texas is wearing a fake Viking beard and woolly horned helmet. He is totally thrilled: "It's very unique, it's very remote - it's something that you don't see on TV a lot. It's just completely different and outside our norm."

The procession ends with Vikings throwing their torches into the replica longship. Gary Shewan, a member of this year's Jarl's Squad, says: "It's just a huge, huge deal to be involved with this." Afterwards, there are lots of parties around town. The following day is a public holiday in Lerwick to allow for recovery. They sure need it.