Torchlight Procession, Edinburgh

We left the house while it was still dark. The event was not meant to start until 7:30 pm, but we went earlier so we could get into the city calmly and collect our torches.

We met Dad in town just after he finished work. With a box of chips in his hand, we all walked toward The Meadows. The queue to collect the torches was huge. They said there were around 50,000 people there. It felt very crowded.

We collected our torches and moved toward the starting point of the procession. It started to get cold. Colder and colder. At first, the girls were excited, but after a while their faces said something else.

We waited for almost an hour, moving to the music to keep warm and to keep the mood going. Fire Entertainment. I am not sure what I expected, but probably more than a single fire performer. We ended up standing there for nearly two hours, frozen through.

At some point, the crowd began to move. One by one, the torches started to light up. From a distance, the view was incredible. But when the fire reached our part of the crowd, I had doubts. People did not seem to realise it was real, burning fire. They waved torches above their heads and took selfies. It was not very comfortable. The crowd was tightly packed.

Eventually, everyone started walking.

That moment was beautiful. A wave of fire moving through the streets of Edinburgh. It is a view I will remember for a long time. It was beautiful and, for some reason, emotional.

Julia is not a fan of this kind of event. Too crowded. Too unsafe. I am not fully sure myself. The view was stunning. We walked for charity and to celebrate the New Year. I liked it.

Notes for the future:

Dress warmer.

Bring hot tea.

Arrive later — we waited far too long.

Next year, watch the parade from the side. I did not see a single Viking, and I am sure the beginning of the procession was the most interesting part.

Either way, it was a very good experience.

Edinburgh, 29 December 2025