Torching tradition as first woman raises the axe for Shetland's Vikings.
30 March 2025
The people of Shetland, a group of islands north of Scotland, are welcoming the arrival of spring in dramatic style – by burning viking longships.
Up Helly Aa was first celebrated in 1881 and is unique to these islands. But it's a tradition that is evolving, with a woman at the heart of it for the first time.
Up Helly Aa was first celebrated in 1881 and is unique to these islands. But it's a tradition that is evolving, with a woman at the heart of it for the first time.