Community / Amenity trust to get into Up Helly Aa spirit with series of events
SHETLAND Amenity Trust is putting together a series of events to mark Lerwick’s Up Helly Aa – including opening up Old Scatness and Sumburgh Head out of season.
Up Helly Aa will return on Tuesday 31 January, having been postponed in 2021 and last year.
The museum will be hosting special tours, as well as a visit from the jarl squad on the day.
Members of the public are invited to watch as the squad makes their official visit to the museum at 3.30pm.
This year it will be a free, ticketed event with bookings in advance via the museum’s box office.
Additional photo opportunities include getting a close-up of the Junior Up Helly Aa galley which will be positioned outside the museum at Hay’s Dock from 11.45am to 2.45pm on the day.
For those curious to find out how the Up Helly Aa festival started and learn how it has evolved, Origins of Up Helly Aa tours will take place on Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 January as well as Wednesday 1 February.
This is also a ticketed event and must be booked in advance.
Further afield, Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village will be opening its doors on Wednesday 1 February offering people a rare chance to visit the site out of season.
There will be three guided tours of the heritage site throughout the day.
Visitors will be able to soak up the views at Sumburgh Head too with the centre, lighthouse and nature reserve open for three days (Wednesday 1 – Friday 3 February, 10am – 5pm) together with the café with the cliff top views, Katja’s Unken Kaffee.
Shetland Amenity Trust chair Alison Moncrieff said: “We’re delighted that UHA is back and that we’re able to open our heritages sites for this popular date in Shetland’s calendar.
“It’s a great opportunity for folk to experience the sites at a different time of year; our knowledgeable teams will be on hand to answer all the questions and share information on Shetland’s amazing heritage, archaeology and nature.”
For further information on all events, opening times and details on how to book tickets please visit here.
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