Kirkwall Ba’ Game
Kirkwall, Orkney
Uppies and Doonies scrum through Kirkwall’s streets for a cork-filled leather ba'.
25 December 2026Traditional date
Hogmanay & New Year
Forget the countdown on telly. On New Year’s Eve, Stonehaven swings balls of fire around its high street, Comrie marches flaming torches through the village, Biggar lights a huge bonfire and in Allendale men carry burning tar barrels on their heads.
Then on New Year’s Day, the brave take a dip: the Loony Dook in South Queensferry and the Saundersfoot swim in Pembrokeshire. In Mountain Ash, runners race through the streets on Nos Galan.
8 events in this guide
In date order
- 25DecKirkwall Ba’ GameKirkwall, Orkney25 December 2026 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 31DecAllendale Tar Bar’lAllendale, Northumberland31 December 2026 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 31DecBiggar Hogmanay BonfireBiggar, South Lanarkshire31 December 2026 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 31DecComrie FlambeauxComrie, Perthshire31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 31DecNos Galan Road RacesMountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf31 December 2026 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 31DecStonehaven FireballsStonehaven, Aberdeenshire31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 1JanLoony DookSouth Queensferry, Edinburgh1 January 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 1JanSaundersfoot New Year’s Day SwimSaundersfoot, Pembrokeshire1 January 2027 — date announcedStay nearby
The events
Allendale Tar Bar’l
Allendale, Northumberland
Costumed guisers carry blazing tar barrels on their heads to light the New Year bonfire.
31 December 2026Traditional date
Biggar Hogmanay Bonfire
Biggar, South Lanarkshire
A piped torchlit procession leads to a huge bonfire on Biggar High Street at Hogmanay.
31 December 2026Traditional date
Comrie Flambeaux
Comrie, Perthshire
Flaming birch-pole torches are paraded round Comrie at midnight, then thrown in the River Earn.
31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027Traditional date
Nos Galan Road Races
Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf
New Year’s Eve road races honour Guto Nyth Bran, with a mystery runner lighting the beacon.
31 December 2026Traditional dateHave a go
Stonehaven Fireballs
Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
Fireball swingers parade at midnight to welcome the New Year.
31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027Traditional date
Loony Dook
South Queensferry, Edinburgh
Costumed dookers parade through South Queensferry, then plunge into the Firth of Forth.
1 January 2027Traditional dateHave a go
Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim
Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
A New Year sea swim raising funds for good causes.
1 January 2027Date announcedHave a go
“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links. What that means.