The Comrie Flambeaux is a unique Hogmanay ritual. On the stroke of midnight, December 31st, a torchlight procession marches through the village. Traditionally the procession involves the twelve strongest men of the village carrying long, thick birch poles, to which burning tarred rags are attached, to each of the four corners of the village.
Whilst the origins of this ancient custom are lost in the mists of time, the tradition is maintained by local voluntary effort. Each Hogmanay as midnight is announced by the bells of Big Ben the Flambeaux are lit. The torches, consisting of long thick birch poles with tarred rags tightly bound to the tops, are paraded around the village preceded by the pipe band and followed by a fancy dress parade.
The procession is usually accompanied by the village pipe band and villagers with floats and dressed in costume. Following the procession, the villagers throw the torches from the Dalginross Bridge into the River Earn. The precise origins of the ceremony are unclear. It is generally assumed to have pre-Christian Celtic or possibly Pictish roots and to be intended to cleanse the village of evil spirits in advance of the New Year (albeit the New Year’s commencing in January is a relatively modern convention). The use of the birch tree specifically may have significance as the first letter of the Celtic Ogham alphabet, and a symbol of new beginning.
The spectacle attracts thousands of visitors from all around the world to the small highland village each Hogmanay. A countdown to midnight is usually held at Melville Square and after the processions people gather here again for traditional Scottish music and dancing. Parties in village homes are common and other Scottish Hogmanay traditions like “first footin” are also observed.
Attending the Flambeaux Procession is totally free and you don’t need to buy any entrance tickets. You can personally take part in the procession, or watch as a mere curious from one of the streets of the city.
On December 31st, just before midnight, everyone meets in Melville Square, near the Royal Hotel. Here, a group of selected locals will have the task of transporting the traditional 3 metre high poles, which are surmounted by large sacks set on fire (the Flambeaux).
At the same time, the traditional ceilidh to celebrate the New Year begins from Melville Square, while the Flambeaux procession continues through the streets of Comrie, amidst music and masked parades.
Comrie is a small village in Perthshire, just under 100 kilometers north of Edinburgh.
Comrie can be reached by car from the capital in about an hour and a half, via the M90 (fastest route). From Glasgow it takes about an hour, crossing the M80.
Scottish Citylink guarantees more or less regular connections with Comrie, with bus 913. The journey takes about 2 hours.
From Glasgow, take the E3 bus (Ember) to Broxden and continue with the 913 bus, for a total of 150 minutes.
