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The Burning of the Clavie blazed hard in the sub-zero temperatures as Burghead in Moray turned out to witness the centuries-old tradition to mark Scotland's old New Year.
Thousands flocked from near and far for the annual spectacle, which has little changed over time and serves as a touch point for community and new beginnings.T
The Clavie, a large wooden barrel which can weigh over 15 stone when fully laden with tar, was carried through the town and hoisted to Doorie Hill as the watchers followed.
There, it burned and raged until there was nothing left but a deep glow that reminded all that some things remain just perfectly unchanged.
The ceremony is usually celebrated on January 11 to mark New Year as observed in the pre-1752 Julian Calendar. But with the 11th a Sunday, the spectacle shifted to the Saturday instead.
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1. Burghead welcomes in the New Year twice each year, on both January 1 and and January 11, to reflect how it was celebrated under the Julian calendar, which was reformed in the 1750s. This year, given the 11th falls on a Sunday, it was celebrated on the Saturday instead: Jane Barlow/PA Wire
Jane Barlow/PA Wire
3. The Clavie is filled with tar and wooden staves in a tradition that has remained the same for hundreds of years. Jane Barlow/PA Wire
Jane Barlow/PA Wire
4. The Burning of the Clavie ceremony has remained unchanged and is a massive event on the Burghead calendar. Jane Barlow/PA Wire
Jane Barlow/PA Wire