Crowds have gathered in Shetland for the world-famous Up Helly Aa fire festival.
The annual event takes place in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January and attracts visitors from around the globe.
The much-loved festival sees people dressed as Vikings march through the streets of the town to recreate its ancient past, in a tradition dating back to the 19th century.
The walk is led by the Guizer Jarl, or chief guizer, and culminates in a torch-lit procession and the burning of a replica longboat.
Volunteers are responsible for the building of the galley boat and the production of more than 1,000 torches.
In the evening there will be a host of celebrations in halls around the town.
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Shetland and neighbouring Orkney were ruled by the Norse for about 500 years until they became part of Scotland in 1468.
The festival stems from the 1870s when a group of local men wanted to put new ideas into Shetland’s Christmas celebrations.
