The last day of April and first day of May is Beltane, an ancient festival that marks the arrival of summer. Festivals like Beltane date back to pre-Christian times and were important points of the year that marked the changing seasons. You may recognise some of them as Halloween and Hogmanay.
In pre-Christian Scotland, people lived close to nature; their very survival depended on good harvests and cattle breeding. People believed that nature spirits and deities controlled the weather, harvests and how many calves were born. At key points in the year it was important to thank or placate these spirits, and to bless and protect homes, people and cattle with fire, plants and other elements.
At Beltane, fires were lit on hilltops and in settlements across Scotland. Cattle were moved to the summer grazing grounds or sheilings and the animals were driven between fires to purify and protect them. People would jump over fires for the same reason. Courtships and marriage arrangements often took place this time. Place names like Tarbolton (South Ayrshire) and Tullybelton (Perthshire) are derived from the Beltane fires that burned there.
The tradition of Beltane was lost over the centuries as rural life changed and the Christian church replaced such festivals, but some areas of Scotland have merged it into summer fetes and galas. In Edinburgh it has been spectacularly revived. Every April 30th, a procession and dynamic performance takes place on Calton Hill.
It features the May Queen and the Green Man who represent summer and fertility. If you are lucky enough to attend, you will see the top of Calton Hill blaze with a huge Beltane fire and you’ll be met with the unexpected sight of scores of supporters of the May Queen and Green Man with their faces and bodies painted red, white, blue or green. Brandishing flaming torches, they follow the procession around the hill staging battles, performing acrobatics and interacting with the audience. The fun is entertaining, dramatic and sometimes a bit wild!
If you ever find yourself in Edinburgh at Beltane, buy a ticket to the celebrations organised by the Beltane Fire Society and be part of this amazing spectacle. Calton Hill will never seem quite the same to you again! This year due to Covid restrictions the event will take place on-line so you can join in without having to brave the chilly evening breeze! Check the link above.
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