The Loony Dook is Scotland's New Year's Day polar swim tradition in South Queensferry. Participants, many in costumes, parade through the town and enter the cold waters of the Firth of Forth on January 1.
The event began in 1986 when a small group of friends staged a humorous New Year dip. Its name combines “loony,” meaning eccentric or crazy in this context, with “dook,” a Scots word related to dipping or bathing. It later became a well-known charity-linked public event.
South Queensferry lies near the Forth bridges, giving the swim a distinctive backdrop. The Loony Dook is separate from Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations, although visitors may attend both during the same holiday period. Cold-water swimming can be hazardous, so organized events normally emphasize safety, supervision, and suitable conditions rather than treating the dip as an ordinary swim.