Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebration includes the traditional Loony Dook on New Year’s Day.
The Loony Dook is a costumed or fancy-dress plunge into cold water, held at South Queensferry near the Forth Bridge. Participants traditionally walk in procession before entering the Firth of Forth, often to raise money for charity. The name combines “loony,” meaning eccentric, with “dook,” a Scots word related to bathing or dipping.
Although the event is associated with Edinburgh’s wider Hogmanay festivities, the plunge itself is not a midnight ceremony. It takes place on January 1, providing a humorous and physically demanding sequel to the previous night’s celebrations.
Scotland’s Hogmanay customs also include street parties, concerts, fireworks, and first-footing. The Loony Dook is especially distinctive because it turns the cold Scottish winter water into a public New Year spectacle rather than treating swimming as an ordinary leisure activity.