Hogmanay in Edinburgh

Hogmanay is the Scottish term for new years eve and this year I decided to bring in 2012 in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh with friends. Edinburgh has a street party every year which is a ticketed event and we decided instead to go to a flat party and then head to The Meadows (a gorgeous big park in the Marchmont area of the city) to watch the fireworks at the bells.

Sadly my camera broke just before midnight so the only pictures I have are poor quality ones from my phone which don't do it justice as the fireworks were amazing. They are set off from Edinburgh castle which sits elevated above the city and provides a stunning backdrop to the main street, Princess Street and Princess Gardens. Around 2,800 fireworks were set off within about 6 minutes and they were great to watch. My friends and I also began a rousing rendition of traditional Scottish song Auld Lang Syne after midnight (I'm not sure anyone who heard it would have enjoyed it quite so much but we certainly had fun!) whilst the fireworks sparkled above us.

If you want to experience hogmanay in Edinburgh without the crowds (an estimated 80,000 people were there this year!) then I can definitely recommend The Meadows as a great spot to watch the fireworks and enjoy the atmosphere without being overwhelmed by people. It really was a fantastic way to welcome the new year.

Edinburgh Castle

So, happy new year everyone! I sincerely hope that 2012 is your best year yet!

I would love to hear from anyone who has already made travel plans for 2012...I'm always looking for inspiration!