River of fire and new route unveiled for Hogmanay torchlight parade

A major shake-up has been announced for the torchlight parade which has opened the city’s Hogmanay festival since its inception.

Princes Street, The Mound and Calton Hill have all been dropped from the event in favour a route down the Royal Mile, which will allow all 20,000 participants to gather in Holyrood Park.

The curtain-raiser to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations being completely overhauled to help launch an official “Year of Young People” with a river of fire.

The 20,000-strong parade will come down the Royal Mile and snake past both the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish Parliament and Salisbury Crags before a spectacular finale in the park.

A group of young people will form into the shape of a word which will be chosen after a nationwide campaign, fronted by singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt, to ask young people what makes them most proud about Scotland. A shortlist of suggested words – chosen by a group of young ambassadors – will be made public at the beginning of December.

Paul Bush, Visitscotland’s director of events, said: “There are many places in the world to spend the new year, but few can match the uniquely authentic cultural experience which Scotland offers.”