While the Edinburgh festival grabs the headlines, just 10 miles away, one of Scotland’s most remarkable traditions takes place every August – the Burryman procession.
In this, part of the Ferry Fair, a local volunteer is covered in thousands of hooked burdock seedheads, which are attached in dense patches like Velcro. He spends up to 10 hours perambulating a seven-mile route around town, accompanied by two attendants, pausing at some 20 stops to collect charitable donations and accepting a libation of unmeasured whisky through a straw. This year’s procession is especially significant, as the identity of the Burryman is changing.
After 15 years behind the burrs, the current Burryman, 43-year-old Andrew Taylor, has acknowledged that remaining in the role too long can discourage younger people from getting involved. Next year he will pass the mantle to 30-year-old Cameron Forrester – born in South Queensferry, of course.
I’ve known Cameron since he was nine, carrying collecting tins in the procession. Today he serves as bell-ringer for the final time, proclaiming: “Hip, Hip, Hooray, it’s the Burryman’s Day!” It’s his call that invites householders to come outside and offer refreshments and donations; in return they receive a burr from the costume as a token of good luck. (This ritual element has only become essential in the last 30 years; who said traditions are static?)
Cameron inherits a physically demanding responsibility. Unable to sit or bend his arms, the Burryman finishes the day exhausted, scratched and often bloodied – but triumphant. This year, Andrew’s progress is made a little easier by overcast weather.
Although the custom’s origins remain delightfully unknown, with references dating back to the 17th century, its importance today lies not in theories of pagan survivals or fertility rites, but in its role as a living community event. The Burryman is sustained not by tourists but by local participation.
After nearly 50 years of attendance, I have known six Burrymans, and it’s a poignant moment to see Cameron take his place. It is a reminder that the Burryman is more than a figure in a curious costume: he is a living link between generations. This is one tradition that is in safe hands.
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