With the spring months finally here, everyone has their own way of celebrating the end of winter.
Whether it is a tranquil getaway in the Scottish countryside or simply a nice walk soaking in the fresh seaside air, there is no wrong way to get out and enjoy March in Scotland. One Scottish town has a very unique way of celebrating, however, that dates back to the early 19th century.
Lanark is a town in South Lanarkshire, located approximately 15 miles to the south-east of Hamilton and around 27 miles out of Glasgow. It has an estimated population of around 9,000, and has been a royal burgh since 1140.
One of the town's most unique features is a traditional festival held on March 1 called Whuppity Scoorie. Every year, the event sees schoolchildren making as much noise as they can while swinging paper balls on strings above their heads.
It sounds unusual, but it is thought that the practice dates back to a time when it was believed that making a lot of noise would ward off evil spirits. Historians believe that Whuppity Scoorie Day was Lanark's way of cleansing the town of winter spirits in time for spring.
The event itself sees the town's children gather around the St Nicholas Church for 6pm, at which point the bell rings after a four-month silence. They come armed with paper balls consisting primarily of wrapping paper and newspaper tied to long strings.
After the bell rings at 6pm, the children run around the church clockwise three times swinging the paper balls over their heads like maces while yelling at the top of their lungs.
Once this is completed, all of the children taking part the scramble to pick up pennies thrown by members of the Community Council who host the event.
Regarding the unusual name of the festival, the Discover Lanark website states: "The name Whuppity Scoorie appears for the first time in association with this ceremony in 1890 when the Hamilton Advertiser reported on "Ringing the Six o' Clock Bell" stating that as the bell was rung the local youths cheering then indulged in "the lively variation of Whuppit Scoorie" in which the boys having a bonnet tied to a string whirl them about their heads and if they see one of their number off his guard he gets a quick awakening."
Nowadays, Lanark's Community Council hosts a Whuppity Scoorie Storytelling Festival, as well as art workshops, through to March 7 that celebrate the unusual event's legacy.
More information can be found on the Discover Lanark website.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
