Norwick Up Helly Aa

The Festival

Norwick UHA Galley Shed 2010
Photo by Kozetland1.

2005 Guizer Jarl Andy Spence.
Image Copyright Mike Pennington and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Norwick Up Helly Aa, or Norik Up Helly Aa, which is the preferred local spelling, is the northernmost Up Helly Aa and began as a local festival in 1985. The North Unst Public Hall in Haroldswick, is used for the evening guizing. The Galley shed has been converted from a new agricultural shed along the road to Skaw. The Jarl's squad re-use as much of their costumes and shields/axes as possible each year.

The festival is normally held on the last Saturday in February and is the only Up Helly Aa held on a Saturday. In the morning the Jarl's squad muster at the North Unst Public Hall, before heading off to greet well-wishers and invited guests at the Galley Shed. During the day the Jarl's squad pose for photographs at the galley shed and locations around the north of Unst. They also visit the Nordalea Care Centre at Baltasound and various houses in the area.

In the evening the guizers muster along the old Skaw road, the Fluggie, from around 6pm onwards with the light-up at 7:30pm. The galley and torchlit procession heads down the road towards Norwick beach and after a right turn towards Valie the procession turns back on itself and heads to the burning site above the Norwick beach opposite ‘The Taing’. The Jarl’s Squad form up alongside the galley while the other guizers circle them. After the customary three cheers the torches are thrown into the galley.

Norwick Up Helly Aa by Year

Norwick Guizer Jarls by Year

Year	Name	Representing	Galley
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985	John Inkster James Gray Fraser Paul Leslie Stickle Alan Clark Cameron Ferguson Willie Spence Andy Spence Malcolm Spence Nigel Stickle Bruce Thomson Drewie Thomson Richard Spence Jimmy Laurenson Charlie Priest No Up Helly Aa Leslie Spence Bertie Priest Charlie Clark Willie Mouat No Up Helly Aa Ian Clark Willie Laurenson Bill Spence Alex Tulloch J.W. Laurenson J.C. Spence M. Sinclair	Bjarni Herjolfsson Flóki Vilgerðarson Harald Harfagr Goturm - Erik Bloodaxe Ingolf Arnason Hrolf Kraki Thorlak Stivla - - Guthrum Bjarni Herjolfsson Sigurd Eysteinson - Olaf Haraldsson - - - - - - - - - - -	Mareel Fivla Farfarer Da Greff - Virda Freyja Starka Virna Norkarfi Fjalsgord - - Norgula Heimdal Hirki - - - - - - - - - - - - -