By Alastair Jamieson
Also taking place this weekend is the Beltane Fire Festival, celebrating the arrival of summer (it usually rains) with a mix of fire, costume, drums and pagan ritual on Calton Hill. Beltane is thought to have derived from a Gaelic-Celtic word meaning “bright/sacred fire”, and coincided with the ancient pastoral event of moving livestock to their summer grazing spot.
In recent years, audiences of around 15,000 have come to watch the two-hour procession and join in the celebrations. If you’re into the Beltane “scene” this means immersing yourself in the midnight dew and exploring your physical relationship with the ancient earth.
Read the original article at: The Scotsman
