Your Scottish Tourism portal

Caving is exciting, scary, dark and dirty, yet everyone who has been caving or potholing in Scotland swears by it. This is not for the faint at heart

The Loony Dook is a great way to start the New Year....

It's in the name, the Loony Dook does just what it says on the tin. If you go along to South Queensferry just before lunch on New Year's Day, you'll find a bunch of slightly crazy people parading along the high street in fancy dress behind a bagpiper, then dooking (dipping themselves) into the Firth of Forth. The near freezing waters can provide a powerful jolt to the system after a busy Hogmanay's celebrations.

South Queensferry is just a few miles outside Edinburgh, so there are lot of hungover people nearby wanting to take part. The numbers of spectators are high, and the roads are narrow so it is worth arriving early to get a good spot.

We've taken part in the celebrations over a few years, either jumping into the water or just spectating, and have seen the numbers taking part grow each year. For safety, dookers are now let into the water in small groups, so it can take a quite a while standing on the edge before actually getting wet. The waiting is actually the worst part, by the time you get to the water you'll just want to jump in and get it over.

Once you get out of the water it's important to get warm as soon as possible, so the best plan is to get into the Moorings Pub and have a good warming drink.