Dave Johnston

Thousands of people, many in fancy dress, took part in the annual Loony Dook New Years swim in the Firth of Forth at Queensferry in the shadow of the iconic Forth Bridges today. © Dave Johnston / EEm

Pictured: participants prepare for the festival. The spectacular annual Beltane Fire Festival takes place on Calton Hill in Edinburgh to herald in the start of summer. © Dave Johnston / EEm

The last paddle steamship built in Britain, the Maid of the Loch, which has been moored derelict on Loch Lomond in the Trossachs National Park, is pulled out of the water for only the second time in 40 years for refurbishment. © Dave Johnston / EEm

60,000 revellers packed into central Edinburgh to bring in the New Year. Franz Ferdinand headlined the concert in the gardens, with a spectacular firework display bringing in 2019. © Dave Johnston / EEm

Thousands of people, many in fancy dress, took part in the annual Loony Dook New Years swim in the Firth of Forth at Queensferry in the shadow of the iconic Forth Bridges today. © Dave Johnston / EEm

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Residents in Ratho in West Edinburgh add to the unofficial bonfire in the village. Despite official bonfire night events being banned due to the covid pandemic communities throughout Scotland continued with the annual tradition. (c) Dave Johnston

Protesters gathered outside the Scottish Parliament, against police advice, to protest at the ongoing lockdown in Scotland. Protest group Scotland Against Lockdown organised the ‘march for freedom’ and urged demonstrators to march from the Parliament to the First Minister’s official residence in Bute House. Police made several arrests. (c) Dave Johnston

Hundreds of swimmers, many in fancy dress, braved freezing temperatures to take to the waters of the Firth of Forth in Kinghorn, Fife in the annual new years day swim Loony Dook. (c) Dave Johnston

Pictured: Revellers chilling at the silent disco during the Scottish capital's hogmanay celebrations. 100,000 revellers were expected to pack into the centre of Edinburgh for the Hogmanay street party to bring in the New Year. (c) Dave Johnston

Cedric Itten (Rangers) scores the equaliser during the Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Rangers at Fir Park, where a draw saw the points shared. (c) Dave Johnston

Pictured: Willie Rennie joins 4 year olds Alana and Ella doing some colouring in. Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie visited the Lauriston nursery in Dunfermline to promote the party’s new policy to provide money for free childcare for children from nine months in Scotland and invest in Scottish schools and nurseries. (c) Dave Johnston

A lorry shed hundreds of thousands of brussell sprouts after tipping over on a roundabout in Rosyth, Fife. The road was closed for several hours as workers used shovels and a mechanical digger to scoop up the sprouts. (c) Dave Johnston

Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie visited the Lauriston nursery in Dunfermline to promote the party’s new policy to provide money for free childcare for children from nine months in Scotland and invest in Scottish schools and nurseries. © Dave Johnston / EEm

Pictured: Burryman The folklore character the Burryman carried out his annual walk through the streets of Queensferry to mark the start of the Ferry Fair, traditionally having a glass of whisky at every bar on the route. Covered head to toe in over 20,000 burrs, the tradition dates back hundreds of years. © Dave Johnston / EEm

The traditional start to the salmon fishing season in Scotland took place on the River Tay at Meikleour near Kinclaven. Fishers from all over the country took part in the march to the river and blessing of the water before casting their lines. Singer Dougie MacLean made the first cast, and helped bless the water with malt whisky with Perth and Kinross Provost councillor Dennis Melloy. (c) Dave Johnston

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson visited the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Glasgow, where she met worshippers. © Dave Johnston / EEm

Pictured: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers his keynote speech to conference. The Scottish Labour spring conference opened in Dundee on Friday. (c) Dave Johnston

Alfie Hunter (5) and Solo Blyth (5) both from Edinburgh and Steven Hunter (9) have fun in the ponds outside the Scottish Parliament, on what is predicted to be the hottest day of the year. © Dave Johnston / EEm

Swimmers took to the water in Portobello, including selfie takers, despite official ‘Loony Dooks’ being cancelled this year. (c) Dave Johnston