Tourists share disappointment as Edinburgh Hogmanay gets axed

High winds but incredibly low spirits for tourists visiting Edinburgh from abroad after the main Hogmanay festivities were cancelled due to bad weather.

The street party and fireworks display over Edinburgh Castle were cancelled on Monday afternoon due to a Met Office yellow weather warning which at the time covered most of Scotland throughout Hogmanay, before the warning area was cut back to the Highlands and Moray.

A yellow weather warning for wind now covers central and southern Scotland until 11pm on Hogmanay, with winds predicted to reach up to 70mph.

Organisers Unique Assembly said on Monday the weather at the time meant it was not possible to do the preparations.

They have apologised to those who have travelled to Edinburgh for the cancelled events, which also include the Concert in the Gardens headlined by Scottish band Texas.

International student Darren Travasso, 21, from Mumbai, India, travelled to Edinburgh from Leicester to celebrate with friends.

He said: "I'm here for three days, we are all on vacation. It is a bit sad but there's still time to come up with other ideas.

"We were assuming the weather would be normal or snowing.

"We were planning to go to the fireworks but will visit the museums first.

"It cost around £200 to £300 to come up for the trip."

Poor weather saw the main Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh previously cancelled in 2003, and just an hour before the street party was due to begin in 2006.

"It is a bit sad but there's still time to come up with other ideas."

The stormy conditions have also caused major disruption to travel across the north of Scotland with an amber weather warning covering the Highlands and Moray until 5pm

No ScotRail services are running on the Highland Main Line between Inverness & Perth with a limited bus replacement service running.

Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: “There may actually be quite icy conditions around about the second of January, but it doesn’t look like the rain is going to continue, however it is Scottish weather, it can do anything.”

“We were all preparing to be honest for severe flooding, potential evacuation of homes particularly in areas like Carrbridge, Aviemore and Moray, that thankfully hasn’t happened but there are still severe travel disruptions particularly on rail. “

Network rail says it's dealing with 15 floods on the Far North line.

Flood warnings remain in place although they have been downgraded.

The A9 has been closed since early this morning because of flooding near Invergordon and north of Inverness the A832 is closed between Fortrose and Och because of a landslip.