Each January 25, Scots and friends around the world raise a toast to Robert Burns, Scotland's beloved national poet. A Burns Night supper blends warmth and wit: the centrepiece is haggis, a savoury pudding made from minced meat, oats and spices, served with neeps (mashed turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes). Add plenty of good cheer, readings of Burns's verse and a dram of whisky, and you have a celebration that ends with a rousing chorus of 'Auld Lang Syne.'

In Ayr, Ayrshire, the Burns National Heritage Park anchors the festivities where they began. Here you can step inside the thatched cottage where Burns was born, explore the museum's manuscripts and stroll to the Brig o' Doon, a graceful 15th-century stone bridge immortalised in his poem 'Tam o' Shanter' and the Auld Kirk, a haunting old church that inspired the same tale.

The tradition is celebrated across the United Kingdom. Places like Northumberland in England—featured in today's image—often join the fun with enthusiasm rather than formality. Against a backdrop of castles, old market towns and wide skies, Burns Night here is less about strict tradition and more about shared culture.