The Border Common Ridings and Festivals
Every summer, The Borders reverberates with the echoes of hooves racing across moorland, songs of camaraderie, and tales of battles won and lost but never forgotten. These special occasions draw locals back to their own native glens, building new connections between neighbouring towns. The events showcase great civic pride and, to be truthful, more than a hint of excessiveness. Yet, I choose to focus on the positive aspects and want to celebrate The Borders' unique summer Common Ridings and Festivals. These events signify a place rich in culture, community spirit and historical awareness, with the Battle of Flodden and its devastating impact on The Borders being a constant thread.
A while back, I created a series of Instagram posts decoding my town of Innerleithen's festival - St. Ronan’s Games and Cleikum Ceremonies which I later collected in this blog. These were well received, especially by newcomers to the area or visitors who often find these ancient traditions unfamiliar or a bit cliquey/exclusive - something I have made it a mission to try and overcome in Innerleithen. I strongly advocate for more efforts to interpret and share these events with a broader audience, to break down some of the mystique. Therefore, I have crafted a brief guide to the Border Common Ridings and Festivals in this spirit. I hope it inspires you to find out more this summer because its “better felt than telt”!!
Now, here are the disclaimers before I get angry emails. I have drawn the line at the riding festivals in the old counties of Berwick, Peebles, Roxburgh and Selkirk - so 12 riding towns, plus Innerleithen. It feels like I must do a sequel to include the likes of Langholm, Berwick and Musselburgh - for another day…
Any mistakes, opinions and omissions are of course my own.
Click Here for 2025 Common Riding Dates
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Click Here for 2025 Common Riding Dates ---
Selkirk Common Riding 2015 - Royal Burgh Standard Bearer Scott Rodgerson
West Linton
What’s it called? The Whipman Play
What’s it all about? The Whipman Play began in 1803, run by the local benevolent society. By the 1930's the ride out was set for the Saturday at the beginning of June, with installation of Whipman and Lass the night before. Unusually, the Whipman Play 'front loads' a lot of the ceremony and riding to the start of the festival week.
Key Date in 2024? Saturday 1 June - Rideout
My highlight? The Friday night Fancy Dress and installation, on the village green. The ride-out is the following day.
Did ee ken? The term Whipman is an old Scots term for a man making his living from horses.
Hawick
What’s it called? Hawick Common Riding
What’s it all about? Generally regarded as the oldest and arguably most well known Common Riding, Hawick commemorates the Skirmish at Hornshole in 1514 when callant Hawick youths attacked raiding English and took their flag, giving hope to a town decimated by The Battle of Flodden the year before. The common land is also ridden and is at the climax of weeks of equestrian and civic events.
Key Date in 2024? Friday 7 June - Hawick Common Riding
My highlight? The snuffin’. A unique spectacle where the men of Hawick fight and wrestle to get snuff from a rams horn very early on Common Riding morning, outside Drumlanrig Tower, Hawick’s oldest building. This is followed by a stirring rendition of ‘The Old Song’. The Common Riding can begin…
Did ee ken? Hawick Common Riding dictates the dates of all the subsequent festivals - it’s always the first Friday after the first Monday in June
Selkirk
What’s it called? Selkirk Common Riding
What’s it all about? The Towns boundaries or marches are ridden, with the unmarried Royal Burgh Standard Bearer leading the huge cavalcade. After the Common Riding the Royal Burgh Standard Bearer and various Crafts and Associations Standard Bearers ‘cast the colours’ in a packed Market Place.
Key Date in 2024? Friday 14 June - Selkirk Common Riding
My highlight? The Casting in the Square. A stunning spectacle, with the low sweeping movements of the great Standards representing Fletcher, reputed to be the only survivor returning to Selkirk after Flodden in 1513. Carrying an English flag, he is said to have cast it low, unable to bring himself to tell the remaining townspeople that the 80 young men and nobles of Selkirk (‘The Flowers of the Forest’) had been cut down with their King in one blood soaked afternoon.
Did ee ken? The day starts early, in fact some people are probably just home from the nicht afore the morn! The Flute Band play pre dawn, at 04:00, to awaken the Standard Bearer and Provost. The first drum of the Selkirk Silver Band then is struck at exactly 6am to wish all of Selkirk a ‘Hail Smiling Morn’.
The Braw Lads Gathering, Abbotsford
Yetholm
What’s it called? Yetholm Festival Week
What’s it all about? A week of community events held in June, with the Ride Out on the Wednesday. A small village in comparison to other riding towns, but Yetholm has history, intrigue and the stunning landscape of the Cheviot Hills.
Key Date in 2024? Wednesday 12 June - Stobs Stanes Rideout.
My highlight? The cavalcade ride out to Stob Stanes, with the riders closely following the English Border to the two standing stones, once the boundary of the land of the Tironensian Monks of Kelso. The cavalcade is piped back into the village.
Did ee ken? The Principals are named Bari Gadgi and Bari Manushi. These are Romany names meaning Best Boy and Best Girl. Yetholm has a long association with Roma culture, with the riding of the town boundaries first appearing in print in connection with the crowning of Gypsy King Charles Faa Blythe in Yetholm in 1847.
Melrose
What’s it called? Melrose Festival
What’s it all about? A week of events held in the third week of June, celebrating Melrose ancient past and promoting interest in the community of today. The festival began in the late 1930’s and holds a ride out to Newstead and Gattonside on Monday night, led by the Melrosian. The Queen is crowned on Thursday with a Grand Ball and the tour of ceremonies rounding the week out.
Key Date in 2024? Monday 17 June - Melrose Ride Out. Thursday 20 June - Crowning.
My highlight? The crowning in Melrose Abbey. As you’ll see from Kelso later, if you have a spectacular backdrop for an event then you really should use it. Melrose does just that for the ceremony in the grounds of the ruined 12th century Abbey. The Queen is crowned in a very fitting location, associated with medieval Scottish royalty.
Did ee ken? The Tour of Ceremonies on Festival Saturday visits some of the historical sites associated with this area - Newstead (Reputedly home to the oldest Masonic Lodge in Scotland), the Roman Fort at Trimontium, Gattonside, Darnick Tower and finishing at The Abbey where the granting of Charter by King David I almost 900 years ago is re-enacted.
Peebles
What’s it called? Peebles March Riding and Beltane Queen Festival
What’s it all about? The week as we pretty much know it now dates back to 1897, but like the Royal Burgh itself both the March Riding and Crowning of a Queen have roots in antiquity. The week begins at the Cross Kirk, where the elected Warden leads the worship. The main Ride Out is held on the Wednesday, led by Cornet and Lass, with a stop at Neidpath Castle for the oration of the Warden of Neidpath. The Children’s day is on Saturday when the Queen is crowned on the Parish Church steps, followed by a massive parade.
Key Date in 2024? Saturday 22 June - Red Letter Day, the crowning of The Beltane Queen and Grand Parade.
My highlight? The fording of the River Tweed on the Rideout (Wednesday evening) . Many of the ride outs involve a river fording, but I think Peebles is the best as the riders cross into Haylodge Park surrounded by an excited crowd. It is a real midsummer highlight and the joy on the face of the Cornet and Lass is always plain to see.
Did ee ken? The origins of Beltane are a fascinating mix of the Pagan/Celtic fire festival of Baal and the granting of a Royal Charter by King James VI to hold a midsummer fayre in Peebles, in 1621. The ‘modern’ Beltane was devised in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, Victoria being a direct descendant of James VI of Scotland.
Galashiels
What’s it called? The Braw Lads Gathering
What’s it all about? First held in 1930, the Braw Lads Gathering is a combination of ride outs, ceremonies and events commemorating the heritage of Galashiels. A number of interesting and moving ceremonies take place on Braw Lads Day itself, with the Braw Lad and Braw Lass to the fore.
Key Date in 2024? Saturday 29 June - Braw Lads Day
My highlight? The Mixing of the Roses. A solemn, stylised ceremony which marks the marriage of King James IV of Scotland to Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England. As a wedding gift Margaret was granted the lands of Ettrick Forest, and the Braw Lads Festival marks this marriage - arguably the most significant in British history.
Did ee ken? George Hope Tait was the creative brain behind many of the ceremonies of Braw Lads Day. Three decades earlier he had applied his gifts to the creation of the Cleikum Ceremonies at Innerleithen. What a legacy to leave the Borders.
Burning the De’il, St. Ronan’s Border Games & Cleikum Ceremonies
Duns
What’s it called? Duns Summer Festival
What’s it all about? A week of events celebrating the heritage and community spirt of Duns, Berwickshire’s market town. The Summer Festival week was first held in 1949 and culminates in the Ball and main ride-out, which takes the riders to the large haughland at Ellemford - site of the Borders muster ahead of Flodden, 1513. Various smaller ride-out’s to neighbouring parishes also take place during the week, with the Duns Reiver and Lass leading the way.
Key Date in 2024? Saturday 13 July - Rideout.
My highlight? Festival day with the main ride-out. Though I always enjoyed Duns Kirkin’ Sunday where visiting Principals were always made very welcome, at the Parish Church and in the subsequent ceremony in the town square.
Did ee ken? In 1996 no suitable Reiver was available, so the Committee selected Reiver Lass and Stable Girl Vicki Rybowska to lead the cavalcade and carry the standard. The 19 year old from Chirnside was the first and thus far only woman to do this, and as far as I am aware the world remained on its axis ;)
Jedburgh
What’s it called? Jethart Callants Festival
What’s it all about? Established in 1947, the Callants Festival does not have the same longevity as the historic ridings, but Jedburgh itself is completely steeped in history and this is well represented during the festival. Ride-outs commemorate the Redeswire Raid in 1575 (the last battle between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England) and Mary Queen of Scots’ ride to Hermitage Castle a decade or so before.
Key Date in 2024? Redeswire Ride 6 July/Festival Day 12 July.
My highlight? The arrival of the Callant at Redeswire (near Carter Bar) and the shout of “Jetharts Here”, echoing the Callants of Jedburgh who arrived to see off the men of Tynedale in 1575. Pure emotion from the young Callant.
Did ee ken? The 110 metre Jedforest handicap sprint at Jedburgh Border Games has the biggest prize money of the season, and is seen as the blue riband of the professional athletics season which runs in parallel to the Common Ridings (and occasionally takes centre stage). Jedburgh Games are formally begun by the firing of a canon at 6am in the Town Square for the Round the Town Handicap, usually setting off a car alarm or two!
Kelso
What’s it called? Kelso Civic Week
What’s it all about? A week of events for the whole community, with the ride-outs and ceremonials organised by the Kelso Laddies Association. The roots of the festival were, like Gala and Melrose, in the 1930’s and now involve many ride-outs and the biggest ball of the season in the Border Events Centre.
Key Date in 2024? Saturday 20 July - Yetholm Rideout, and Fancy Dress Parade.
My highlight? The installation ceremony in the square. If you have a square like Kelso’s, so unusual in Scotland, then you need a great ceremony to show it off and the Wednesday night (17 July) installation does just that.
Did ee ken? The first Kelso Laddie was installed in 1937, coincidentally the same year the first ‘modern’ Standard Bearer was installed at Innerleithen - with both festivals sharing the same dates in July and colours of blue and white as well!
Hawick Common Riding
Innerleithen
What’s it called? St. Ronan’s Border Games & Cleikum Ceremonies
What’s it all about? The St. Ronan’s Games (or simply The Games) were first held in 1827, with Ettrick Shepherd James Hogg the driving force. The name, and town patron, was taken from Sir Walter Scott’s novel St Ronan’s Well. They are the oldest continually running athletic games in Scotland. In 1901 The Cleikum Ceremonies were added to the week, a unique pageant with schoolboys playing the roles of St. Ronan’s brother monks, with the Dux Boy of the school as St. Ronan, accompanied by the Dux Girl. The ceremonies evolved over the years to include an adult Standard Bearer & Partner in the 1930’s and Sash Girls, to support the Dux Girl and move towards equality among the children, added in 1966.
Key Date in 2024? Saturday 20 July - St. Ronan’s Games.
My highlight? A tough choice for me as a St. Ronan’s Ex-Standard Bearer between the Cleikum Ceremonies and The Games. I think I will go for The Games, a wonderful tradition stretching back almost 200 years and still bringing old and new friends together, as Hogg envisioned.
Did ee ken? There isn’t common land to ride the boundaries of in Innerleithen, with the Stewarts of Traquair being the main local Lairds for centuries before Innerleithen’s industrial growth. As such the inventive folk behind the Cleikum opted for a different path from the local ridings, and created ceremonies based around the legend of St. Ronan, giving Innerleithen unusual non equestrian status, and a focus on children as the primary Principals during the week itself.
Lauder
What’s it called? Lauder Common Riding
What’s it all about? An ancient tradition, with written references of the common land being ridden as far back as the 1600’s. The town fathers of the 1800’s discontinued the practice before it was reinstated in 1911, to mark the Coronation of King George V. It has changed little since then.
Key Date in 2024? Saturday 3 August - Lauder Common Riding.
My highlight? Lauder Common Riding has a relaxed air throughout, and the dancing in the street on Common Riding day is an arresting sight! I wonder what anyone passing unsuspectingly on the A68 thinks???
Did ee ken? The Lauder Common Riding of antiquity had a strong religious edge, being undertaken annually on Ascension Day. The Burgh flag carried by the Cornet and Standard Bearer shows The Madonna and Child, reflecting these origins.
Coldstream
What’s it called? Coldstream Civic Week
What’s it all about? The Civic week is a festival for the Border town of Coldstream, and is the newest kid on the block - albeit over 70 years ago now! The Coldstream Riders Association arranges three rides in the week with the Flodden ride being both the emotional highpoint of Coldstream’s week, and the last great gathering of the Border season. It is followed by a light hearted ceremony for those riders who have fallen off their horses across the season, then the Grand Ball. The rides are led by the Coldstreamer and his attendants.
Key Date in 2024? Thursday 8 August - Flodden Ride-out
My highlight? The gallop up Branxton Hill during the Flodden Ride-out is a special occasion and does of course take place on English soil, as the battle itself did.
Did ee ken? A private ceremony of remembrance for Flodden takes place at the memorial cross on Pipers Hill. Civic representatives from Border towns, as well as notable families who took part in the 1513 battle, lay memorial thistles and roses to commemorate the dead from their town or village. I was fortunate enough to be there in 2013 at the 500th anniversary and it was an experience I will never forget.
