The Scottish Borders Ride

Day 1: Arrival

Today is the day you’ve been waiting for, Globetrotters. You’re in Scotland – tick! You’ve landed in the glistening Border country with its vibrantly green hillsides, heather-covered moors and welcoming villages that uphold ancient traditions. And you’re about to embark on a 6 day riding adventure through landscapes alive with the region’s turbulent history. I’ve got tingles running up and down my spine just thinking about it! Does life get better than this? I think not!

You’ll need to arrive at your bespoke accommodation – Cringletie House, which looks more like a castle than a hotel – at 12 – 12:30pm. You’ll be shown to your rooms by your host Bill and his welcoming and friendly staff, who will be there throughout your stay to offer a helping hand should you require any assistance.

You’ll have time to settle in and get changed for riding before meeting your guide Susy and driving approximately 15 minutes down the road to the equestrian centre, where you’ll be introduced to Susy’s superb team of horses. Remember, you’ll be riding different horses throughout the week, which is a wonderful experience in itself, so take some time to meet the horses at the yard, as you’ll end up riding a few of them during your stay.

After a quick safety briefing, you’ll climb on board your horse (a word of warning: the horses are all rather tall, so don’t be afraid to ask for assistance or a mounting block) and head off down the road into the rolling, wooded hills above the village of Cardrona for a short afternoon ride (about 1.5hrs). There will be plenty of opportunities for bursts of speed so that you become accustomed to the powerful horse you’ve been partnered with. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how these horses will go for a fast canter, then simply be happy to wander along on a long rein straight after without any fuss.

After arriving back at the stable yard, you’ll head back to Cringletie, where you’ll have time to freshen up before a welcome dinner with some flamboyant Scottish fanfare thrown in for good measure. Loosen your belts, globetrotters, as the food you’ll be served throughout the week will definitely be worth the extra calories!

Day 2: Manor Valley

After a breakfast worthy of royalty (seriously, you do NOT want to miss the lavish spread served each morning at Cringletie), you’ll drive across to Susy’s other property in Manor Valley (approx. 15min drive) where some new horses will be ready and waiting for your day’s adventure. You’ll explore fells, roam across moors and enjoy 360-degree views. Get ready to fall in love with the magical, picturesque Border country!

After some exhilarating, wind-in-your-hair canters, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch (provided by our friends at Cringletie) before riding on for the afternoon. Dinner tonight will be served back at Cringletie.

Day 3: Common Riding day

HIP, HIP HOORAY! Get ready to shout that all day long – it’s Common Riding time! Immersed in history, dressed in your tweed jacket and tie, you’ll ride shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of Scottish horsemen and women, led by the appointed lads and lasses from the local village, in a spectacular re-enactment of a time when clans rode the borders to protect their common lands from thieves and greedy landlords. It’s going to be fast-paced and exhilarating as you gallop across fields, crossing streams and rivers and performing the task of ‘checking the stones.’ Soak up the atmosphere, globetrotters – there is truly nothing else like it in the world!

*Please note, each local town’s Common Riding differs with their start/finish times, route, pace and hours in the saddle. Rest assured, you will well and truly get your riding fix no matter which Common Ridings occur during your departure.

Day 4: John Muir Country Park beach ride

After yesterday’s exciting extravaganza, you’ll be able to enjoy a lie in and a late breakfast (around 9am), before jumping in your car and heading to the beach (about a 90 minute drive from Cringletie). That’s right, globetrotters, today you’ll get to explore part of the Scottish coastline from the back of your horse! Let’s hope the Scottish sun is shining, because John Muir Country Park is an unspoilt stretch of coastline where farmland kisses the sea, perfect for beach canters and wading in the shallows.

After your ride, you might wish to slip up into Dunbar and have a drink at Winterfield golf club perched atop the hillside, with beautiful views of the beach and surrounding national park. Then you’ll need to zoom back to Cringletie, where you’ll be treated to a Scottish High Tea that is so much more than the traditional fare of haggis, porridge and whiskey. You’ll have to squint at the number of carbs you’ll ingest while you tuck into hot, buttery scones, ribbon sandwiches, sweet yum-yums AND a hot meal.

Because of this, dinner tonight is not included. If you’re still peckish after your High Tea, we recommend an evening pub visit to the handsome town of Peebles, just 5 minutes down the road {at your own cost}. Ask the lovely team at Cringletie for their recommendations on the best places to eat!

Day 5: River Tweed

Another day for a chilled-out hack in the Scottish Borders, where you’ll have a chance to appreciate the Borders way of life from between two pricked ears. You’ll be totally enchanted by this fairytale setting as your eyes feast on crumbling stone walls, blushing green paddocks, grandiose mansions perched on hillsides, dramatic moorlands dotted with sheep, and the River Tweed squiggling its way through the counties.

After this beautiful morning ride, you’ll return for lunch at Cringletie, then limber up for a stint in the mini highland games! Seriously, could this itinerary get any more Scottish? I think not, and that’s why we LOVE it! Think traditional heavy athletic events like archery and the caber toss, as well as highland dance competitions, track and field events, and of course piping. Combining sport, fun and culture in a uniquely Scottish style, the highland games are a spectacle like no other. And YOU get to take part in it! #winning!

Fun fact: Baron Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, was so impressed by a Highland display he saw at the 1889 Paris Exhibition that he introduced the hammer throw, shot put and tug o’ war to his competition! Talk about high praise! The former two are still included in the Olympics program to this day – just one of the many fascinating facets of the highland games.

Day 6: Common Riding day

Your last riding day is a true Braveheart finale: another Common Riding through a charming village and its picture-book surrounds. So button up your tweed for one final HURRAH and savour every moment of this historic Scottish event. It’s a real pinch-yourself moment, taking part in one of the oldest horse festivals in the world. And, now that you know the ropes, it’ll be even more fun! Don’t miss the chance to strike up conversations with the cheery locals riding alongside you – some families have been mounting up for the Common Ridings for centuries! Whether it’s last year’s Fair Lass or Coronet, or a real-life baron, you never know who you’ll meet, or what stories they’ll tell.

Tonight you’ll enjoy a farewell dinner at Cringletie, reminiscing over a spectacular week with your new two- and four-legged friends.

Day 7: Departure

This morning, you’ll savour one final delicious breakfast at Cringletie House before packing your bags and checking out. You’ll bid a fond farewell to your fellow globetrotters, then head off on your merry way.

Now that you’ve completed The Scottish Borders Ride, having stepped out on a Common Riding, tossed a shot-put, slugged a single-malt whiskey and appreciated some fine pipe music, you nearly qualify as an honorary Scot!

History of the Common Ridings

Non-Riders