The Thirlestane Castle Ride

Don your tartan and fasten your seatbelts, globetrotters, because today you’re driving to the Scottish Borders! A land where the rolling hills shimmer in the dappled, ever-changing light and the rousing music of the pipes still seems to echo across the valleys, the Borders will amaze you from the first moment you lay eyes on it.

You’ll be picked up from Edinburgh Airport and transferred to Thirlestane Castle (yes, you’re staying in a 16th century castle!). If you’ve chosen to hire a car, please arrive at the castle at 12:30pm. Here your hosts, Edward and Sarah Maitland-Carew, will give you a true Scottish welcome involving afternoon tea (and cake!) in the panelled dining room. Then there’s time to settle into your room or take a stroll around the gorgeous grounds of the estate, before changing into your riding clothes.

At 2:30pm, you’ll head out to meet Susy and her gorgeous team of horses. Once you’ve been paired with your steed, you’ll head off on a three-hour trail ride through the sublimely beautiful countryside surrounding the estate. By the time you dismount you’ll feel a strong connection to both the Borders and your horse.

Dinner tonight is a relaxed affair in Thirlestane’s rustic Victorian Kitchen. The sharing menu will allow you to sample the talented chefs’ delicious and varied offerings. Then you’re free to enjoy the evening as you wish before sinking contentedly into bed.

Waking up in your five-star apartment in the South Wing of Thirlestane Castle, the dream continues as you saunter out to breakfast – a jaw-dropping affair featuring a range of cooked and continental options. Not to worry, though, you’ll soon work it off with a ride around the estate! Susy will discuss the route options with you to ensure that everyone’s needs and desires are catered for.

Afterwards, a lunch of soup and sandwiches will be served at the castle, then you’ll have a few hours to enjoy however you please.

The piercing sound of the bagpipes will summon you to the state drawing room this evening, where the Castle’s piper will give you a true Scottish welcome while you sit back and enjoy a tipple. Then you’ll enter the lavish state dining room for a feast that’s as Scottish as Billy Connolly.

After another filling breakfast at the Castle, you’ll jump in your car and head to the beach (about a 50min drive from Thirlestane). Yes, that’s right Globetrotters, today you’ll get to explore 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 haven where farmland kisses the sea – perfect for long 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 over the beach and surrounding national park. Then you’ll need to zoom back to Thirlestane, where you’ll be treated to a private guided tour of the castle with your own personal guide. The stories and secrets within these walls will astound you, and you’ll come away with a new appreciation for your surrounds.

After your big night out, you’ll be able to sleep in this morning, then enjoy a late breakfast while mulling over your options for the day. If you wish, you can ride out with Susy in the late morning, or you can take the entire day off. Lunch today is not included in the ride price and can be enjoyed at your leisure.

Although there is plenty to do at the Castle, if you’ve chosen to have a rest day off the horse, then we highly recommend making the most of your hire car (if you’ve opted for this) and touring the Borders. Local attractions include the towns of Melrose, Hawick and Jedburgh, The Rosslyn Chapel, and plenty of tweed and cashmere mills and shops to satisfy both the craftsperson and the avid shopper. Your costs for the day are at your own expense, but your hosts, Edward and Sarah, are more than happy to help you design the perfect day out. Everyone at the Castle is a wealth of knowledge, so don’t hesitate to ask for advice and recommendations!

You’ll regroup at Thirlestane in the evening, and depending on the weather, dinner will be either a barbeque in the courtyard or another laid-back meal in the Victorian Kitchen.

Today, Susy’s team will take you riding on the Castle moor, a rugged, wild landscape where your horse’s surefootedness will really come into play. You’ll tuck into lunch in a bothy – a small wooden hut on the moor, where the isolation and starkness of winters gone by is very easily imagined.

After making your way back to the Castle, the afternoon is yours – enjoy the cosy lounge room and beautiful outlook of your apartment, or perhaps take a leisurely drive through the countryside.

Tonight there is the option to take the train from Stow to Edinburgh for a tasty meal and a wander through this enchanting city (at your own expense). If you wish to do so, you’ll need to be ready to leave in the early evening. You can self-drive to Stow railway station or catch a taxi and train tickets can be bought onboard. And for those who fancy a quiet night in, a beautiful home-baked meal is on offer for around £15 per person, ready for you to pop in the oven in your apartment’s fully-equipped kitchen.

For your last day of riding, Susy is taking you out onto Lauder Common. Here you’ll traverse the Common Ride trails, and the thunder of galloping hooves and the cry of the pipes will seem to echo over the stonewalled hills. Those who wish to canter will have ample opportunity to loosen the reins and fly across the plush green fields, while the rest carry on at slower pace. Dismounting at the top of a hill, you’ll savour a picnic lunch (provided by the amazing team at the Castle) while taking in the gorgeous views over Lauderdale and Thirlestane. Then you’ll get back in the saddle one last time and ride back to the estate, where you’ll say a fond farewell to the horse who has carried you on your Scottish journey.

A final gala dinner will be prepared for you tonight, with drinks sipped in the state drawing room and your meal served in the state dining room. Then you’ll retire to your apartment to dream of the week’s incredible adventures.

This morning you’ll enjoy one last delicious breakfast at Thirlestane before checking out. You’ll bid a fond farewell to Edward, Sarah and the Castle team, say goodbye to your riding guides, Susy and Gemma (who have no doubt become firm friends) and will depart around 9:30am to be transferred back to Edinburgh Airport for your onwards travel. Haste ye back, globetrotters!

This itinerary is a brilliant holiday option for non-riders – – the region is ripe with history and Thirlestane Castle is a suitable base for a number of day trips around the area (a hire car is recommended for non-riders). The non-rider price consists of all standard inclusions in the rider package (i.e. meals, accommodation, extra activities within the itinerary etc.) minus the riding element.

There’s plenty to do/see/explore in the Scottish Borders, including (but not limited to):

• Melrose Abbey – a 12th Century monastery
• Borders Distillery – the first whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders (circa 1837) which also produces gin and vodka. A personal tour and private tasting can be arranged.
• Floors Castle and Walled Gardens, Kelso – the largest inhabited castle in Scotland (larger than Thirlestane… and that’s saying something. You’ll understand when you see it!!)
• Rosslyn Chapel – a 15th Century chapel made famous by the Dan Brown novel The Da Vinci Code.
• Multiple renowned golf courses all just a short drive away.
• Guided fishing in the River Tweed.
  And much, MUCH more!