| Where: | Selkirk - around town & in Market Place |
| When: | Friday following 2nd Monday in June |
| Time: | From 4am! Procession 7am at Market Place with return at 10.15 and Casting of the Colours at 11am. |
Common Ridings are a boundary marking custom on horseback. They are mainly held at locations across the Scottish Borders, perhaps because this area suffered from centuries of raiding and reiving between local families and the English, and the locals needed to protect their lands from encroachment. Long after this was necessary, the Ridings survived to become major festivals and a great day out! Selkirk’s Casting of the Colours also commemorates the return of a single surviving soldier after the Battle of Flodden in 1513 – his 79 comrades were all slain. Expect a procession of up to 500 riders led by the Royal Standard Bearer and lot of flag waving! At the Casting of the Colours ceremony the procession returns to town following the Rideout accompanied by the Selkirk Pipers and Silver Band and the riders leave their mounts to make their way to the Market Place on foot. Each of the flags are waved to music in turn, with the band speeding up at times to make it trickier for the flag-bearers to keep up, before the Standard Bearer gives the Burgh Flag back to the Provost “unsullied and untarnished” for another year.
Helpful Hints
Whilst in Selkirk you might want to sample the local delicacy, the Selkirk Bannock (a bit like a giant teacake) – you can’t miss the shop in the Market Place.
In 2025 it should take place on Friday 13th June.
Click here for the Facebook page (which includes all the timings in detail) :
https://www.facebook.com/Selkirk-Common-Riding-110558223810517/
Photo by Oliver Jackson.
Do you maybe want to check that date?!
Hi Shirley!
Thanks for getting in touch – d’you know something I don’t? I think the Riding is on the 3rd Friday in June which is the 21st in 2013 but having done a quick websearch I’ve discovered that another site has it listed as the 14th (which would be the Friday of the second week). I’ve emailed the Selkirk online website to check out how the date is set but if you’re connected with the event maybe you can advise? Often the Friday of the second week in the month and the third Friday in the month are one and the same day, but not in 2013 because of the way the days of the week fall (hope that’s not too unclear! I know what I mean!!)I’l alter the date when I hear back – in the meantime I’ve added a note that the date is yet to be confirmed for 2013
Best Wishes,
Averil
As a ‘souter’ (native of Sekirk) I can tell you that Selkirk Common Riding is held on the first Friday after the second Monday in June.
Thanks Shirley! Armed with this knowledge, I have tweaked my formula and article and can be sure of getting the date right each year. There are many different ways for a date to be fixed, and this is one of the slightly more complex ones I’ve come across, so I’m pleased that you drew my attention to it and were able to keep me right. I check dates regularly for the site so would have come across the 2013 date eventually, but as we’re months away from June it might have been a while off yet so thanks again! There’s no substitute for local knowledge.
Averil
As a gutterbled souter i can confirm Shirley is spot on that is the way the common riding the date is confirmed
UP WAE THE SOUTERS OF SELKIRK
I’m planning a trip to my native land in 2013. Do we agree on Friday 14th ? I haven’t been to a Common Riding since the age of 18 and wouldn’t want to miss it if I’m in the area !
Yes, Hazel, I think we’re agreed on Friday 14th for 2013. Luckily Shirley, with her local knowledge, has kept us right with plenty of advance warning!
Best wishes,
Averil
Hi Hazel, Shirley and Averil as a young souter who lives in ettrickbridge i can definately tell you that the dat for this years common riding is Thursday the 13th as i will be riding and my friends dad is the standard bearer so I can tell you again Thursday 13th
Hi Ashleigh,
Thanks for getting in touch – I’ve been checking the details out and it’s the Ball that’s on the Thursday night followed by the ride-out of the Friday as normal. All the details are on the facebook page for the Common Riding at http://www.facebook.com/groups/349532702188/events/ Hope you have a good time on the rideout and a safe return!
Best Wishes,
Averil
Selkirk Common Riding Date =
The Second Friday after the first Monday
Yikes! I just read this series of messages and had a bad moment, thinking the date might have been changed. I am arriving in Selkirk the evening of June 13, ready to attend the 2013 Common Riding, having made my room reservation in August of last year! I now seem unable to reach Mr Gerald Beggs, with whom I communicated last year. Please forgive me if I just show up at the Selkirk foy, as he invited me months ago—hoping this will be OK to do.
Greatly looking forward to the Selkirk Common Riding and to being in Scotland again after two years away.
Anne deBuys
Hi Anne,
Fear not, you have the right date! Luckily Selkirk folks were able to put right the incorrect assumptions of an ignorant Sassenach who had mistaken the formula for working out the date from one year to the next. Hope you have a great time!
Best Wishes,
Averil
I think for 2024 it’s the same date
Hi Hope-14 June is 2024 date as it says on the page?
Best wishes
Averil