Edinburgh Marches riding set to return to Craigmillar
8 September-
The Edinburgh Marches riding will return to Craigmillar Castle Park on Sunday 12th September
The annual Edinburgh Riding of the Marches - back in its second year following a 63-year break, will return to Craigmillar on Sunday.
The riding will take place this Sunday, 12th September, after thousands of people lined the streets of the Capital last year to watch more than 250 horses and riders taking a seven-hour journey around the city, ending in the Royal Mile.
A similarly large crowd is expected to turn out this weekend to watch the procession follow Captain Steve McGill as he rides out with the City Banner.
The ride takes a new route this year, going from Lang Long Road, taking in the splendour of Craigmillar Castle, before riding through Holyrood Park then returning the Banner safely to the City during a Civic Reception at the Mercat Cross.
Edinburgh's last Riding of the Marches prior to 2009 was held in 1946, when the event was resurrected after more than 200 years to celebrate the end of the war. On that occasion, around 70 riders took part and the crowd was described as "approaching royal visit dimensions".
The event had previously been held on a regular basis between 1579 and 1718, essentially as a meeting to inspect the "Burgh Marches".
This year's ride is set to begin on Lang Loan Road, on the outskirts of the City Bypass, at 10.30am before proceeding to Craigmillar Castle grounds where the principle horses will stand at the gate to the castle.
It will continue through Holyrood Park where the horses maintain a walking pace, heading towards the city centre, before finishing at the Mercat Cross with a Civic Reception at around 3.30pm.
You can read more on this story here on the Edinburgh Evening News website.
And find out more about the riding here on the Edinburgh March Riding Association website.
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