"Edinburgh is safe"

"Edinburgh is Safe!" and so it was proclaimed from the Mercat Cross outside St Giles today. In the recently revived Edinburgh Ridings almost 300 horse riders "rode the bounds" from the southernmost boundary at Drum, then past Craigmillar Castle and through Holyrood Park and up the High Street. Apparently no danger was noticed and so the City of Edinburgh banner and modern Blue Blanket flag were waved in celebration at the Cross.

Common Ridings can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries when the border lands were under constant threat from the English and also by plunderers and cattle thieves, so the townspeople would ride their boundaries, or 'marches', to protect their common lands and prevent any encroachment by neighbours. Although this is no longer essential, the Ridings continue to commemorate the tradition in Border towns.

(My Track 3- horse tracks)