Price
2027 Prices & Dates
2027 package prices and single supplements will be announced shortly.
Places are limited and riding suitability is assessed individually. These experiences are designed for confident, experienced and riding-fit equestrians, with riding requirements, pace, terrain and duration varying between departures.
Register your interest for priority access to our 2027 Scottish season..
14 – 19 May 2027
Hawick
5 nights
One of the most historic and deeply rooted Common Riding traditions in the Scottish Borders, where the Cornet and his mounted supporters play a central role in celebrations steeped in centuries of local heritage. This package includes two Hawick rides.
Price: £TBC per person
3 – 8 June 2027
West Linton & Biggar
5 nights
Two wonderfully individual Scottish communities within one hosted experience, combining West Linton’s distinctive Whipman traditions with the riding heritage and celebrations of Biggar.
Price: £TBC per person
1 – 6 July 2027
Galashiels & The Queen’s Ride
5 nights
Experience the atmosphere and traditions surrounding Galashiels and the Braw Lads’ Gathering before joining another memorable Scottish Borders riding experience with the Queen’s Ride part of Jethart Callant Festival week.
Price: £TBC per person
7 – 11 July 2027
Jethart Callant’s Festival & Duns Summer Festival
4 nights
Two towns. Two sets of traditions. Two completely different riding experiences.
In Jedburgh, discover the traditions during a particularly special year as the Jethart Callant’s Festival celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2027.
Then onto Duns Summer Festival, where the town’s Reiver and Reiver’s Lass lead celebrations rooted in the history and identity of another remarkable Border community.
Price: £TBC per person
22 – 26 July 2027
Kelso Yetholm & Musselburgh Crusaders Chase
4 nights
A fantastic combination for riders looking for exhilarating riding and variety — from the beautiful Border countryside surrounding Kelso and Yetholm to the excitement and traditions of Musselburgh’s Crusaders Chase.
Price: £TBC per person
28 July – 1 August 2027
Langholm & Musselburgh
4 nights
Two very different Scottish riding traditions in one trip, combining the extraordinary ceremony and heritage of Langholm Common Riding with the riding and celebrations of Musselburgh.
Price: £TBC per person
1 – 6 August 2027
Coldstream Civic Week
5 nights
One of the most fascinating weeks of the Scottish Borders summer calendar.
Discover the traditions surrounding the Coldstreamer and experience a programme combining riding, history and community celebrations in this historic town on the Scotland–England border.
Price: £TBC per person
7 – 11 September 2027 — PROVISIONAL
Edinburgh Riding of the Marches
4 nights
Finish our Scottish season with a spectacular experience in Scotland’s capital, culminating in the Edinburgh Riding of the Marches.
Please note: 2027 dates are provisional and subject to final confirmation by the organisers.
Price: £TBC per person
Dates & Prices
UNITED KINGDOM
Scottish Common and Festival Rides
Overview
Experience Scotland’s Common & Festival Ridings From the Inside
Ride through historic Scottish towns with crowds lining the streets, flags flying and hundreds of horses around you, before heading out across open countryside alongside local riders taking part in traditions that have been passed down through generations.
For 2027, Zara’s Planet × Eventful Riders brings together a collection of small-group, personally hosted experiences for experienced, confident and riding-fit equestrians.
These are not events created for visitors. Scotland’s Common and Festival Ridings are living traditions at the heart of local communities, with roots stretching back centuries to when riders inspected the boundaries, or “marches”, of their towns and protected the common lands.
Today, each town has its own celebration, principals, ceremonies, routes and traditions. From Hawick’s Cornet and Jedburgh’s Jethart Callant to the Braw Lad and Lass of Galashiels, the Reiver of Duns and the Coldstreamer, no two are quite the same.
No Two Rides Are the Same
Each departure has been designed around the particular Common and Festival Ridings taking place during your stay.
You could be cantering across open moorland and farmland, crossing rivers, following historic tracks or riding into a town packed with spectators. Some rides have large mounted fields and plenty of fast riding, while others are as much about the ceremony, history and atmosphere as the riding itself.
There is no standard itinerary – each experience reflects the traditions and events of that particular week.
Personally Hosted by Eventful Riders
Every ride is personally hosted by Cathy Joyce, founder of Eventful Riders, in collaboration with Zara’s Planet. Cathy rides alongside her guests and brings first-hand knowledge of the rides, traditions and communities behind them.
The experience goes well beyond the saddle, with time to meet local people, dine locally and become part of the celebrations taking place around you. Depending on your dates, this could include ceremonies, processions, festival events, formal balls and community celebrations.
Groups are kept small and personal, and with many guests travelling alone, these trips are also a great choice for solo riders.
Better Felt Than Telt
Eventful Riders featured in National Geographic Travel’s 2026 exploration of the Scottish Common Ridings, with Cathy contributing her knowledge of the traditions, rider suitability and horse matching. The feature also included rider-cam footage captured by Eventful Riders from the saddle.
You can read the feature by clicking the link below.
Make Your Scottish Experience Your Own
If you’d like to stay longer, we can help build additional riding, Common or Festival Rides, accommodation and local experiences around your hosted programme.
Non-riders are very welcome too. Partners, friends and family can join hosted dinners, celebrations and selected experiences, while also enjoying everything the Scottish Borders has to offer – from golf and fishing to castles, country pursuits, spa time and local food and drink.
Speak to us when booking and we can help tailor your time in Scotland around your interests, riding ability and travel dates.
Personally hosted. Immersed in local communities. More than just the ride.
Location
Kelso, Scotland
Airport
Edinburgh
Duration
3, 4 or 5 nights
When to go
May - August
Riding level
Intermediate Plus to Advanced
Weight
102 kg / 16 stone / 224 lbs
Group size
10 max
Accommodation
5-star luxury hotel or luxury self-catering
Included
Private Zara’s Planet Host throughout to guide, help and host you (in collaboration with Cathy Joyce from Eventful Riders), 5* accommodation, all inclusive package as per your detailed itinerary with selected wine, bubbles and drinks included at designated hosted meals and celebrations, all riding on fabulous hirling horses, cap fees, taxes & gratitudes.
Extras
Non-Riders
Non-riding partners, friends and family are warmly welcomed. Dedicated non-rider pricing is available, with opportunities to participate in the social, cultural and destination elements of the hosted programme.
Single Supplement
Single supplements apply and vary according to your chosen accommodation and departure. Please see individual programme pricing.
Excluded
Flights, transfers and extra drinks.
Price guarantee
All our riding holidays hold a price guarantee. We believe in your piece of mind on price when you book with us and will refund the difference should you find the same riding holiday elsewhere at a lower price.
Exchange rate
Rates are subject to daily exchange rate fluctuations, please refer to our Terms and Conditions for full details.
Transfers
We highly recommend renting a car but can help with sharing car rentals with others in the group if you like.
Departure dates
See 2027 departure dates in the Price section above.
Riding & Itinerary
The Riding
Scottish Common & Festival Ridings are very different from conventional trail rides. Depending on your chosen departure, you may be riding amongst a large number of horses, spending several hours in the saddle and covering varied open countryside at a good pace.
Terrain can include open moorland, farmland, hills, historic tracks, country lanes and river crossings. Some rides include exhilarating faster stretches across open country, while pace, terrain, duration and the size of the mounted field vary considerably between events.
Riders should be confident at walk, trot and canter in open countryside, able to gallop in control when conditions allow, and comfortable riding an experienced, forward-going horse independently within a group.
Safety, horse welfare and rider suitability always come first.
Before the Main Ride
Horse matching is particularly important for this type of riding. Before taking part in the main Common or Festival Riding events, you will have a riding assessment and familiarisation ride.
This allows the team to see you ride and match you as closely as possible with a suitable horse. It also gives you the chance to get to know your horse before riding together in the much more exciting atmosphere of a main event.
Horses
The experienced hirelings are carefully selected for this unique style of riding and typically include Irish Sport Horses, Irish Draughts, Cobs and Connemara types.
They are fit, capable horses accustomed to open-country riding and the atmosphere of larger equestrian events. Horses are matched as closely as possible to each rider's experience, confidence and riding style.
Riding Level
Intermediate Plus to Advanced
You must be a confident, competent and riding-fit rider, comfortable at all paces in open countryside and able to ride independently for longer periods in the saddle.
Rider suitability is assessed individually for each departure as the demands of each Common or Festival Ride can vary.
Not sure which experience suits your riding level? Speak to us – we’d much rather help you choose the right ride than place you on one that isn’t right for you.
Type of Riding
Varied open-country riding with terrain and pace dependent on the individual event and conditions. Some rides involve large mounted fields and faster riding across suitable open country.
Your Itinerary
There is no standard itinerary for these departures. Your programme will be built around the particular Common and Festival Ridings taking place during your stay, with your detailed itinerary provided for your chosen departure.
Subject to horse availability, riding suitability and the local calendar, we can also arrange additional riding days or selected Common and Festival Riding experiences before or after your hosted programme.
Horses
Irish Sports Horses, Irish Draughts, Cobs & Connemara types.
Riding level
Intermediate Plus to Advanced
Type of riding
Varied open-country riding with large groups of horses.
Tack
English GP saddles and mostly snaffle bridles with martingales.
Weight limit
102 kg / 16 stone / 224 lbs
Group size
10 max
Accommodation & Meals
Our principal base for the 2027 season is Schloss Roxburghe, a beautiful 5-star country estate near Kelso in the heart of the Scottish Borders.
Guests have a choice of accommodation, with the option to stay in the main Castle Hotel, or in self-catering cottage accommodation within the estate for a more flexible package price.
Whichever you choose, you’ll be part of the same hosted experience, with the same riding programme, group activities, transport and included meals and experiences.
On selected departures, your stay may be split between Schloss Roxburghe and another carefully chosen hotel. This allows the group to stay closer to particular Common Ridings, towns and celebrations rather than spending unnecessary time travelling.
Dining locally is an important part of the experience, so while Schloss Roxburghe provides a wonderful base, you won’t necessarily spend every evening at the hotel.
Hosted meals may take you to independent restaurants and traditional pubs in the towns you visit, or form part of a festival celebration, formal ball or special local event.
Your package includes the meals detailed in your individual itinerary, with selected wine, bubbles and drinks also included at designated hosted meals and celebrations.
Exact meal and drink inclusions vary between departures and will be clearly detailed in your itinerary.
Accommodation
5-star luxury hotel or luxury self-catering
Single Supplement
Single supplement applies
Meals
Inform us about food allergies and intolerances
Drinks
Selected wine, bubbles and drinks are included with designated hosted meals and celebrations.
The Destination
Set in the heart of the Scottish Borders, Kelso is one of the region’s most charming market towns, sitting at the meeting point of the River Tweed and River Teviot, just an hour from Edinburgh and close to the English border. This is a landscape made for riding — rolling hills, wide open farmland, quiet country lanes and miles of off-road tracks, all steeped in history. The Borders are known for their strong equestrian heritage, none more so than the famous annual Common Ridings — vibrant local festivals where riders take to the saddle to celebrate centuries-old traditions, community spirit and the protection of town boundaries. With its cobbled square, independent shops, welcoming pubs and views of the impressive Floors Castle, Kelso offers the perfect blend of history, scenery and authentic Scottish charm.
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