Hawick Common Riding

What to expect

On the Thursday, the Cornet leads a chase up the hill to St Leonard's, where curds and cream are served, and in the evening the colours are bussed with ribbons at the Town Hall. Common Riding Friday starts at dawn with the Snuffin ceremony, then the grand procession and the riding of the marches, followed by horse racing on Hawick Moor and a triumphant return. Saturday brings another procession, wreaths at the war memorial in Wilton Lodge Park, more racing and, finally, the return of the flag. Songs, bands and huge crowds fill the town throughout. Between ceremonies, the town is busy with reunions, singing in the pubs and people dressed in their best.

The story behind it

Common ridings began as a practical job: riding the town's boundaries to guard common land against encroachment. Hawick's also remembers 1514, the year after the disaster at Flodden, when young men of the town are said to have routed a party of English raiders at Hornshole and captured their flag. The bronze horse and rider in the town centre, known simply as The Horse, commemorates that day. Each year a young unmarried man is chosen as Cornet to carry the flag, the greatest honour Hawick can give.

Getting there and home

Hawick has no station. The nearest are Galashiels and Tweedbank on the Borders Railway from Edinburgh, with the X95 bus running on to Hawick. By road, Hawick is on the A7 between Edinburgh and Carlisle. Expect road closures and busy parking during the main days, and bring cash, as many car parks and refreshment stalls only take cash. Accommodation in Hawick books up early for Common Riding week, so look at nearby towns such as Jedburgh, Selkirk or Galashiels too.

Watching, taking part and tips

Riding with the Cornet is for local people and invited followers, so visitors watch. The Horse is a fine spot to see the Friday procession set off, and the races on the Moor are a good day out. Stay behind ropes, keep well clear of horses and never cross a cavalcade. Wear sturdy shoes and bring waterproofs. Early birds can catch the dawn ceremonies, which have a special atmosphere. The Thursday chase and the curds and cream at St Leonard's are a lovely, less crowded taste of the week.

Where to watch

For a first visit, start with the current Cornet's official timetable. In 2026 the committee said the full programme went on sale after the Cornet's election, and its online dates separate ceremonial events from non-ceremonial rideouts. So an evening outing in the weeks beforehand isn't the same programme as Common Riding Friday or Saturday. Decide which part you're after before you pick travel dates and somewhere to watch.

The committee also publishes separate guidance for riding participants, non-riding supporters and horse owners or hirers. Read the one that applies to you, even if you're just cheering from the ground. Ask the committee about any viewing area you need, rather than taking an old crowd photo as proof that a field is open to the public. A town procession, a chase and racing on the Moor all move differently and need different working space. Find a spot where you can watch without crossing the horses' path, and step back when asked. Leave slack for the procession's pace to change, instead of planning a tight connection that relies on it passing at a precise minute.

Make a day of it nearby

Borders Textile Towerhouse gives you a close look at another thread of Hawick's identity. Live Borders describes displays on knitwear and tweed in a restored towerhouse, with garments, photographs and objects telling the story of the local woollen industries. It has lift access to all floors and a ground-floor accessible toilet. Check opening times and any changes around the Common Riding before planning to pop in between ceremonies.

Hawick Museum in Wilton Lodge Park has a wider collection. Its displays cover local and wider history and art, plus exhibitions about the motorcycle racers Jimmie Guthrie and Steve Hislop. The museum publishes a visual guide and detailed access information, handy if you'd like to know the building and displays before you go. General visits to both museums are free, with donations welcome. They're independent attractions, not Common Riding facilities. Give one its own time on another day, particularly if a town ceremony or the park's commemorative activity comes first for you. Always check a museum's usual opening against a major local celebration.

Accessibility and families

Plan for the actual ground your group will cover, rather than trusting a general promise that a town celebration is accessible. A fixed street view and a trip to the Moor each need their own checks on the way in, seating, toilets and getting home. Once the next programme is out, contact the committee with your requirements. We haven't found any reserved accessible viewing for the next edition.

With children, talk through the difference between standing behind the crowd line and trailing the riders from place to place. Choose a meeting point that still works once a procession has moved on, and keep pushchairs and mobility aids out of the space horses and helpers need. If anyone is keen to ride, point them to the official participant guidance and the committee; a spectator page can't tell you who's eligible. Likewise, a museum's accessible toilet is for museum visitors, not a guaranteed public event toilet. The best family plan is one manageable chunk of the programme with a confirmed way home, rather than trying to catch every early and late ceremony.

Questions people ask

Where it is

Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Go straight to the source

Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.

• Scotland Starts Here: Hawick Common Riding ↗
• Wikipedia: Common riding ↗
• Common Riding committee:2026 dates and supporter guidance ↗
• Live Borders:Borders Textile Towerhouse ↗
• Live Borders:Hawick Museum ↗