Off to Langholm...The muckle toon!

The Langholm Common Riding always takes place on the last Friday in July. It starts at 5am as the flute band parades the town and ends at 9.30pm as the Cornet hands back the flag in front of the town hall.

But we left home at 6.30 with picnic and horses and after a bit of a hicup with horse tack all went well.

One of the features of Langholm Common Riding is the quaint emblems which are carried in the procession:-

The Barley Banock

First there is the Barley Bannock and the salted herring fastened by a large nail - a "twal-penny nail" - to a wooden platter and flourished aloft on a pole. The bannock symbolises certain of the privileges of the Baron under the obligation of thirlage, while the fish may be symbolic of the Baron's right to the fisheries in the Esk or merely of the necessity of having some "kitchen" or relish to go with the decidedly dry fare of the bannock.
Next emblem is the Spade , the very epitome of the Common Riding, used as it is for cutting sods at different points of the Common and for clearing out the pits which originally marked the boundaries on the Common Moss up Whita Hill.

The giant Scottish Thistle and Crown (look close)

Third emblem is a gigantic Scottish thistle, a most picturesque accompaniment. The origin and purpose of the introduction of the thistle is very obscure. Being the national emblem of Scotland, it may have been adopted as such, or possibly on account of its 'jags' as a warning to anyone who contemplated interfering with the Fair.

The fourth emblem is the floral crown. It has no historical significance, and may have been adopted as a symbol of loyalty to the sovereign.

8.45am and the crowds were gathering....
 

 For the riders the highlight was a gallop through this narrow street.... here comes the Langholm Cornet with his Right and Left hand Men.....

And gallop up this steep narrow hill....

Here come Graham and Kyle...

I was taking my life in my hands getting some of these photos...the horses were coming thick and fast in places....

Must get a copy of this photo.....

It looks great in a frame.....

Next time we saw the horses they were coming over the river.....

And onto the race course for a proper gallop...

Kyle had his first try on a race course although they did go steady....  another good  day out enjoyed by all.