HUNDREDS of people gathered yesterday to take part in a historic walk which dates back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I.

The Richmond Boundary Riding, which has been held every seven years since 1576 without a break, forms a 14-mile route around the town, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

Almost 700 people are thought to have turned out for the event, led by members of Richmond Town Council, including the mayor, Oliver Blease, who made 18 proclamations to defend the town’s boundaries, as tradition dictates.

Boundary riding was a common feature hundreds of years ago, and it was used in Richmond to ensure that local landowners had not encroached on the town’s territory by building or moving fences, in the days before detailed maps.

The exact origins of the walk in Richmond are not known, but the boundary riding was given royal authority in the charter presented to the town by Queen Elizabeth I, which also established its markets.

Although there is no longer a need to establish the boundaries on foot, the 2011 riding proved as popular as ever, attracting a large crowd of walkers of all ages.

Town clerk Heather Lawler said she was delighted at how the event had turned out.

“It has been a fabulous day,” she said. “It is so wonderful to see the numbers that turned out.

“It’s so enjoyable because you never know who you will end up talking to as you make your way around.

“We know that some people who were perhaps born here or who still have family in the area return to take part and that is lovely.

“We got caught in an extremely heavy downpour in the last couple of miles, but spirits remained high.”

The event has taken several months to organise with support provided by Captain Andrew Down and Reme Battalion, based in Catterick Garrison.

More than 30 soldiers provided assistance during the walk and had previously erected stiles and cleared barbed wire and other obstructions in the days before the event.

Ms Lawler also thanked landowners for allowing the walkers to use their land and the Black Sheep Brewery, which provided beer at one of the rest stops on the route.