Run rig, or runrig, was a system of land occupation practised in northern and western Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

, especially Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. The name refers to the ridge and furrow

Ridge and furrow

Ridge and furrow is an archaeological pattern of ridges and troughs created by a system of ploughing used in Europe during the Middle Ages. The earliest examples date to the immediate post-Roman period and the system was used until the 17th century in some areas. Ridge and furrow topography is...

 pattern characteristic of this system (and some others), with alternating "runs" (furrows) and "rigs" (ridges). The system continued in use into the 20th century in the Hebrides

Hebrides

The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...

. In Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, a similar system was called rundale

Rundale

The rundale system was a form of occupation of land, somewhat resembling the English common field system. The land is divided into discontinuous plots, and cultivated and occupied by a number of tenants to whom it is leased jointly...

.

In areas where arable farming was abandoned and the land surface remained unchanged, the characteristic corrugated topography of run rig is still visible. It is particularly well-preserved at the Braid Hills

Braid Hills

The Braid Hills form an area towards the south-western edge of Edinburgh, Scotland.The hills themselves are largely open space. Housing in the area is mostly confined to detached villas, and some large terraced houses...

 golf course

Golf course

A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...

 in Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

.

An infield area close to the farmhouse was cultivated and manured regularly whilst outlying land was ploughed for five years before being permitted to lie fallow.