HUNTING IN YORKSHIRE.
Fine open weather continues, and at the time of writing—the day on which the mean temperature is, on an average, the lowest in the year—it is so mild that one would almost think the season would get through without any lengthy stoppage. Whether sport does not benefit by a little frost is a question which is open to discussion, and at any rate it cannot be said that the most open seasons have been distinguished by the most historical runs.
Nor has there been a great average of sport since I last wrote, though there have been a few runs the records of which are worth preserving; the disposition to fog, however, is decidedly against sport, and we have had a lot of fog this season, hounds having been stopped by it several times.
It should be noticed that the good example set by Lord Helmsley in the early part of last month has been followed in many parts of Yorkshire and the neighbouring counties, and it is satisfactory to see that the Hunt Servants’ Benefit Society is likely to benefit to a considerable extent by the plan which had such a happy inception when the Sinnington met at Habton Village early in December. It may perhaps interest some of my readers to know that over £80 was collected on the day the Bramham Moor met at Tockwith. That same day when they met at Tockwith (December 15th) they had a good day’s sport. White Syke Whin, which has been a certain find this season, and has now got to be a very fine covert, provided a brace of foxes to begin with, and with one of these they had a brilliant forty-five minutes by Marston Whin, which they skirted, Bilton Grange, Bickerton Village, and Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth to Lingcroft, where they rolled him over. A second fox from the Rash took them by the banks of the Nidd, and over it to an osier-bed near Kirk Hammerton Hall, where they marked him to ground; and a short but merry burst from Hutton Thorns to Collier Haggs, ending in a kill, brought a good day’s sport to a close.
On Monday, December 25th, they had a very good hunting run of a couple of hours. The fixture was Woodhall Bridge, and as they were moving off to draw, a travelling fox was viewed near Addlethorpe. Smith soon had hounds on his line, and they ran fast by Lund Head to Ingham’s Whin, and through it by Parkin Wood to Cocked Hat Whin. They checked for a moment, but ran on again cheerily over Barrowby Hill to the Punchbowl. Then came some slower hunting to Leconfield Whin, and nearly to Rudding Park; and then over the railway, when the pace improved, and they fairly raced over the grass of Spofforth Haggs to Ingham’s Plantation. Here they checked, but they hit off the line again over the Spacey Houses road, and hunted nearly to Swindon Wood, where the fox beat them.
They had a useful day’s sport on Friday, January 5th, when they met at Walton. Walton Wood, as usual, held foxes, and one went away without much pressing in the direction of Thorp Arch.
Whether he was headed, or whether it was a travelling fox making for the wood, it is difficult to say, but as Smith was taking hounds to the holloa they met a fox, and soon ran into him. Then came a long draw before they found again in New Spring, whence they hunted at a holding pace by Heslock Field Rash up to Cowthorpe Village. A right-hand turn took them thence through Lingcroft, where the pace improved, and past Bickerton Village, and they finally marked the fox to ground not far from the York Road. Champagne Whin held a fox, which after half an hour’s ringing round about the Igmanthorpe coverts was killed in Hatfield’s Plantation. They found again in Thorp Arch Whin, and hunted with no great scent over the park, and by Walton to Walton Wood, where the fox beat them.
The Bedale have been having some good old-fashioned hunting runs during the month. On Friday, December 29th, they met at Scorton, and found in a small covert named Greenberry. The fox had apparently been gone some time, for they hunted slowly at first by Hewson Hill to Streetland. Here the pace improved, and hounds ran smartly, pointing for Pepper Arden, and then by Rushwood to the Hobden Hill Plantation at Kiplin. They hovered for a moment when they got through this covert—it was scarcely a check—and Freeman held them over a sticky fallow on to the grass, and away they raced again nearly to Ellerton. Then they turned along the Swale-side to Loughton Village and Loughton Hall. Then crossing the Swale a little further on they pointed for Kirby Fleetham. Then skirting Scruton Wood they ran by Morton Flats up to Morton Bridge. The fox crossed the Swale again at the bridge, and hounds ran on by Morton Grange and Langlands, and over the Howe-beck, and past Greenhills and Low Sober, to the Low Plain Plantation at Solberge, within a couple of fields of which they ran into their fox after a good run of two hours. The point would be from seven and a half to eight miles, but hounds would run over twice the distance.
On Monday, January 8th, they met at Rudd Hall, and had another good sporting run. They found in Goskins, and ran first by Tunstall Village, pointing for Brough. Scotton Village was next reached, and then they made a wide circuit past Hawxwell Hall and Garriston. A long check took place at Garriston, and then hounds hunted through the Constable Burton coverts, and then turned to the right over Barden Moor. They hunted steadily on by Laverock Gill, and ran parallel to the Richmond Road down to Hipswell coverts, where they worked up to their fox, and they rolled him over in the open midway between the railway and the River Swale, opposite Easby Abbey, after a good hunting run of two hours and three quarters.