Fell Hunting in Lakeland

By C. E. Benson

“Fell Hunting in Lakeland” is a classic guide to hunting in the Lake District, England. It includes all the information a hunter would need to know, including where and when to go, local hunts and trails, different types of hunting dogs, and much more. Perfect for anyone with an interest in hunting in this idyllic part of England. Contents include: “Introduction — A Brief Introduction to Fox Hunting”, “Hunting — Early Rising – A Run with the Blencathra - Foxes - Compensation - Terriers - Loafers - Scent - Digging Out – Singsongs - Lakeland as a Sporting Country”, “The Fellside Hunts”, “Hound Trails”, “Some Local Songs”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on fox hunting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Country Books
• Release date: Feb 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781528784818

Book preview

A Brief Introduction to Fox Hunting

In the fourteenth century and for at least two or three centuries later, foxes were but vermin, and were treated as such. Nets and greyhounds were used to capture and kill them and although early records show that our Kings were involved, we hear nothing of their having personally participated in the sport of foxhunting. They seem to have sent their huntsmen with nets and greyhounds all over the country to kill foxes for the value of the pelt as well as to relieve country folk of a thievish neighbour.

Sir T. Cockaine wrote in his treatise of 1591 of the great woodlands that once covered England which had now, for the greater part disappeared. It would seem that even in these times, foxes were becoming scarcer. Another chronicler of those times states, ‘of foxes we have some, but no great store and these are rather preserved by gentlemen to hunt and have pastime withall at their own pleasure than otherwise suffered to live.’ By the seventeenth century foxhunting was well established, and Blome (1686), who gives us a good account of hunting the fox ‘above ground’ claimed that ‘of late years the knowledge of this is arrived to far greater perfection, being now become a very healthful recreation to such as delight therin.’ Clearly, fox hunting was a very popular and well-respected pastime.

‘Foxhunting’, wrote Beckford in 1787, ‘is now become the amusement of gentlemen: nor need any gentleman be ashamed of it.’ Opinions have changed substantially since these times however, and the sport was banned in the United Kingdom in 2004. Despite this, more than two hundred packs of foxhounds are still thriving in the UK and are recruiting newcomers to the mounted field in ever increasing numbers. Most claim to just follow scent trails as opposed to actual foxes. A reasonable estimate that some two hundred and fifty thousand people in the British Isles hunt regularly with this figure swollen to over a million by those who hunt and follow intermittently during the season.

The sport of fox hunting today is probably far faster and more exciting than it used to be. In the ‘golden days’ of foxhunting between 1815 and 1880 most hunts consisted of the local squires and their friends, with a few farmers, doctors, parsons and professional men. Today the packs are much better organised and the field will consist of those who hunt in order to ride and those who really care to partake of the science of hunting and hound work. Unlike shooting and fishing which financially benefit large numbers of riparian owners and landowners through the lease or syndication of sporting rights, foxhunting does not pay rentals for the right to hunt over privately owned land and estates. This takes place through the goodwill of landowners who see the hunt as beneficial to the countryside by helping reduce the numbers of foxes and also for the benefits bestowed on the community by the very active social life revolving around most aspects of the hunt. The Hunt Ball, skittle and quiz evenings, open days and barn dances, all play their part in bringing both town and country together as well as raising funds to assist with the day to day running expenses incurred by a modern pack of hounds.

The publishers wish to make clear that in no way do they condone fox hunting proper. This book has been reprinted solely for its historical value and content, including practical information on horses and hounds, breeding and rearing, that is still relevant today.

THE BLENCATHRA FOXHOUNDS.

HUNTING.

"Night wanes—the vapours round the mountain curl’d

Melt into morn and light awakes the world."

"The sun is in the heavens, and life on earth;

Flowers in the valley, splendour in the beam,

Health on the gale and freshness in the stream."

FELL-HUNTING may test one’s nerve, courage, endurance, resource, resolution and what not; but the hardest trial of the day is the first.

That the lark should leave its watery nest is not surprising—I should do the same myself at the earliest opportunity—but to turn out of a warm, dry, comfortable bed is a very different thing. Behold!

"As I fumbled about for the matches, knocking things down with my quaking hands, I wished the sun would rise in the middle of the day, when it was warm and bright and cheerful, and one wasn’t sleepy. We proceeded to dress by the light of a couple of sickly candles, but