Crag and Hound in Lakeland

C. E. Benson

Description

“Crag and Hound in Lakeland” is a classic guide to rock-climbing in the Lake District, England. It includes interesting information about this beautiful part of England as well as detailed instructions on how to prepare and where to go. Also contains chapters on hunting and other related subjects. This book is highly recommended for climbers with an interest in visiting this idyllic climbing location. Contents include: “Preparation”, “Equipment”, “Guides”, “Map and Compass”, “Rock-climbing”, “Technicalities”, “Principles of Climbing”, “Practice”, “The Castle Head Climbs”, “Iron Crag Chimney”, “The Rope”, “Walla Crag Gully", "Training Hints”, “Accidents”, “Ice-Axes”, “Certain Easy Climbs”, “Hunting”, “Early Rising”, 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.

Sujets

• Fox hunting

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 07 février 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528784795
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

CRAG AND HOUND IN LAKELAND
Copyright 2017 Read Books Ltd. This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
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.

Photo by ]
[G. P. A BRAHAM , K ESWICK .
THE COLLIE STEP.
Moss Ghyll, Scawfell. See Appendix IV .
Crag and Hound in Lakeland
BY C. E. BENSON MEMBER OF THE CLIMBERS CLUB
PREFACE.

A novice can often explain to a novice far more effectively than an expert . -Introduction, Rock-Climbing in the English Lake District, by O WEN G LYNNE J ONES .

T HE portions of this book which relate to rock-climbing are primarily addressed to beginners. The number of climbers increases yearly, and it seemed to me that some kind of Child s Guide would be acceptable to fill in the interval between the chapters on elementary British mountaineering by Mr. Pilkington ( Badminton Library ) and Dr. Claude Wilson ( Mountaineering: All England Series ) and the works of Haskett Smith and O. G. Jones. Fellside hunting has, so far as I know, only been treated of hitherto in occasional articles. I have endeavoured to have my statements in regard to this branch of sport thoroughly checked by good men who have followed the hounds for years, and I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to these, and also to those Masters who have been kind enough to furnish me with particulars about their packs. To George Abraham and his brother Ashley, as guides, protectors, and especially as friends, I cannot adequately express my thanks.
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.

P REFACE
I NTRODUCTION
PART I.
P REPARATION :-Equipment-Guides-Map and Compass-Solitary Rambling-Origin of the Lake District-Difficulties-Dangers-Travelling the Fells-Scenery
PART II.
R OCK -C LIMBING :-Technicalities-Principles of Climbing-Practice-The Castle Head Climbs-Iron Crag Chimney-The Rope-Walla Crag Gully-Mouse Ghyll-Wastdale Head-Dungeon Ghyll and Pavey Ark-Training Hints-Accidents-Ice-Axes-Certain Easy Climbs
PART III.
H UNTING :-Early Rising-A Run with the Blencathra-Foxes-Compensation-Terriers-Loafers-Scent-Digging Out-Sing-songs-Lakeland as a Sporting Country
APPENDIX.
I.-T HE F ELLSIDE H UNTS
II.-H OUND T RAILS
III.-S OME L OCAL S ONGS
IV.-T HE C OLLIE S TEP
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. The Collie Step
2. Both hands full of rock
3. The Head of Borrowdale
4. Resisting temptation
5. Deep Ghyll in Winter
6. Turning neither to the right hand nor to the left
7. Twenty-five feet in good style
8. On Castle Head
9. Woods and hills
10. On the Eagle s Nest Ar te
11. The Hand Traverse, Castle Head
12. A wallflower
13. A crack
14. A wallflower growing
15. The Difficult Traverse
16. A steep bit
17. An Ar te , Castle Head
18. Great End
19. Cust s Gully
20. The Blencathra Foxhounds
21. Catbells
22. The Aspatria and District Harriers
23. In Borrowdale
24. Seathwaite
25. A broken country
26. The Cockermouth Beagles
27. The Coniston Foxhounds
28. The essence of climbing
INTRODUCTION.

Q UITE a number of people have a bowing acquaintance with the Lakeland Fells. Every year, commencing at Easter, a gradually increasing stream of tourists and trippers flows round the Lakes, over sundry of the passes, and even splashes the summits. It reaches its flood in August, and gradually decreases till September, when it disappears with amazing abruptness simultaneously with the break-up of the weather. Englishmen, Welshmen, Scotchmen, Irishmen; Londoners and South Countrymen; dwellers in Manchester and the parts about Liverpool; Americans and foreigners from the continent; they crowd the hotels and overrun the country, in the steamers and coaches, on ponies and bicycles.
Besides and distinct from these are the people who assemble for the Keswick Convention at the end of July. An imaginative person might be pardoned for suggesting that some fairy had touched with her wand the crows on Crow Island (Lord s Island, Derwentwater), and transformed them into parsons with evangelical tendencies. That, however, is not the case. The crows are there all the same.
Amongst all these there must be many good sportsmen and fine athletes. Clergymen especially are often keen climbers, and the Rev. E. M. Reynolds is Master of the Coniston Hounds, which ought to encourage the others. But, except for a few walks amongst glorious scenery and perhaps a casual scramble, they go away without having enjoyed the Lakes. They have never heard the fells re-echo with the glad sound of the horn and the hound : they know nothing of the Wastdale Book, wherein are written the MS. records

of most disastrous chances;
Of moving accidents by flood and fell ,
Of hair-breadth scapes i the imminent deadly chimney;
. . . . . . of antres vasts and desarts idle,
Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven,
nor of the Sacred Billiard Table round which these chances are discussed.
In Government offices and other large establishments, there is always a tremendous rush for leave in July, August, and September. Let the unselfish and obliging athlete temporarily forego his claim, and wait till October or even later, and then take train for Lakeland, when the crowd of trippers has vanished and the only visitors left are good men and true on sport intent, and I think I can promise him a grand time.
PART I.
PREPARATION.

Crag and Hound in Lakeland.

PART I.
PREPARATION.
P REPARATION has been selected in preference to Training, inasmuch as the latter term is always unattractive. It implies a task: it necessitates, if the bull may be forgiven, much unnecessary dieting, and also obedience to certain strict rules which make existence a nuisance. The purpose of this chapter is to submit sundry hints which may serve to make fell-walking more interesting than it always is, and to fit the beginner for hunting and, in a less degree, for rock-climbing, should he feel disposed to take up either s