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Drag hunting at Chainhurst - 2nd March 2008
On a crisp, overcast day a small group of dedicated Beaglers met up at The Woolpack Inn, a small but welcoming Kentish Pub, for this coda to our season. On schedule we set off down ever narrowing lanes to the derelict Hoppers' huts on Reed Court Farm, a new venue provided courtesy of the Bolebroke Beagles. The few stragglers who had been caught up in London traffic soon joined us, thanking their SatNavs for guiding them to a dot on the map. By one o'clock we were ready for the off, but not before enjoying a warming port and nibbles supplied in the tradition of the Bolebroke by Sally. This venue is arable land alongside the River Beult, a tributary of the Medway. The drags commenced with four good long lines laid without complications to get the hounds back into working. As always it took time for them to settle, with curiously several who shone at the finals taking the longest to settle (perhaps they thought the season was over!). To the amusement of all, except Jill Ambridge, Amber managed to kill the drag at least twice and needed plenty of encouragement to give up her prey! Lines five and six moved onto land alongside the river and with its meanderings and the bits of coppice gave the opportunity for a couple of complex lines laid by Kore and John to really test the hounds. Kore disappeared down onto the river terrace and John having hidden in a hollow until the off was able to run through a ditch into the adjacent field and return via a bridge hotly persued by a frustrated Amber who having cut the line couldn't find the trail (or a way) into the other field. On these two lines hounds Nubie and Nelson performed extremely well giving tongue and accurately following the trail. Alistair McLuskie, Chairman of the Bolebroke Beagles, who accompanied us out of a very real interest in the breed, was genuinely impressed with the performance of our "impromptu" pack once they settled to the task. Lines 7 Nelson and Riot performed well. Clover and Hunter went off to investigate a strange windmill in the next field but soon returned completing an accurate line at a stately pace befitting of veterans, displaying that determined look that says "we can do it as well as the youngsters when WE want to!" On the final line most of the hounds demonstrated how well they could all actually work as a pack. As it was Mothering Sunday and Pubs had been booked solid for weeks we ended the day with another Bolebroke tradition, tea and cakes enjoyed in the glow of a watery sun just peeping through lightening clouds. A very pleasant end to a good day and season. Grateful thanks to all line layers volunteer or press ganged, to David our Hunt Master for an excellent season and to Theresa for all the organisation behind the scenes.
John Reymond 3 March 2008 |
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