Folkington Manor
February 24th
(Pictures by Bill Scott)

Hounds met at Folkington Manor, by kind invitation of Adam Stacy-Marks. A large field gathered just outside the stable yard, where we were all welcomed by Mr Stacy-Marks who kindly offered everyone sandwiches and drinks, all the better to face the day. We were also joined by the film crew from the BBC who were filming for Channel 5 film on animal instincts.

Adrian, our sole quarry, was also girding his loins for what turned out to be a very hard day for him, running steep downland country and forcing his way through thick undergrowth.

Meanwhile the weather seemed to be improving, with the wind dropping away and a brightening sky, but we were not deceived!

The hounds were laid on to the right of the bridleway, above the church and they hunted hard through the woods parallel to the bridleway, up to the Holt. Here our quarry had turned left, crossing the bridleway and climbing the hill to Hunter's Burgh. The hounds then gave everyone a glorious view of them hunting, as they twisted and turned amongst the gorse bushes along the long stretch of the 45% slope of Wilmington Hill, before crossing the footpath and hunting on across the head of the Long Man. The sheep, which had been walking all over the line, added to the downland scene by also crossing the Long Man, running parallel with the hounds.

Coming out onto the rim of the old quarry, the sheep were left behind. Here one of the young entry, Claudius, nearly met his maker by falling into the quarry but luckily he saved himself on the steep slopes. The hounds then turned downhill, crossing the bridleway. Our quarry had made a sharp left turn in the corn field, and hounds over ran the line on the steep downhill slope, and cast to the right, streaming across the corn fields. They soon picked up the line however, and hunted onto the water tank above Milton Street, where the hounds were held for a quick drink, and to allow the field to catch up.

Without much delay, they hunted up over the hill, crossing the South Downs Way and in a large sweeping arc right down into Ewe Dean, giving the field a challenging ride across the steep slopes. They all then waited on the top of the hill, watching the hounds puzzle out the line and hunt back up to them. We then turned right and jumped the tiger trap into Deep Dean, a well named deep dry river valley, with slopes steep enough to test the best of the riders as hounds ran down to Park Bottom, where they eventually took their quarry slightly short of his objective at Lullington Court.

It was now starting to rain. Hounds were hacked along the road, through Littlington and on to Charleston Manor, where they were laid on in Charleston Bottom. They hunted all the way along the steep bank, but the field had to walk a stretch of the Bottom to avoid stirring up the sheep. Just short of Friston Forest they turned hunted up to Long Barrow where they hunted an excellent "hedgehog check", (this is when the quarry run in a circle around a clump of trees, crossing his line at a right angle, before continuing on his way). They hunted up the hill, jumping into Friston forest and taking their quarry at the dew pond at Fore Down. It was now raining hard and on top of the hill blowing a gale. While we waited for our quarry to run the next line back down into Deep Dean the field, who could see the route home, started to thin rapidly!

The hounds were laid on into the bushes of Deep Dean, here they disappeared out of sight through the brambles and blackthorn, while the field picked their way through and waited for them to reappear. Hounds hunted along the bottom of Deep Dean, with some of the field taking the jump in the middle fence line. Here, to the chagrin of the field master for the day, Clare Miles, the bushes proved somewhat impenetrable, and we all become stuck. The huntsman had to get off and cut his horse out of the Old Man's Beard, while others emerged swathed in bits of bush!

Meanwhile the hounds hunted on to take their quarry half way up the very steep hill at the top of Deep Dean. Having succeeded in their objective, with no huntsman in attendance they then started to stream back down the hill to look for him.

When everyone was reunited at the top of the hill, we looked at Adrian our sole quarry for the day, in total horror. He was exhausted and his legs were bleeding profusely from thigh to ankle where he had pushed through the brambles. As the weather had turned really miserable in everyone's safety (and to preserve our quarry for another day) it was decided to miss the last hunt and head for home. Just before the cloud descended in a thick mist over the top of the Downs.

A great day's hound work, with Adrian our quarry running on his own and showing that, as always, the fewer the quarry the better they hunt. But it was hard on Adrian, who was exhausted by the end of the day, and that fact, combined with the weather, beat us in the end.

The BBC crew stayed doggedly with us all day, but were also defeated by the rain, especially as they attempted to film the hounds hunting Deep Dean, a near impossible feat when the rain is driving directly onto the lens. As a result, they did not get all they wanted, so they have threatened to come again.

We then went back to Sarah and Paul's for an excellent warming stew that was well appreciated by everybody.

On a final note, Nicola Wilson, who last week had had difficulties with her mare Speedy towing her into a dyke, came out better armed with a Vulcanite Pelham and had an excellent day.