Hark Forrad

The six foxhunting fell packs of the Lake District are the Blencathra, Coniston, Eskdale and Ennerdale, Lunesdale, Melbreak, and Ullswater. The Blencathra hunted the fells surrounding Keswick and has a line of hounds which can be traced back to John Peel. Hunting in the Lake District differed from hunting in the low country in that hounds were followed on foot. There is evidence of hunting in the Lake District as early as the mid-seventeenth century. It was reported in a newspaper at the time, that three foxhounds were exported from Keswick to Hertfordshire, and after their first run in the south, two of them vanished to reappear in due course in Keswick!

Johnny Richardson and the Blencathra pack were a big part of my growing up. I like the two syllable names of the hounds, they read like poetry.