THE BILSDALE HUNT. 59 



where, at the time of the famous run, the moor was all open but is now 

 a part of the deer forest. He touched Wass Moor on the right and 

 Ampleforth on the left. Here he entered the Vale of Mowbray by 

 Watergates Farm and over the railway into Lord Middleton's country. 

 Leaving Gilling Woods (of about 600 acres) to the left he went up 

 Yearsley Moor past Lion Lodge Farm, over the Yearsley and Ample- 

 forth Road to what at that time would be Newburgh Park (now Sir 

 Geo. Wombwell's). Leaving Yearsley village on the left and Pond 

 Hill Wood with Newburgh Park on the right, he pointed as if for 

 Creyke Castle, from whence he went in a straight line for Easingwold. 

 Eventually they marked their fox to ground near Oulston village, in 

 the York and Ainsty country. 



There is only one narrow strip of wood here, or near the 

 village, and my correspondent, who took me over a portion 

 of the country traversed in this wonderful run, and from the 

 top of the Hambletons pointed out the remainder, remembers 

 about four years ago the York and Ainsty finding a fox in 

 Newburgh Park and marking him to ground in this narrow 

 strip, not far removed from Oulston village — possibly the 

 same earth as that at which the Bilsdale finished years ago, 

 for there is none other near. This run, which took hounds 

 into four hunting territories, was from 35 to 45 miles as 

 hounds ran, and includes no less than a 21 mile point. No 

 one, who knows the country will accuse my informant, or 

 the song, of extravagance. A rougher or more difficult 

 country could hardly be chosen. 



Another run in Bell's era, related by Bobbie Dawson, 

 took place in the January of 1835, when a fox was found 

 in Jay's nest on the hill above Chop Gate, and, running the 

 length of the dale, entered the Sinnington territory, passed 

 over Harriet Air, and entered Duncombe Park, from whence 

 they ran down to Helmsley town end. Having his mask 

 turned homewards, this hardy dale fox commenced to retrace 

 his steps, and after nearly reaching Jay's Nest again, for 

 some reason, circled round and took hounds back again to 

 Duncombe Park and Helmsley. Continuing his see-saw-like 

 movements, he re-entered the dale, and crossing Bridgestone 

 Ridge, went to ground at dark in a rabbit hole at Hill House 

 Wood, near Chop Gate. None of those few out were with 

 hounds when they left Helmsley on the second occasion. 



