THE COUNTRY 17 



the small sheep you see moving about ; they are 

 a special breed, and very good eating. They are 

 called ' hogs ' for the first year, and when they 

 have been shorn they are called ' twinters,' and 

 after losing their second fleece are known as 

 ' thrunters,' and that's pretty near to ' grunters,' 

 but when they're killed the butcher calls them 

 * Helvellyn mutton.' " 



The Lake District proper is free of limestone, 

 with the exception of a narrow strip of what is 

 known as Coniston limestone. As far as hunting is 

 concerned, this is no loss, for scenting conditions 

 on bare limestone rock are generally bad, unless 

 the atmosphere is very damp. On the north, 

 Penrith is the boundary of the hmestone, and in 

 the south, Whitbarrow and Cartmel. 



All of the fell country Hunts have some low 

 ground adjoining the fells, which they visit once 

 or twice during the season. This low ground will 

 appeal to those who find fell climbing too 

 strenuous. 



The Coniston hounds, which hunt the Winder- 

 mere district, visit the Winster valley, making 

 their headquarters for the inside of a week at 

 Strawberry Bank. This low country is rideable, 

 inasmuch as it is possible to keep in touch with 

 hounds by making use of side-roads, bridle-tracks, 

 etc. The country consists chiefly of woodlands, 

 with large heather- covered allotments, merging 



c 



