THE YORK AND AINSTY COUNTRY. ii 



forms a rare sheet-anchor on a Tuesday, for if hounds 

 have got to the end of their afternoon draw, and have 

 only had an easy day, they are generally taken on to the 

 Bogs on the chance of an evening gallop, and it may be 

 added, that the evening gallop generally comes off under 

 these circumstances. At any rate there is generally a fox 

 there, no matter how hard the covert may have been 

 hunted. 



From Red House and Skip Bridge, practically the same 

 country is drawn. Red House Wood is a well-known and 

 favourite covert, large in extent, yet it is a covert from 

 which foxes generally go away well, and many a good run 

 has had its starting point at Red House Wood. It is 

 close to the Nidd, and occasionally, though happily not 

 often, confusion is cast into the ranks of their followers 

 by hounds crossing that river. For there is no bridge, 

 and though there is a ford, it is a slow process getting 

 across the river by that means. So that when hounds do 

 cross, if there is anything like a scent, those who are 

 over first see very little of them till they check, or kill, or 

 otherwise account for their fox. From Street Houses, 

 Colton Whin, a famous covert, which has done well ever 

 since it was planted some years ago by the late Colonel 

 Telford, Pickering Wood and the Steeton coverts are 

 drawn, and from Acaster^ Stub Wood, Copmanthorpe 

 Wood and Brocket Hagg are good strongholds. From 

 Askham there is Askham Whin,^ a very fine covert, not 

 far from Askham Richard ; and Rufforth Whin and Grange 

 Wood are also well-known coverts reachable from this 

 fixture. Bolton Percy and Nun Appleton are practically 



(i) Askham Whin is also known as Svvann's Whin, and was planted by 

 Mr. R. Swann. It is now the property of Sir Andrew Fairbairn, who sets an 

 example which may well be followed by other covert owners. Though not a 

 hunting man, Sir Andrew subscribes liberally to the hunt, and his covert is 

 never closed to hounds. Indeed, practically, it is under the management of 

 Mr. Lycett Green, 



