The Cottesmore, 97 



rider look round for a lead as lie approaclies its 

 banks. 



Leesthorpe (five miles on tke Oakkam road) for 

 the meetj leaves it open to proceed to Stapleford 

 Park, or to turn towards Little Dalby and tlie 

 Punchbowl. If the plantations (Wheathills, &c.) 

 round Dalby Hall do not hold_, the Punchbowrs snug 

 nest is sure to be full of foxes. Then away over 

 Burrough Hill to Twyford, Somerby, Owston, or 

 where you will — sharp descents and steep ascents at 

 first, then all smooth sailing and a perfect country. 

 If your morning fox does not carry you to the woods 

 of Owston, you will probably seek one for the after- 

 noon at Ranksboro^ Gorse — of which you have heard 

 if ever you have heard of hunting. Below the 

 sloping hill the level plain stretches across to the 

 woods of Burley. To the left equally fine grass leads 

 to Whissendine or Ashwell. To the right are Orton 

 Park and Owston Woods, with their surroundings of 

 turf unlimited; while behind are Somerby, Pickwell 

 and the Punchbowl, with all that is inviting on the 

 way. To make Eanksboro^ a morning draw, Langham 

 is the usual fixture. And now we move on to more 

 extensive coverts — the chain of medium-sized woods, 

 which, if in themselves not altogether without their 

 drawbacks, yet in our humble opinion are the making 

 of the Cottesmore country. You may not be fond of 

 slushing through rides that occasionally take you in 

 to the girths, and now and again cost you even an 

 extra horse ; and you may have a still greater objec- 

 tion to discovering that for the last half hour you 

 have been straining every nerve to keep at least in 



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