The Bicester and Warden Hill Hunt. 189 



and the woods and the Vale often ride distressingly 

 deep. 



Another great point in favour of the Bicester 

 country is the plenitude of foxes throughout its 

 length. Blank days are altogether unheard of; and 

 foxes are readily found as required. Possessing every 

 requisite for sport in its pleasantest form, and every 

 advantage of easy accessibility (with the best of 

 accommodation to hand at any of the quarters named), 

 it should be especially tempting in the eyes of hunting- 

 men, who, making London their chief base, are yet 

 williLg to go far enough afield to escape the sphere of 

 suburban packs. 



It is often possible to reach the Bicester from 

 London after an early breakfast, and to return for 

 dinner. For this purpose you would probably fix 

 upon Leighton, or Bletchley, on the L. & N. W. 

 Eailway, for your horses to stand. Both these places 

 are a few miles outside the eastern limits of the 

 Bicester ; but command many of their best meets. 

 And either can be attained within an hour and a half, 

 from Euston-square. And Bicester itself admits of a 

 morning journey — every hunting day if you will leave 

 Town by 7.15 a.m. — on some few occasions if you do 

 not start till 9. 



Before taking the days of hunting in order, a better 

 general idea of the country will be gathered by noting 

 its leading features as follows : Its head and neck, as 

 comprised in the many-angled strip above Banbury, 

 and nearly to Daventry, is Northamptonshire quite in 

 its orthodox sense — mostly grass, with fences often 

 very formidable, and here and there a bottom that is 



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