130 The Hunting Countries of England. 



vale is also more than '' fair scenting ground/' and 

 hounds that can work will seldom fail to make their 

 way over it. At the same time it can scarcely be 

 termed a '^flying country/' either for horse or hound 

 — though in a favourable season (with plenty of rain) 

 hounds will often run hard. Staindrop across to 

 Aycliffe is especially fine vale. As you rise from the 

 vale on to the lower undulations of the hills, grass 

 becomes more prevalent and by degrees altogether 

 takes the place of tillage ; the hedges grow higher 

 and stronger; stone walls come in and ditches go out; 

 till gradually walls alone mark the enclosures. The 

 grass is rough and soft, and almost always holds a 

 scent : while the heather and moor above hold a better 

 still — and hunting may here go on into the spring as 

 late as would be possible, and fair, anywhere. On 

 the upper ground a rider should know his way about ; 

 for in the roughest and stiffest parts there may be 

 rocks and other impediments to circumvent, and the 

 stonewalls themselves are not always negotiable. On 

 the whole, though, Lord Zetland's is a most pleasant 

 riding, and good hunting-, country — with plenty of 

 foxes everywhere, and records of sport of recent years 

 that will bear comparison with that of any Hunt. 

 The hills are seldom steep enough to make riding 

 difficult : and, indeed, are very popular ground. 

 There is always a scent on them ; and, as there are 

 no strong woodlands in the country, most of the cub- 

 hunting has to be done on the moors — where plan- 

 tations and ling (heather) find ample shelter for the 

 hardy race of foxes there to be found. 



Nearly all the Durham side of the country is the 



