92 HUNTING IN MANY COUNTRIES. 



one is very near the moors, and the same remark applies 

 to all the south side of the Derwent Valley, between Eddys 

 Bridge and Blanchland. But there is a nice covert at Hunter 

 House, and an even better one at Roughside, from which at 

 times there has been plenty of sport. Two miles further west 

 is Deborah Wood, which has been mentioned in connection 

 with a memorable hunt, and further west still are Ellers Hill 

 and Cocklake Strips. All these coverts west of Roughside, 

 belong to the Blanchland group, and those which lie beyond 

 the village of Blanchland, viz., Deborah Wood, Ellers Hill, 

 Cocklake Strips, and a good covert on the north of the river, 

 called the Triangle, are hunted alternately by the Braes of 

 Derwent and the Haydon Hounds. The landlords hereabouts 

 are Mr. Edward Joicey, of Newbiggin House, and the Eccle- 

 siastical Commissioners, and Mr. Joicey is a former master of 

 the Haydon, who lives elsewhere in the winter, and usually 

 hunts with the Tynedale hounds. At one time there were 

 many hunts from Ellers Hill, and a fair number from the 

 Triangle, but this part of the hunt is very remote — the 

 Triangle being quite fifteen miles from the kennels — and 

 involves a big journey for most of the field. The country is 

 at a high altitude, and often hunting is impossible owing to 

 frost and snow, when it is quite practicable eight or ten 

 miles farther down the valley. The upshot is that the Blanch- 

 land district is an early autumn and late spring country, and 

 is little used during mid-winter for the reasons given. I may 

 also add that it holds fewer foxes than the lower country, 

 and in this respect is not to be compared with the Sneep, 

 where the supply is always plentiful. At the Sneep the foxes' 

 are very carefully preserved by Mr. Utrick Ritson, of Muggles- 

 wick Park, a veteran who no longer follows hounds on horse- 

 back, but whose enthusiasm is still vigorous and of great value. 

 Mr. Ritson is the father of five sons, who have all survived the 

 war, these including Major J. R. Ritson, who was wounded 

 and made a prisoner; Capt. Gerald Ritson, who captained the 

 polo team which played in America nine years a,go; Colonel 

 W. Ritson, Colonel Ward Ritson, and Lieut. Alec 

 Ritson. The family have all the shooting of the Sneep 

 coverts, and all hunt regularly with the Braes of Derwent 

 and North Durham whenever opportunity offers. 



