Adrian Sole and Hector Fair were our Quarries when we Richard Mitham kindly permitted us to meet there so that we could hunt on his farm on the Rotherfield Estate. Our first hunt started north of the road near Old Place Farm and hounds flew parallel to the road, past Heards Farm, to cross the road below the bottom of Holtham Lane.  Here they turned uphill to run behind Goleigh Farm, with hounds catching their Quarry at the triangulation stone.  This was a very fast hunt and the riders remarked what a lovely bit of country it was to ride over.

The second hunt started up the bridleway opposite Goleigh Manor.  Hounds ran well over Noar Hill Common, but overshot the line as they came on to the bridleway on Noar Hill Hanger – it is possible that someone had walked along the bridleway since the Quarry went through.  Hounds were brought back to regain the line onto and around Noar Hill, before turning back towards Charity Farm.  Crossing the King’s Farm road, hounds turned to go east of Bridleway Copse, crossing two roads before catching their Quarry below Hale Copse.

It appeared the third hunt was going to get off to a difficult start, as a tractor and sprayer entered the first field of the third hunt, starting above Hale Copse, and proceeded to spray it with roundup!  However, when hounds were laid on the line, they did not have too much trouble finding their way through the foil, to cross the road to below Goleigh Farm.  Hounds ran down to Heards Farm, where they crossed the road again and caught their Quarry below Hollam Lane

Photographs by Nicky Stent (Click to enlarge)