By Julian Whittle

Published at 07:12, Thursday, 31 December 2009

SNOW and ice led to the cancellation of most of Cumbria’s Boxing Day hunt meetings.

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The Bewcastle, Eskdale and Ennerdale, and Melbreak Foxhounds all called off meets.

And while the Blencathra assembled in Keswick, conditions were too severe to allow hounds on the fells.

But two hunts managed to beat the big freeze.

There was a good turnout at Welton for the Cumberland Farmers’ Foxhounds.

And more than 60 people at Uldale where the Cumberland Foxhounds met, appropriately, outside the Snooty Fox pub.

Both packs normally hunt on horseback but the hard ground on Saturday meant they had to follow on foot.

Tim Brockbank, joint master of the Cumberland Foxhounds. said: “The conditions were very tricky. It wasn’t safe to be on horses.

“Boxing Day is a social gathering and one of the bigger days in the hunting calendar along with the opening meet.

“There weren’t quite as many as usual. People were worried about coming out, quite understandably.”

Those who did go were in high spirits.

Celia Chamberlain, of Westward, Wigton, said: “I’ve been hunting all my life. We are out in beautiful countryside. You can’t beat it. Boxing Day is a chance to ride off your Christmas lunch and to meet people you didn’t see on Christmas Day.”

Because of the hunting ban, hounds follow a scented trail instead of chasing a fox.

But with a General Election due in 2010, and the Conservatives promising a free vote on repealing the ban, there was a mood of optimism among hunt supporters.

Adrian Francis, of Crofton, Wigton, said: “Trail hunting isn’t quite the same. You’re taking away the natural instincts of the hounds.

“I look forward to the day that we get a successful repeal.”

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk