That East Wind - there's nothing between here and the Urals . . .

A wonderful Meet - many thanks to "J" and "H" - which had some reluctant to leave shelter where delicious sausage rolls and many other goodies (your correspondent does have a weakness for sausage rolls though) could be washed down with fine mulled wine or a touch of something a little stronger.

The trail laying country for the day was stretched over a considerable distance and left many of the wheeled-field working to find the action almost as hard as hounds worked to find the trails. It is amazing how you can lose so many horses, riders and hounds in such a road-dissected country! Even as your correspondent headed for home and a very different sort of pack* various followers were met heading in pretty much every direction.

* Dogs - hunting folk speak only of hounds, cur-dogs (and maybe terriers). The author would like to extend the differentiation between hounds plus terriers and cur-dogs such that "proper working dogs" are excluded from cur-dogs. This is an assertion that is known to have little favour. Those who know the author will also know that he holds some breeds in such low esteem that when asked to walk such a Canid he drove miles to ensure that said "dog" was walked in an area where the walker would not be recognised! Come on! The thing nearly jumped into his arms when it saw a rat and the word Terrier is in the name of the breed!

On a serious note

Many will already known that Margaret Older died last week inner 100th year. The funeral is private but lease contact the webmaster if you would like details of the memorial service.

The Stern

• Please be pleased that (reference Wednesday) they found a room!
• Who was lucky not to have been spotted hacking to the meet?
• Who was AWOL and therefore ensured that this section is a little short of quotes?

Photographs

These and many more will be found at The Gather's web-site - click HERE.