My base in Oakham gives me the perfect position to photograph some of the World's most famous fox hunts. Oakham itself is in the Cottesmore country, which is (roughly) bordered in the West by the B6047 and in the East by the North Sea. West of the Cottesmore is the Quorn country; the Belvoir hunt to the North and the Fitzwilliam (Milton) hunt to the South East of this area.
It is considered bad form to stray into another territory but there are hunts who have no country of their own and rely on invitations from others. One such "wandering" hunt is the Cambridge University Drag Hounds and last Sunday they were guests of the Fitzwilliam at Great Gidding.
Four lines were laid, just ahead of the hounds, by two members of Cambridge's Hare & Hounds society - the cross country team to you and me - with the intention being to give the following "field" a good run around over the local hedges and fences. A Sunday drag hunt like this attracts a mixed crowd. The regulars from East Anglia relish the opportunity to visit new climes and members of the local packs often see it as a good opportunity for a day out, perhaps on a young or new horse.
Having been kindly driven around in the morning by our host, I picked the spots for my photographs to give a range of different shots, including those from a second camera, set up as a remote in places I wouldn't want to sit myself for safety reasons!
For a full set of these images click here - The Cambridge University Drag Hounds at Great Gidding
