Thursday 22 December 2016

A RECENT ROCKWOOD HUNT ASSORTMENT



ROCKWOOD HARRIERS from Langsett - 7th December 2017

One of the better days for weather.


Come on get on with it! 
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Getting on with it – unloading.C
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Copyright image by David Swanbury

 Bit of a rest.  Huntsman on the phone and one elegant lady draining her hip flask. 
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Activity at last!   
Actually it was the attraction of my lunch in my pocket. On the way to the meet I had called at Brindon Addy’s ( LINK ) the award winning butcher at Hade Edge, to buy a sausage roll.  But I got carried away when a wagon driver in front of me bought a hot sausage, fried egg and fried mushroom sandwich in a teacake.  (A teacake, not being universally understood, is a large circular soft bread bun).  As a consequence I ordered the same and was nursing its delicious warmth in my coat pocket, a fact not lost on the hounds.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Copyright image by David Swanbury

Clambering over a wall with a barbed wire fence along it I descended into a patch of aggressive brambles and was completely ensnared while trying to take this photo.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Copyright image by David Swanbury

A couple of donkeys pictured in passing.  Some friends have just taken delivery of two donkeys to add to their flock of White Faced Woodland sheep and hens.  They came from the Donkey Sanctuary.  LINK  It seems a bit fashionable to have a couple of donkeys, or llamas or other exotica.  But donkeys do have a rather lovable appearance and to have one of those little old Irish donkey carts as well would be good fun.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Bit of a jam as the huntsman and hounds got to the end of the walled lane to find a locked gate, so everyone had to about face and he was left stuck at the back.  I think the waterboard of the time must have built the walls as they built some very solid high walls that stand well today.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


An old building presumably once a cottage at Langsett,  passed on the way home.
Copyright image by David Swanbury




ROCKWOOD HARRIERS from Bolsterstone - 14th December 2016



Going to the Meet
Copyright image by David Swanbury


The Meet
Copyright image by David Swanbury


A foxhound at the back.  I met a young gamekeeper last week, while I was trying to follow the Rockwood, who didn’t know what harriers were.  Odd.  He never got to see them either as I had lost them and he went home.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Moving off from the Meet.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Why many go I think, other than the social occasion.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Always a lot of standing about.  But which way should we look?
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Copyright image by David Swanbury

An artist cum photographer was out on foot.  She had a camera to die for.  Canon 5D, later model, and a Canon 70-200mm lens.  One of those low light white professional ones that mark the really serious photographer.  She is an equine artist – LINK
Copyright image by David Swanbury


There was a haze that never went.
Copyright image by David Swanbury


Copyright image by David Swanbury

The end of my day of plodding, but the countryside is delightful despite being alongside industrial Stocksbridge and near Sheffield.
Copyright image by David Swanbury





































































































































































































































































Sunday 4 December 2016

ROCKWOOD HARRIERS HUNT - a bit more!



Some more photos of the Rockwood Harriers Hunt – two meets. 

I don't normally think of adding the 'Hunt' bit but harriers are also people who go running, usually in a club environment.  I just looked up 'Harriers' on Google to see what it said -
"plural noun: harriers

   A person who engages in persistent attacks on others or incursions into their land." 
Not the most enlightening definition!  So try Wikipedia -  
Harrier definition and description


Rockwood Harriers from the Cherry Tree at High Hoyland in November.
Rockwood Harriers on the way to the Meet.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Some of the 'Field' with Emley Moor mast in the background.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
The comfortable seat of a Joint Master.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Still some autumn colours.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Whipper-in.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
A mum on gate duty.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Collecting them up.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Oh Dear!  On the verge of vanishing.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Collected at last.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Well almost.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Another Joint Master.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Some of the Field going home through Deffer Wood.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Rockwood Harriers Hunt from the Rose and Crown at Hoylandswaine in December. 

A bit overcast but a dry winter day.  My old camera and slow lens struggle on dull winter days with the lack of light and poor speed.

Another Joint Master; caressing his IPhone.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Hounds love people.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
The turnout of the Field is always immaculate.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
A horseless Whipper-in in wellies.  Not posh ones either. A touch of Compo here.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Leaving the Meet at the Rose and Crown.  I see there is a yellow notice up on the wall.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
So I looked it up on 'Find My Pub' just to see how fantastic it is.
It says the Tenancy Ingoing Cost is £9,750 and Rent £17,000 and then darkly adds there may be other additional costs.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.



Trust a car to turn up at this moment!  I wanted the old English countryside look of the church tower and the Harriers.  I wouldn't mind had it been an Austin Seven Chummy.  Pity about the others behind too.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
It's still there!

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Wrong sort of houses now.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
The Field following the 'Field Master' of the day.  I haven't moved so that first photo is quite a long shot.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Another cameraman.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Whoa!

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
The huntsman about to take off in a stride or two.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Intermission.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.

Obviously 'not all on'.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
A Grey always looks good in a photo!

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Attentively waiting.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Harriers they may be, but the Rockwood have one or two lovely big amiable foxhounds.

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
  Serious photographers have to lug a big bag about!

Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
It was getting a bit more gloomy so I turned for home at this point as everyone vanished down to the right.

Addendum -

No cars!
Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.
Old photo!
Rockwood Harriers Hunt.    Copyright image by David Swanbury.