Everyone knows the song 'Do y ken John Peel?' One of the verses goes 'Twas the sound of his horn brought me from my bed' and in Lakeland this can happen. Some of the fells and places lend themselves to superb echoes. When a hunter sighted a fox, in order to attract the attention of the hounds (who may be dragging, ie. following a scent perhaps quite old) he would emit a high pitched scream (some sounded terrible!). In the right place you get an echo.

My all time favourite is from the Kirkstone Inn into Red Screes, where the basin in the fell backed with broken crag produces a marvellous echo. I seem to recall 'Chappie ' commenting on it in some book. Also Deepdale (below Dove Crag) produces a good sound if you stand in the right place.

On occasions the Huntsman will use his whip, not to strike his hounds! but to encourage a fox 'clapped down', laying in to the crag or bracken bed, to move. Sometimes he got over-excited and produced an almost machine gun fire sound. This echoed off the crags in the right place. The best place I ever saw was at Thirlmere between Wren Crags and Castle Rock.

A certain noted huntsman did once get a 'larl bit carried away wid t whip' the end of which caught a certain 'chap' from Ambleside on the ear, which enlivened a cracking hunt. The music was wonderful and the language choice!

Finally woodland produces a good echo, if hounds were running well. In the lakes there is quite a bit of woodland dotted about. Personally I always liked the Wyke Woods below the Grasmere side of Silverhowe, although the forestry at Greythwaite between Hawkshead and Coniston could rival it.

At one time the trees were so thick, vixens cubbed on the surface, and there were hunts everywhere.