I was recently asked what is essential gundog handling kit. I thought about the question for 30 seconds before replying: a slip lead and a whistle. If you have these two vital pieces of equipment, then there’s not much more you really need. (Read more on gundog whistles here.) Essential…
Scurries at country fairs are a highlight of the summer, but as many handlers discover, they can be a quick lesson in humility. If you want to avoid the “leg-lifting” embarrassment and actually clock a competitive time, you need more than just a willing dog; you need a strategy. (You…
The William Cecil hotel Perfect pit stop Dog friendly Burghley Horse Trials Burghley’s Capability Brown landscape is wonderful. It had been a frenetic month: those end-of-season high days and beaters’ days spent battling bone-chilling conditions interspersed with torrential rain – all while semi-dried-out January wrapped its guilt-inducing tendrils around our…
The Ford Ranger is our nation’s favourite pickup. Launched a quarter of a century ago, it now claims more than half of the UK’s pickup market, putting it in the top 20 of all cars sold annually. It has endured as a rugged and reliable workhorse, beloved of tradesmen, but…
Pheasant katsu recipe Ingredients Sauce 50g tomato ketchup 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp English honey 5g ginger, grated Cabbage 300g green cabbage, very finely shredded Dressing 3 tbsp sesame seeds 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp rice vinegar 1½ tbsp soy sauce 1…
Working your gundog successfully is a matter of straightforward common sense. Keep it simple, avoid these common errors and you will have a wonderful shooting season ahead. 10 basic blunders when retrieving Not using a proper whistle For precise commands in all weathers and situations, without disturbing game, use a…
Partridge biryani recipe A perfect dish for using up freezer stash. Ingredients Partridge marinade 100ml plain yoghurt 75ml light game stock 1 clove of garlic, grated 10g ginger, grated ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp chilli powder 2 tsp garam masala ½ tsp ground cumin ½…
The Regency era produced some spectacular eccentrics who managed to gamble and drink their way through vast fortunes. However, none were as potty or as tragic as John ‘Mad Jack’ Mytton. Mytton was born in 1796 at Halston Hall in Shropshire to an ancient squirearchal family. His father died when…
I have come across three nice old fountain pens that belonged to my mother: a Conway Stewart fountain pen, a Waterman fountain pen and a Swan, all dating from the late Twenties. I cannot find anyone prepared to supply new bodies and do general repairs. Any ideas? JP, by email
Unsurprisingly for someone who has spent most of his life gripping a paintbrush, pen or gun, it’s with a firm handshake that William Garfit greets me on the doorstep to his studio: a treasure trove befitting such an artist and countryman. Paintings of rivers, coastlines and flowers adorn the walls…
