2-600-848 - Worldwide Photography/Heritage-Images

Hound Trailing, one of Cumbria's oldest and most popular sports, Keswick, 2nd July 1962. Hound Trailing takes place over moorland, fields and fells, with the hounds following a trail made of a mixture of paraffin and oil of aniseed. Two men (trailers) carry rags to the halfway point and then walk away from each other, one towards the start and one towards the finish, laying the trail. As the race progresses, many of the owners and spectators lay bets with the bookmakers. Betting stops when the timekeeper shouts ‘trail’ and the first dog to cross the line wins.