Harry, I often come to the North East and stay in Northumberland around the Alnwick area. Are there any good gun shops up that way?
As Doverham will agree, Chessies are a breed unto themselves. I lost old Sammie, the dog in the photo, last January. I still have a 3 year old and am bringing on a 12 week old pup that is a real character. They are an intelligent and resourseful breed. They can be obstinate and it is more of entering into a working relationship with them rather than train them as you would a lab. A Chesapeake will only do what a Chesapeake wants to do. They will think things out for themselves and are best left to get on with it. That pile of grouse she was sitting with she was actually guarding and would not let anyone approach them. Another quality is that they make good deer tracking dogs and I've never lost a deer with her. We could be miles from anywhere and she would stand snarling at nothing all the time I was gralloching the carcase. Really strange dogs but not for everyone as they can take a bit of handling sometimes and you have to try to understand what makes them tick.
At the far end of the moor on that photo there is an old iron age fort; or at least the earthworks for it. Lagopus.....
