A top-class outfit
catherine.austen@futurenet.com
WE were sitting in John and Aimie Nicholson’s kitchen at the Dulverton West kennels just outside Stoke Rivers above Barnstaple in North Devon. Dank fog was doing its best to saturate everything outside the window.
There were two whippets tucked in tight to the Rayburn, the armchair definitely theirs. John and I sat at the kitchen table. Aimie, his wife, opposite on the settee. Every surface gleamed, not a utensil out of place.
When cloud isn’t body-surfing across Exmoor, the kennels and stables – just up the bank – would seem to be within touching distance of the porch window. Yet despite the gloom, what little light there was mid-afternoon in the middle of February reflected off the gloss of last summer’s fresh coat of paint on the stable block. Bountiful elbow grease ensured tarmac glistened as mizzle settled all around.
As soon as you drive through the gate, it’s obvious these kennels are vibrant, full of confidence. Step out of the car and you just know this outfit is buzzing. From the right, the hunt
