Hunting the Treble to Plain Courses of Grandsire, on five bells, with the Tenor covering.
There are lots of different ways of finding the bells to follow in Plain Hunting. You will find that people are so keen to help that they all want to tell you how they do it, and it becomes really confusing. Here is just one way for you to try.
Ring Rounds until the conductor shouts, ”Go Grandsire”. Pull slightly harder to slow your bell up. At the next Handstroke, ring after the 2. Then look at the 3,4 and 5. Ring your Backstroke blow after whichever one of those three pulls down first. Then look at the two bells that you haven’t followed yet. Ring your next Handstroke blow after the one that pulls first out of these two. Now there is only one bell left that you haven’t followed yet, and your next blow is after him. (You will have to ring really slowly to wait for him.)
You have now arrived in 5th’s place, at the back of the queue.
To get back down to lead, follow the bells in the same order as you’ve just done. This time you will have to speed up to get in front of each one.
Now lead nice and steady.
Start again. First blow after the 2, then look at the other three and follow the first one that moves, etc.
In a PLAIN COURSE of Grandsire, the 2 is always you first bell after you’ve led.
You will find that when you are Hunting UP, the person who you have to follow will be looking at you. This is because they have just followed you.
Hunting the Treble to a touch of Grandsire
A “Touch”, means that the conductor calls Bobs and Singles.
The same rule applies. After you’ve led, follow the 2, forget him, look at the remaining three bells, follow the one that moves first, forget that one, look at the last two, follow the one that moves first, then follow the only one left. Same order back to lead.
A Bob or a Single will be called just as you’re about to lead. Lead nice and steady. Now the 2 won’t be your first bell any more. Look at all four of the other bells. See which one pulls first at Handstroke and follow him. Forget him, look at the other three, follow the first one out of them, forget him, and so on until you’ve followed them all. Same order back down to lead.
The bell that you followed first after you led, will be the first one each time until the next call is made.
Hunting the Treble to Bob Doubles and most other Doubles Methods.
This works exactly the same as ringing a Touch of Grandsire, except that your first bell after you’ve led will be a different one each time. While you’re leading, look around, and see which bell pulls first. (Of course, what he is doing is leading after you.)
If you find this all totally confusing, don’t be afraid to have a go at it anyway. Some people find it easiest to learn from written instructions, but some people can see it better when they are actually doing it. Of course, if you stand quietly behind the Treble when someone else is ringing it, you can see what happens, and if it goes wrong, it won’t be your fault!