Huntsmen and supporters will be keeping a time-honoured tradition alive when they gather today for the annual Boxing Day meets.

As passions still run high over a failed attempt to ban trail hunting on National Trust land, Cumbrian hunts will be meeting at pubs and village and town squares the morning after Christmas to give people a chance to meet the hounds, show their backing for hunting and see off the field for a day of trail hunting.

It is 13 years since hunting with dogs was banned, but opinion is still divided.

The trust is the biggest landowner in the Lake District.

By a narrow margin its members voted to allow trail hunting to continue on its land - where dogs follow a scent rather than a real fox.

Those who oppose hunting are against this decision because they believe trail hunting is a cover for real hunting.

Although weathermen are predicting light rain for Boxing Day huntsmen believe that this will not deter supporters from witnessing the spectacle of a horseback hunt.

There are due to be at least seven fell packs, three foxhound packs and three beagle packs out across the county.

The Bewcastle Hunt will meet at Roadhead on Boxing Day at 10am.

A spokesman said he expected the hunt would meet despite the bad weather of recent weeks.

Following tradition, Blencathra will meet on Boxing Day in the Market Square in Keswick at 10am.

Honorary secretary Bob Fell said the hunt was hoping for a good turnout. "The weather is expected to be mild. It's the frost and ice we have to be careful with."

The Cumberland Farmers' Foxhounds hunt will meet at Welton at 10.30am on Boxing Day, while the Cumberland Foxhounds are expected to meet at the Bluebell pub in Dalston at 10.30am.

The Cumberland Farmers' Foxhounds spokeswoman, Joanne Charlton said they hoped the recent wet conditions would not put people off either taking part or coming along as spectators."

Chris Luffingham, director of policy, communications and campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "We are aware of 15 hunts operating across Cumbria.

"Many are using the cover of ‘trail’ hunting to illegally target foxes which are chased and literally torn apart by packs of hounds. This, despite hunting being banned in the UK in 2004.

"Hunting is a bloodsport inflicting physical and mental stress on animals and a cruel death."

Such allegations have been repeatedly denied by Cumbrian hunts.

Trail hunts claim to lay animal-based scents such as fox or hare urine to chase.

The League Against Cruel Sports claim these trails are laid in areas likely to contain foxes and other wildlife to increase the chances of catching live animals.