#1196 Maer car park, Exmouth - Wobbly and Oddbitz - 2 March 2025

The first hash of Spring and it's was sunny! Spocky, Wide and I were the only ones in shorts... Perhaps we just don't feel the cold? Great to see another big turnout.

The trail, or at least the longs, took us across the Maer then up into the the houses above Exmouth, along Portland Avenue to the main road, before heading back down along Long Lane past lots and lots of doggers.  Then along Douglas Avenue before veering off on to a track and a long-short split. Taking the longs, I had Spocky ahead and Wide and Bollards behind. Wide was desperate for a wee, but was worried that 'the girls' were behind him 🤔. I'm not sure why they would mind, anyway it was only Bollards. 

Then a check where Spocky took the obvious route, coming back saying he'd checked a long way but no marks. He then checked another way, as did Wide. Bollards and me just helped by listening for the calls... No marks apparently in any direction. So let's check the first way again. And there it is, a nice obvious dot 10metres from the check. Spocky got a down down for that later. 

The lane just got muddier and muddier, before climbing back on the Maer Lane, taking a left towards the RedRock Scout camp. That took us along the amusingly titled Gore Lane, and across and down some very slippery fields, where Wide lost his balance and skidded a long way on his bum. He got a down down too, and his t-shirt was off from then. 

Next the sweetie stop at Orcombe Point, where we were greeted by Oddbitz, Mouthful, No Butts and grandson.

We were there quite a while waiting for the shorts, but the views were stunning. 

Then back home, around a mile to go, with the longs heading down on to Queens Drive for a bit more r+nning.

Down downs went to Wide and Spocky, with Son of the Bitz getting another for his 13th birthday!

Next week we're at Chudleigh Knight on play park... thanks no No Butts and Mouthful!

#1195 Joney's Cross - Spocky - 23 February 2025

Words by Wide:

We have a new winner!!

We’ll get back to that in a minute. 

We gathered at Joneys cross and our hare Spocky was waiting for us and n the boot of X’s car, note that Tamper, its X’s car. 

I circled everyone up reminding hasher we still need a hare for the next few weeks. I welcomed Stubble who wasn’t been with us for a few hashes. Spocky briefed us that the trail had dried out somewhat because of the lovely day previously and we left the circle to the first mark. 

 The marks led us to the road and we crossed over onto Hawkerland. As we dropped, it got muddier and wetter. Maybe it was because the steam was now over the paths, I mean path in the loosest terms, it was mud, it was brambles, it was fallen trees covered in moss. Deeper we went into the woods, deeper we went into the mud, up to our belly’s in place. When I say our belly’s, I mean Rosie’s, she kept going regardless of how muddy and wet it was. 

Just before the SS there was an abyss to cross. Like the gentleman we are, Spocky and I helped the girls over. Tight slipped and a hand went out to grab her bottom and push her up. I didn’t tell her until we got back that it wasn’t mine it was Spocksters!

Howling Wilf, Son of a Bitz and Gripper tucked into the great selection of sweets. They were lovely, very tangy and sour. 

Onto the new winner. 

Ashclyst forest has alway been known as the wettest place on earth but the king is dead, long live the new king, Hawkerland Valley the wettest place known to man. The proof was our mud stained clothes,I now had beige socks, previously white, Captain Peacock had a brown behind, Belltoll looked like a drowned rat. 

No one escaped!

We arrived back at the car park for beers. Thank you Spocky for a new level of wetness at least we crisps that were dry. 

If you can lay next week let HW know.

#1194 Haldon Racecourse (Brightside) - Wide - 16 February 2025

A mammoth gathering of 36 hashers gathered at the top of Haldon Hill in the bitterly cold wind. It was fantastic to welcome back so many faces, including Underlating Bottom, Cheerio Beerio and her entourage, Gripper and Trojan, and also a good number of fellow Ashburton hashers.

The trail was freshly laid by Wide, who had lovely muddy legs, and promised 6 long- short splits! Gripper had r#n up from Exeter, and Tampa arrived late as normal.

The first of the trail sent us down the track and past the 'luxury' lodge, then and down into the woods and undergrowth. No idea what Wide was following when he laid this bit, as there was definitely no path. 

The six longs were each not too long (!) so kept overtaking the walkers. And a couple of fish hooks as well, with Gromit desperately trying to slow down to miss one, just to be caught by second not far ahead. 

After the sweetie stop we needed torches as we diverted off the main path to avoid a fallen tree, thankfully a couple of the children had come prepared with their lights on their hats.

It got extremely shiggy on the final stretch, and I decided not to avoid it, but didn't expect it to be as deep and 'sucking' as it was. Sensible hashers took the path to the side. 

And I must 'apologise' to Coatcheck for an unexpected muddy splash as I overtook her. Zoot summed up my thinking "sorry, not sorry"!

On on to next week, which looks too be a Spocky trail, but to be announced.  Details will be on the website, Facebook and WhatsApp soon. You can use this link to join the WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/EpoVKFotaX43VsgSRqtKLz