Sunday, October 29

Autumn Gathering - Pinkery Outdoor Education Centre, Exmoor - 27, 28 and 29th October 2017

Another year, another Gathering - and we were back at Pinkery 4 years after the original visit.  The Naughty Hashing Fairies (car number plate is NHF) - aka the Bullbait and Child Catcher family - overtook us on the M5, and we followed them all the way up the north Devon link road and up the lane to Simonsbath.  We admired their pumpkin on the parcel shelf (see photo later!). They were in turn following Spocky and his trailer, so when he took a left turn off the lane, we were torn about whether to follow him, or stay with the Sat Nav.  We decided that he must know the best road to take, but it turns out that he was going to the Saturday pub, the Poltimore Arms. So we backed out and continued!
About 20 minutes later, we arrived.  The centre hasn't changed much since we last visited. A few more Damp Patches, and two new ovens with The-Great-British-Bake-Off sliding doors, but only one kettle... there were going to be queues at breakfast time! More surprising than anything else was the sunshine and lack of drizzle!
Buzby already had his home-brew out, and I had mine to add to it.  The food and drink was unloaded from Spocky's car, and, our chefs for the weekend - Strapo and Swampy - soon made themselves 'captains of the kitchen'.  Lots of home-brought-food to tuck into, ranging from nachos, lasagna, salads and meat plats - it was quite a healthy spread - I think only one lot of sausage rolls!
With Boots not invited this year ;-), Spocky-time followed a bit later, featuring horse racing, dingbats and skittles.  Somehow we (Black Nails) won, thanks to the Dark Lord betting all of our earnings on an outside in the final round.  Music and smoke (!) continued until the early hours.
The next morning, it had all got a bit foggy, and not just because half the beer had been drunk.  There were many aching heads and a need for a hearty breakfast. Strapo and Swampy outperformed themselves with exactly what the doctor ordered.  Then it was off for the orienteering, thanks to Coffin.  It as only a 25 minute course for most, and it was not overly warm, so a return to the kitchen for coffee - and the kettle queues - was most welcome.
The afternoon hash started at 2pm, which seemed to surprise many, but we had a strict timetable to adhere to.  A hard loop for the longs at the begining across some very boggy moorland, and then a gradual climb to an amazing viewpoint where we had the sweetie stop. Shame the fog ruined the view!  But just as we left, the mist began to clear, and kept away until dusk.  By about 4.30 we reached the Poltimore Arms - thankfully so had all our bags and clothing. Strapo and Swampy had been busy prepping dinner at the pub (which has no mains electricity!). The beer and food were both good, and a at 6pm the minibus looped around a few times delivering us all back to Pinkery for the Harry-Potter themed party.
The disco was pumping, and at least the kids were enjoying it, as the pack started to drift back into the Common Room.  More food, and then the circle.  Spocky thanked everyone that had helped over the weekend, and there was a host of other beers awarded by TC.  Son-of-the-bitz's 'roar' became our new battle cry!  More dancing and karaoke followed.
Then Sunday morning, and after an extra hour in bed, most hashers woke and were eating breakfast by 9.  The big tidy up followed.  The trail was at 11, and the sun looked like it was going to make an appearance.  Within 1/2 hour it did indeed begin to shine. Shame we were mostly too knackered to enjoy it as the trail took us up, though bogs, and up a bit more, and through some more bogs.  Buzby (having lost his sole the day before) was hashing in wellies, and saw them over-topped when he misjudged the depth of one particular puddle!  A very windy sweetie stop, and a much faster second half of the trail, as we headed back down hill to where we started.
A quick change, then into the Exmoor Forest Inn for Sunday lunch - and very nice it was too.

Thanks as always to Spocky for pulling it all together, and Strapo and Swampy for putting so much effort into the catering.

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Coming up...
5th November: Wonford Sports Centre - Happy Snapper (50.713354, -3.499597; map)
12th November: Joney's Cross, Woodbury Common - Strapo (50.6995677,-3.3389623; map)




Photos - in no particular order!













 





























Sunday, October 22

Stoke Woods, Exeter - Bullbait and Childcatcher - 22nd October 2017

After yesterday's 'Storm Brian', a hash in the woods was also going to be interesting.  Lots of leaves on the ground to make things slippery and difficult to judge.  But it was a good size pack: great to see the return of Wobbly and Oddbitz, and it was baby Albert's virgin hash!  Later, at the regroup, we reenacted the photo on his day of birth - from 6 weeks ago when he was still in Puss' tummy.

It was one of those 'coat-on/coat-off' days, certainly one of the coldest Sunday hashes this year.  But given some of the hill climbs that were to follow - coat off was definitely the right decision.  After a couple of successful checks, Rocky and I managed to find ourselves front running, along the edge of the woods and away from Exeter.  The the first of the fish hooks allowed the others to catch up.  It was all gently downhill at this point, but then started getting seriously slippery and we headed steeply down towards the road.  Along the bottom path in the woods, expecting the regroup to be in one of the normal spots with a view across the valley, but - no - we continued to a horrible long-short, steeply up, then a sneaky left-hand turn, slipping and sliding down to rejoin the main trail.  Approaching the lower car park - this must be the place for the sweetie stop?

Incorrect again.  We headed almost to the road before taking a left back up through the trees. This was the bottom of the world - we could go no lower! So it was not totally unexpected that a hellish hill was to follow!  I was struggling, and I wasn't the only one. Molly got stuck getting her bum over a fallen tree! When I thought I could go no further, we found the sweetie stop in a small clearing.  Boots had put Miss Chief on the ground (in her back carrier) up against a tree, and she had fallen asleep - and then almost head butted the tree as she stirred. Then a falling stick nearly landed on her!

There were the usual smutty conversations at the SS, including Wide aptly talking about his 2 inch girth.  After the sweeties and photo, the longs went downhill, and back to where we had just come.  We took the track to the lower car park again, and then up the hill once more!  That was more than enough exercise for a Sunday morning, so it was a brisk walk back up around the woods towards the on-home.

By now, the Bitz's had left us, due to X-bitz being unwell.  Get well soon!  We sang happy birthday to Mad Max in the usual hash way, before departing.

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Coming up...
27-29th October: Autumn Gathering at Pinkery Outdoor Education Centre, Simonbath. Details here, email Spocky
5th November: Wonford Sports Centre - Happy Snapper (50.713354, -3.499597; map)




Sunday, October 15

Haldon Chalets - Wide Receiver - 15th October 2017

Words by Rocky this week.

Today, we went for a run at Haldon Chalets; the layby (not to be confused with the café car park.) Some people did not get the message about the car park swap such as: Dobby, Spocky, Woodpecker, Happy Snapper, Bullbait and family, Tampa and I could go on and on.

After a while, everyone was finally at the right car park. Happy Snapper however was a tiny bit late but caught up with trail. First of all, we went down the main road and directly into a debris forest then we came to a long-short-split. It was either a really quite sharp prickly way, or straight on down the path, the longs went straight through the bramble bush. When we reached the woods again it turned into a Parkour course I don’t think anyone would have ran, as the trees’ branches were so low, after that we reached a clearing to find a check, we went downhill and it was certainly autumn. Then we found ourselves looping to go back through the forest. We re- joined the shorts. We went down a rocky leafy hill and was surprisingly wide and steep. Then we went up another steep uphill turned right into another clearing. It was the sweet stop. But there was someone missing. Who was it? It was Humpty Dumpty. To go and find him Spocky and Wide Receiver went back. In the next 10mins there was no luck son Mad Max made a speech. “We will go on, and they will catch us up soon.” By that time Bollards Stix and Child Catcher had went to assist on the hunt for Humpty Dumpty. Belltoll turned on his mobile phone and called Spocky. They had found the child. Mad Max had more to say. “Why don’t we all hide.” Some took it seriously. Soon enough, they had come back and we started on the trail again. We went down the path and went up a steep cliff like hill: there were enough of these we reached the top of the hill. Yet again a long BMX hill it was it was hard to get down a lot of people went straight down regardless. At the bottom, there was a long short split, however both up hill. We got to the top the longs climbed a bank along and over the fence. Then it was down a steep bank and straight to the finish.
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Coming up...
22nd October: Stoke Woods (upper car park) - Childcatcher and family (50.7516389,-3.5264361 ; map)
27-29th October: Autumn Gathering at Pinkery Outdoor Education Centre, Simonbath. Details here, email Spocky
5th November: Wonford Sports Centre - Happy Snapper (50.713354, -3.499597; map)


Sunday, October 8

Thorverton - Twin Peaks - 8th October 2017

Words by Bollards
Thorverton Parish Council had kindly allowed us to use the village hall car park so Twin Peaks was there to greet us and wave us through the gates.  The sun was beating down; not the usual October weather -but welcomed.
The trail was three and on, with several long/short splits; the first at the beginning of the trail where the shorts went right, (or was that left?) just out of the car park.  The longs faffed around for a while, crossing over a ford, then back, generally ambling around until they decided to go in the direction of the shorts, then found an interesting diversion down a bank and along a stream until a cross appeared and everyone turned back, slipping on the rocks in the process and makings sure that no-one exited the stream dry.
Back on the road again, the trail took a right turn along a disused road.  Another long/short split took saw the longs gravitating towards, and into, the stream again, when the actual trail went along the edge and up onto an old railway line.  There wasn’t a defined path and we picked our way through the brambles before joining up with the shorts.
The third split was a Ha Ha, of sorts, and shortly after the longs had re-joined the shorts we were at the sweetie stop.  There was much confusion about the name of the small purple flowers growing under the tree, but they were definitely cyclamen.
The last part of the trail had plenty of fish-hooks and then just as we thought we were on home, there were two diversions to make it more interesting (and longer).
The trail was well laid; everyone kept together.  There were the usual fines, plus the naming of Happy Snapper’s husband who will henceforth be known as the Dark Lord.

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Coming up...

15th October: Haldon Chalets - Wide Receiver (EX6 7XW, map)
22nd October: Stoke Woods (upper car park) - Childcatcher and family (50.7516389,-3.5264361 ; map)


Saturday, October 7

Last chance to be a 2017 hare

Hares are required for the the following dates

26th November **I need a confirmed venue by 20th October**
3rd December
10th December





Sunday, October 1

HABERDASHERY for 2018 - final chance

Groucho will be putting in an order very soon for City of Exeter H3 hash haberdashery.
You can choose your own colour, design and style.  Take a look at the catalogue on the Personal Touch website http://personaltouch-emb.co.uk/pt/catalogue.htm.  There are no prices on the site - contact Groucho for details (exeterrock@yahoo.co.uk) but the information and photoa below give some examples of what we ordered last time.

SS10 Mens T-shirt - £11.00 (clothing)  + £3.00 (add name etc) = £14.00
JC002 Performance long sleeved T-shirt - £10.00 + £3.00 = £13.00
SS14 Adult Hoodie - £16.95
SS6B Kids T-shirt - £7.00 + £3.00 = £10.00
SS10 Mens T-shirt - £11.00 + £3.00 = £14.00
JH055 Ladies Full Zip Hoodie - £18.95 + £3.00 = £21.95
JH050 Mens Full Zip Hoodie - £18.95 + £3.00 = £21.95
JH050B - Kids Full Zip Hoodie - £15.75
SS77B Girls T-shirt - £7.00
11970 Boys T-shirt - £7.00
GD05B - Kids T-shirt - £7.00 + £3.00 = £10.00
SS9 Adult Sweatshirt - £14.50
SS27 Adult Polo Shirt - £13.80


Women's hoodie
Women's hoodie



Kid's hoodie
Kid's baseball jacket
Performance top


Uphams Wood, Woodbury Common - Dobby - 1st October 2017

There was a really good turnout for today’s trail.  Even those who had been celebrating Strappo’s 50th managed to come along.
Dobby had laid a three and on trail which was “quite short”* to take into account the delicate disposition of those who had been celebrating.  There were numerous long/short/walk splits and two fish-hooks, each requiring 6 to return to the hare.
The trail started by crossing the road and heading through some gorsey terrain.  There was plenty of shiggy too.  There was some confusion after the long and short trails re-joined with a spurious cross that no-one seemed to know what to do with.  We could hear the pack calling on ahead so decided to head towards the noise.  I’m not sure that was the right thing to do, but we soon picked up trail again and crossed a stream before heading into the woods.   The hare popped up to guide us across a road then the longs lost the trail again but the back runners managed to find the right way.
Anyway, eventually we got to a sweetie stop, shortly after Mouthful had fallen over.  (There were other fallers too, including Haribo and Splat – who managed a superb recovery and didn’t get fined for it!)
The longs headed up hill and the shorts down.  The longs found the fish hooks and caught the shorts up after reaching the summing and coming back down the other side. 
The final long/short split took the longs through a swamp.  If you didn’t keep moving you would lose your shoes and find yourself thigh deep in shiggy.  After looping back onto the main path we headed through the model airfield and On-Home.

*4.5 miles?

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Coming up...


8th October: Thorverton Memorial Hall - Twin Peaks (SS926020, map)
15th October: Haldon Chalets - Wide Receiver (EX6 7XW, map)