#1228 Mamhead Obelisk - Gromit and Gazunda - 12 October 2025

Gazunda marked a big warning triangle on the ground: Gromit was ill and we shouldn't go near him. So a big thankyou for making it out on the trail! 

She also told us that the sweetie stop was going to be at the viewpoint, so we all knew where that was. What we didn't know, was once we'd got there, (5 miles on the long) is whether there was another half-a-trail to go! To everyone's relief, there wasn't...!

But getting too that point was quite a tiring run, not helped by a really long 😂  haha 😂.  Bollards, me and Trojan got there first, but we made sure the rest of them longs enjoyed the experience too. We didn't actually say that it was a fish hook, they just assumed! 

Some photos from Gromit below! 

Next week we're at the Mount Radford, Exeter, with free parking in bays along Magdalen Road, and parking on single yellows along St Leonard's Road (the pub is at the junction of these)

On

On

#1227 Wonford Leisure Centre - Happy Snapper - 5 October 2025

From Wide:

I managed 6.9miles on the shorts today, I think I checked the checks in all directions possible. 

Thank you for the trail @⁨Janet Anders⁩ , we went to some bits of Exeter I’d never been to before. Only a small pack but everyone enjoyed themself and got back safely.

#1226 Brightside Cafe, Haldon - Wide Receiver - 28 September 2025

We circled up in the sun. Gripper, on his bicycles, arrived just after Trojan in the van. And so Gripper later got a down down for racing to the hash.  

We watched a parade of overly sized family vehicles driving into the car park for a overly sized American breakfast! We also watched as one of those overly sized sheds drove straight into the back of a parked car as they were squeezing into a space. I think he missed reverse and left a sizable dent... He knew we'd seen him as he looked over our way and we stared back!! Hopefully he went and did the right thing.

The hare told us that it was a technical trail (whatever that means), the short was 5... km, and long was more like 5 miles. There was no walkers trail and they'd have to keep up!! Bollards was knackered and recovering from illnesses, so I'd  assumed that she'd be doing the shorts, but managed to be in the pack with the longs and even front running at some points! Lady Killer was on his way, but it turns out he was dropped off on the wrong side of the A38! He eventually caught up, but got a down down as punishment.

The trail took us through the trees and across the road to the forrest park, and then taking a tarmac path to the slip lane of the old A38 Haldon Hill, with a check. We pivoted here away from the main road and into the valley.  Lots of mountain bikes that Wide told us to be careful of. 

Then as we re-entered the forest, a long short split, where Bollards checked down a narrow path. Wide called her back and said that "I'll make it easier for you, it's that way" pointing her down the hill where the rest of us were going. Down and down we went, only to find a haha. He got a down down for that...

Not long after that was the sweetie stop, and the hash flash. We continued initially slowly along some beautiful tracks, and then got slightly confused in a wooded section where the longs did a loop and then met the shorts going the other way. An really pretty long split at the end rounded off a great trail, with down downs for Wide, Gripper and Lady Killer in the circle. 

Next week it's a Happy Snapper trail from Windows Wonford Leisure Centre.

#1225 - Wheathill Plantation - 21 September 2025

Imelda had kindly stepped in to lay this morning's hash, and was missing the 'dance' that he didn't have a ticket to! It was just the seven of us, the hare plus Wobbly and Oddbitz, Howlin' Wild, Belltoll, and Bollards and me. Oh, and of course Tampa who arrived late and who we met running the long backwards! He must have been very late as we didn't circle up until 5 past.

With our GM and his deputy off doing more enjoyable things, Wilf welcomed the pack. He didn't have much to say (thankfully), and introduced the hare. Imelda owned up to have not put much effort into the trail! But there were 6 long shorts!

The trail went out of the car park and across the road, but I quickly got called on back as it veered off to the left. Belltoll's Blue took a number two and I asked Belltoll whether he'd clean up after me, and that was the only interaction with the shorts until the Sweetie Stop! 

Very quickly after that there was the first L-S split, down the hill and back up again. Just Bollards, Wilf and me participating this week. No sooner had we rejoined the main trail, we came across another split, but this time it was a haha.

We continued towards the old buildings, and the third long took us along a narrow winding path for about 1/2 km, and then back on to the road close to where we'd started, crossing over, and past a lovely red toadstool 🍄, to the sweetie stop and hash flash.

From there, it wasn't that far home, but another two long shorts. On the first, Wilf and I nearly lost the trail, but could hear Bollards calling from the other direction. But we found out mistake, and through another old building, to rejoin the main trail. One final long - which I thought might have taken us around the reservoir - but nothing quite as extreme! 

All back after less than three miles on the long... Exactly what was needed on a warm autumn morning! 

On on to Brightside (opposite the darskside), Haldon Hill, next week.