It was a cold and misty morning up on the common but that didn’t deter us hardy hashers, there were well over 20 hashers again. Groucho informed everyone that with regard to last weeks blog, Tail Lamps shoelaces were once again flaccid! Lovely word that!! Talking of Flaccid, did he ever return to the hash after we named him that??? Howling Wilf gave us our instructions and off we set down hill. After a lot of loitering at the next check, Paperwork called us on.
More down hill ensued, this did not bode well for later! Through the forest we went and back out on to the track for a bit more loitering. As we headed towards the next forest foray, some of the knitting circle had got themselves a way behind. We reached the first long/ short split where Sorepoint convinced Tuned In to ’go long’. This was to later become a very sore point! The knitting circle at the back however, thinking themselves to be very clever, first mistake, thought they’d cheat and go off piste to catch up, not realising that they then ended up on the long!! Ha! Ha! That’ll teach ’em.
After losing the trail a number of times in the forest, the longs all got back on trail and shot off into the distance, leaving us slightly less athletic (!) longs, way behind. This wouldn’t have been a problem if one of the silly buggers kicked out the check, but alas….it was not to be. Sorepoint and Tuned In arrived at the check with no clue as to which way to go and no flour to be seen in any direction, previously eaten by small animals I think. Who had been in front of us we mused???? Only the SHERIFF!!!! He didn’t kick the check out we cried, fine him, flog him, string him up we cried, ok, maybe a little harsh, but he shows no mercy to others you know!
Aaaaaanyway, after much to-ing and fro-ing and frantic calls of are you? Wilf was heard in the distance, unfortunately, we could hear him, just couldn’t decide quite where the voice was coming from, up the steep bank we went and as if by magic, Howling Wilf appeared. We all then had to catch up with the others who had by now caught hypothermia at the sweetie stop. Jaws in particular, looked like the end was nigh! After a short (for some of us) sweetie stop we set off again.
From here on the trail was pretty much entirely uphill. There were a few fish hooks thrown in for good measure and another long/ short split. There were one or two casualties on the way back up. Rumour has it Ring Piece fell on her names sake. Horny Woman stood on what was not quite terra firma, more terra bogga and was covered in mud. Also one of the dogs came a cropper in the mud and Ring Piece turned around to find her dog ’legless’ in the mud. Despite this we all made it back to the car park in one piece, where we consumed our consumables and the sheriff handed out fines and he himself was fined for his misdemeanors.
On On to Ellerhayes Bridge car park, Killerton, which is apparently between Killerton and Silverton.