21st March - Ashclyst Forest - Bell Toll

Where have all the hashers gone, not so many today anyway, perhaps they had received inside information in the of a severe warning about mud. Rumour has it that Bell Toll, our hare, had it dumped by the lorry load. Anyway whilst we the pack, or if a small group do we refer to ourselves as a packet??, waited for our mud splattered hare to appear we played pass the baby involving Radio GaGa it was of course noted that it was only male members who held the said baby. Pass the baby stopped when an spoil-sport in the shape of Stat-Nav appeared who in one swoop gathered up the said GaGa and placed her on his back. The game was over.
Next Tail-Lamp informed us that he had seen a car do a 380 degree turn, gone is the old 360 degree perhaps due to inflation, having said that he does specialize in going round in circles.
Finally the hare appeared complete with layer of mud, within seconds we were off in search of our first brown stuff experience, which to our surprise had not surfaced during the first few checks, perhaps the threat of mud was a hoax. In fact we were treated to a series of pleasant forest paths with the odd ditch thrown in for good measure. However once we had crossed a country lane, well, we were in the country, the mud stuck, to our feet that is, apart from one member of the pack who decided to give the mud closer inspection by falling in the stuff. Well done Itsybitz! Next came the sweet stop only problem being finding them around the sea of mud, the hare having chosen to hide them, turns out Blobhoblin was in fact almost standing on one packet! Whilst at the sweetie stop, Millie decided Itsy was a bit clean still and so gave her a little nudge into a bit more mud. (Sorry X-Bitz - ED) Time for a quick hash flash, then on.
We then continued through the mud, hopping and skipping where possible with varying degrees of success. We were of course treated to several long/short splits the last long back to the car park being very muddy. We almost lost some hashers at this point. The shorts having arrived back at the car park some 15 minutes before the longs! Spud U Like and Tail Lamp appearing from an entirely different direction from the trail......looking a little dishevelled too??????? Groucho eventually appeared, also looking a little dishevelled, but by himself?????? Five star mud with plenty of up hill thrown in. Fines were given out once everyone was gathered with twenty pounds being collected for Sport Relief. Thanks for your contributions.

Layby nr Bowd Inn - Sunday 14th March - Spocky Bitz

The usual suspects gathered at the usual time, 11am, but not necessarily at the usual place!....or the same place (more about that later!).

As hare, Spocky-Bitz provided the instructions to group, Long-short splits, fish-hooks, sweetie stop and most importantly one and on! Somehow, Tuned-In and Stat-Nav missed this important detail. Tuned-In claimed to miss this as she was handling her baby, Stat-Nav claimed not to have heard as he was handling himself (let's move on - quickly!).

On-On and the group raced up the road and into the woods. A few twists and turns later and we came across a back check. Looking over the side of the imposing ravine a few mutterings of 'he wouldn't take us down there?' were heard.Oh yes he would! Tuned-In found the trail and the hashers followed her down the steep sides. Well the only way was up and straight up the other side we all went. Well...not all of us! Ringpiece was spotted pearing down over the far edge, shaking her head and running back to the path. The girl was clearly not going down today!

Following the trail, up another steep bank and we came to the first long-short split. The longs followed the trail down past the fruit farm, out along the road and to the footpath and back up through the woods to rejoin the shorts, who were already checking out. Unaccustomed to front running, Blobhoblin had run passed the flour, but Twin Peaks soon caught up and was calling On-On for him. The hashers followed on and after running the mountain bike trail for awhile ran into a familiar face. Dr Jeckyl where have you been?

I went to the 'shady lay-by' she exclaimed! Radiohead seemed to know which one she meant! But the shady characters she wanted to meet had gathered up the road. Anyway, we had to move on as the sweetie stop was beckoning. Twin Peaks arrived first and sniffed out the sweets (under the wheel barrow! - thanks for the hint Spocky).

At the sweet stop the subject of Groucho's facial hare came up. Grizzly Groucho had an admirer though....X-Bitz (sponsored by Specsavers)claimed he looked like Sean Connery! What!!

After the sweet stop we raced on to a long - short split and longs went up, up and away before descending back to the shorts and the re-group by the tunnel. 'It's dark, deep and damp' stated Ringpiece and that was all fearless Stat-Nav needed to hear as he started eagerly exploring!Echoing down the tunnel 'On-On, On-on, on-on' as Stat-nav and Runs Again found the trail leading out the tunnel and up the bank on the other side. A steep and slippery bank, it proved quite a challenge for all...but much more of a challenge for the ladies behind Groucho! 'Groucho Bond' (X-Bitz fantasy world) was clambering up the bank on all fours with his backside stuck right up in the faces of the pursuing mob. (A View to a Kill wrote Ian Fleming but this certainly wasn't A View to Die for!!!).

A few checks and fish-hooks later and the hashers were On-home back to the lay-by. Beers were handed out, fines were handed out and compliments to Spocky on a really good hash.

7th March - Yarcombe Village CP - Bush Babie

What a great Spring day at Yarcombe venue for todays hash. The sky was blue and hardly a cloud in sight as we gathered to meet up with Taunton H3. A total of forty plus hashers took part for this 11.00 am start, we sent twelve hashers, many of our lot were "doing" the Cub or the Grizzly. Yet we were graced with the appearance of a special guest in the shape of Chesty, nice to see you Chesty.
The start of the hash took us along the main A30 for about 200 metres, up hill of course, before turning right on to a narrow lane then continuing on to a footpath, more up hill of course. The views were great even if the air was thinner here on the top of the East Devon Alps, the considerate hare put in several hash halts which helped to recharge hashers body batteries whilst taking in the views. Once we had left the alps behind we headed along a ridge with valleys/combes to be seen on both sides before diving into thick woodland. Some how Tuned-In and Ring Piece were spotted at the front as the pack crossed the main A30 once more, they had in fact took a short short cut walking up the side of the A30. Soon after the road crossing came the sweet stop, the hare giving us a special bag of sweets claiming that the Taunton lot will gannet the lot if the chance presented itself. We believe that Stat-Nav bcame an honourary gannet, he loves sweets especially the alsorts variety. From the sweet stop it was all down hill towards the direction of Yarcombe. After leaving the wood behind we crossed over a series of stiles separated by fields of course, the fields being rather rutted. Finally the sight of Yarcombe church steeple was spotted and soon after that we were on-in.
PS. If anyone noticed the pub sign looking a little flat, that's because Ring Piece ran it over on our way in!!!! - ED

City of Exeter H3 goes global!

28th February - The Swans Nest, Exminster - Stat Nav + Radiohead

The forecast was for gales, sleet and rain. We actually came off quite lightly, as the 20+ hashers gathered in the car park it was just windy, but dry. This was the only part of the hash that could be described as dry! Almost everyone had suitable fancy dress, albeit a bit obscure by some people, others in full attire wigs and all! Horny Woman even had her pants outside her running tights, did she think she was Wonder Woman?
Stat Nav explained about the trail, all the usual, long/short splits, fish hooks, sweetie stop and we were assured it was a lovely clean and dry trail????!!!!
Eventually, we managed to get away, only to have Howling Wilf stumble at the first hurdle and had to hobble back to the car to take himself home, poor Welly had only just got ready to run.
With X-Bitz and Tuned In taking Itsy and Radio Ga Ga on a shortcut, the others started throught the first bit of clean, dry trail. On on through some boggy marsh land and Spocky appeared to the walkers as they came up to a check. On on was called taking up into the village of Exminster, getting us a few strange looks as we ran through.
Here Horny Woman and Down Below caught up with the walkers (how does that work then???) and we went on over the railway bridge spotting a 'Crocodiles - next 20km' sign! It was here the real fun and games started. The longs went off around the marsh, I hope they didn't manage to escape them though? As the shorts went straight through the middle! Both Itsy and Ga Ga almost came a cropper as X-Bitz and Tuned In got their feet stuck in the bogs. Poor old Jaws had a time of it, almost drowning on a couple of occasions I think. At one point he decided enough was enough and Down Below had to go back and rescue him. Stat Nav saw the walkers safely to the other side, only splashing cow poo on Tuned In twice!
Almost at the sweetie stop and Sorepoint is heard bellowing accross to Stat Nav 'which way are we going', luckily it was easy for them, 'follow the path' was his reply. Fruit pastilles and other sweets were greedily munched and the longs set off down the track, only to run back to us shortly after that as their trail sent them back off into the marsh.
We were offered a choice of a shorter run back to the car which was very wet or a slightly longer, drier route. No prizes for guessing which route the walkers took. Odd Bitz joined the knitting circle for a little while to tell us about the previous days A2B hash then tootled on his way again. Radiohead ran back to check on Tuned In and Spocky appeared too to help X Bitz. After what seemed like forever, we arrived back in the car park which had filled up somewhat.
Down Below was awarded a t-shirt and given a down down to send him on his way, the sheriff awarded fines to any non fancy dressers then we all scoffed various Aussie themed fairy cakes, Aussie flags on the top. Spocky had thoughfully brought a flask of coffee which was greatly appreciated by some very cold and wet hashers.
On On for a roast dinner in the pub for some of us.