University of Exeter - Easter Sunday 20th April 2014 - Stix and Speedy

Speedy and I had a lovely day (Saturday) to lay the trail. The sun shone all the way round, and we sat on a bench at the top of the valley to eat our lunch. Rocky and Bollards were supposed to help too, but Rocky was poorly with a high temperature. But come Sunday morning, the weather started to take a turn for the worse.  We headed up to the University campus early to hide the eggs for the Easter Egg hunt as the rain started to come in.  But after laying arrows on the road to get everyone to park outside the Hatherly Labs (rather than pay £1 for parking), it dried up.  Woodpecker's family were welcomed, and also Sloppy Seconds from Herts H3(who has promised to come again (!) when he next spending a weekend in Devon).  Sore Point and Bollards found a spot behind a hedge to go for a wee (not together... one stood on lookout, while the other crouched, and then they swapped over...)  We headed up through campus towards the first long-short, and then Tampa and Coffin arrived.  I cut them short, while the "athletes" took the long split.  We continued along past the Lafrowda ponds up along Pennsylvania Road, then back onto campus again by the Community Garden at the top of the Duryard Valley.  The longs took a loop down into the valley, and back up the steep slope again, before catching up with the shorts on Argyll Road for the Sweetie Stop.  On On we continued, catching the FRBs with a Fish-hook, towards Duryard Halls.  Then we were hit by a mother-of-a-storm, with hail!  So I rushed the longs towards the Easter Egg hunt, which I knew was under the cover of trees.  I didn't realise that my cohare (Speedy) had taken the shorts the wrong way... towards Birks Hall (and then up "Cardiac" Hill).  So the longs got to search for the Easter Eggs around the fountains first, but failed to find anything.  The children (and Coffin) found them first. We enjoyed these 5 minutes later at the Circle, huddled under the cover of the steps (see below) , together with crisps, nuts and beers! Fines went to me (for nerd naming... sorry I've forgotten to pay for the second week in a row) and Coffina dn Tampa for being late. I got a delightful recitation of Happy Birthday too! On On, Stix.

Its all academic... on the steps of one of the University Labs

Sweetie Stop

View Prince of Wales Rd in a larger map