Sunday, June 29

Exton - Woodpecker's 80th birthday - 29th June 2014


Plenty of instructions were issued by Woodpecker during the chalk talk at the beginning of the trail:  "Be careful if you are crossing a main road or a railway line", "if you are in a field of crops, please stay between the rows", "if you enter a field with cattle, make sure the gate is shut", "follow the front runners" and "it would take a genius to find mud in this weather, but there is a hosepipe afterwards if you need it".
On we went down a track and over the railway line; re-crossing the railway line a short time later.  The front runners lead the pack around the edge of a field, and the rest of the pack short cut across, just as instructed.  Following a regroup, we crossed the main road and headed into a field of sweetcorn, eventually emerging onto a lane which turned into an extremely slippery, muddy footpath.  Several hashers came a cropper, and those that didn't were coated in mud from the knees downwards.
We had a sweety stop then ran through a couple more fields; cows resident in the first and some well serviced sheep (judging by the colours on their backs) in the second.
Prior to crossing the main road back home, there was an opportunity to wash the worst of the mud off in a stream and re-discover the colour of our trainers.  The hosepipe at Woodpecker's house was well used - let's hope he's not on a water meter - before several hashers had a refreshing dip in the outside pool.
As it was a special occasion, being Woodpecker's 80th Birthday, there were no fines.  Instead, hashers were invited to make a contribution to a charity.  Woodpecker chose Help For Heros, who will be receiving £60!
Mrs Woodpecker (and other members of the Woodpecker family) made some delicious curries, followed by a selection of puddings, some of which had been provided by hashers.  Unfortunately, I had intended to contribute to this, but forgot to take the carrot cake out of my fridge.  I will think of Woodpecker when I enjoy that cake later.
Woodpecker was presented with a commemorative polo shirt by the hash.  Thanks to the Woodpeckers for their hospitality.

Chalk Talk
Regroup
Woodpecker getting his octogenarian-hash polo-shirt in the circle.


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Sunday, June 22

Brampford Speke - Groucho and Beanbag - 22nd June 2014

Cor, what a scorcher.  A good size pack of about 30 turned up outside the primary school for our second Sunday lunch trail of the year. The hares had laid the trail in "bitz" (insert your own Spocky joke) so we just hoped that they would all join up.
There wasn't much enthusiasm to run at the start, or in fact at any point on the trail... It was just too hot. As we left the start, a few were remembering the rainy cold days earlier in the year where we didn't want to get out of the cars.
As we left the village along the footpath, the cool shade of the leafy track was fantastic. But there lots of flies... Time to keep your mouth shut! Lots of fish hooks too, and we were soon back at the school before looping out of the village again down towards the river and the sweetie stop. 
A good selection of sweets "on the beach" by the river, with the option of getting a foot and leg pedicure by the huge number of little fish in the river. Hole-in-one seemed to be making the most of it, or was she just going for a wee?
On on we continued to a long-short split, but not being able to find the marks in the field, we ended up rejoining the shorts. Back up onto the main road through the village, and another long-short. By this time I was too hot, so decided to take the short around the church and back home. Drinks were much appreciated and fines aplenty were dished out (I forgot to pay!)
The pub, despite only serving roast, was great - we had a table outside and the portions huge (including the children's).
On on to Woodpecker's 80th next week at Exton.
Regroup on the river beach - can you spot Hole-in-one in the river?

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Sunday, June 15

Little Haldon, near Teignmouth - The D family - 15th June 2014

A warm morning for a lovely hash in the woods, laid by the D-family.  Lots of faces that we hadn't see for a while, such as Mouldy Dick and Wick Dipper, No 2 and Larks Vomit.  Plus hash virgins Debbie, Kevin, ... can't remember the other names.  After the on time arrival of Woodpecker (who had to reverse back along the main road because he missed the turning), we had the chalk talk (where Spocky's op on his gentleman's furniture was discussed) and off we set - nearly on time.  As a result, we missed Coffin (who had been at church hearing her banns being read), and our set of has virgins.
The trail was an excellent lay of quickly marked checks and lots of fish-hooks.  The pack kept together well as we looped around, up and down, through woods, in what was probably virgin ground for City of Exeter.  Back in almost exactly an hour, after enjoying a superb selection of sweets at the sweetie stop.  Lots of fines this week too, including the "The Old Hag", renamed accidentally by Speedy.  One of our virigns was awrded a down down and named "Crocs" for wearing the "fashionable" item of shoe throughout the trail.
Lots of photos below, thanks to Larks.
On On to next week at the school in Brampford Speke, before our quarterly Sunday lunch at the nearby "The Stables"

Regroup
Mouldy

Crocs get named
Spocky (minus his manhood)

The D family and the Old HAG

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Sunday, June 8

The Obelisk, Mamhead - Imelda and Coffin - 8th June 2014

A 28-strong pack turned up at Mamhead for Imelda's second lay in three weeks- with Coffin as her co-hare.  Despite it raining in Exeter, it was sunny when we arrived - and stayed sunny for the duration.  We welcomed back Strongbow to his first hash for a few years, and hash-virgin "Alice" was greeted by Tampa by embarrasing her in the chalk-talk.
It was a varied trail - some good runs on tracks, some shiggy, and a few steep banks to conquer.  We headed up to the Obelisk itself (photo below), where Woodpecker pointed out his house, and the venue in 3 weeks time, after which the trail headed towards the Mamhead road, then looping back towards home.  There was some dubious marking (a fish hook, followed by a cross a few feet later?!?!), but generally very well laid.  A long for the runners added an extra 1/2 mile before the sweetie stop.  Just before which Molly decided to bathe in some mud, and ended up looking like a vice-versa sweet, brown on one side, cream on the other (photo below).  The sweetie stop was surprisingly close to home.  Fines went to Twin Peaks for missing a fish hook (awarded by Deputy Sheriff, Speedy), The Old Nag for boasting that she never got fines, Strongbow for wearing an orange t-shirt, Woodpecker for short cutting and the hares for feint markings.
On On to Little Haldon, on the B3192 just outside Teignmouth, next week.

View point at The Obelisk

Molly, at the regroup, after bathing in the mud 


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Sunday, June 1

Ellerhayes Bridge - Sore Point and Paperwork - 1st June

Virgin "Steve" joined us this week.  He knew nothing about what was about to happen, but seemed confident that he would be ok because he does "a lot of kayaking"!!  It was also good to see Tail Lamp, Ullage, Belltoll and Woof Woof after a few weeks'/months' absence.  Hole-in-One suprised us all, having gone grey since we last saw her!  We were warned that there were sheep and cows on the trail (although that got some members of the pack quite excited...), and lots of "normal people".  We set off around 11.10, but not so late that we missed the Tampa-clan arriving.
The hash started with a confusing trail, lots of places to check, slow progress, and hashers missing the trail.  Tampa was calling on bird poo!  Little Runner Bean led the pack around a difficult loop up (and down) a bank, and the pack kept together well throughout.  The sweetie stop (photo below) was right in front of Killerton House, much to the amusement of the "normal people".  Soon we had a long / short, on which Hole-in-One reminded us about her gash on her bum. And we arrived back in little over 1 hour and 10 mins, to enjoy the circles with beers and nuts.  Virgin Steve (who turned out to be rather fast!) thanked the pack for a fun morning.
On On to the Obelisk at Mamhead next week.
 

    
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