Sunday, January 31

Joney's Cross - Oddbitz and Wobblybitz - 31st January 2016

A good sized pack turned out for today’s trail as the January grand tour of Woodbury common concluded.  Wobbly Bitz had been lost while laying the trail, but had returned to hare it, thankfully, alongside Oddbitz who’d obviously done the bulk of the work with the flour.

Sunday, January 24

Woodbury Castle - Woodpecker - 24th January 2016

After last week's cold, muddy trail... this week's was warm and muddy: indeed it was almost tropical thanks to El Nino.  Spocky made a sudden route change after thinking it was Joney's Cross (next week's trail), and Ménage parked the wrong side of the road.  As usual, Tampa was late, with Hole-in-1 and Blue Toe even later.
Woodpecker had lost all his morals by laying a trail with fish-hooks and a long-short, and offered the pack a list of "not rules", including permitting us to follow the front runners.

Sunday, January 17

Stowford Cross - Spockybitz - 17th January 2016

Mud, I think everyone was expecting mud.  And even the road up to Stowford Cross was pretty shiggy.  The "car park" was worse, and I totally expected somebody to get stuck.  I was partciularly worried about my undercarriage, you see, its hung particularly low. We had another 30+ pack, with Tampa and Woodpecker almost arriving on time.  Spocky, our hare, explained that the first part of the trail was three-and-on, but the second part was one-and-on, becuase he'd only gor round half the trail by 10.35 this morning.
A bit of a loop for the r*nners to kick off the trail, rejoining the walkers along the edge of woods.  The a long-short and loop up around the trees and through the undergrowth - a first of many, many loops that were to follow.  Then the trail continued, and we were soon on the second long, and an extreme climb to catch up with the shorts.  Followed by a drop, and another climb up to the regroup.  But this wasn't the sweetie stop, this was still to come.  Instead a short breather before heading steeply down (what a surprise) along a mountain bike track, before - you guessed it - another long-short split, with the longs taking us back up to the regroup.
A bit of a run followed across the top of the common, before yet another split, and the sweetie stop near a stream, where we bumped into the Grand Mistress of Otter Valley H3.  The second part of the trail was shorter, and a bit less complex that the first.  There was a long, long-split up towards the firing range, then following the shorts, down through some pretty dense undergrowth, towards the road.  A fish-hook welcomed most of the walkers towards the end, but most seemed to ignore it, and were fined appropriately in the circle.
Thanks to Spocky for one of the top 3 trails of the year!  Fines also went to Stingray for falling over twice, and Wobbly and me for boring talk about tax.  Woodpecker moaned because there weren't enough beers... maybe those who had two felt a bit guilty!!  I'll buy more next time.
Rate the Hash is back again for 2016 so don't forget to award you scores - click here. Don't forget that subs are now due - see here. Next week we're just a couple of miles away, at Woodbury Castle (west-side) - click here for a map.


Sunday, January 10

Hares wanted


I need hares for 21st and 28th February!  Please volunteer and let me know by email, facebook or comment here if you can help.

Harcombe Woods - Blobby and Twin Peaks - 10th January 2016

Blobby played the role of gatekeeper, as he had been given the secret code to allow us to park at Harcombe woods.   Apparently, there had been some unsavoury behaviour taking place meaning that the car park was now locked for the majority of the time.
A virgin hasher, Councillor Harcombe(!) of the Parish of Stoke Canon, had been dragged along by Twin Peaks.  Wearing an orange T-shirt he was particularly conspicuous, and Twin Peaks ought to have been fined for not explaining that it was the Hare’s privilege to be dressed in orange – although the actual Hare T-shirts are now more a dirty shade of peach and Blobby was forced to wear a damp T-shirt that had clearly been screwed up in Spocky’s car since the trail before Christmas.
As you would imagine, from the venue, the trail was through the woods.  REALLY through the woods.  No path?  That didn't stand in the way of the hares, who themselves couldn't find the trail at times as we picked our way through undergrowth.  There were more gentle options for hashers with delicate ankles, but most of the pack took the difficult route hence the slow pace; a hasher with technology pointing out that we were clocking 51 minute miles at one point.
The long went on a ha ha and did a couple of extra loops elsewhere on the trail.  Bluetoe managed to find the flour bottle that Blobby had lost while trail laying.  Everyone suffered from gorse lacerations and tree spring back.

Back at the car park there were numerous fines.  At this rate, if everyone pays up, it will more than cover the Christmas drinks bill.
Rate the Hash is back again for 2016 so don't forget to award you scores - click here. Don't forget that subs are now due - see here. Next week we're at Stowford Cross - click here for a map.



 

Sunday, January 3

Eastcliffe Car Park, Teignmouth - Bollards and Stix - 3rd Jan 2016

No new year’s resolution from Woodpecker or Fancy Liquor to turn up to the hash on time; but they still made it, although the pack were keen for a prompt start due to the wet weather.  The new year had dragged some new faces out including Wick Dipper, Mouldy Dick and family, Glow Worm and son, a Teignmouth resident (whose name I can’t recall) and Coat Check’s twin sister.  The trail headed through the town to the sea-front – complete with large cavity which Swinger knew all about, before heading up Eastcliff to the sweetie stop.  The rain had stopped and the sun was out by this time and the views over the coast were just about visible.  Onwards and upwards through a muddy field to the second long-short split after which the pack came back together to head down through a housing estate and onto the main road.  A check-back took the trail into Mules Park where there were a couple of fallers on the muddy bank, including Stingray and Coat Check’s sister, who was aptly named Skidmark in the closing circle.  

There were fines for the fallers, Bollards for telling the walkers to ignore the fish-hooks and the walkers for ignoring the fish-hooks, as well as the usual late comer and technology fines.

Rate the Hash starts again this week - don't forget to award you scores - click here.
Don't forget that subs are now due - see here
Next week we're at Haldon Woods, just off the A38 near Exeter race course. Click here for a map.
Regroup and Sweetie Stop

We wondered where she was...