HARES REQUIRED: 6th, 20th and 27th August
We were all excited to see an arrow leading into the playing field behind the Village Hall. Tampa had promised us a different run, including some private ground and we were urged not to leave trail. So on we went through the gate into the field and the pack scattered in all directions when the trail was actually around the edge and more or less back to where we had started before heading down the road towards the village and right up a narrow path that we’ve seen a few times before.
We were all excited to see an arrow leading into the playing field behind the Village Hall. Tampa had promised us a different run, including some private ground and we were urged not to leave trail. So on we went through the gate into the field and the pack scattered in all directions when the trail was actually around the edge and more or less back to where we had started before heading down the road towards the village and right up a narrow path that we’ve seen a few times before.
There was a dense crop of what looked like barley in the
field, so there was no way that you could leave the main path through the
middle. On reaching the far side of the
field and climbing down the bank onto the road we turned left heading back
towards the village again before taking a tour of the marshes and losing the
trail on the long. A quick hop over the
wall saw us, once again, heading towards the village, but we deviated up the
main road. Here was the shortest
Long/Short split ever, involving two alternative ascents onto the footbridge.
We meandered through the housing estate before re-joining
the main road near to the Devon County Showground. There was much faffing about at a check near
the garden centre, with the actual trail leading into and through the car park
into a field beyond – obviously this was the private ground section which
involved heading through a large gate similar to the entrance to Jurassic Park,
unfortunately with no dinosaurs.
It was difficult to
find the trail amongst the long, private land crops, but when we did, it led to
a welcome sweetie stop. The Long/Short
split that followed took a route around a field and up a track near to the
Friends Provident and Defra buildings before heading back into the housing
estate and on home. On the Shorts however the start was similar to a farm assault
course - a balance beam to walk across.
In the closing circle we all tunelessly sang “Happy Birthday”
to Tampa. There weren’t many fines
because no-one did anything particularly stupid for a change.
Tampa’s Birthday BBQ was bathed in sunshine this year
(compared to last year when it was tipping it down). Thank you to Tampa and Brains for their
hospitality and to Coffin for doing the cooking.
Please don't forget to Rate the Hash
Coming up...
28th May: Pinhoe (Station Road CP) - Bull Bait and Child Catcher (map)
4th June: Twisted Oak, Ide - Blobhoblin (Roast Lunches at £8.75 - please let us know if you want to reserve a table) (map)
