For the third trail of the year we had our best 2022 turnout, with nearly 30 hashers gathering in the car park. We had virgin 'Pete', who's been stalking us on Facebook for over a year, and we welcomed back the D's after what must be at least a couple of years. The hare raiser's clip board was also back... More on that later!
Spocky opened the circle with his usual charm, and as always, we struggled o remember the r*n number: "one more than last week" is not a useful contribution to the discussion! Having decided it was #1034, it was over to the hare who told us the trail was "about an hour". Details rather lacking because he left his watch at home. He described it as a 'technical' trail, which is always a worry...
We set off along the track in the usual way, past the transmitter, and rather unexpectedly, we crossed the road. It took us a while to find the trail, but soon we were into mountain biking territory. A long short split took the longs on a route that finished in a very steep drop, where Itzy-bitz managed the most elegant decent, while I demonstrated the worst (and have the scratches to prove it).
We continued back on the main trail before another split, where we find a back check. As we back tracked, I thought I had done a great job finding a small dot in the hedge row, and Happy Snapper encouraged us all to keep going up as there can be no other way to go. Typical Wide trail I thought as we fought our way through the brambles up the slope.
Unfortunately the dot I'd been so proud to spot was a patch of mould. So eventually we looped back and heard Wide calling, directing us to the correct route and over an enormous slippery trunk. Again this was a point where some of us excelled in l strength and flexibility to mount the wooden obstacle. I was not one of them, and even Bollards needed a hand to get her leg over.
Soon we were at the regroup, and some fantastic lighting and greenery as the sun began to sparkle. And then onwards and upwards, for another slippery bank, where XBitz had a fight with a bramble, but it's OK, she exclaimed "I'm used to small pricks"!
This took us back towards home, and another long split (Bollards did it twice!). Back along the road towards, finishing of with a lovely fish hook!
Great trail by Wide, but be sure to Rate the Hash https://cityofexeterhhh.blogspot.com/p/rate-hash_3.html. For some reason that I can't remember, I had this week's down down, which want a parade experience. Don't know what I could have done wrong...
Then Tight was out with her clipboard, but only found one potential hare. PLEASE volunteer to lay a trail so that the effort gets spread around a bit more than last year!!
Next week we're at Blackborough Woods, for a trail from Sore Point and Paperwork. Map is here:
On on
Stix
