THE “HAUNTED TUNNEL” HASH
Run Number: 398
Date: 11 Jun 07
Time: 102 mins
Distance: About 8km (and the rest!)
Run Location: Mere
The Pub: The Butt of Sherry
Pub Links: To follow
Weather: Mild with a dash of rain
Hares, Hounds and Hash Stats
THE WORDS
The pack gathered in the public car park across the road from the Butt of Sherry in Mere on a mild Summer evening. We welcomed 2 new hounds, William and Mary, who live nearby and so had valuable local knowledge. Warthog gave the brief, including the symbols for the new hounds, using shavings that led to rather blurred signs. So we prepared for 5 miles, with all false trails marked, some whip ins and some check-backs – silently tinted for many with experience of Warthog’s trend to set a long and wet trail. We also received firm instruction to call all “On Ons”. BrEW even retook the pre-run photo due to the numerous late comers.
The trail soon led us North to Castle Hill, from the top of which we could all admire the view as well as watching Mary checking a number of options on her own. Entente and Pierre were most impressed that Paris got a mention on the direction table. Already we were having trouble keeping the hare in sight at all times – giving concern to the more experienced hounds. We then retraced our steps down the steep pimple of Castle Hill and Silent Running found the right option, only to miss the trail which had been relayed back up onto Castle Hill. So now all the pack knew that relaying the trail mid-hash was definitely part of the hare’s plan. We then ran a long loop to a check near the bridge over the A303 and then doubled back along a wooded trail, tricky with exposed roots, where Ronlet took the mother of all tumbles.
Conversation heard as BrEW returned to the main trail having been “looking” on a narrow path in bushes and nettles: Ronlet: “Have you been for a leak?” BrEW: “Certainly not, but it’s got possibilities.” Ronlet: “What, for a leak?” BrEW: “??!!”
We then doubled back again to a relaid check on the bridge over the A303. With Shady, Birdseye and Jibber doing the leading the pack then launched into a vast field of very long grass (head height in places) which certainly found out those with a whiff or more of hay fever. After a communal dither at a check on a large hedgerow the pack eventually moved left, only for the majority of runners to overshoot a concealed turn left back across the hedgerow. Somehow here Walt used his experience to make a good shortcut which also missed a water jump and some nettles. The pack was getting pretty exhausted shouting the “On Ons” as the cunning hare had laid an abundance of dabs.
The pack then ascended White Sheets Hill for another excellent view and a well deserved water stop thanks to our hare. We then descended almost the way we had come and soon Kinky Bugger and Silent Running were the back markers – until they jumped a barbed wire fence to short cut in front of a suitably disgusted Jibber, Entente and a break away party, including Mary, then missed a cross and had to be recalled hundreds of yards by a frustrated hare. Dumb Blond then had to be lifted over a five bar gate, not an easy task, and then we ran through a corn field which gave everyone’s legs a jolly good “sandpapering” to add to the grass rash and nettle stings. We were then directed to a small tunnel under the A303, which required us to crouch low and feel our way due to the total darkness in mid tunnel – very exciting. Kinky Bugger was in the lead and shot through the tunnel in time to beat an amazed Warthog who had briefly played “chicken” on the A303 to go the overland route. We emerged into a small pond and needed the rope provided by the hare to climb out of it. A small sign informed us that the tunnel was haunted. We then ran back into the built up area, where Silent Running managed to lose all contact with the pack but fortunately stumbled into BrEW who was just at the end of another false trail. It then started to rain and, by coincidence, a smiling break away party instinctively cut to the shortest route back to the pub. Meanwhile the rest of the pack completed just a few more checks before also returning to the car park – to give Warthog a really good round of applause for an absolutely outstandingly interesting and varied trail. God knows where the smiley faces were but I think I remember glimpsing at least two.
We then repaired to the Butt of Sherry for urgently needed pints and the inevitable plates of ham, egg and chips, all of a very good standard. Entente asked us to bring salads to the Thrash - so don’t forget!
Hares, Hounds and Hash Stats
Hare(s): Warthog
Hounds: Birdseye, BrEW, Entente, Jibber, Kinky Bugger, Ronlet, Shady,
Silent Running, Walt, Jean-Baptiste (needs hash handle) Blandenet, William and Mary Burden
Social Hounds/Puppy Hashers: Not this time.
Real Hounds: Dumb Blond
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MUG & T-SHIRT RATINGS
(??*) - Denotes attendance by those not Mug Rated (social hounds).
GOLD T-SHIRT AWARD (50 AND OVER)
Andy (Warthog) Goodman (198); Bronwen (Ronlet) Jones (159); Brian (BrEW) Errington-Weddle (122 + 2*); Terry (Buggalugs) Canham (108 + 1*); Ed (Birdseye) Sadd (114); Terry (Walt) Disney(107); Mark (Jibber) Humphries (94); Tim (Silent Running) Bryning (93 + 1*); J-F (Entente) Lechanoine (76); Tim (Classic) King (69); Duncan (Day Glo) Ray (64 + 2*); Jason (Kinky Bugger) Wareham (63); Martin (Madness) Lawson (61)
MUG AWARD AND CAN WEAR BLUE T-SHIRT (25 - 49)
Sylvie (Ça Va) Lechanoine (44 + 1*); John (Semaphore) Carr (42); Tom (Jock) Moncur (38); Frances (Stop Watch) Canham (35*); Ruth (Typhoon) Canham (35*); Jim (Forget Me Not) Forrest (25 + 6*); Helen (Elle) Goodman (27*)
NEED MORE HASHES OR POSTING ORDER (10 - 24)
Gail (Tour Guide) Sadd (8 + 15*); Steve (Bob the Builder) Pritchard (20); Mark (Shady) Vincent (20); Tom (Two Shoes) Gillard (19); Gordon (F Med) Rafferty (18); John (Strider) Bryning (17); Rowland (Pet Rescue) Stibbards (16); Lesley (Tinkerbell) Bryning (13*); Edward (The Wanderer) Vincent (12)
NEED MORE HASHES (5 - 9)
Emma Sadd (8 + 1*); Sarah Bryning (1 + 8*); Ben (The Slobby Uno ♂) Sadd (8); James (i-Plod) Vincent (7); Graham (Hidden Depths) Plaice (6); Clare (The Slobby Uno ♀) Sadd (4 + 2*); John (Nokia) Noraika (5); Wendy Stibbards (5*)
KEEP HASHING (1 - 4)
Peter Fuller (4); Patrick (Sloe) Ginn (4); Ombeline Lechanoine (4*); Nikki (Xtra Miles) Brooks (3); Heather Terrington (2 + 1*); Jean-Baptiste (Pierre) Blandenet (2); Jenny Fuller (2); Paul (Crazy Fool) Kadoch (2); Steve (Cloth Ears) Lomas (2); David Orriss (2); Rod (Dyno) Thomas (2); Steve Thornton (2); Chantelle Wareham (2); Mary Burden (1); William Burden (1); James Carr (1); Julie Carr (1); William Carr (1); Martin Gabbi Lomas (1); Colin McGrory (1); Hilary Naylor (1); Fiona Ray (1); Robert Carr (1*); Sandie Disney (1*); Kate Forrest (1*); Renee Ginn (1*); Alf Sadd (1*); Fiona Vincent (1*); Janice Vincent (1*)
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Price: Warthog # 398 |
