The pack met at the usual car park in the middle of Shaftesbury. Somefrog introduced his daughter Frogspawn. As I had been delayed by a poorly marked diversion on the road from Blandford (well that’s my story anyway) I arrived just in time to get a cheery wave from the hares, Kinky Bugger and Jibber, as they departed on what I was to learn was a live hash. So I missed the briefing but I guessed the trail would be laid in the fashionable “one and you’re on” style. As punishment for being late I nominated myself for the Words as Ronlet was absent on hols. I recovered a tiny drop of credibility by producing a camera to take a photo of the hounds who sportingly huddled in the doorway of the closed toilets to shelter from the light rain which was falling.
After allowing the usual start for the hares we set off in the general direction of the town centre where we eventually found the way down the main street and then South, led by Walt, on the road with some nasty false trails down the steep hill including Gold Hill. The pack found their way downhill on some interesting lanes and minor roads which we have run before and then headed out into the countryside. Silent Running then had a good burst in the lead before he guessed the trail turned left into a field familiar from a previous Warthog set trail. As Somefrog explored the road straight on the rest of the pack began searching the field for dust and in due course Frogspawn found the correct path, which was a jolly variety of grass clumps, camouflaged swamp, nettles and brambles. Now my dictionary defines amphibian thus: “adapted to operate on or from both land and water” and so we were as we stumbled through the swamp with Frogspawn leading and Somefrog at the rear. We eventually emerged onto a road and Somefrog set off left and left again along a narrow lane uphill and found the trail. At a footpath off right Silent Running led into the field and when the on was called ran parallel to the pack in the field. At the next check the pack repeated this procedure and he stayed in the field. Needless to say he rejoined the pack on the road at the next gateway where Madness took great pleasure in leading the pack off into the same field so recently vacated. Walt soon took up the lead, led for a while and took us onto another road.
Before long the pack ran onto the lower Shaftesbury to Blandford road (closed for the diversion) and, while Silent Running dithered around in a field, found the trail going over the roundabout near the Half Moon pub. From here we went North and promptly lost the trail and the pack became scattered in the process, especially as a couple waited for Somefrog who was in fact at the front. Regathered we ran into a network of estate roads where Madness found the trail for a while including a tricky bit around the back of some garages. After a serious search at a T-junction we found a dab which Walt shrewdly observed was part of the outward trail. The On was called and we were committed to the return to the car park by retracing our steps.
The pack arrived back at the car park which was strangely silent. Ah – no hares! To get out of the rain the hounds quickly got into cars and started changing. After a minute Jibber appeared and was surprised to find us already changing. He enquired if we had been to the Tesco roundabout which sadly we had not. So we had shortcut the trail again for these hares! Jibber explained that Kinky Bugger was already at home getting changed and then promptly vanished into the dark and rain himself shouting something about them both getting to darts. Somefrog and Frogspawn got a lift home from Silent Running who then returned to the Mitre to find Madness and Walt. The Mitre was very busy with a quiz night and the prospect of a long wait for a meal was more than we could bear. Anyway Madness soon convinced us that what we really needed was a good curry. So we three adjourned to the curry house by the car park – and very nice it was too!

Hare(s): Jibber and Kinky Bugger

Hounds: Frogspawn, Madness, Silent Running, Some Frog, Walt

Social Hounds/Puppy Hashers: Not this time

Real Hounds: Not this time


Price: Jibber & Kinky       # 463