Run 743: Washbattle Bridge Huish Champflower - Dormouse

Hare:       Dormouse

Hounds: - Liz, Chris, WAM, Phantom, Tenzing, Baby Spice, Big Bird, JB, Bangkok, Ferret and Paul

We all met by the river Tone at Wash Battle Bridge, Huish Champflower where Dormouse gave us our instruction together with a health and safety talk about dodgy bridges, lively horses and muddy tracks.

Off we went down the lane to our first check, where we found the dodgy bridge with bits missing and a lot of movement when crossing (see photo), on up a track and into the woods, with on on being called by the lead group, we ended up back on the road about a 100 metres from the start!  Dormouse ran with haste after Ferret when he didn’t reappear from a check that he had marked with an X but it had disappeared.  Dormouse was convinced that sabotage had taken place but I think we fear that the British seasonal weather was to blame.  Up the hill we climbed and then  down across some field which was a little tricky under foot, on through a farm and into a field, where the hare sent us up the middle and back down to a hidden gap in the bushes, where we again go on up to the regroup. The hare showed us the way out onto a road where they were giving away free tomato plants, never being able to go pass something that is free Paul picks one up and runs the rest of the way with it.  From this lane we go back across the fields were we find some very big horses that run towards us and are very inquisitive to find out what we are all up to which didn’t delight some of the females in the pack and the hare quickly ushered us in the right direction through a gate onto a track and down a field. It was across these fields that gossiping led us to being called back by Dormouse as we had stopped following chalk and had missed the gap in the hedge. On on through another field and back onto the road, a nice run back down the hill to the awaiting parked cars apart from me (Baby Spice) thinking it can’t be that straight forward so on finding a check I investigated uphill, will I ever learn!  

Nicky was waiting at the bottom with car to rescue WAM from yet another bike puncture!

On down to the Bear Inn, for a drink and a naming?  Yes it was the ritual naming this time for Paul.  Suggestions were ‘Little Weed’, ‘Pot Head’, ‘Round Up’ and ‘Gentleman’s Caller’.  The latter being the chosen one, all I can say is if only your teachers could see you now as I’m sure 30 years ago ‘Pot Head’ might have been more appropriate but how time and LOVE changes a man..

Thank you for a great run Dormouse  

Words by Gentleman Caller and Baby Spice.

                                 

Annual Hash results

Slap on the back and a kick on the shin.    June, 2013                

We have come to the end of our 14^th year of Bridgwater Towpath Hashes: runs 693-743.         

Having hashes cancelled was a novelty this year and for the first time ever, forced upon us by the awful weather of an 11½ month winter.  It is now time to hand out the plaudits and mutter insults based on the weekly scoring.  The lowest turnout of hounds was 7 and the highest was 25.  In the 12 months, only two scores were below 90 with the lowest being 85 so is it a mistake for the hare  to choose an area where it is raining on the same evening that the pub is full (or empty) and the beer tastes like vinegar?...it’s hard to say really…

A strong contender for hearty cuddles was Phantom despite us having to pound the Tauntontarmac under the streetlights but the Leslie Avenue food, for 15 hounds, was delicious.  She was edged out on the scoring by Grasshopper’s lay in the dark at Kingston St Mary, also with lashings of food for 15.  It would appear that food is the major influence but, no…  Sorceror’s Apprentice led the eleven-strong pack through horses, keeping everyone chirpy in a sweep around Ash Priors from Combe Florey and back. This brought high scores but was still edged out by Brush Off with his meandering trail from Fyne Court which was attended by 20 happy hounds in daylight, then on down to the Travellers Rest.  With the year nearly completed, Chris achieved the highest score with his run from the Babbling Brook atShurton.

So Chris is this year’s Jolly Good Chap.

Now for the deep end…  An early rush to the bottom was made by Down in the Woods with her downy-uppy wend that led the pack of 16  down from the Rising Sun to cloudy Terhillthen eventually regrouping near the summit of Bagborough Plantation in the gloomy drizzle; very high scores from some, very low from others.   She didn’t need to worry as Dormouselaid a trail from Lydeard St Lawrence in bad light on long, wet grassy hills with washed-out and non existent flour where the hare got lost in one very dark field, along with a 15 strong pack.   A definite loser, but…even Dormouse was saved from ignominy by the resourcefulMartini who chose a windy, Kingscliffe Woods on a starless night to create a trail of mayhem through mud, debris and fallen trees.  The mediocre scoring was a bit harsh as most of the trees probably fell after he’d laid the trail.  Down at the Globe, North Petherton, Martini might have saved the day with free crisps all-round whilst reciting a few lines from Macbeth or perhaps Kenneth Williams’s opening lines from Carry On Nurse, “Infamy! Infamy! …”

Run 742 The Babbling Brook, Shurton - Chris

Run 742.  Hare: Chris     Venue: The Babbling Brook, Shurton.    

Pack: Grasshopper, Phantom, Bigbird, Ferret, Liz, Just Bull, Tenzing, WAM, Bangkok, Dormouse.    Martini in pub.

It was warm and the sky was blue (see monochrome photo above).  Chris the hare and his assistant flour grader were nowhere to be seen but an arrow pointed the way.  10 metres from the arrow was a check.  Ferret and Dormouse challenged for the role of check- kicker-outer while the rest of the pack split two ways but, three checks later, Ferret was called into action and led the call through several checks.  At a multi-point check, all of the hounds were scattered so Dormouse relinquished the role of check-master and, whilst backing up Liz, spotted another option.  ‘On On’.   We’re told it’s not a race but hashers tore across the field from all directions and it was WAM and Just Bull first to find the gap in a hedge behind the long grass.  Chris and Co (Bangkok) had now joined us.  Grasshopper had been wrong several times but was now hitting his stride.  Our hash mistress asked if anyone had a dart gun so she could get him before he disappeared over the hill.  She wouldn’t have had time to load it.  He’d gone.   Ferret gave chase but ‘hopper was already sussing the next check.  Tenzing checked towards the sea but only found one flour blob.  Bigbird continued on his route and called On On, in chorus with the seagulls, to the Regroup on the low cliff edge.  Tut, tut, Tenzing!!  

Discussion raised the subject of skylarks and nightingales whilst Ferret pointed out places of interest across the water, the Brecon Beacons being so clearly visible that he added the direction of Merthyr Tydfil, just about in line above Barry Island.   A giant ON ON was marked in the sand defining our route so, along the beach and back to grassland.  

For our weekly history lesson, The hare showed us the archaeology site, pre-Hinkley C, the finds being a Roman knive, amphora sherd, jewellery, Bronze Age round house, pits full of pottery,  11 Romano-British burials, all with their hobnails boots on (needed for the marshy ground) and an Iron Age enclosure.  The site had been occupied for 10,000 years.   In 10,000 years time they’ll discover that back in the iAge we grew chocolate coated peanuts where we had the Regroup.

I think I was the only one studying ‘cause they were all trying to catch Grasshopper.  He went wrong at last when Just BulRuRl and Phantom checked a lovely flower meadow with mown paths and soon called On On.  Several choices at each check brought the pack closer and we all ran back to the Babbling Brook together.  We were all at one with nature this evening when even the stinging nettles held back their venom for 5.23 miles.  

You probably think that I’ve gone OTT with this rural idyll stuff but I’d forgotten to write about  the sheep flock that ran towards us instead of running away…you know…the sheep that ran towards us to see where we were going?  Never mind.  I won’t bother putting that bit in.

Thank you, Chris.  Good grassland run.  Good pub.

Run 741 Library Car park Nether Stowey

Hare: - TenzingHounds:- JB, WAM, Bangkok, Ferret, Phantom, Grasshopper, Pink2Lips, Martini, Dormouse, S App, Chris, Mark, Liz, Dripped on, Nick, Baby Spice & new runner Angela.Pub Why Bother. (Coz he didn’t)

Well this is my first time writing the words for the hash so before I start I would like to apologise if it is awful and if my run turns into a total farce I can only say that I am sorry.
After arriving at Nether Stowey Library car park in the pouring rain where, to our amazement, WAM and JB had cycled and Martini arrived on time!  Now the Hashers, all eager to set off, realising that we had a new runner (Angela who was encouraged to come by Baby Spice) and the Hare was nowhere to be seen.  A couple of minutes later a very wet and bedraggled Tenzing appeared around the corner telling us its ”two and on” and that he will catch up later.
So off we go (I will confess now that I generally have no idea when we run of where we are and the names of places so for the words I shall just express what we ran through) out of Stowey and then through some fields and then up to Stowey Castle where we all spread out to siege it and find the trail again. We then ran up a steep slippery hill where Bangkok took a short cut which turned into a long cut.  Further on we had a impromptu then down the other side the hill through a small ford and then through some more fields.  We then ran through the woods above Over Stowey where a belated Baby Spice joined us.  Then on down into Over Stowey where we stopped for a regroup.  After chomping on sweets and chocolates, we set off again only to lose the trail shortly after, though Ferret actually found the trail and the rest of us just didn’t hear him. Finding the trail again we ran along the road and then across some more fields, one with a lot a horses in so we treaded carefully not wanting to repeat past incidents where we were blamed for horse rustling and accidentally letting them into the adjacent field.  We then ran through Stowey Park and on inn.  Back at the car park WAM had a puncture which Martini kindly fixed.  Then in the Pub we found Why Bother and a folk band.  Later on we were invited by the band to join them by playing some spare instruments, of course we were all ecstatic about this and joined in making an out of tune, out of tempo racket. 
I would like to thank Tenzing for a thoroughly enjoyable if very wet run.
It was also expressed that we didn’t stop to have a history and geography lesson about a local landmark so I have taken the time to find a website with some information on Nether Stowey Castle so no one misses out.

Run 740 - The Crown at Rumwell - WAM! & JB

Hare: WAM & JBHounds: Phantom, Why Bother, Grasshopper, S Apprentice, Dormouse, Tenzing, Liz, Bigbird, Chris, Martini & PaulBrief Guest appearance: DitW

Whilst we were awaiting the off from our Hares a car screeched to a halt in the car park and DitW got out dressed in a becoming outfit of black and purple.  I thought that this was a  strange attire for running, especially as her shoes were more suited to the ballroom.   She then pulled up her skirt and showed off a leg that had more black and purple (and brown & yellow) than her clothes.  She explained that she had been practising her ballet steps on her slippery floor and her splits had  gone awry and she with it. Hopefully she will recover in time for her next performance on the floor!On on was right out of the pub and right again down a road and onto footpaths round and across fields, an impromptu for everybody to catch up, Why Bother was having recurring problems with his hamstring, and although manfully struggling on further decided that enough was enough and short cutted back to the pub.  We continued on along more footpaths, short stretches of road , more paths, coming into and through Bishops Hull and onto a check on the Silk Mills road.

The trail took us through the Cornishway industrial estate and onto Galmington road.   At this point I thought Dormouse had finally gone over the edge as he was running in front of me , first waving one arm in the air and then two. It turns out he was indicating one blob then two for on on, all very technical!

Then right and right again onto a long footpath that took us along behind said industrial estate and on to a very narrow pathway between two fences, no good for anyone over 18 stone!!  Before long coming out onto the Wellington road just past StoneGallows.Another footpath led us to a road that took us back to the Wellington road just a couple of hundred yards further down, then left onto a track that took us to our regroup by disused chicken barns.   Plenty of sweets to go round with only 13 hashers, and two bags of choccy  sweets!Fully sated, we continued on, coming to a drive that took us through a horsey place with a number of young frisky horses. Previously warned of this place by WAM we dutifully walked through the farm/stables area and then back into our proper hash mode running and calling along the remaining footpath trail until reaching the pub.We all then enjoyed the real benefits of running by quaffing quantities of alcoholic beverage and feeling quite virtuous about it!   Many thanks to our hares for a fine and enjoyable run.
 

Run 739: Curry Mallet Village Hall

Venue: Curry Mallet Village Hall Car Park,
O/D The Bell, Curry Malletl
Hare: Brush Off
Hounds: Big Bird, Why Bother, DitW,
Dormouse, JB, Phantom, Liz,Tenzing, S’App,
Grasshopper, M’bongo, Dripped On,
Walkers: Bangkok, Ferret & P2L

Well it was a lovely evening and the going was good (dry but soft underfoot)
after some rain the day before. DitW, JB & Wam arrived in lovely new
matching running tops in soft cupcake shades of Orange, Pink and Turquoise .....
or so they thought until DitW thought perhaps they looked like a fruity, three
pack of condoms in orange, strawberry and mint flavours ......! Well, I never!
Off we set a merry band of hashers over the hills and far away and into a wood.
Here we were once again treated to some historic information about the old
canal. A one mile long tunnel used to exist there but has now been filled in. Liz
suggested that we should be renamed the Bridgwater Towpath Historic Hash
Harriers (not because of the sum of our ages but because of our interest in
historic sites..... I hasten to add).
Once in the middle of the wood, Brush Off admitted to us that he had got lost
while setting the run....... would we ever find our way out again or be lost in the
woods forever? He then produced the sweeties which made us fear even more
that this would be our final destination but fortunately after a few wrong turns:
On, on ..... we eventually found our way out!
Through long grass we went, over styles and across farmland (avoiding the
farmer with a shot gun ....... do they really detest hashers so much?). Wam
learnt from JB, a farmer’s daughter, all about the padlock thingies around the
necks of some cows in a field ...... they are programmed to accommodate each
cow’s feeding needs ..... very clever!!
After 5 fairly swift miles, we arrived back at the pub to find Bankok (still
recovering from pneumonia), P2L (suffering from cruel dentist treatment earlier
in the day) and Ferret (no excuse) enjoying a drink in the pub.
Thank you Brush Off for a very lovely run and sorry to hear you were in so much
trouble at home last week ..... but being male it was definitely your fault, you do
know that don’t you!