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.
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