It was a long way to go for a run, but everyone made is safely by the end of Saturday.

Paintball and Wiggley decide to hare the run and Paintball acquires the necessary farine (flour) to lay the trail. We set off a couple of hours before the scheduled start in order to lay the trail. It's a sunny evening and the French countryside is fantastique.

All goes well on the run, until we turn up a small side road leading to a local chateau called Le Paradis (paradise?). At the end of the track we find the house and a pack of rabid dogs, which are tethered to some long chains. The intended trail runs alongside the dogs so we chicken out and make a hasty retreat.

This means that the trail will have to be lengthened to take a circuitous route around the dogs. No further incidents, as we finally arrive back at the camp site with 30 minutes to spare. Hash Cash then has to rush round to collect the 2 euros from each of the runners.

As senior hasher, the RA calls the circle. Birthday announcements are made for Pooper (now a teenager). Dan Dare delays the off by arriving late, but then everything is set and the pack (15 in all) set off.

At the entrance to the campsite the usual FRBs turn left. Fortunately for the rest it's a false trail and a rather long one at that. The rest of the pack set off up the right trail and after a few hundred yards encounter the first bar. It's back to a small track, which runs alongside a succession of fantastic houses. At the far end of the track they emerge at a T-junction and a check. Bed Pan decides to run up the hill (will she ever learn?) and promptly has to do an about turn at the brow of the hill.

A pleasant tramp through the French countryside ensues, which eventually ends up at the highest point for miles around with a fantastic view of the estuary. It being the highest point, it can only mean one thing, its downhill from here on.

The trail eventually leads to the river bank (the lowest point), where the RA trips up and gashes his leg. After a short recovery, the pack re-groups. The remainder of the run is back up the hill and through the picturesque village of Saint Jouan des Guerets. The hash attracts some curiosity from the locals as is meanders through the village.

Back at the site the circle is called. Every-one gets down-downs for all sorts of misdemeanours. Most notable are the hares, Pooper who got a < 1% beer down-down to celebrate his 13th birthday. Smiffo got one for being unveiled as the undoubted model for a blow-up doll which the RA had recently purchased from a local shop of dubious nature (the likeness was eerie). The RA got a down-down for being unsteady on his feet (a condition he spent most of the week in). Or was it for actually buying the non-alcoholic beer in the first place - (I can't remember).

On Back to Angleterre
Paintball & Wiggley