After a relaxing long weekend with my girlfriend staying in 4 star Hotels, Monday suddenly loomed over the horizon. We had to make a mad dash from Oxford to Huntingdon then down to Stevenage to set the run.

Having purchased 4 cheap bags of flour we arrived at the pub, hot and sticky (it was a Humid day!) The run took only two hours to lay, which is not bad for me has my usual time is over 3 hours. Having put my girlfriend on a train to London, I returned to the Pub, where it preceded to chuck down with rain, there goes the flour!

The Circle gathered at the rear of the Pub at 7.30pm and after wishing Pongo a Happy Birthday the pack was on on up the road towards the Cricket pitch. With a little Bar Check catching Smiffo out, the pack turn off the road and into the fields.

After laying a nice false trail in the afternoon through the shiggy it was ruined by a lady stepping out of her house and telling everybody that the trail led round her house and down the field thus missing the rather muddy bridle path. Spoil sport!?

We then found our way down to a check where the pack raced off on up the hill to a false trail. The pack came back and crossed the stream to a rather overgrown field. The trail found through the dense grass; it led the pack through woodland and out into the fields.

Donut found the check after crossing over the stile, only to be told the trail was in the previous field and he had to climb back over.

It was a long run down the path and along the side of an overgrown cornfield. At the bottom it was all stop as 4-foot thistles and nettles led the pack to walk gingerly through squeaking and yelping. At the check G-String was handing out dock leaves to the injured and then the On was called up the field. Pecker decided he'd shoot off down the real route and hide on the road out of sight. The pack duly followed as the false trail was quickly found.

On the road the pack spilt 3 ways to check out the routes. Smiffo having prior knowledge of the terrain as he laid the last run at Cottered shot of in the right direction and called on. Another long winding field led the pack to a Hash Halt and more thistles, sorry!

With the pack together it was a gruelling run up hill to the field of fierce bulls and a mindful farmer. The pack under the watchful eye of the farmer went over the stile and out into safety. Negotiating the dangerous road the pack arrived at a ladies check. It was then a long stretch into Cottered. Sensing the end was near I felt it only necessary to take the pack on a little loop round the edge of the village. We encountered cows and their young and then a group of horses. A quick left turn past the On Inn and the pack appeared down the side of a house and opposite the Pub.

Down Downs were awarded to the hare for a brilliant run and Pongo for his 60th Birthday.

ONON - Airscrew