Run 1066

Saturday 29 October 2011
Battle
(Joint with Hastings H3)

Hare: Locals Bushsquatter & Cliffbanger

HASHERS: 28  ANKLE BITERS: 4  MUTTS: 1  APRES: 1

Spotted by Double Entry, captured by Lush BK

IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO OVER-STATE THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE LOCAL HASH TO MAKING OUR CELEBRATION WEEKEND TRULY REMARKABLE. THANKS TO THEM AND ALSO TO SNIFFLE COCK (organising supremo battling on through man-flu), CAPT F (Yurts, Potting Sheds, fish 'n' chips and Fluffer to the RA), FAT CONTROLLER (train excursion arranger), LADY P (in charge, uniforms for the wearing of) and a cast of dozens of foot soldiers. WELL DONE EVERYONE.
After The Count had had a Walk on Friday (generally accepted to be a good 'un though I says so meself, 7 miles through Hastings Country Park and a chance to see the sea), we'd made ourselves comfortable in our Yurts/ Potting Shed/ B&Bs/ Camper Van/ Tents (Twiczer and The Frau may not concur with "comfortable") and had a very enjoyable evening meal in The Sloop (turning a blind eye to Capt F and Rapid snogging). We woke to a grey day in Sussex, but eager to take our version of 1066 into Battle.
Hastings H3 were ready for us - they've done this sort of thing before - and, we have to be honest, their outfits seemed more authentic than ours (exception here family Pecker who looked great) but .... with no expense spent Lady P had us in uniform: we were indeed an invading army and together with H4 - not far short of 50 all told - took Battle by storm.
Of course it all went arrow-in-the-eye shaped from there as almost straight from the off we started falling over like nine pins. Submissive was first down, putting the blame on local paving, next Spotted Dick slipped off a bridge, before the wrong sort of leaves on the trail saw off The Count (who said in a flash Countdown, what a card he is) and others, all from H5, who took their punishment in the circle later.
At various points in the run Cliffbanger gave us a very informative and entertaining history lesson culminating in a re-enactment of the battle on the actual battlefield, with Norman FRBs charging up the slope to capture the Saxon Knitting Circle's tree. The H5 reply was Stanley Holloway's Battle of Hastings written out by Submissive, and translated and read by Shagpile; it was a joy to listen to on site.
Before that we had a beer stop (well lager actually, but we politely said nothing and drank it anyway, from our helmets in order to encourage FC to do the same) and some super countryside running.
Rapid Withdrawal dressed in full RA regalia (later to become lost property) to award down-downs to the same people as every week - I can't remember who they are, can you remind me Lost Cause?
Then, determined to pack everything into our weekend, it was On On to an Italian Restaurant for a celebratory lunch with our host-hash, a very pleasant trip on Bluebell Railway steam train and a Fish 'n' Chip supper by the campfire, complete with serenading from The Fat Controller.
I think we all enjoyed ourselves in a lovely and historic part of the country.

On On to the delayed 1065 the following morning.

Scribe

See HASTINGS photo gallery for snaps from my heroine Bushsquatter, who by the way played in a game of netball between the Italian meal and 1065 ..... Scribe