Run 1132

Sunday 27 January 2013

The Windmill, Charlton

Hares: Gorjoyce & Zebedee

HASHERS: 25  ANKLE BITERS: 2  MUTTS: 3

We chose The Windmill for its quiet location in beautiful countryside. The pub recently hosted the centenary celebrations of the birth of Sir Henry Bessemer (19 January 1813 - 15 March 1898) born across the road who invented the Bessemer process for the manufacture of steel.

After the recent snow, ice, wind and rain the hares declared that Spring had arrived as we basked in bright sunshine with blues skies and the temperature soaring into double digits. This was in stark contrast with only a couple of hours earlier when the self erasing flour couldn't be persuaded to stay down in the wind. Some markings washed away in the rain, needed to be relaid. We returned just in time with figures crossed, to circle up.

Subby stepped into the circle to announce her birthday as did Ringer in lieu of the absent Legs 11 reaching sweet sixteen. Without much a do, the hares called on-on and the pack scattered around the village.

The FRBs in Rapid, Underlay, PP, Five Baah, Count and Depth Charge promptly found all the falsies, with heart felt thanks from the hares, although Gorjoyce showed concern for a moment that the pack were going away from the true trail! With all exits eliminated bar one, PP lead the pack out of the village towards Hitchin then lead into another false trail. Up stepped Forking to the lead through a ploughed field with lovely sticky mud to weigh down the FRBs feet as we double backed up towards Offley. Our keen athletes were greeted with a number '7' and after a short discussion about the marking with the hare off they went to the back of the pack . Relived at dodging the number check, DC had time to collect the numerous horse hoof shavings discarded in the field, presumably where the resident horses had been shoed up near the held check.

Poor Bangers pulled a leg muscle and was tempted by Gorjoyce's offer to short cut but gallantly declined, optting to persevere. However, Pongo, Atomic and Gorjoyce (and we've not even left the village) declared they would short cut to the pub to apparently join Shagpile and G-String who'd retired even earlier! I can only presume the sunshine was too strong for these hashers who weren't wearing their UV protection and needed the refuge of the the Windmill!

With the hash regrouped, the pack checked out the trail. Underlay leading Rapid and PP along the Charlton Road and Forking took the rest up Windmill Lane, despite the on-on called from Underlay towards another lengthy false trail. Climbing up the long lane, the pack stretched out, the knitting circle championed by Double Entry and Subby, the mid-pack made up of Lady P, Twicza, Frau et al [oo-er we don't get much latin around here ... scribe].

The shiggy was 'magnifico', presenting many opportunities to slide around, especially as we came down the hill along Hoar's Lane, but the FRBs began to show their eagerness to head back, sadly for them we were only half way round and had turned left in Temple Close towards Charlton, which looked very promising but turned out to be a very long falsie which help bring the pack nicely together again. Turning back on to Hoar's Lane until it met the road after a couple of numbers for the FRBs which Rapid and PP chose to ignore, the pack gathered at the held check.

The pack spilt down the three alternatives with Underlay taking the initiative and headed down the road towards Charlton through the standing water onto a held check. Bangers elected to avoid the steep climb past the Plantation Wood and headed off along the road to short cut to the pub to protect his leg after a thoughtful suggestion from Forking. On up went the pack slipping up the hill and around the field through yet more shiggy across Maydencroft Lane, DC picking up the trail back towards the village onto the On-Inn and a log fire in the garden.

After enjoying a refreshing drink and Twicza's Guinness cake in the pub, the GM called the circle and down downs were awarded to the hares, birthday girls Subby and Legs 11 stand in Ringer. Further down downs awarded by the RA to Zebedee, Forking, Rapid et al for their transgressions. Farkle got her 50 run hash hat from hash Haberdasher.

Zebedee & Gorjoyce

On-on to the Green Man, Eversholt

Rapid's route