Run 1241Sunday 18 January 2015The Three Tuns, AshwellHares: Atomic Titten and Clap TrapHASHERS: 27 ANKLE BITERS: 1 NEWBEES: 1 RETURNEES: 1 MUTTS: 3 |
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The Springs are a must do in Ashwell Returnee Nimrod shows off antique shirt Gorjoyce helps Newbee Seb with his first down-down ... |
A former roman settlement and medieval market town, Ashwell's history stretches back over 1000 years. Despite the careless loss of Ashwell's two breweries in 20th Century, it still boasts four pubs, which is perhaps why H5 have visited on 20 previous occasions – most recently on April Fool's day 2012. Predictably, the course started with a visit to the Springs, which provides, via the river Rhee, one of the sources of the Cam, and alongside which, was an early display of Snow-Drops. Exiting the springs (which emerge from the chalk in a slight depression), the course followed a footpath into the centre of town between many ancient cottages and more recent barn-conversions past the museum and the church (with it's Black Death associated graffiti) and out along Rollys Lane towards Buttway. Following this road out of town for a short distance, the course struck out across a (fallow) field to join up with the footpath ascending Newnham Hill. After almost reaching the summit (84m), Hashers turned through the hedge and strode on downhill to cross Newnham Road and continue on the bridleway up to Arbury Banks, the site of Ashwell's iron-age settlement. By this time, the field had become somewhat spread-out and UNDERLAY thoughtfully inserted a hold to keep people together. |
Butt (way) Cottage made Capt F smile Thongo had a word for it ... while dad oversees with his birthday down-down |
From there, the route circled the fort and joined up with the Icknield Way running downhill towards & then just south of and parallel with the High Street (as Ashwell Street). On the final leg the route switched to paths cutting through the housing and leading ON-INN to the High Street, opposite the pub. There were no birthdays [other than PP of course .. ed] or anniversaries to celebrate in the circle, but the RA (SHUFFLE) was able to award down-downs for lost-property, lateness (COUNT ROADKILL), and parking (LEROY) (inter alia). Fruity cup-cakes were provided by CATCH-IT and spicy biscuits by BLOW FELT, both in aid of charity. * After the Captain Beefheart song with the chorus line "Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow!" |