| Run | Date | Hare(s) | Description | MapRef | 1:50000 | 1:25000 | 1:10000 | Aerial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 656 | 2009-03-29 | Mussolini. Summer Time Begins | Stoughton Forest | SU815125 | | | |
A good sized pack turned out on a bright sunny and fresh morning all having remembered to have advanced their clocks in the night, although the number of yawns indicated that their bodies had not yet got used to the shift.
There was a welcome for Woodie, visting from Hursley H3 and a welcome back for Becky and Louise.
The hares did not take long to let us know that they had not very much to say about the trail only to offer the well worn advice "if in doubt head up hill" .
To start with Flash took the hares at their word and headed straight up out of the carpark
while the rest of us were still chatting. His hopes of getting a head start were dashed
when he found the dreaded tri-blob at about a thousand feet up and could have done with a
parachute for the descent.
True trail was a gentle climb north east following the contours of Lambdown Hill.
A difficult back check occupied us for a while until we found a way out along the main path
and inexorably upwards till we reached the favourite five way junction just west of Greatdean
Bottom.
Here the main pack had a good natter while I headed north east, Panda east and Dr Blood south,
all upwards from the check. Dr Blood got it right so eventually we all followed him as he
disappeared ever upwards and straight on through the next check.
Soon he came sauntering back while the rest failed to find any trails from the check.
The hares eventually gave Louise a directional stare and soon she "found" flour to the east
which eventually lead us up to the seat at the top of Stoughton Down.
Time for a short natter here until someone discovered the way up to Blackbush House where
Mussolini was standing in his familiar pose, arms crossed and one foot forwards.
Now there was no more up possible, and Sinbad soon found the downward north westerly trail and
scorched off, reaching the next check way ahead of the rest, however he chose the easy downward
path from here (forgetting the hare's advice) which was false.
Panda found a trail west and went on a long long falsie leaving Sarah to try the "It cant be that
way" trail which was of course true.
And so we found ourselves back at the favourite five way junction where the flour had been
rearranged and after Canman had tried the vertical westerly climb to no avail we headed north and down.
A little sting in the tail included an ascent of the bike trail over to the On-In and the welcome
sight of the chariots.
The Hash-It was summarily bestowed on Mr Pastry apparently having been spotted rubbing out a falsie ( why ?... to avoid being called an SCB ?), a round of applause for the hares and and then on down to the Barley Mow. ON-ON Bambi.
Bambi.
on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on-on