Run	Date	Hare(s)	Description	MapRef	1:50000	1:25000	1:10000	More
869	2017-05-07 11:00	Prancer & Vixen	Havant Thicket	SU724101

Only the Crème de la Crème turned up for this hash, other, lesser types were full of apologies and excuses. Bika to his credit came from his sick bed to deliver the Hash-It and then discovered that it was not in his chariot as he had supposed, he returned to whence he had come from with a tail between his legs.

Meanwhile Hairbrush gave us the usual history lesson, while some hugged a friendly tree, before the hares started rambling on about the trail, I was not really listening, something, something, Beecher's Brook, something, something else.

What I do know is that they had put a great deal of effort into this trail, later they kindly provided me with a marked map which has all the checks numbered (21 in all) that ingeniously uses all the available space in Havant Thicket and Bell's Copse.

When they stopped talking and started pointing we set out under a bright sky with a cold easterly wind at our backs, into Furzy Plain along the path where once upon a time a snake succumbed to the guiles of Snake Charmer.

This was a long long run out with Pink Flamingo, Sinbad, Dr Blood, Flash and Ryan doing the front running. This did them no good however as we were soon wandering in the brambles aimlessly until in desperation someone headed into the most overgrown bit and found the trail, this was followed by much cursing and swearing as the thorns tore at our calves and the thistles played around our waists, or as Snake Charmer put it "Agggh! I'm covered in pricks and there is something up my doo dah!".

In this manner we headed north towards Long wood where the terrain gave way to clear tall forest liberally sprinkled with uprooted pines, less expletives, more huffing and puffing.

Finally back on piste, we were able to charge off north through Long Wood and then west through the thicket and then aaargh! a fish hook with a barely decipherable count of four that caught Bambi, Snake Charmer, Dr Blood and The Ref.

Now we headed down The Avenue and then further west into Bell's Copse where we were treated to another bramble scramble to head north along the edge of Blendworth Common with the sound of the A3 thrumming to our left giving us a sense of direction.

At the top of this long section the hares had laid a needed fish hook, however a count of twenty was a bit optimistic, perhaps they were "avin a larf".

Now we headed south east towards the chariots through patches of Broom in bloom and Gorse in bud, nattering about making wine from the latter and asking The Ref how many red cards he had dished out this season.

After one hour and seventeen minutes of "we should have brought a first aid kit" hashing, we reached and ornately drawn On-In.

For a short while thereafter we thought that a search party would be needed for Dog Whistle and Pink Flamingo.

Into the circle went Dr Blood, for spreading his seed before the off, Snake Charmer for the aforementioned colourful language, and Bambi, who would have been given the Hash-It for using the black art of logical direction choice.

No, we did not go to that chain pub The Staunton Arms, we went down to The Green, to The Robin Hood, to the front patio, to sup ale and have a natter in between sonic assaults from wheely happy bikers.

On – On ! Bambi.