Run	Date	Hare(s)	Description	MapRef	1:50000	1:25000	1:10000	More
961	2021-06-20 11:00	Dr Blood & Pink Flamingo	Iping Common	SU852220

A day's break in a very wet spell, just a bit of luck when climate change and viruses seem to be against us.

There were no newbies or guests, the whole Vixen and Prancer crew turned up though, the offspring, and the dog, leaving only the cat at home, isn't there a story about the cat with a Hash?.

Under a leaden sky we set out, first West because Slightly Disappointing over-ran a falsie and we followed, then East on to Steadham Common. Sandy soil, pine, gorse and a myriad of ways to go from here, yet the flour was on the Serpent's Trail.

Who's this ?, it's Popeye, late again, blaming the Sat-Nav as usual, who's that?, it's Showjumper half way up a tall pine, why?, "because it's there". Thus we arrived at Woolmer Bridge and a bit of shiggy on the approach, soggy feet from now on for most, as Romping Donkey and Snake Charmer were the first to find the trail into Severals, where we had a re-group and a "say cheese" moment.

There has been the threat that some evil people might do a bit of fracking in this area, the threat has receded, however a large patch of clear felling has made it less of a challenge to navigate, nevertheless we took a long time to find the trail West through The Warren, which once upon a time was gloomy, smothered in rhododendron, and now is an open pine needle soft delight.

The front runners reached the bridge to re-cross the brook to find another re-group, which was needed because the rest of the pack did not turn up for ages, and then when they did a big natter broke out and Marty (a.k.a Deer Hunter) being a large hound jumped into the swollen stream as the other dogs looked on enviously, being rightly too scared to take the plunge from the high bank.

Spiderman, with local knowledge, got a start on the path to Minstead Farm before the pack resumed, caught him up only to reach a fish hook which slowed Bambi, Snake Charmer and Slightly Disappointing.

Some more good, horse hoof stirred shiggy next, as we did a clockwise quadrant of the path round the big sandpit, to reach the end of the drive to Fitzhall.

The pack split up, well and proper here, with so many possibilities, Snake Charmer and Romping Donkey wandered on to Fitzhall Heath, Slightly Disappointing ran North up the road towards the Chariots and returned, Bambi tried the tarmac drive towards Fitzhall to find false.

A long pause, then Blind Ness and Sausage Lottery found the hidden in plain sight trail on the path parallel to the drive, all the way to Fitzhall's gates. From here we were soon on our way with alacrity, over the plantation, across the road and on to the heath.

We ran out of flour to the East of Goldring's Warren, there were some slimey remnants here and there, the remainder appeared to have been eaten by ravenous slugs, I think they also drink beer, so beware.

Out came our Hare's smart phone, smart enough for him to point East and get us to the On-In after 0ne hour and twenty eight minutes of heavy legs hashing.

A brief circle ensued, at which we presented the Hash-It to a protesting Snake Charmer when it was disclosed that she had loitered about on Fitzhall Heath rather than running the loop through the plantation like the rest of us.

We gave a big distanced pat on the back to the hares for a great Hash and then a call for volunteers to lay the next trail met with a mixed response.

Most then departed, lest we be accused of mingling, and the remainder chewed the fat for a while until Dr Blood noticed, or rather didn't notice, his phone. So we scarpered in case he wanted us to go and look for it.

He found it later, to his relief, at the spot where he had previously found relief, if you get my drift.

On On ! Bambi

See: SM's attenuated track ... AND ... photos by Bambi and Snake Charmer