Run	Date	Hare(s)	Description	MapRef	1:50000	1:25000	1:10000	More
964	2021-08-01 11:00	Kinky & Bambi	Singleton School	SU879131

Vixen and Prancer brought along a trio of purposefully clad mates Caroline, Leisha and Callum along with mutt Basil, on a lovely bright and breezy day. It soon became apparent that there would be more of the walking variety of Hashers than of the running sort, a challenge on a trail that turned out not to have any worthwhile short cuts.

The hares did a brilliant job to acquaint, those that needed to know, with our trail markings, and then provide all the information that the pack desired to have a pleasurable Hash.

From the off, for some reason, the whole pack followed Snake Charmer who was checking the hardest option, toward the foothill of the sheer climb adjacent to the school yard. This was false, what a surprise l. A little more hunting around was rewarded by finding the obscure path past the adventure playground and church that starts off passing right by the back door of the old folks home with a resident big grinning marmalade Cheshire cat straight from Wonderland, gazing aloof down at the dogs as we rushed past.

Care across the main road, and then North behind the cricket pavilion with Woo Woo stretching his legs out front on the long gentle climb up a shady narrow green path to the old railway bridge. No surprise to find a fish hook here that caught the aforementioned along with Snake Charmer and Pancsi.

An extension to Centurion Way is on the cards which will bring Cycle Route 88 to this spot one day, today though, the old line was peaceful apart from the crunching feet of Bika as he explored the false trail to the East, his fight for breath providing a good approximation to the wheeze of an old steam loco.

A few got a bit hot and bothered checking the steep hill North while the walkers got a short lead on the top of embankment path East. Just ahead we reached the first potential short cut, runners taking the permissive path through the trees of Hat Hill to Hill Cottages, walkers using the farm road, simples.

A few checks on the climb and a fish hook just before the Cottages brought the runners to the top of the hill ready for a duck under the electric fence and a lovely "The hills are alive to the sound of...." descent into Wellhanger Copse.

Meanwhile, on the "shortcut", the walkers had walked into trouble. The bottom line is the fact that the road to Hill Cottages is not a Public R of W, and the group led by (it's all his fault) Kinky was challenged, who managed to negotiate safe passage after promising to behave responsibly on the way up the hill, although he did have is fingers crossed behind his back. The runners were long gone when the walkers also took the large deep green carpet of a path into the trees.

A short clockwise tour of the copse, avoiding the pens of pleasant pheasants, which are being reared for the usual October sport of blasting away at them with shotguns. Eventually we made it East over the Wellhanger Tunnel entrance and down the escarpment to re-cross the main road to a re-group at the top of the lane from Drovers.

There was some discussion here about waiting for the walkers, but since we are peak athletes it was thought the standing around would lead to cramps and the like, so we pressed on up the path into Nightingale Wood where there were even more bird cages to avoid, this area is going to sound like a battlefield in the autumn.

We emerged at the Southern tip of the woods and headed along the road towards Broadham House with Snake Charmer well out in front, and she runs straight into a Troll from behind the wood piles at the Lady Wood cottages. Same script as the road up to Hill cottages, "this is a private road", "we've got you on camera", Charmer checks her makeup and smiles, Troll disappears and is not seen again.

This just leaves a bit of a slog uphill through Collick Copse and a wander in the field beyond because the trail meanders around making use of the patties, thus avoiding it being consumed by their creators.

Then suddenly, there they are!, the chariots, far below, after one hour and twenty four minutes of trespass hashing we take the plunge downward, our legs running away with us. There was a short discussion about waiting for the walkers before going to the pub, but since we are peak athletes it was thought that standing around etc. so we sauntered off to The Partridge where the sign said "Only drinks being served", well? what's the problem?.

By and by the walkers arrived and we settled in to the picnic tables in the garden and since the JMs had a previous engagement, I think we awarded them the Hash-It.

As we left, the storm clouds in the West were gathering

On On ! Bambi

See: Track ... AND ... photos by Bambi