Run	Date	Hare(s)	Description	MapRef	1:50000	1:25000	1:10000	More
977	2022-02-13 11:00	Bambi & Spiderman	Whitehouse Farm Car Park	SU852062

Well, it had to happen, our run of good luck weather came to an end. After all you can only roll a double six for a limited number of times, and this run was a six and a one, dry to start and very wet to finish.

The poor climatic prognostications, along with a load of feeble excuses were contributory factors that produced a rather low turnout. On the positive side, those that gathered were ready and able to run their hearts out in search of flour, an eagerness which increased when they learned from the Hares that there would be prizes, to mark the impending celebration of Saint Valentine's day, the patron saint of love, beekeepers and epileptics.

While Canman bumbled about the car park fringes, finding rich pickings amongst some fly tipping, we welcomed Dag, yes Dag, remember her?, she has not changed a bit, even down to the same running kit, one wonders if she put it away after her last Hash and just got it out again for today, in any case her broad smile is enough to brighten the grey-est of days.

This was the first time for us to use the new SANG car park at the aspirationally named Minerva Heights housing development, which is situated on what were the green fields of Whitehouse Farm.

From the off we crossed the Funtington Road North into East Broyle copse, except for Slightly, who chose to explore a long falsie South towards Centurion Way. The pack went mad in the copse looking for prize tokens, but eventually Kinky emerged, empty handed, to cross on to the yumpy gravel paths amongst the new coppicing in Plain Wood.

We emerged to the pavement (side walk if you are a US o file) running towards Funtington until turning South in to the massive field which is now sandwiched between the West Broyle Estate and the mighty Minerva (Roman goddess of the arts by the way, Hashers are often artists).

Here the winter wheat is gently flourishing, oblivious of the encroaching suburbia. Dag and Snake Charmer, who were chat-running took the long falsie towards the Southern horizon, into the teeth of a steadily increasing wind, strong enough to fill the lungs before there is a chance to breath in. Slightly did his best to call them back, but there are lots of things that you should not try while facing into the wind, well for a man at least.

Meanwhile the pack had found it's way over to The Slab woodland and was again busy looking for tokens, Pancsi showing determination by picking up the token that was well hidden in the top corner. Again Kinky was first out of the trees, and back in the field, again sans any tokens.

The pack was well strung out as we continued South along the boundary of Heronwood house, where the occupants have hung blankets of astro turf over the high fence in an attempt to deter Peeping Toms, such is the displeasure with the creep of populace towards this once secluded spot.

Time for a fish hook that repacked the pack, catching Kinky, Slightly, Dag and Snake Charmer.

Next, a Check at the Southern corner of the property gave Blind Ness the chance to snaffle the token on the long falsie East from which there would be a grand view of The Cathedral if there were not two massive silos of concrete mixture in the way. By the time she returned, the pack had disappeared into the mossy, boggy green gloom of Upper Rouse Copse, at least it was out of the ever increasing gale.

In here the Hares had fashioned a Check to be investigated only by people who prefer to identify themselves as female. Slightly did his best to qualify, after all he might find a special token, but he was unable to provide a valid low testosterone certificate to the Hares, and we could not stomach a physical examination.

A boggy slog down to Salthill Lodge awaited, and Kinky was still token-less and starting to moan about it. East now, inside the field, parallel with Newlands Lane, a crafty ploy that left Slightly and Sausage Lottery way out front, beaten only by Kinky who had now started to shortcut in order to get token hunting ASAP.

The fields here have a drain that runs South towards the rumble of the A27, the drain is surrounded by a thin border of woodland, and the path that winds its way through this cover is where we went.

Soon we reached a dog leg in the drain, where the only dry way over is via a narrow plank wedged between muddy banks. Surprisingly most of the pack negotiated this challenge with aplomb, however a bit further along the ditch needed to be recrossed, and this time there was no avoiding wet paws. So amongst much moaning, the pack emerged for short slog North on Centurion Way, as the promised rain started to descend, although with such a strong wind at our backs, the wet bit was all behind us.

Now all that remained was a short wander through the maze of boardwalks that have been constructed over and around the new Minerva ponds with Kinky still wandering way off the rails, hoping to chance on a token.

A gentle climb up the broad new path through the development, scaffold to the left, JCBs to the right, new green turf, some completed homes already occupied, and we arrived at the chariots, wet footed, wet backed, after one hour and fifteen minutes of pioneering hashing.

Persistent horizontal rain made for a decidedly damp circle, during which we thanked the hares and swapped tokens for prizes, all of which were suitably sweet. Someone took pity on Kinky and gave him a box of chocs, and he also was awarded the Hash-It for so much blatant short cutting.

There was some talk of going on to a public house, however Bambi could not wait to get home, get washed, get dry, get warm and put his flat feet up.

On – On ! Bambi

Bambi.

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

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