Run	Date	Hare(s)	Description	MapRef	1:50000	1:25000	1:10000	More
997	2022-12-04 11:00	Bambi, Old Faithful & Grasshopper	West Marden Nore Down Way	SU771135

It was half way to brass monkey weather for this run, and surprising how many braved it to experience what the Hares had prepared, even our ancient Hon Pres, Canman, was there.

The dogs waited until someone had something to say before launching into a crescendo of howls and yelps that echoed around the sleepy downland village where we were gathered.

There was a new face for us to gaze at, by the name of Icky Sticky Sauna, infected with the triple H virus by Madrid HHH, but now back in Blighty and looking for some action.

It was too cold to draw out the prelude so we bounded off West up the road in the direction of West Marden Hall. The first check, beneath the hall, was the most difficult of the run with five ways to go, one of which risked a face to face with some hefty looking rare breed cattle. Slightly Disappointing chose the other direction and as usual disappeared for a long long time. Spiderman, who either fears no bovine or is short sighted, ran in the direction of the now stirring cattle, perhaps he thought he might bat them off with the Hash-It which he was carrying. The tension was broken by the sound of Kinky's horn, proclaiming the way ahead South up through the knotty roots of West Marden Copse.

By the time we reached the top of the ridge, just coming out of the trees, Canman had had enough, and had not fallen over anything so he did the discretion over valour thing and picked his way back down the hill at his own pace.

We crossed Oldhouse Lane which was closed at it's Eastern end because a fly tipper had just dumped a load in the road, you and I will pay to have that cleared.

Through Lodge Farm and straight into a biting low chill factor wind, nowhere to go here except for five hundred metres in a straight line towards the cover of Wythy Piece while you hug yourself to keep warm. Some of those in a hurry to get out of the wind reached a cruel fish hook just short of the trees, these included Slightly Disappointing, Snake Charmer, Icky Sticky, and Kinky.

Now in the relative warmth and calm of the woods the pack made short work of a series of checks that took us in a Northerly loop trough Batty's Park to Forestside. Along the way Slightly Disappointing could not resist having a clamber to the top of a watch tower, mostly because of the attached warning sign not to do what he did. Earlier in the day, when the hares came past the same spot, Grasshopper had done the same thing, but he is a teenager so you expect disrespect of authority. Anyway, while Grasshopper was up there, Bambi told him that the tower remained from a WWII POW camp, very gullible are teenagers.

North of Forestside we turned for home towards Greenlanes, along a long muddy shale track that just had to have some fish hooks to relieve the boredom, these caught Popeye, Snake Charmer, and Slightly and then Icky Sticky.

We had a short regroup for a snap on the ridge above the hall and then took the long way down the hill via Horsley Farm, much of the route being called correctly by Jackie H who has local knowledge and keen to share.

We reached the On-In after about one hour and twenty minutes of frigid hashing.

We soon adjourned to The Victoria Inn to administer down downs, and in the excitement our JM Popeye forgot to give the Hash-It to anyone although there were plenty of candidates.

Soon we were snug and warm in front of a log burner with snacks and beverages at hand, busy discussing T shirt designs, soccer, and how we would rule the world.

On – On ! Bambi

See: Bambi's track ... AND ... photos