Run Details

New start time of 19:00

#2391 The Green Man, Horsted Keynes - This hash was brought to you by Keeps It Up, Wildbush, and (Storm) Darragh - what had originally been a 5 mile hash would be closer to 4 due to several trees down on trail. And given the mud plastered up KIU's legs it was certainly going to be a muddy one.

So, with a brief chalk talk give, the hash set of W along Station Rd before turning N onto Church Ln and then back W/NE into the fields and onto check. A long stint checking SW along the trail would find me coming across marks back in, so evidently on the wrong trail - true trail had continued NW. Hanging around towards the back of the pack with few passing places available, I was witness to Ride It Baby stumbling on the few rocks that lay buried in the mud - of all the soft landings that could be afforded her, RIB instead planted herself firmly onto said rocks. In here own words "she went down on both knees"! With hare and myself checking on her, RIB continued on before headtorches could be seen coming back - FH#1 had been encountered by the FRBs. And so trail moved on through the industrial park at Cinder Hill Ln, turning S along the road before turning back W/NW onto woods once more and FH#2 - a little confusion here as (now back with FRBs) Little Swinger, Mudlark and myself found ourselves deciding true trail should have been the other side of the fence and so returned askew of the pack. And with a little uncertainty over numbers LS and I repeated FH again (all 5 metres of it!). A check here would find LS and myself relying on her knowledge of the area and deciding to head down to the station where we were greeted with sights and sounds of Christmas and carolling. Following Station Approach SW and turning into the field SW just before the bridge, a sizeable gap formed after trail was lost with only one (very faint) mark at the top of the hill and none evident through the farm; fearing this was one of the changed parts, LS and I turned around - lights were coming this way and hare informed we were correct, he had just marked the check on the back of the post. We were also informed that (back at the station) Gomi had taken the opportunity to commit a little B&E and entered the station via the side gate, encouraging others to do the same - LS and I had already continued on trail but apparently there was carolling and mulled wine and mince pies could have been had! Oh well, the pub wasn't too far away now anyway. Trail continued up to check at junction of Cinder Hill Ln and Waterbury Hill where (on wrong check) the walkers would be encountered also coming back from the station; true trail lay SE on Waterbury Hill, turning (at a check) NE onto trail just after the woods. Ah, here were the marks I had come across earlier - a quick run back now. But wait, the hare had been hanging around after my earlier check and had added FH#3. Retracing earlier steps, hash would continue back E to Church Ln, then S and On Inn.

Back at the pub, with log fire roaring, and with hash hush called, Bouncer commented how he had worn the wrong shoes and was expecting more roads and roundabouts - spoiling his punchline a bit, I mentioned how he must have confused Milton Keynes (pronounced 'Keens') and Horsted Keynes (pronounced 'Canes', although I used the 'Keens' style and had much of the pub correct me!).

So, on to the DDs: called up first would be hares KIU and WB. Thoughts about tonight's hash included the obvious 'wet' and 'muddy' responses; DDs to "Here's to the Hares". Next, RIB (for here stumble and quote of "I went down on both knees" and Tripsy Daisy for falling over on the walkers trail a number of times... no, wait - it WASN'T Tripsy who had stumbled, but rather the hare! And so WB would be called back up again. DDs to "They're alright". And finally, Gomi for effectively going off trail at the station and KIU for missing the sip opportunity; DDs to "The Grand Ol' Duke of York". No numpty mug this week because KIU had forgotten it at home! Hopefully we see it again before they travel away over Christmas...

Next week's hash details were relayed: The Old Railway, Henfield, hared by Gromit and Rocks On, and it'll be Gromit's 100th hash. Christmas hash reminder was again given, and the evening closed out with a toast to the hash. - Nasty Nips