Run Details

18:00 early start!

#2394 - Tiger Inn, East Dean - Who was haring? Where were we going? What time? Confusion reigned over the hash after Lily The Pink was going to be unable to set and Hash Gomi stepped up but then had to step back down after sustaining a shin injury during football. In the end, a collaborative effort would find Oral Hooker and Private Dancer setting the first 2/3rds of the hash (to the sip) and LTP and NuSSSnacke setting the route back to the pub, with sip snacks provided by Gomi.

And so, setting off at the slightly earlier time of 6pm, a small pack of runners and walkers headed out into the night once more. Up to Upper St and the first check, trail turned left to Lower St / Went Way before turning W up the footpath between The Old Bakehouse and Went House. OS maps and aerial photos show a lovely flat, perhaps well-trodden footpath up to the woods, but instead OH and PD chose to take the hash truly off-track, running along an incline, runners and walkers alike sliding all over the place; OH even commented later about the trail at this point and perhaps some useful features - maybe a stile would've been a good one to include since everyone ended up clambering over a 4ft wall to get out of the wood!

Back into the open, trail continued now in NW direction, turning SW and then (at least according to the flour arrow on the floor) SE. FRBs NN, Little Swinger, Shirker Ninezing and visitor Sixty-Nine Virgins took this route, checking all potential paths all the way to the gates and fence line; true trail was (in a manner unbeknownst to me since I was one of those lost) actually over to Crowlink Lane. (OH did also admit later to being a little turned around when setting the route only a hour beforehand and in the dark). And so onto FH#1 just after the houses on Crowlink Ln, with FH#2 encountered a little further on. Onwards to the SDW and FH#3. Turning left (E) along the SDW and towards Belle Tout lighthouse would find FH#4 at the top of the climb and FH#5 just before the houses on the W edge of Birling Gap. Continuing through Birling Gap the r*nners would encounter the wa*kers just coming off Birling Gap Rd / Beachy Head Rd, with a (fairly) straight line for all to Belle Tout.

And so, taking the entry fee of a log apiece up the stairs, the hash made their way up to the top of the lighthouse for sip. With the pub expecting everyone back before 8pm (owing to the kitchen closing), a brief set of DDs were held for the hares - LTP, Gomi, NSSS, OH and PD - with DD to "Here's to the Hares". Now full of homemade Oliebollen (Dutch Doughnuts, courtesy of Gomi/Naomi) and beer (courtesy of LTP), and with the wind picking up, everyone set forth on the trail (now in trademark pink flour / chalk and tissue paper) down to Beachy Head Rd, following it briefly N/W until the trail N all the way back to Gilberts Dr / Lower St on On Inn.

With an earlier finish but a longer run (and lovely sip), and no pre-orders (!) the pub was descended upon by hungry and thirsty hashers. No DDs at the pub sadly owing to me having to leave early - a bit remiss as we had a visitor and (unknown to me until I was saying goodbye and Happy New Year to fellow hashers) a hash virgin. But nonetheless another great evening was had by all. - Nasty Nips