Run Details

New start time of 19:00. Hares have promised this hash to be varied and taking in outstanding scenery.

#2417 - Ringles Cross, Uckfield - A slightly slower hash for myself as I took it easy, back-marked the route and enjoyed the promised outstanding and varied scenery 😀 And whilst I undoubtedly didn't catch a number of misdemeanours I did witness to some cows taking rather a liking to Psyclepath! Yes, another On On Don / Pompette special (and aided by Beat The Barman) would find us hareless on the r*nners trail, and so KIU and myself would be armed with OS maps. I do love a good OS map, and at least this time OODs marking on trail matched his map (re: hash #2365). Of course, that doesn't mean it all went according to plan either...

And so the r*nners set off out of the pub car park down to Snatts Rd and SW. A pair of checks would find trail continuing first straight on, then turning right (NW) into Shermanreed Wood and on all the way to the A26. Crossing the A26, trail would continue NW to Mill House Farm, but not before Psyclepath and I would find ourselves cut-off from the rest of the pack by the herd of cows moving between us and true trail, with one mother and a calf particularly blocking our way; a short detour would find us crossing a stile over a barbed-wire fence and into a boggy area just S of the farm, before crossing back out via more barbed-wire adjacent to true trail, at which point the calf noticed us and seemed to take more interest in PsyP again! Bovine bothers now out of the way, trail turned SW towards and then under the A22, but not before a pair of fishhooks would catch most (but not all) of the FRBs, who faced quite a r*n back due to PsyP and my delay. Passing under the A22, trail would continue SW following the N banks of the lakes at Furnacebank Wood and Powdermill, into Park Wood, and then SE at a check into Fairhazel Wood. The lake at the bottom of Fairhazel Wood would find the pack missing a less-than-obvious gap in the hedge and ending up a little too far around the lake; confused, in the wrong field, and cut-off by Shortbridge Stream, a quick consultation of the maps (along with some technology and some digging around) would reveal the gap in the hedge at the SW corner of the lake, back on a recognised footpath and complete with a pair of footbridges over the stream, continuing all the way down to Rocks Rd, over the A22, and then around Lake Wood, eventually coming out into Uckfield back nr Snatts Rd. A final few turns S onto Downland Copse, then around to The Dr, and lastly N onto Cambridge Way would then find the final turn back onto Snatts Rd and On Inn.

Back in the Ringles Cross, RA duties would again fall to myself as BQ was absent and Bouncer was at EGH3's hash! (And that's not the first time he's forsaken us, either...) But before the evening's circle would be started proper, it was with a sad heart that the news was broken that the search parties had found Nigel 'Body Shop' Ward a few days prior but sadly he had passed away; and so, a glass was raised to fallen hashers. Moving on to the evening's events, the hares (OOD, Pompette and BTB) were called up and DDs to "Here's to the Hare"; much had been said about the stingers and thorns on trail this evening and OOD waxed lyrical about having taken out his cutters and sickle, to which it was commented how the local Uckfield press would undoubtedly be reporting a madman with a scythe in the next few days! Next up, having had to ask a few people for their reports, I commented on how two names had repeatedly been mentioned; firstly, KIU, for being stood right next to a large chalk arrow and asking Little Swinger if she had seen any signs(!), for missing a fishhook (although he was certainly not alone in that charge tonight), and for reportedly pulling up on Snatts Rd failing to indicate, being at a jaunty angle and annoying the locals! This earned him a comment from Wildbush that I missed but definitely seemed like a 'I told you so' 😀 And joining him would be 'Real runners coming through!'; yes, something you shouldn't shout unless you're looking for a DD! Half Moon, laughing away, stood up to join KIU, and DD for both to "Get a Life". And finally, and the only other charge that wasn't one of the several for missing fishhooks (those being KIU (again), Knightrider, Hot Fuzz, Shoots Off Early, and a few other names to boot), would be Rebel WHK, who had been dobbed in by OH for falling over on trail, to which she had commented 'but it was probably my fault as I was talking to him and distracted him!' DD to RWHK to "10/9/8".

Any other business would conclude the evening with a reminder for hash haberdashery (GET THOSE ORDERS IN!), Prof's gate (now installed, with plaque, and monies are still being taken), and finally next week's hash which will be The Boot, Seaford, with OH commenting that we should all bring swimming clothes as the end will include a dip in the sea; parking recommended down near the Seaford Head end of the front (only 5-10 minutes from the pub), bring sip cups, and please pre-order food if possible. And then the evening was closed out with a toast to the hash.

As promised, a lovely hash with varied and outstanding scenery 🙂

On On until next time,
Nasty Nips