This is probably a first for SH3, the Hares choosing a scribe to do the write up of their run! And not asking but demanding! Indications of megalomania or perhaps choosing someone likely to give a good account of the trail; we shall see…. read on.

There was no sign of the hares at the start but propped up on their car’s windscreen was something that looked from a distance like the ten commandments, however it was not written on a tablet of stone but a piece of old card and in biro and instructed us to do the blindingly obvious, like follow the flour etc. and so we did.

Now our hares, between the two of them, have a combined century of hashing experience, so the pack would be anticipating the perfect hash trail. So, let’s consider the positives, no tarmac (unless you count the pavement at the start and end,) glorious Surrey countryside, plenty of flour marking the trail. A good trail for walkers but too short for runners. The front runners were back in under an hour, the fast walkers, just over and the chatting strollers, one and a half hours, all indicating just under four miles. We have hashed from this car park numerous times, particularly during the Covid era but the hares managed to incorporate a figure of eight without any disasters and to find unfamiliar territory within very familiar. Hashers would have been knee deep in mud running through Birches Wood in wet weather, but on Sunday it was firm and dry.

That’s exhausted the positives, now the spoilers. The trail was far too short; members travel from far and wide to the hash and most expect a little more than one hour of exercise. Even from the start the pack was well strung out, with no usual check for late comers to catch up and for conversations to be finalised. It is true, that in an attempt to keep the pack together, there were some back checks, but not very difficult ones and the front runners were well away almost from the start, never to be seen again until at the circle at the end. But for the precise trail marking of Big Foot, acting as Checking Chicken, much of the pack would have been floundering and lost.

At the circle, after the usual convivial exchange of views, Missing in Action called order and introduced the visitors who were numerous, Guaranteed (and her dog, Lipstick), Steve (and his dog, Franco) Steve, new to hashing, drove CL and Ard’On to the hash, Fish and Chips, Vera Vomit, Growler, Bounder, ever cheerful Twiggy and Napolean who retired early to the pub, and a welcome return of Disa. The Hares had their turn and Mrs G was given a special down down as it was her birthday (on Tuesday I think). To celebrate the occasion, she had provided cakes and nibbles. The RA, Big Foot, was surprisingly brief, mentioning that it was National Friendship Day (seemingly ignored in Eastern Europe and the Middle East!). A few sinners were admonished for various sins but then the RA confessed later in the pub garden that he should have mentioned that Ockley was the disputed site of the battle of Aclea in 851 between West Sussex and Danish Vickings, (West Sussex won). A big thank you to Veggie Queen for bringing her French Beans, these and courgettes and blackcurrant jam raised £15.00 towards the Hash Charity.

 The request from our GM to frequent the pub was well heeded and we managed to fill the garden with members and visitors. M B finally appeared having been picked up after the run from Capel by Atty, so with his camera, there are some photos.

A big thank you to our Hares, that even in their dotage they can still get up early on a Sunday morning to lay a trail for the Hash.

  On On

J Arthur