The sizeable pack gathered under a cloudy sky, feeling autumnal. The hares advised us that the trail was 9km with a walkers’ trail of 4km.  We were directed to the start of the hash with a check all of 50 metres away, which simply had the effect of delaying the start of the run proper by 10 minutes, until J Arthur found the flour down a crafty alleyway off the main road [Never let the truth…!].  A couple of stiles later and the pack was running alongside the tranquil boating scene on the lakes of the Sailing club.  Fishermen dozed on their stools, with no fish in evidence.

  Ms Bean, Stevie Blunder, Simple and Yorkie were among the front runners, with Petal and 4 legged friend  [& Chastity Belt] close behind, until hoodwinked into a nasty backcheck by the hare herself (you know who you are).  The walkers soon peeled off and the rest of the pack headed out to the Wey Navigation canal via the outskirts of Send.  Fields of brassica and dead sunflowers were passed en route.  Veggie Queen lived up to her name and gathered luscious cabbage tops.  The pack ran on through undergrowth as opposed to along the towpath.  Then soon after crossing the canal again near Papercourt some tentative running was done through a small herd of bullocks. The 3 hash dogs survived this intact.  On across Papercourt Lane, past blackberries and again past the Sailing Club lake brought the pack to a welcome sip stop where water and fancy liquers were dispensed in paper thimbles.  Discussions ensued on puffballs vs mushrooms, the age of cabbage plants and dandelion and burdock pop.

  A short hop took us back to the Green where, what’s this? bubbly was handed out in celebration of Bonn Bugle’s 40 years of hashing, a mere babe compared with many.

  Gibber, our GM , attempted to run down the hares and their trail, in the circle, which attempt was much disputed.  Down downs were awarded to 3 visitors, 2 from North Hants (Yorkie and 1 other) and a harriet from Shanghai Hash. (Why from Shanghai, which she left 10 years ago, and not from Weybridge where she is known to hash?)

  The GM also had the audacity to call his wife, Mrs G, in for a down down following her insistence that the GM remove his red cap while in the circle.

  Belcher, the RA gave down downs to Dormouse for his mis-demeanours in Germany, and to Bonn Bugle, congratulating her on 40 years of hashing.

  Dr Death should have received one for driving into a gated private estate, having mistaken it for the hash start location.  Several others, ‘Isnees, Le Pro and Tiller, got horribly lost en route to The Saddlers having ignored (or just been too deaf to hear) the simple instructions!

  On On,

  Chastity Belt