Gnome Alone arrived early and saw Lemony finishing off the trail, laying the falses from the pub.  What he didn't know was that she was laying the On as well!  This went through the watercress meadow and followed a completely different route from the one planned and walked.  (I always get lost in there!).  The trial looped West first of all through Cottesmore Farm fields and then back along the north of the village until we got to the centre. We had to go through the Alms Houses for the newcomers as it is such a lovely place.  Just below here we had a re-group to work out the chip order - as cajon wedges were also an option.  Everyone was enthusiastic so Ringer announced that Hash Cash wasn't paying. Wimpey cycled back to the pub to place the order - more on that later! Then off up the main street to the recreation ground.  We nearly lost Zorro here.  He disappeared across the grass and out on to the road with Call Girl as back up but she couldn't remember his hash name so could only shout "On Back" when the trail was called the other way.  Luckily he realised the shout was directed at him.  The real trail went off across Cow Common (has anyone heard from Pink Udders recently?) and across the road.  Here we started on the long slow ascent, only stopping at the break in the hedge to run up through the field to the fish hook, and back!  Quite a crowd made it there and Hotlips nearly felt guilty for those who had gone the right way and been called back!  Perfect trail laying, I think. On to the top of the hill before crossing over and running back down the other side of the field.  Over a couple of small roads and past the gravel pits before getting to Rabbits Hill.  The views of the sunset were amazing - and can be seen on Facebook! Here the trail went right, then left and back to the pub via a very long stretch through the field.  Lemony, at the rear with the walkers managed to get this bit of the trail wrong and went straight on at Rabbits Hill which brought them out by the RAF base and back in along the road.  But it was getting rather dark by this time so it was probably for the best - although she can't claim it was intentional.

Back at the pub everyone had really enjoyed themselves.  The chips arrived - chuncky and skinny - but no wedges.  The messanger had got it wrong!  So the pub kindly cooked wedges as well.  The first portions had been generous but, with the wedges tool, everyone had plenty to eat.  Very good value for £1.  Sorry Hash Cash, not much money to go into the coffers this week despite Ringer's earlier comment I had to use some of the trail money to bridge the gap. 

A number of contestants for the yellow vest:
Gatecrasher and Scrubber for stretching
Call Girl for washing the vest and gobbing off at Ringer - maybe we should get one in her size?
But, Ringer was so surprised that ACJ had made it to the hash rather than retire, like the rest of the Australian cricket team, and the vest is yellow after all, so he was the obvious choice.

There were two namings:
Phil was captain of his university lacrosse team so Ringer had been thinking along those lines. Then a gentlemanly act of making sure Tinkerbell crossed the road safely on the trail gave him cause to re-think.  Phil is now Lollipop.
Beth had travelled back from Ross on Wye which Ringer considered the poor relation to Hay on Wye which hosts a reknowned literary festival.  He felt Ross was more in the comic book league so she is now called Beano.

Thanks to Hotlips for stepping in for Wimpey who was unable to plan or lay the trail due to injury.  It was good fun, and we must do it again some time. 

On On

Hares:  Hotlips and Lemony Snicket (route by kind permission of Big Stiffy)
Hounds: Call Girl, Epic Fail, Dingaling, Ringer, Tinkerbell, Big Stiffy and Wimpey (on bikes), Wilson, Beth, Tim, Professional Peach, Rear Admiral, Ginger Rocket, Scrubber, Charlie, Pyro and Whisper, Henry V, A Cruel Joke, Zorro, Steve, Redbreast, Jethro, Gatecrasher, Gnome Alone, Phil, Twitcher, Penny Pitstop, Whiplash, Liz and Helen
Date: 18 August 2015
Distance: c5 Miles