A small but select band gathered under the awning of the fish and chip van in the pub carpark to avoid the rain.  It has been pouring all day so Scrubber and Pressganger were laying the trail live while Eric had been left a map as Scrubber had changed the route that day.

We went out from the pub to the raised causeway along the side of the green, then left parallel to St John’s Road.  Here it went a bit wrong.  The runners checked each direction and found a check down by the river, they went right along the river then righ up to Reading Road and right across the grass and along Squires Walk to the end of St John’s Walk.  It was here that they saw the arrow pointing the way they had just come!  They had gone the wrong way around the loop!  But why hadn’t they crossed with the walkers?  The runners went down towards the river again and turned left.  On hitting the High Street they struggled a little to find the way.  Just as it was called, across the road and down the alley to the river, the walkers appeared from over the bridge.  The conversation went something like this: “Can we follow you, we’re lost”, “But you have the map!” “Yes, but none of us have any glasses!” The route went along the side of the river for some distance before turning up through the field, on to Castle Street, then right along the footpath until hitting St Georges Road.  Zorro and Hotlips checked down towards the pub, Gatecrasher checked in the opposite direction.  Some time passed and no calls were heard.  Then Lemony noticed a narrow path directly opposite.  She and Ginger Rocket explored it and shouted On.  Zorro and Hotlips turned back to follow the trail even though they had made it to the pub!  The trial contined west until it hit Wantage Road.  Everyone expected it to turn homewards but we were wrong again.  We crossed straight over and headed along the footpath to Britwell!  Thank goodness there was a footpath off to the left.  What a shame it was along the side of a very muddy field.  We slid every which way. At the end we doglegged back into the estate and continued pretty much straight until Croft Road where we turned left and headed up to the pub.

A good trail which seemed longer than it really was due to the dark and wet.  It was surprisingly warm though as we dripped into the pub with fish and chips from the van.  Ginger Rocket announced that it was her first battered sausage which caused much sniggering.

Zorro did Hash Words and had the Supergirl pants to award.  He quoted Hash Bylaw 23B which states “Do not insult the person who has the pants”.  He had a few options, Gatecrasher for trying to use the wrong doors to get in and out of the pub (he made it eventually) being one.  But had to award them to Northern Sole for having rain dripping from his nose, blinding Zorro with his torch and drinking his mushy peas.

On On

Hares:  Pressganger, Eric and Scrubber

Hounds: Lemony Snicket, Rubber Sole's Buddy, Zorro, Gatecrasher, Rear Admiral, Wilson, Ginger Rocket, Pyro and Whisper, Nortnern Sole, Rubber Sole and Hotlips with Wimpey and Big Stiffy joining us at the pub

Date: 6 October 2015

Distance: 4 Miles