Jacks was a slightly nervous hare.  Scribbler was injured so they had laid the trail that morning but had not had time to lay the shorter trail for the walkers.  So Scribbler was going to desert her when the trails separated!

We were following Wydcot rules which meant that there were numbers dotted around the course.  This lead to some tactical running as the numbers sent front runners to the back.  There were not that many hounds and quite a few hills so Zorro borrowed Poppy from CS to pull him along.  We set off left from the pub along the road for a short way before turning off North and skirting Streatley Warren.  The fields were vey muddy and the mist was quite thick so it was hard to get much of a view of the countryside.  Pyro and Whisper helped us navigate as we could spot their bright yellow coats in the gloom.  A right turn onto the Ridgeway took us up a very long rise.  A short way into this stretch the walkers turned off and the runners continued on into the gloom.  At one point Lemony turned back to check she was on the correct route and couldn’t see another soul. 

After some time we got near to Thurle Grange and turned off south.  Another long leg before we took the right fork and hit the road at Westridge Green.  We turned right again and were soon back on the footpath before turning left and heading back into Aldworth.

A few hounds had to leave early so I can’t report on Hash Words.  But there were two namings:  Hotlips had left CS in charge!  First up was Rob.  He had fallen in the mud at the CAMRA hash the previous week and got covered in mud from head to foot but particularly in the area of his shorts.  He became Skidmark.  Then there was Jacks.  The suggestions were Satnav or Crapnav because of her navigational skills. CS chose I’m Late to scare Scribbler but as it would be the rest of us calling it out, this rather backfires.  I think Crapnav is a much better name – and I type the Trashes!!!

On On

Hares:  Scribbler and Jacks

Hounds: Hotlips, Big Stiffy, Wimpey, Lemony Snickett, Hutch, Rubber Soe, Rubber Sole’s Buddy, Northern Soul, Zorro, CS and Poppy, Dancing Queen, Zorro, Pressganger, Pyro and Whisper and Rob

Date: 13 December 2015

Distance:  c5 Miles