It’s Tuesday evening, it’s raining… it must be time for a hash.  And who better to lay it than Russ and Melanie – sorry, Uranus and Comet.

It was chilly as we gathered in the car park.  Rubber Sole was wearing walking boots, a coat and souwester, scrumptious was in a vest top!  Then the twins (Dingaling and Epic) lined up in matching black shorts and orange jackets.  We set off up the road and over the bridge before turning left along the railway and under the A34.  A quick left/right took us into the field at the edge of Milton and out to the drive in front of The plum Pudding and up to the road.  A left and another left brought us back round along the footpath to the road bridge and then along the causeway and back to Steventon at the back of the Green. 

The trial went along the back edge of the Green towards the bakery and then crossed the road and back towards the war memorial.  By this time it was pouring with rain.  The 3 lady walkers decided to short cut back to the pub while the rest did another loop which went up the Hanney road and across to the causeway, over the level crossing and up towards the church.  Then back to the main road and over the bridge again to get back to the pub.

By this time it really was raining hard.  There were no chips available so the landlord was happy for us to bring food into the pub.  Comet had been in Derby over the weekend and brought back some Punjabi galletes made by her auntie.  Whilst at Open Doors on Saturday Lemony had eaten a piece of carrot cake that Gnome had his eye on – and had eaten all of it!  So she and Wimpey had made a cake and brought it along.  The pieces were smaller but he managed to eat two!

There were no down downs so no reward could be given to the hares for taking us within sight of the pub before leading us off on a second loop.  They surely deserved something for inflicting such cruelty.

Everyone raised a glass to Uranus who has just secured a job at Oxford University engineering dept.  We commiserated with him for having to work so close to Big Stiffy but it will only be until he retires later this year.  Only joking Stiffy. Oh yes, and Rubber Sole kept calling Scott Russ and then it transpired that Epic had called Hailey Melanie!  Poor girl, I think she got the worst of all that confusion.

On On

Hares:  Zorro Uranus and Comet

Hounds:  Hutch, Wimpey, Lemony Snickett, Ratatouille, Professional Peach, Gnome Alone, Rubber Sole, Out to Lunch, Patsy, Edina, Saffie, Ringer, Dingaling, Epic Fail, Annus Interruptus, Scrumptious and Zorro

Date:  12 September 2017

Distance:  4.4 miles