A beautiful morning but where were the hashers?  Stiffy cut a lonely figure in the car park, Hotlips had popped up to the nearby pub to make sure no-one was waiting there and Gatecrasher was sitting in his car. So Wimpey and family were not alone.  Then Piscine Down and Zorro (and Tic) joined them too. 

We set off out of the back of the carpark and ran up the road until we crossed the main road where we started up (what seemed like) a very long hill.  One of Hotlips’ regular trails with Benson Striders so she was fine with it, unlike most of the rest of us.  We didn’t fall for checking the routes into the field at the checks, but it was lovely to have an excuse to catch our breath.  As we reached the summit Crown Jewels caught us up.  He had run from Cholsey and been a little later leaving than planned.  But, thanks to our excellent hares, followed the trail easily.  We bore off to the right down the hill, along a narrow road until we crossed the Ridgeway.  How many cars travel down this route and have to be avoided?  Far more than you would imagine.  It felt like the M4! The walkers set off to the right while the runners did a pointless loop to the left round a rather large field.  Back at the junction with the Ridgeway we met Gatecrasher who had stopped for a rest and a look at the view.  We set off again along the Ridgeway for more of a gentle run than a trail as we didn’t check the possible routes off the path.  But the trial was 1 and on so we didn’t feel too guilty.  We caught up with the walkers just before crossing the road again and headed through the beautiful gateposts opposite past some interesting new-builds, turn right at St Johns church and, after another pointless loop round the nature reserve, made our way back into Crowmarsh, through some garages and back through the back gate to the pub carpark. Just as we got there the rain came down and people were seen running for the pub with dry clothes hidden under their coats.  Thank goodness we didn’t check out all those false trails.  We would have been soaked.

On On

Hares:  Hotlips and Big Stiffy

Hashers:  Zorro, Piscine Down, Wimpey, Lemony Snicket, Gatecrasher, Crown Jewels and Hash Hoodie

Date:  8 March 2020

Distance:  10km