Run No. 1394                7th May 2011

Venue:                          Chez Sis et Fliptop

Beer:                              Ale produced by two Hashers!!!

Location:                       Royston

Hare(s):                         Flip Top

Runners:                       18

Virgins:                          0

Visitors:                         0

Newies:                         0                            

Hounds:                        2

Après Hashers:           2

Total:                             22

Membership:                Enjoying the barbeque weather!

            An experimental Saturday Run for the AGPU saw the numbers plummet compared to the last few weeks, the last time the Herts Hash had a change to Saturdays was way back on a joint Run with London a couple of years ago.  In the latter case there was a good turnout as London often alternate between Sunday, Saturday & Mondays so are used to running on different days!!!

Anyhow, the noon start went by before the GM finally called things together for the Circle, would it be the last time he does that this year, or would he be re-elected?  That Question would remain unanswered for some time!

When the Circle was called, Fliptop got the Run number wrong, a fact that was not wasted on My Lil’!  With the GM being the Hare, there was continuity in the Circle that ended with the Pack being told that the Trail goes right at the end of the cul-de-sac.  And that was that!

T-B-T, Sludge, Skip & Mr. X were all off down Green Drift to head westward, along the way Mr. X came out with the portent of doom about the fact that if the Trail crossed the Railway line that it was relatively flat for mile to the north, but if the Trail turned southward then the hills of Royston would have to be run!

Sure enough a T was found down Tannery Drift, toward the path out over the railway lines so after an about turn the inevitable hill climb seemed to be approaching.  No Eye Deer, What Mum Says, Two Timer, Six Pack, the rest of the family ‘Nutter’, My Lil’, Slug, Port & the Hares were all making their way out along Tannery Drift to the Baldock road.

Once the FRBs had regained the ground they had lost, the Trail was quickly picked up on the opposite side of the main Baldock road.  Sludge led the way out along the edge of the Royston Heath common, but, as the FRBs approached the Queen Victoria memorial the Dust seemed to vanish.  Calls of “On! On!” from behind them, alerted the FRBs to the fact that the rest of the Hash were making their way up a path on the east side of the Golf Club.

Skip & Sludge cut off the corner & ran between two of the Golf Club buildings, while the rest followed the official path to the rear of the buildings & on to a CHK by the edge of the wild grass land, the Pack were now on the edge of the chalky hills.  Needless to say that the pace dropped to a walk as the Trail was found up on a path worn amongst the wispy brown grass.

This route would take the Hash, & the Horrors in particular, away from the travelling Fair that was parked up on the low level of the common.  The Pack trudged up the hillside & up on to the first ridge, a CHK was found at the top & the Keenies all seemed to fall for the easy option along the ridge.  They soon turned back as the Trail was found leading down the end of the ridge to cut through the hedgerow & over a small car park!

It was fairly obvious to all that the Dust had turned to piles of dough, but this was one of the few signs that it had even rained over this part of the world as the footpaths were dry as a bone still!

The Trail now took to the uncapped track leading up from Stake Piece Road, passing a small green on the way, Lucy shot off in to the hedge as the Pack left the peripheries of Royston.  A few took time out to look at what was for sale in the honesty box by Wicker Hall, but no one purchased any of the produce on show.

As the Trail head up out on the hillside, Slug was pulled up the hill by Port who wanted to go “Weeeeeeee!” along the way, even though Slug tried to explain that was best left to the down-hill section, but Port was having none of it & so Slug was dragged up the slope while going “Weeeeeee!”!

A CHK at the top of the hill saw the RA & No Eye Deer venture off on the path by the corner of the reservoir & down toward the old Hospital, ahead of them they spotted a real Hare moving off in their distinctive way to hide in the hedgerow, but they didn’t get too far down this route before calls of “On! On!” from Slug & Skip brought them back up the hill!

Having made it back up to the top of the ridge, you could imagine the disappointment on the faces of Mr. X & No Eye Deer as they turned the corner to see the other FRBs making their way back toward them, having found a T on path running along the crest of the ridge.  Still at least for the second week running, No Eye Deer had spotted some of the more elusive Herts wildlife, the previous week she saw three Deer & one of them was an albino!

Back to this week & the Trail descended down the long enclosed track by the reservoir & down to the main A10 London road & there the next CHK was found.  T-B-T led the way southward up the hill & away from the town centre, Sludge was seen puffing & panting as he came back from by the ??? on the edge of the town centre.  It was now going to be a long & hilly Trail for the FRBs & Wacko as she elected to complete the whole of the Trail.

Having made it up the hillside, to the north edge of the Ridings, the Trail turned off on a footpath running between the edge of the homes on the southeast part of Royston & the grounds of a local School, the Dust led the Pack in to the first of many long wooded strips as the Trail headed eastward. It was noticeable here that the Cow parsley amongst the pine trees was wet, the canopy of the trees stopped it from drying out in the sun.

Mr. X & T-B-T were soon caught out as they headed off toward the open farm fields further eastward, Sludge & Skip found the correct route & led the way northward through the first part of Green Walk plantation. The Pack were now getting stretched out as the route headed further northward.

A CHK was found by the split in the path amongst the trees on a bend in Green walk, the RA went off to the left on the path behind Garden lane, but was soon back up the hillside as Sludge, Skip & T-B-T found the Trail down the hillside behind the dead-end spur roads off of Bedlam avenue.

The Trail emerged from Green Walk plantation & on to the Barkway road, here an arrow cruelly directed the Pack up away from the Town centre, it was up hill again & the Pace slowed until reaching a CHK just beyond Lime Kiln close.  Now the Trail would run through Stile Plantation, another long stretch of pine trees.

Mr. X suspected that the Trail would go off around the perimeter of a local playing field to the east, but unlike the last Trail that ran this way it didn’t venture off of the main path through the woodland.  The RA would get by Sludge & Co as they went off on a Falsie up on of the back roads to the east, but this would not last as when the Trail came out on to the Stile plantation & on to the Newmarket road.

Now the RA went off down to look for the Trail on an alleyway off of Holies close, which was straight over from the CHK but all to no avail, meanwhile Sludge & Skip picked up the Dust toward the centre of town & then off to A10 roundabout.  T-B-T was surprised to see What Mum Says, with Two Timer & Six Pack leading the few SCBs on a short cut from Priory lane to meet the FRBs as the route turned on to A10 Melbourn road

The Trail headed northward & missed out the side roads & back streets from behind the Council buildings, it was a fair way down the Melbourn road before the Trail crossed over pelican crossing, once over the road a CHK was found.  From there the Trail turned off down on to Butcher’s Baulk, a long footpath with stone wall on one side, & covered over by a thick canopy of trees, being by church land & then playing fields, the floor of this route was pretty damp so T-B-T was told to watch his step!

 Skip went the wrong way when he emerged from the shade of Butcher’s Baulk, fortunately instead of wandering off back toward the town centre he was called back by the RA to run around by the White Bear & then across Kneesworth street to Green Drift, most cut straight across the road & missed out the ‘On Inn’ down beyond the White Bear & just before the next crossing point.

Having got back to the On Inn, My Lil’ queried if there was an ‘On Inn’ & once the RA had backed up Flip Top that there was one, My Lil’ retorted with a “You still got the Run number wrong!” [Meeeoooow! Put those claws away – Ed]

3D arrived late, as she thought that it would be a long Trail, she was ‘wound-up’ by Sludge that she had been elected to be GM & Haberdasher.

The Pack were spoilt with the grub & booze!  Sis’s great home-made burgers were particularly good, all done on Fliptop’s new toy of his gas barbeque, these were all washed down with lashings of Ale brewed by Hashers & a really decent cider

After the first round of food, & before the sweets, the result of the election [Wich wasn’t PR! –Ed] saw the Committee didn’t really change that much, so when it came to the Down-Downs, all of those present who are at the top of the Hierarchy list were awarded a hit.  The Flip Top received his second one as his first came when he was rewarded for setting a good Trail, if you like fell running!!  T-B-T was surprised when it was announced that he had been elected to the position of Hash Horn

If T-B-T couldn’t master the Hash Horn, Two Timer seemed to have great fun blowing the Hash Horn!  What Mum Says wasn’t impressed as others in the Pack said that Two Timer should be encouraged to take up a musical instrument & this talent not lost, it was the bit about getting her a drum kit that really didn’t rest well with her.