Run No. 1422 20th November 2011
Venue: The Swan!
Beer: Theakston’s Old Peculiar, Black Sheep, London Pride
Location: Wheathampstead
Hare(s): Mr. X
Runners: 15
Virgins: 2
Visitors: 0
Après 0
Newies: 0
Hounds: 2
Total: 19
Membership: Annoying illegal bikers!
This week saw two Virgins join the Herts Hash. Bryony had brought along her friend Kathy, while Gail had been busy looking up Herts Hash on the Internet & had decided to give it a go & turn up! Unknown to the Hare, the arrangement of the Hash parking in the Public car parks was soon thrown out with the bath water, as the one on the Marford Road was full of Footballers’ cars & the other one down behind the Bull Pub had a Farmer’s market in it, albeit a few stalls selling organic produce etc.
On the way to the venue, the Hare had seen Hyena driving his works van along the Marford road, & he was peering out of the cab, Morocco Mole like as he carefully drove through the fog, behind Hyena was along queue of cars.
The Hare had set the Trail the previous day, but his original route was changed as he started setting about laying it, he would explain why later on as he was going to head over Nomansland Common but there was an incident over there where a man was dumped in a lay-by on Friday afternoon & subsequently died there! There were a few arrests made in St Albans.
To start with it looked like the Pack were going to be small in numbers this week, but there was a boost as the time made its way around to 11:00hrs, as Underfelt & Xperiment made it to the venue just as the GM was about to call the Circle!
The Herts Markings were explained by the Hare, for the benefit of the two Virgins, as well as No Eye Deer & Psycho again, not to mention Sludge who has a tendency of running through Ts & Bar CHKs! Anyhow, I digress!
Without further ado the Pack were directed straight over the road to follow the Trail on down the Marford Road. The First CHK was found by an alleyway up to south, the Trail was found uphill as it wound its way around on to Gerard way & then to the higher level further around the corner on to Offa’s way.
Over Conqueror’s Hill road, where the Pack took to an alleyway, the next CHK was found with the junction of the alleyway with another footpath coming up from the Marford road. There was little hanging around as ‘On!’ was called from down Tudor road, the Dust ran down this quite dead-end back street of nice ‘Mock Tudor’ homes to come out on to its end with Dykes lane.
Again the Keenies were quickly on to the Trail, now it headed westward through the bottom of the ‘Devil’s Dyke, but somehow No Eye Deer, Psycho & Gail all managed to stay on the level of the road, by following a path on the top of the high west rampart.
Those on the higher route could see the Hare below as he tackle the wooden ‘stepping stones’ where Fartin Martin fell over a few years ago, they were reassured by the Hare to continue along the top of the beech lined, dry rampart as it would come to a set of steps at the far end of the Ancient Britons earthworks of the Belgic Oppidum, all dug out by hand by the Catuvellauni Tribe.
For at least 100 years before the Roman Conquest in AD 43 this part of Hertfordshire was the heartland of a powerful & aggressive tribe known as Blegæ invaders, from what is now Belgium, called the Catuvellauni, Celtic for 'expert warrior' it is believed that their the earliest capital is likely to have been at Wheathampstead. This was attacked by Julius Caesar in 54 BC.
The Keenies, led by Bryony, Kathy & Laura were soon at the CHK on the end of the ‘Dyke’, they quickly weaved their way along the path through the pine trees at the end of the Dyke & out on to the narrow rustic Dyke lane, by now the fog was beginning to lift as the Sun climbed higher in the morning sky.
The next CHK was found on a pull-in for a farm track on the opposite side to the drive down to Beech Hyde farm. Bryony & Kathy found a long Falsie off over the open fields toward the Nomansland road, they managed to lure part of the Pack with them before finding the T. In the opposite direction Sparky & Laura were actually “On” Trail but hadn’t ventured far enough through the farm yard to find the Dust, so they had turned around & headed back to the CHK.
Meanwhile the rest of the Pack were now searching down the lane, while Fliptop & My Lil’ looked out on the footpath in to the enclosed field beside the farm, it wasn’t until the Hare had arrived & ‘hinted’ to Psycho, No Eye Deer & Gail to look down the farm drive, that the Trail was picked up once more.
Laura & Sparky weren’t too sure of Mr X’s directions, but the Hare reassured them as they made their way back through the farm yard, by the ‘Bull Pen’ out-building to find Dust on the Footpath marker post on the farm drive away to the south.
On the way a few got to hear that Gail say she the previous evening she had sported, amongst her retro clothing, a Beehive hairdo & white knee high boots for 60’s night, No Eye Deer was concerned that the RA would get over excited in hearing of such things! [It’s not as if she was wearing jodhpurs with the boots, was it?-Ed]
The RA spoke to Gail & they talked about why his Trail was changed, of course this isn’t the first body to be discovered around these parts as in 1977 Australian Heiress Janie Sheppard was found in part of the Devil’s Dyke, having been kidnapped, raped & murdered, then there was a part of Geoffrey Howe (The Jigsaw murder) was discovered in Drovers lane in 2009!
The Trail crossed the S-bend in the narrow Beechhyde lane, Laura was well on her way over the path crossing the fields before Coleman Green wood, Sparky had to be called back from the other farm track after straying off Trail to the left. Xperiment was now up with the Hare as they made their way further south, talk continued about the Kenyan Migration weekend next year as they passed by a flock of grazing sheep, safely kept away behind an electric fence.
The Pack made their way straight through the wood & out on to a Held CHK on Coleman Green. Fliptop said it was a shame that the nearby John Bunyan Pub wasn’t open, it wasn’t even half past by this time, so there was no Beer stop today! The RA clarified that the John Bunyan’s lack of Childrens License mean it is only worth running from there in the height of summer when you can sit outside.
Bryony & Kathy arrived at the CHK, & thanked the Hare for allowing them to run a long Falsie further back! The Hare said ‘We aim to please on the Herts Hash’. Underfelt & Sludge were the last to the Held CHK, once there, the Hare allowed the rest of the Pack to start searching once more.
The major consensus was to look down by Bunyan’s Chimney, the brick edifice is the last remaining part of what was, for a while in the 17th Century, John Bunyan’s home. He was famous for his radical preaching & the time he spent in Bedford Goal for his religious beliefs.
The Dust led down by the chimney on the beech lined by-way as it dropped below level of the fields on either side, the going was a little stony underfoot as this by-way acts as a natural conduit for the rain water from off of the fields. By now a rumour had spread that T-B-T was on the Trail, at the very back! This was not true but the Hare marked all the CHKs in case.
A CHK was found at the crossroads with the footpath from Cromer Hyde, none of the Keenies seemed adventurous enough to search the track up the steep hillside to the right. Instead “On!” was called away to the left from Bryony & Kathy, who were followed by Sludge, My Lil’, Sparky, Underfelt, & Fliptop with Winston & Lucy, meanwhile Sloppy Seconds & Gail were back with the Hare, who was more than happy to see them all head off over towards Beechhyde lane on a Falsie, this allowed the walking Hare to catch up with the Pack.
The Trail was picked up once again on the continuation down the by-way to the Marford road, another CHK before the main road had Sludge, Fliptop & My Lil’ going off on another Falsie toward Chalk Dell farm where there was no Dust, instead the Trail would be found down to the end of the by-way.
Xperiment was one of the first to find the Dust leading up the embankment to the level of the Marford road, an arrow was discovered by the end of the roadside metal crash barrier & this directed the Hash over the busy road to a path that leads in to the lay-by in the edge of Brocket Park.
The Trail led on to an arrow in the middle of the secluded lay-by, to point to a gap between the row of parked cars, the Trail now passed through the gap in the fence & headed away down to the northwest on the footpath that weaves its way through the plantation to descend to the level of the river Lea. The Dust had the pack pass by the old Grotto, which these days in more of a ‘grotty’ since the roof has fallen in & it is all cordoned off!
The Path crossed over a small weir on the Lea, all around this area were signs warning about “No Fishing” & “Private Property, No Footpath”! No one seemed to fall for going the wrong way at the CHK by the junction with the steep Path up through the wooded outcrop by the statue of ‘Diana the hunter’ & out to the golf course.
Having picked up the correct route, the Pack had a fairly long trot along the lower level as the path follows the meandering path of the river Lea, along this part of the Trail the Pack had three bikers peddle up behind them at some speed & without ringing their bells. After a ‘conversation’ about their speed & lack of warning, one of the guys (the type who give mountain bikers a bad name) couldn’t resist behaving like a juvenile with some name calling & the like with a “Ooh, we nearly got killed by a speeding bike!” in a faux Monty Pythonesque old lady style voice! The fact that these guys were cycling on a footpath, which is illegal, didn’t register with them!
Anyhow, the Trail came out by the Ford at Water End, here the Bikers were still taking the p*ss as the ‘warned’ another biker (who didn’t illegally cycle down the footpath) but notably all from a safe distance away from the Pack who were just out of earshot at a Held CHK! As the Pack gathered at the Held CHK across from the splendid Elizabethan House, the Hare handed out sweets which were left over from Trick or Treat!
With only Psycho & No Eye Deer to arrive at the CHK, the Hare allowed the rest of the Pack to resume the search for Dust, Sloppy Seconds, Xperiment, Bryony, Laura & Kathy all took to clambering the steep steps in the embankment to the footpath around the outside of the field above, there was no Dust up there!
They came back down when “On!” was called straight on along the track running beside the river Lea, in the direction back to Wheathampstead. The next CHK was found where a farm track leads up the edge of a field to the former Welwyn Garden to Luton line (it actually went through to Leighton Buzzard until a relation of the RA axed it in 1967) this was a loop for the FRBs & most of the Pack took to choose to run it, including No Eye Deer & Psycho once they had caught up with the Hare.
A Short Cut was marked from the CHK & this would stick with the lower level path beside the river Lea. Meanwhile the Keenies arrived at the Ayot Green way, the former Railway line, by Robinson’s wood where the Trail turned to follow the Dust down it toward Wheathampstead in the west. The FRBs would have a nice level trot along the tree-lined way, passing a small picnic area before crossing Black bridge & then coming on to an arrow directing them up the embankment, once through a gate the Trail descended down around the edge of a fallow field.
A CHK was found just around the bend in the footpath, this was just one field away from the path the Keenies were on, however the FRBs failed to see the few Short Cutters down at river level & they fell for the Falsie heading straight along the hedgerow back toward Wheathampstead. The Hare was on hand as the FRBs came back to run down through the meadow’s edge by the Lea & on to the Trail as it started through the gate to the final field before Sheepcote lane.
Once the Pack had made their way around the fenced off end of the footpath on the field’s eastern edge, the Pack made their way down the steps & on Sheepcote lane by the bridge supporting the Cory-Wright Way by-pass, named after the former local councillor & (Just recently) convicted Child molester!
The Trail passed under the by-pass, then led on down toward the ford in the river Lea, where a Bar CHK was found by the Keenies. Most of the Pack were together as they tackled the final part of the Trail as it took to the track running up from beside the bridge & around the perimeter of a fenced off paddock. The Trail passed through a couple of gates before coming down to the final CHK of the Trail.
The Pack were on the edge of the common, Bryony, Laura & Kathy were soon on to the Trail down toward the river Lea, there by the bank was a large arrow directing them toward the shallows in the river. Yes, it was a water crossing mentioned at the first Circle by the Hare & the FRBs weren’t shy at going through!
The Hare was pleased as everyone went through, even the Virgins! Perhaps after the cup-a-soup stealing incident the RA’s threat of bringing along the remains of his chilli sauce collection had worked?
Gail did the same as Skip when they approached the river bank, & she too took off her shoes & socks to wade through the Lea, as she was taking part in a PE lesson in the week! The paddle through the water was quite refreshing, some stayed there for a while to cool hot feet as by now the ambient air temperature had risen, now the sun had burnt off the chilly fog! Xperiment wasn’t as keen to go through but he did, he too was surprised that it wasn’t that cold.
The last part of the Trail was to cross the green common & come out to the On Inn on Meads lane & out by the car park behind the Bull. After a wander up the hill the Pack gathered outside the Pub, initially to cool off as the Bar was chock-a-block with civilians. JNunior was found loitering outside as well, after he had cycled to the venue. In the end everyone settled for sitting around in the smoking shelter, since none of the Pub’s smokers were using it!
Psycho & No Eye Deer must have run the part on the loop along the former railway as they weren’t too far behind the main Pack, Psycho was none too happy to see the parking in the car park. It was full of footballer’s cars & one had backed up to the ‘Nutter-mobile’ with just a fag-paper’s width separating the two vehicles!
At least the last two Inn were back in time for the Sarnies & Chips that came around, thanks to Steve the Landlord! Like Sludge & Underfelt, they too were keen to prove that they had been through the water crossing!
After this the GM called the Circle & the Hare was rewarded for setting a longer than usual Trail by his standards, but the RA was thanked for the weather as he picked up his Hit! Sloppy Seconds was awarded his Down-Down for arriving in his Fanny Magnet in the freezing cold fog, he had the top down & a very warm looking hat on! The Virgins received their Down-Downs for completing their first Herts Trail.
No Eye Deer & Psycho had the last hits after the confrontation with the Cyclists, as well as Psycho’s concern over the parking, which the RA said he saw the bloke park up using a handbrake turn!! The Newies showed an interest for purchasing Haberdashery & Xperiment wanted a few spares to take to Nairobi, so the Haberdasher will be contatced on that one! As the rest finally departed the excellent venue, Sloppy Seconds finished the day off by staying in the Swan & watching Millwall play.