Hash 553 – White Hart @ Wroughton

Date	Hare	Scribe
25 Nov 2018	Kevin & Julie	Keith

A higher than usual number of hashers assembled at The White Hart – I counted twenty-nine.

Maybe because it was closer to home than other hashes, or perhaps it was the mad rush of an impending Yuletide meant that more of us needed to get away from the Black Friday present-buying and Xmas Dinner-planning, to do something invigorating, on this cold, grey morning. 

Our number was made greater by the return of Des, after a long convalescence following an accident, and it was great to have him back with us. As a runner too.

And we were joined also by four ‘new’ runners, (in the sense of being new to our Hash), who had heard about us through Viv. They were enthusiastic and warmly received by everyone, and hopefully have got the hashing ‘bug’.

Our Hares, Kevin & Julie, are both now well-seasoned as hashers and hares. They were back from laying the trail long before the 11am start. 

We assembled just on 11am and took a group photo before the hares’ briefing and then set off down the road towards Devizes Road. We were told to expect mud, and that the long was 4.5 miles, the short 2.5.

I felt envious of the runners, soon disappearing ahead, as we walked in small groups of 2 or 3 beside the road. I can’t run at the moment due to a damaged knee, and miss the running, but I enjoyed the opportunity to chat with different people along the way.

The trail was well-laid, taking us up Priors Hill past the lovely thatched cottages, before a right turn into fields with far-reaching views across to Swindon. We soon reached Clouts Wood where the hitherto mentioned mud was found. It wasn’t too bad, and nothing like the quagmire that led Kay & I to abandon a hash there nearly 2 years ago. We negotiated the steep, slippy steps that took us down towards the valley floor, without mishap.

In the woods, the long-short divide took the walkers back towards the village, up a steep field-side, and onto the A4361 where we headed downhill towards the pub. Just over the hour – perfection. 

As a walker myself today, and photographer, I anticipated not getting many photos of runners, but was able to catch several as they came down the hill towards the pub at the end.

Our Aprés inside The White Hart was lively and we squashed into a section that had been reserved for us at the front. Those who had walked the long trail arrived back last, and our Hares were duly thanked for an enjoyable, well-judged trail.

David has had the shorts since the Summer, and now that the weather has turned chilly, doesn’t need them while digging over his allotment, so these he offered to Ainslie on some ‘cooked-up’ notion of her needing encouragement with her running style. I know, I didn’t get it either, but Ainslie laughed and graciously accepted them. Give them a good wash Ainslie!

No hash horn, and we haven’t seen or heard of it in a while. Who has it?

Thanks Kevin and Julie for an enjoyable trail.