| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Feb 2022 | Viv & John | Mike |
Viv and John came up trumps again with this hugely enjoyable trail despite problems with the pub and the weather. They had planned a trail from the Woodman but that has become a gastro pub where hashers are unwelcome so they decided to keep the trail around Fernham and then move a couple of miles down the road to the King and Queen for the apres. Then the hash had to be postponed as hurricane Eunice battered the whole country on the 20th and GOM Kevin wisely decided to postpone for a week.
And what a good decision that turned out to be – the 27th was a beautiful day and 32 of us gathered on the green opposite the Woodman in bright sunshine under a completely cloudless azure-blue sky.
Viv told us we had a long of 6 miles and a short of 2.5 and that there were no hazards apart from some horses who didn’t look dangerous but not to worry as they were only on the walkers’ part of the trail. And off we went – after about 20 yards the longs and the shorts parted company and we walkers climbed over an unusually high stile into the fields where the horses lurked. Then it was a climb over stile after stile, each as high as the first, as we crossed the fields to a muddy track which wound upwards through woodland and out to open fields again. We then reached the top of the hill and looked out over half of Wiltshire in the sunshine. You can understand why people like hashing.
The trail then took us across open fields, down through the woodland above Fernham and then across the final field and home. The front runners, Colin in the lead, caught up with us in that final bit and we, runners and walkers, all arrived back at the green within minutes of each other in about an hour and a quarter – which was immensely satisfying.
We stopped on the green for a while chatting about the trail in the sunshine and then climbed into cars for a five minute drive to the King and Queen. And what a lovely pub it is ! The staff are cheerful and helpful, the beer is excellent and the whole ambience of the place is welcoming and warm. The pub has a small courtyard type garden which we filled, chatting and laughing together in the sunshine – in February !
GOM thanked the hares for a splendid trail and Viv and John got a well deserved and enthusiastic round of applause. Jeremy then stood up and announced that he was going to present the hash horn. He rambled on for a bit about Masonic rituals and odd customs. Your scribe had no idea what he was talking about and my attention wandered until he announced that I was to be the recipient. I thanked Jeremy and expressed my pleasure at being chosen to receive this honour – still without any idea of what he was talking about – until Annie pointed out I had one trouser leg tucked into my sock and one flapping free. Poor old chap !
An exceptionally enjoyable and memorable hash – many thanks Viv and John
