Hash 531 – Red Lion @ Castle Eaton

Our first hash of 2018 turned out to be a cracker. An unusually large crowd of loyal hashers (I counted 8 runners 20 walkers and 4 dogs) filled the car park behind the pub bathed in bright sunshine with not a cloud in sight. It was however rather cold and the brisk north-easterly wind straight off the Steppes of Russia didn’t help. Everybody however was sensibly dressed in the sort of clothing you would wear on a trip to the North Pole – except your scribe who clings to the old fashioned view that, when running, one should wear shorts.

We nearly didn’t have a hare today as Brian’s car refused to start when he set off in the darkness to lay the trail. Luckily he has a bike but he had to peddle furiously to Castle Eaton and then running hard to set the trail in time for the start at 11 – and he made it. Well done that man ! He told us at the briefing that the long was 6 and the short 2.5 miles, that there were no hazards save for the freezing mud and that it was all flat. Then we were off along the road with your scribe striding effortlessly in the lead for the best part of 25 yards before being overtaken by runners 25 years his junior. Through a kissing gate and across a couple of grassy meadows and then out on to a country lane where we stayed for a while – rather too long a stay for Keith, who had kindly dropped back to keep me company at the back, and me. We were gossiping and talking about the arrangements for the hash dinner in March, missed the circle and did an extra mile or so before retracing our steps. When we were back on trail we saw the walkers ahead of us on the other side of a large ploughed field so we did a short cut across the middle of the field, caught up with the walkers and had a chat with each little group as we passed them; very sociable people on our hash. Along the road for a bit and then across another grassy field which led back into Castle Eaton and the pub. Everybody arrived back more or less together in just over the hour which was nice.

We had the cosy lounge area in the old part of the pub to ourselves for the après where there was a large fireplace and a blazing fire to take the chill out of our bones. GOM Keith thanked Brian for an excellent hash and told us about our anniversary dinner in March and the new hash windcheaters and Sue presented the bags to Kathy on the understanding that she would sew on new bells (the original bells having fallen off on the trail today). I told her not to run so fast

Thank you Brian for laying a splendid hash from Castle Eaton where everyone else thought it was too difficult.