Run #1760 Monday 17th Sept. Circle Middle CP Trendlebere Down Dartmoor. OD The Dolphin Inn Bovey, with Hare Beefy
The not so merry season of roadworks is firmly upon us, as signalled by last week's mega works in Ipplepen and continuing Monday evening in Bovey Tracey. Numbers did seem on the lowish side at the circle - nearing thirty - and some hashers had missed the 7pm town closure and become 'marooned' Chudleigh Knighton side. Late arrivals brought numbers up to around thirty five.
The words could be summarised in one sentence: A brilliant Birthday Bash bestowed by Beefy with praise for his homemade flapjacks. However, dearly beloved, you do not escape my crutches, sorry, clutches, so easily... Is that a collective sigh of regret I hear? No matter, pray continue with the chronicle..
Being of unsound mind and diminishing intellect, I had failed to identify the correct circle car park, even after consulting the map man himself*. Singing 'Everybody knows the Bird is the word' I had seen, out of the corner of my eye, a smattering of yellow clad figures on my right and with a snarl of rage had been forced into a mid road manoeuvre to return. I wasn't the only one though, as I heard that the latecoming Queen** herself had tried the first car park before moving on.
Reassuringly, T Humper, Slobbadog and I Poo'd had returned after an absence of a few weeks and good to see Ding Dong and her two multi-award winning dogs.
The Birthday hare Beefy was brooking no interference when finally addressing the rabble - sorry Beefy! The menu of trails on offer was comprehensive indeed: 4 L/S with an extra long thrown in for luck, the 'extra long' estimated at 5.5 miles, the 'ordinary' long at 4.5, the short 3.5 and the walkers trail of some 2 miles. Also included was a specially prepared SS which will be described later..
The various trails were well thought out and converged at several points. Poacher and hound whizzed past Winfield and me three or four times on his sightseeing tour of the scenic nature reserve. Late arrivals 3sum and Satnav overtook us and Coldtits was not far behind. Welcoming lights were eventually seen through the trees of Yarner wood and we arrived at the SS which was set up inside the rustic and robustly built information shelter. A vast array of vittles had been laid out, including cider, water, lemonade, home made flapjacks, mixed nuts, olives and other tasties. Beefy had, not for the first time, done us proud. We tarried in the snug confines before resuming the trail - a gentle descent back to the car park. I lent Wiggy my headtorch for the final section and I'm not sure how he had got round before that with no light.
In theory, we were well in time to make the Dolphin by the food shut off time of 9pm except for the small matter of getting there - the town being shut to all traffic for road resurfacing. My chosen route was the swimming pool approach road, but following the Ipplepen chariot, I was surprised to see them slow down at the roundabout turn off and then choose the next turning! Thinking the lads knew something I didn't***, I pursued them for a mile and a half, heading east to Japan before giving up and returning to the reliable route. A mere hundred yards away from the Dolphin and parked in various disarray, white van man U Bend & Piddler and T Humper & crew had secured prime positions.
Inside the Dolphin and the IPA 4.0 was the business for drivers and the Jail 4.8 for the passengers but the tour de force of the evening, for me at least, were the chips. At the serving hatch, I requested - in my best German accent: 'I vant mine crisp unt light brown, bitte..' And do you know what? They were! I was in hashing heaven, sat in the balcony section of the bar with a pint of IPA, and a dollop of mayo on mine chips Hans. I doff my cap to the Dolphin, a triumph!
POSTSCRIPT
A solid and enjoyable trail within an area I hadn't seen before and it was clear how much effort had been put in by the solo hare, all power to your flour Beefy.
#1760 TRAIL AWARDS
On Hunk o'Beef's Birthday Trail at Trendlebere Down
First Award to BEEFY, for an excellent trail plus the usual harmonious? Birthday song to congratulate him on both.
Next BEEFY again! as Georgy P really loved that yummy Flap Jack.
PILTDOWN MAN ( already prepared shirt off) for nearly snapping another woman's (Fallen Woman) ribs in a passionate game??
POACHER for self abuse in taking a DD and he only passed us 5 times on trail ?
*Winfield of course.
**Coldtits!
***Driver Wet Johnny blamed their slight detour on his navigator - either Roxanne or Manopause!
ON ON to next week from Harcombe Woods CP behind Haldon Forest Diner EX6 7XS OD Bishop Lacey. Soapy & Melon Picker.
The not so merry season of roadworks is firmly upon us, as signalled by last week's mega works in Ipplepen and continuing Monday evening in Bovey Tracey. Numbers did seem on the lowish side at the circle - nearing thirty - and some hashers had missed the 7pm town closure and become 'marooned' Chudleigh Knighton side. Late arrivals brought numbers up to around thirty five.
The words could be summarised in one sentence: A brilliant Birthday Bash bestowed by Beefy with praise for his homemade flapjacks. However, dearly beloved, you do not escape my crutches, sorry, clutches, so easily... Is that a collective sigh of regret I hear? No matter, pray continue with the chronicle..
Being of unsound mind and diminishing intellect, I had failed to identify the correct circle car park, even after consulting the map man himself*. Singing 'Everybody knows the Bird is the word' I had seen, out of the corner of my eye, a smattering of yellow clad figures on my right and with a snarl of rage had been forced into a mid road manoeuvre to return. I wasn't the only one though, as I heard that the latecoming Queen** herself had tried the first car park before moving on.
Reassuringly, T Humper, Slobbadog and I Poo'd had returned after an absence of a few weeks and good to see Ding Dong and her two multi-award winning dogs.
The Birthday hare Beefy was brooking no interference when finally addressing the rabble - sorry Beefy! The menu of trails on offer was comprehensive indeed: 4 L/S with an extra long thrown in for luck, the 'extra long' estimated at 5.5 miles, the 'ordinary' long at 4.5, the short 3.5 and the walkers trail of some 2 miles. Also included was a specially prepared SS which will be described later..
The various trails were well thought out and converged at several points. Poacher and hound whizzed past Winfield and me three or four times on his sightseeing tour of the scenic nature reserve. Late arrivals 3sum and Satnav overtook us and Coldtits was not far behind. Welcoming lights were eventually seen through the trees of Yarner wood and we arrived at the SS which was set up inside the rustic and robustly built information shelter. A vast array of vittles had been laid out, including cider, water, lemonade, home made flapjacks, mixed nuts, olives and other tasties. Beefy had, not for the first time, done us proud. We tarried in the snug confines before resuming the trail - a gentle descent back to the car park. I lent Wiggy my headtorch for the final section and I'm not sure how he had got round before that with no light.
In theory, we were well in time to make the Dolphin by the food shut off time of 9pm except for the small matter of getting there - the town being shut to all traffic for road resurfacing. My chosen route was the swimming pool approach road, but following the Ipplepen chariot, I was surprised to see them slow down at the roundabout turn off and then choose the next turning! Thinking the lads knew something I didn't***, I pursued them for a mile and a half, heading east to Japan before giving up and returning to the reliable route. A mere hundred yards away from the Dolphin and parked in various disarray, white van man U Bend & Piddler and T Humper & crew had secured prime positions.
Inside the Dolphin and the IPA 4.0 was the business for drivers and the Jail 4.8 for the passengers but the tour de force of the evening, for me at least, were the chips. At the serving hatch, I requested - in my best German accent: 'I vant mine crisp unt light brown, bitte..' And do you know what? They were! I was in hashing heaven, sat in the balcony section of the bar with a pint of IPA, and a dollop of mayo on mine chips Hans. I doff my cap to the Dolphin, a triumph!
POSTSCRIPT
A solid and enjoyable trail within an area I hadn't seen before and it was clear how much effort had been put in by the solo hare, all power to your flour Beefy.
#1760 TRAIL AWARDS
On Hunk o'Beef's Birthday Trail at Trendlebere Down
First Award to BEEFY, for an excellent trail plus the usual harmonious? Birthday song to congratulate him on both.
Next BEEFY again! as Georgy P really loved that yummy Flap Jack.
PILTDOWN MAN ( already prepared shirt off) for nearly snapping another woman's (Fallen Woman) ribs in a passionate game??
POACHER for self abuse in taking a DD and he only passed us 5 times on trail ?
*Winfield of course.
**Coldtits!
***Driver Wet Johnny blamed their slight detour on his navigator - either Roxanne or Manopause!
ON ON to next week from Harcombe Woods CP behind Haldon Forest Diner EX6 7XS OD Bishop Lacey. Soapy & Melon Picker.
