TVH THE WORDS Run #2147

CIRCLE UP: Manaton Church car park

ON DOWN: Kestor Inn, Manaton

HARE: A scantily clad Beefy

 

Oh dear – yet again I’m guilty of tardiness with the words! My apologies to Beefy who laid such a great trail. In my haste to write them now (during my work lunch break!), I will no doubt struggle to do it the justice it deserves!

 

WHO WOZ THERE: x5 Ashburton Hashers (sorry I didn't catch any of their names), Pisswell, Forest, Piltdown, Georgy, Swinger, Devin, Billy, RtD, Man Pig, Psycho, Melon Picker, Beeflicker, AA, Slip On Me, Wet Jonny, Beeflicker, Deep Semen, Archangel, Smellie (although not in the Circle)

 

CIRCLE UP: We all headed, as we were told in the circle the week before, through a little green gate opposite the car park. Inside was the prettiest little cottage garden, and a beautiful old thatched cottage. By far the most 'commanding' view though was the hare in a bath! While Swinger and I debated whether he had anything on under all those bubbles, he told us a bit about the trail.

The walkers had two routes – one avoiding the inevitable long climbs that a hash from Manton would be famous for. There was also a long and a short.

 

THE TRAIL: The walkers and shorts headed out through the gate to the right, and the longs were directed left. We followed for about half a mile on a single track lane before reaching a back check. The last mark took us over a style and through a field and footpath back to the church, where we started. I think we then picked up the shorts, and headed north in the direction of Moretonhampstead. 

 

Plenty of woodland and serious climbs awaited, before a long descent to the River Bovey. I was grateful to have Psycho for company, where we discussed many varied topics including owls and camelbaks! Man Pig was just ahead of us and must have been suffering from a spot of earache!

 

When we reached the river, we had a series of boulders to negotiate in order to cross. Psycho being a climber gracefully leapt from one to the next. I made a bit of a meal out of getting across, which led of to our next subject of conversation – balance.

 

Our chatter had to pause though (Man Pig was probably most grateful), as the punishing climb up through the woods got steeper and steeper. At the top, there was a bit of respite before upwards again.

I was just starting to wonder if we’d missed Beefy’s “stop of sorts” he’d referred to at the circle when low and behold, there he was! Not in a bath this time, but in a dressing gown and slippers with a box of delicious homemade apple and blackberry pies. The beautiful little creations even had a hash footprint baked on to the top! Very impressive and just what we needed after that brutal climb (although Pisswell was disappointed not to have a water as well).

 

As we pushed on again, more uphill and Psycho and I had a new topic to discuss – how did Beefy get his car to the pie stop, when the track was so steep and so narrow? (I never got the answer to this!)

Beefy said it wasn’t far back to our cars, and he wasn’t wrong. Before we knew it we were there. Swinger, opting for the short with her two boys, had already left for the pub, so Psycho kindly offered me a lift there, saving me having to do an extra half a mile.

 

At the OD, other than Beeflicker (and the Ash Hashers who took their kids home) none of the longs followed us there for a long time. Turns out Smellie was MIA and there was a search party out to find her.

 

We stayed for a drink but then had to go as Swinger’s children had school the next day. So I didn’t see any of the DDs. Perhaps someone could update this post with those please?

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable trail, thank you Beefy. And I’m very sorry once again for my rushed account of it.

 

On, on to… tonight!

 

Well Hopped