Coombe Cellars, Combe-in-Teignhead
Run No. 2148 - Harvest Moon
HARE: Ollie
Who wuz there: Ollie, Pocket Rocket, Man-Pig, Forrest-Stump, Piltdown Man, Georgy Porgy, Beefy, Beeflicker, Archangel, Fukarewe, Smellie, Coldtits, Wetfart, Big End, Well Hopped, Devin, Strap-On, Strap Dancer, Slip-on-Me, Polyfella & returnees - Alexis , Triple Jump and Mouldy Dick
Circle
And so it was, a Harvest Moon Hash.
We arrived at Coombe Cellars to be greeted by a beautiful sunset looking up the Teign towards Haytor, a view only to be surpassed by the blood orange Harvest Moon that guided us this way and that along Ollie's well laid and beautiful trail.
Pocket Rocket, an injured non-runner, welcomed all to the Hash including returnees Mouldy Dick and Alexis. Alexis explained that she was back because her kids had grown up and left home....welcome back.
Announcements were brief. Man-Pig advised that entries for the Grizzly ballot were now open. this was greeted by near silence with the exception of Beeflicker who was proud to announce that he had already entered. However, the silence was not quite as deafening as that generated by Man-Pig's next question, "A volunteer for The Words please". After a long silence the Pig volunteered himself.
"About time too", mutters Beefy.
Smellie needs Hares for 9 & 23 November or was that 9 & 16 November? Coldtits, I think, has laid claim to 23 November so the 9 & 16 November remain open.
Beeflicker gave a heads up for us to prepare our halloween garb in preparation for his trail at the end of October.
Eventually, we get to The Hare, Ollie, who has travelled all the way down from Shropshire just to lay the trail for us. A truly sterling effort which incurred a five and a half hour drive due to delays on the M5. Ollie's original intention was to attend the annual Harvest festival and raffle at the Church House In, Stokeinteignhead. This he would combine with laying a trail from the aforementioned watering hole. Alas, at the last minute the Harvest festival was postponed. Nevertheless, the show must go on and, rather than make his apologies, he drove down, laid the trail and would be returning to Shropshire the following day...what utter dedication.
Trail
The trail commenced with a very early sweety stop. In fact the sweety stop took place at the Circle. The delay on the M5 had not prevented Ollie from laying the trail but it did mean that he hadn't had time to go and deposit the sweeties as he'd originally planned.
Some Hashers went for the bags of assorted chewy goodies whilst the others were pointed towards the public footpath that runs along the banks of the Teign upstream towards Newton Abbot.
After only 150 British yards we came to a check. Beeflicker checked along the foreshore. This looked an unlikely route as we were on a flood tide with a full moon; a 100% guarantee of getting very wet if pursuing that particular avenue.
The Pig opted for the signed public footpath that took us up and diagonally across a recently tilled field that is usually full of maze. this proved to be the correct route and it was reassuring to look back and see a snake of headtorches following the FRB's calls of "On-On".
Arriving at tarmac near Netherton House, the dots gave way to arrows for a short while until we reached the Walkers and L/S split at a small crossroads. The Walkers headed straight on towards the Newton Abbot to Shaldon road where they bore right and then left to commence their ascent up the non-adopted Ridge Road.
The Longs and Shorts bear right at the split and head for Tucketts Farm but not before arriving at a check and a decidedly tempting "public footpath" sign that looks like its taking onto someone's driveway...which it is.
Beeflicker checks out the road towards Tucketts Farm. The Pig is on home turf and checks out the footpath that runs past the owner's cars that are parked on his drive. Surprisingly, Beefy is nowhere to be seen. The Pig is "On" and arrives at the Long/Short split.
For the Shorts it is across the main road and left for a few yards before turning right up a tiny lane. They pass little known and very picturesque cottages and a reach a dead end....well a dead end for cars as the lane then turns into a footpath climbing to a check....but has it already been kicked out by the Walkers?
An arrow points the Longs diagonally to the right towards a disused red telephone box now used as a book depository.
Surprisingly. Ollie has laid the trail up the steep, and aptly named, Hiller lane towards the top of Milber near the Newtake football pitches where we arrive at a check. Man-Pig foolishly checks towards the Milber Trading estate only to find a cross. Beeflicker checks the John Musgrave Heritage Trail down towards Haccombe but finds nothing. He is only a few yards away from the trail and misses the marks. Polyfella catches up and other torches suggest that Beefy, Well Hopped and Big End aren't too far behind either.
We get back on trail, as a group now. We descend down the footpath that has only recently (OK about 5 years ago now) been erected to separate the footpath from a field that is usually occupied by a pair of horses...and still is by the sound of neighing.
Another check and the Pig if off to Haccombe House on a fool's errand whilst Beeflicker checks straight across and a trackway that will eventually take us to Ridge Road where we will be back on the Walkers and Shorts trail.
Climbing up the decidedly unmaintained Ridge Road Beefy catches up and passes me. We both then pass Well Hopped but no sign of Beeflicker and Polyfella whom we believe are ahead.
As the tortuous climb levels off, we arrive at a properly maintained lane that leads to Mount Olive. But we are not going that far. A check has been kicked out and we are heading left along a broad track which soon decays to an unstable single track heading towards Combeinteignhead. We pass Ollie and Coldtits, then Georgy Porgie and Piltdown Man. Next, an arrow has us change onto another steeply descending track into Combeinteignhead. Had we carried straight on we would have descended past Lilac Cottage but not tonight.
On our new track the Hare has kindly drawn a triangular warning sign. This is just in front of a deep, ankle breaking furrow in the middle of the track....well spotted.
When we arrive in the centre of Combeinteignhead, an arrow points left and past the Wild Goose (regrettably closed on a Monday). Here I pass Alexis and her dog making her return to the Hash for the first time in 5 years. It is then a right and uphill towards the turn off to Coombe Cellars. The Moon is orange and full and beautiful. Torch off. Night vision engaged for a peaceful final canter downhill to the On Down.
What a lovely run and thank you Ollie for coming all the way down to lay it for us.....so very much appreciated.
Down-Downs
Although we arrived back at the pub startlingly early, 8.40, some had to leave early. We lost Forrest, Well Hopped, Big End and Polyfella prior to the DD's. We would, additionally, have lost Swinger and Devin as well if Swinger hadn't lost her cars keys (a story for next week perhaps?).
The Down-Downs commenced by thanking the Hare for the DD's - especially as they were a bit pricey at £6.10/pint for Adnam's Ghost Ship.
Man-Pig is the only RA present and asks if there are any Awards?
There is only one present and Piltdown has it. It is the Guinness stove pipe hat. However, he does not have a story so he gives the hat to Pocket Rocket who thinks that he has a story. Not for the first time this involves the Pig's parking. Despite Coombe Cellars huge car park being nearly empty, the Pig has not got his chariot squarely into a parking bay so he has a second go to make good his parking within the white lines. Hence the first DD to the Pig with Mouldy leading the DD song.
The second DD must go to the Hare. Not only did Ollie lay an excellent trail, he also drove down all the way from Telford just to lay it for us! Mouldy comes up with the Grand old Duke of York.
There are no other awards present so it is story time.
Initially, it appears that there are no stories until Slip-on-Me tells a story of a dog lover who was going to get Boo a treat from the bar. However, upon being told that doggy treats currently trade at £2.50 a nibble she thought to herself, "Sod the dog". So who was our mean spirited would-be dog lover? Triple Jump opts for a glass of water to wash down her shame accompanied by, "she's the meanest".
Next it is the returnees time to get a DD foe...er...well...returning. Mouldy take a beer whilst Alexis selects a water, "Here's to the returnees...."
There was a story about Smellie attempting to get senior citizen discount at the bar...unsuccessfully. But all the beer has gone and she had 2 DD's last week so she'll have to wait till next week.
It is also worth mentioning that Swinger's son, Devin, has yet to be named despite having done 14 runs. Thinking caps on please for next week.
Next week
Next week's Hash is from Only Here for the Beer's (OHFB) pad at Maddicombe Farm, Maddicombe Road, Kingskerswell. The Hares are OHFB and Shitfaced. Bring cash for beer and food - burgers and sausages. Please post on Facebook if you'd like a veggie option and OHFB will sort something out for you, albeit, that may be hay for the horse!
On-On to next week, MP
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