Run 868 - Harwell
Run: 868
Date: Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Venue: White Hart, Harwell
Hare(s): Twitcher & Bolton Wanderer
Hounds: Mrs Bolton Wanderer, Wee Wanderer, JWax, Baldrick, Big Stiffy, Pyro, Baby Driver, Rear Admiral, Nora Batty, Gnome Alone, Highlighter, Rubber Sole, Preperation-H, RSJ, Eric, Pressganger, CS Gas, Golden Shower, Deaf Aid, B-Cider, Barbie Doll, Finger Flasher, Pure Fantasy, Lonely, S/Shoveller, Penelope Pitstop
Whisper K9-1, Hattie K9-2, Meg K9-3, Beryl K9-4
Scribe: S/Shoveller
The ‘Harwell ain’t got no footpaths’ Run
First Tuesday Run, Bright Sunshine, Big Pack – what more did we need for an excellent run??
Answer – Footpaths!!
Up steps Twitcher to announce that whoever suggested The White Hart hadn’t looked at the map to check the availability of paths to run on (B-- S---Fy gave a little shudder, I noted).
Twitcher went on with all the usual repertoire of Hare excuses that his many years of hashing had provided him whilst it was notable that his co-hare, The Bolton Wanderer, kept his peace and didn’t add to the sorry story of woe issuing from Twitcher which eventually ended with him releasing the pack onto his supposed non-trail.
Up the road towards Wantage we ran but, no, the trail went in completely the opposite direction along the grass verged lane and past quaint cottages and on-on into the track heading directly towards our small mascot, the Didcot Power Station, led by Pure Fantasy.
Wrong again and so the pack reversed up a small lane before trying to lose itself in someone’s garden and then beating a hasty retreat and continuing forward into the housing estate. The trail forward was really straight through the houses and out the other side but Highlghter and S/Shoveller went left and found themselves going nowhere that flour had been laid.
The footpath to Milton Hill, on our left, was not used although someone, Finger Flasher, perhaps, checked it out.
As we ran on along the track Whisper’s double was seen emerging from the left and Pyro greeted the owner – apparently Whisper’s colouring is quite uncommon.
On down, down, the hill we ran until faced with the main A34 in front of us at which Lonely was seen running back towards the pack. False trail?? Not likely, Lonely was trying to keep warm!
A sharp right turn in the trail took us along a nice path beside the rumbling A34 until we came to a check on the overbridge (which, quite frankly, I do not recall seeing when driving along the A34 but there again I seldom use that section of the A34). My every urge was to turn right at this point as there was no way back if we went over the bridge but, as usual with most hashers, I went opposite to what my instincts were telling me and crossed the bridge. Lonely than passed me and disappeared along the track towards the Power Station and Milton Estate at a great rate of knots.
At the next check we all hesitated before heading on in the same direction. The next check was a sort of half-hearted regroup but Finger Flasher wandered off right and was soon on-on along a green path curving around to the right.
The Hash View came up and we all gawped at the Power Station for a few seconds before starting to check it out. Possibilities were left and right – the correct way was right (of course) and this was to prove to be a 2/3 mile trek partly uphill and then along the flat to another check at the B4493. The only realistic way was right and then we arrived at another check on the east side of the A34 bridge but still the only probable way was forward to another check on the other side of the bridge which had some hesitating but again the way was forward and then we found the On-Inn at which stage CS Gas cantered past me (racer that he is) and finally up the small slope and in the back way to the Pub Car park. 4.16 miles I 56 miles – almost the perfect DH3 hash length and time – Aunt Sally would have been proud of the hares’ timing (but being a Tuesday evening the Pub had already been opened for an hour or two if not all day!).
Jolly well done, Hares, with limited material. We still covered some tracks not done in recent years and were presented with a different aspect and one of the closest views of the Power Station.
S/Shoveller