Run 881 - Brightwell-cum-Sotwell
Run: 881
Date: Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Venue: Red Lion, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell
Hare(s): Twitcher, Little Prick, WWW
Hounds: Golden Shower, Plod, CS Gas, Bolton Wanderer, Big Stiffy, Eric, Pressganger, Lonely, S/Shoveller, Penelope Pitstop, Finger Flasher, Dipstick, Lemony Snicket, Dover Sole, Buzz, Village Idiot, Rubber Sole, Hutch, Preperation H, B-Cider, K9-1 Meg, K9-2 Hattie.
Scribe: Plod
First thing first, the above list was compiled from memory - so I apologise if I have missed out anyone. Old age and Alzheimers - that's my excuse.
Damp and overcast - we were going to get wet. That was the concensus of opinion as we started to gather outside the pub. There was a very noticeable reluctance to get started, feet were being dragged. Until the main Hare, Twitcher mentioned that the beers were on him when we got back. Almost to the day, 20 years ago, he hared his first trail from that very pub - 4 July 1989 - and he wanted to celebrate the event. Free beer always work. It even worked for WWW, who had helped to lay the trail and was feeeling a bit down, so much so that Little Prick decided to take him home. When he heard Twitcher's announcement ... well, more about that later - let's just say for now that he has the makings of a good hasher!
So, the On was north, up a non too obvious footpath, oposite and just to the side of the pub. It was only spotted after a fair bit of hinting by the Hare. Rather reluctantly, I decided to check it - it was the On - and I found myself not just running but FRB-ing all the way to the first check. WWW, you let me down, Plod and running do not mix too well!
The trail was a bit of a loop which eventually came out opposite St Agatha's church at the end of Brightwell We turned right and then crossed over and went over the stile and headed South over the fields. Sweet Corn, fields of them. Eventually we hit a road and turned left, passing a hamlet called Mackney - never heard of it - before venturing in among the Sweet-corn again. Surely we'd be turning left soon. We did and not too quickly we found ourselves in the other half of the village, namely Sotwell. Through the church yard of the victorian church of St James, and continued heading northwards. We crossed the A4130 and shock, horror continued in a north easterly direction, through what had obviously been an area of orchards, but the direction of travel was still away from home. We did eventually turn left but worryingly were still moving away from the village. By now, nearly all were walking up the long Sotwell Hill. And now we come to WWW. The offer of the drink on Twitcher, was enough to change his mind about going home. Upshot? Little Prick and him had back-tracked to Sotwell Hill and hid in the crop, jumping out as we passed by. Yes some of us did get caught out. Now at some point we had to turn left again to get us back into the village. And so we did - down a steep narrow path. Back over the A 4130 and in to the village. But, even here, we had to hit the village network of paths and which looped us round eventually bringing us out opposite the pub.
Treacle Tart had let us down again, but Twitcher had a further surprise for us, From his car, he produced not one but two chocolate cakes and paper plates. Very nice cake it was too, and was demolished in no time. And so, into the pub and the free pint. We were made very welcome. Pressganger organised the chips and these duly arrived with lots of ketchup and mayo. Baskets of them. I believe there were so many of them that part of the order had to be cancelled. We sang Tony an Anniversary song - it was the least we could do.
The Hash Barbie venue and date are sorted. Saturday, 22 August (in your diaries, please) and it's at Lemony Snicket's pad - more details to follow
Next week it's the George and Dragon at Sutton Courtenay. It's Rubber Sole and Hutche's Silver Wedding Anniversary run - more free beer and cake, maybe. See you all there.
Plod