This was the much-anticipated run from the annointed "Pub of the Year". The circle was preceded with a whole hash photoshoot with much red attire .. and a token Mexican. Cameraman IGSH, risking all for his art, stood in the middle of the carriageway. Fortunately some of the passing cars saw him in time to slow down, others got the matador treatment. In due course he got enough shots so we could precede to the circle proper. The hare (hereafter MtC) announced the distances and that he hoped to make it the fastest hash.
Sensibly, we were directed right (L) and left (S) to avoid any further risk to life and limb. Instead of the usual turn towards Odds Farm we headed back towards Wooburn Green with a little wiggle through Berghers Hill. Coming back to the road at the turn for said Green we went back into the woods for another loop. At this point MtC, losing the trail, called an unmarked on-back. This did not augur well but hares getting lost (or generally losing it) is not uncommon, especially when running on a common. The excuse of leaving the map at home was less than credible given the hashiness of the Wooburn environs.
Here we can see where the run was probably planned to go and where it actually went. Eat this after reading or we could draw some farmer-angst.
We finally escaped the loop round the edge of fields and were back onto a road run down into the Green. We then held our breaths as we headed down the road to Bourne End. Shame I did not bring my mobile pollution monitor as I could then have provided you with some hard info about shortening of lives etc.
We could now see how MtC had hoped to make this hash the fastest. Road running and minimal onbacks. I knew this would be testing for your scribe, especially combined with liberal helpings of CO2. Some moans were heard from others - evidently I am not the only one who is somewhat reliant on that which separates hashing from road-running.
Coming into Bourne End we ran almost to the station before escaping north onto a footpath where we found a sign to tell us we were now on a Nature Walk. Your scribe breathed a sigh of relief; very welcome after holding his breath for over a mile.
Just as we were thinking that our prayers had been answered we started up a very long slow hill towards Flackwell Heath. After about half a mile we got to the top, turned East and ran straight down again, crossing the out trail near Wooburn Town (ah, the full set) and back up another long hill to ... Berghers Hill. At the top of that Rozzie and I, having taken it easy up the hill, fell into the trap of following arrows from the out trail and almost ended up in an infinite loop. We soon twigged and joined other stragglers on the way to the On-Inn.
Once in the pub we experienced all the delights that a Pub of the Year has to offer. The choice of beer and the chips were up to scratch as usual. On this occasion MtC was ready with a finely-crafted poster which we hope will stay on the wall for a while and congratulated the staff on their exceptional achievement. The GM also said something that I can't remember and handed out Rozzie's 400th run shirt with inscriptions I didn't twig.
Well done Matt for the hash and all the preparation that went into it, not to mention your correct democratic choice of my favorite hash pub. It remains to be seen how many of the pub's regulars will see the poster and join the hash.