The initial omens were not good, with no P-trail from Mortlake Station to the pub, but in the event our hare, Petal, set a well marked trail around Sheen and Mortlake, taking in Richmond Park en route.

Pleasant trail north and south of the river, hared by Giving Head.

Only problem was that virtually all the pack took a wrong turn at Blackfriars Bridge, and ended up shortcutting it to the drink stop, instead of going the long way around via Waterloo Bridge.

Anyway, some unusual drink options were on offer plus food, so we were happy enough.  Unfortunately we were all back in the pub by the time that the hare arrived at the drink stop herself, having been the only hasher to complete the full trail!  Needless to say, down downs were forthcoming.

Glow trail around Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common set by your scribe, New Balls Please.  The pack was decked out in glow-stick bracelets and neckbands and random splodges of day-glow makeup, and followed a trail of luminescent flour.  Not always easy to find the route though, and even the hare got lost on a couple of occasions!

I think everyone managed to get to the drink stop (except perhaps KC) and back safely to the pub, though there could still be some lost souls wandering around the common even now.

The RA, Butt Plug, had done a good job of keeping the rain at bay during the run, and presided over the usual antics in the circle.

Our hare, Rambo, almost missed the start of his own trail, arriving just in time but somewhat breathless form setting this marathon, which turned out to be somewhat on the lengthy side at more than 10.5 km. But then we would expect no less from a Rambo trail. Also, as promised, plenty of shiggy and several scrambles up and down a series of earthworks adjacent to the M4, in an area never before hashed by West London (even Pope verified this claim).

Eventually most of us got the the drink stop for a very welcome hot cider/calvados punch plus shortbread.  Just what was needed after that slog.

Back in Duffy’s Bar, KMA officiated in the circle and handed out down downs to the hare, our visitor from the Florida Hash (also called Duffy as it happens), and a hash virgin from Hanwell.  Trophy WLH beer mugs were also awarded to Who Killed Kenny, Hands On, and Come Forth in Orange for having participated in (at least) 100 hashes with West London.

The expectations for this run were not great when the hare for the evening, Generator, announced at the start that the On-out was in both directions!  Which did indeed turn out to be the case, much to the confusion of the pack.

She also demonstrated her ingenious trail marker flour dispenser, in the form of a plastic milk bottle with a hole in the bottom.  Whilst an interesting idea in theory, in practice the amount of flour dispensed was so slight that only those with particularly good eyesight and night vision were able to pick out the trail, which meandered around the streets of Brentford/Chiswick/Kew.

Eventually some of us FRBs with a smattering of local knowledge managed to find our way to the drink stop, only to encounter a lonely looking Moron with a bag of crisps, but no drink.  After waiting for 15 minutes and still no sign of the hare with the drink, several of us headed back to the pub for some beer. (Apparently the hare with the drink did eventually arrive, though by some accounts,  not necessarily worth waiting for).

Down downs were awarded accordingly in the circle, once the hashers had found their way back to the pub.

Trail around Sheen and Richmond Park, hared by Pickled Fart (in lieu of Airhead, again).  Mercifully short in view of the blizzard-like conditions sweeping into Richmond that evening.

The first run of the new year was hared by Ryde and Table Whine, and was the first of several celebrations to mark the start of their retirement from the world of work.  Hence, they kicked off the proceedings wearing their slippers, and promised us hot Horlicks for the drink stop.

The trail was set around the scenic backstreets of Brenford, and was something of a nostalgia trip for at least two of the pack.  The length of the trail did indeed turn out to be just right, as promised. As the hare helpfully pointed out, if it had been any shorter, we would not have got back to the pub, and had it been any longer we would have overshot our destination.  A drink-stop was laid on featuring some hot toddy. Not Horlicks, but OK under the circumstances.

Back at the pub, something of a crisis atmosphere prevailed. Gordon, the landlord, had been rushed to A&E earlier in the day. His deputy was gamely trying to serve a mass of thirsty hashers, and was down to his last barrel of beer.   Luckily Gordon did make it back before the end of the evening, apparently all well, and the beer flow was duly restored.

RA duties were performed by Wacker and various visitors and a virgin were duly awarded down-downs.  Then Rambo briefly took over the RA role to inform the circle that one of our number had been awarded a MBE in the New Years Honours List.  In fact the recipient of this award was none other than Wacker himself!   Arise, Sir Wacker, we are not worthy to run in your footsteps, etc, etc.

Here is a map showing locations of WLH runs during 2018.  Clicking on a run location will allow you to view the trail for that run.

A chance for hashers to maintain their blood alcohol levels in that otherwise quiet period between Christmas and New Year.  The trail around Hammersmith  was set by Bhopal with assistance from co-hare Hands On.  Quite a few visitors along for the ride including two from, I believe, Ethiopia.  The drink stop was, predictably, held on Bhopal’s floating cocktail bar (workshop) and featured a very palatable mulled wine and sausage rolls.

KMA presided as RA and doled out the usual down-downs.

A pleasant run around the posh streets of Chelsea, hared by Stay Over, including a drink stop featuring half pint glasses of Bells whisky and/or Malibu (mix to taste).  The walking hashers somehow managed to miss this treat, but they did not seem to upset about this as they were fist back to the pub.

In the Circle, RA services were provided by Wacker, with down-downs to visitors from Norway and Jordan (I think).

This was the annual Santa Run, hared as is the tradition,  by Pope.  A pleasant tour around the festive Christmas lights of London’s West End,  with the added bonus of providing an amusing spectacle for the throngs of tourists clogging up every street and square.

The Stags Head provided its usual lashings of hot hash food, which was most welcome after freezing our b*****ks off in the sub-zero conditions. Three beers on offer, which did not run out all night. What more can you ask for?   Oh yes, Santa’s Sack full of lovely pressies!  I just need to find a car now in which to hang my fluffy dice!

RA duties ably performed by Mad Cow, with down-downs for two virgin hashers from the USA.

This weeks run was hared by Murphys and took us around the streets of Chelsea and along the Embankment.  There were ominous indications of things to come at the pre-run briefing when the hare said that there would be an indoor drink-stop – hooray! – and no checks for the entire trail – WTF!   So it was a relentless slog for the first 4km to the drink strop, which was located in a hair salon (see pics elsewhere), with the pack arriving in dribs and drabs.  But it was worth the effort with a good supply of beer and wine, and a selection of cheese nibbles.  Then back out onto the streets for a somewhat straight run back to the pub (see map).

The circle was presided over by RA KMA, and amongst the down-downs was a special one for Optimist, consisting of a bottle of Hoptimist beer.

First time hashing from the Blue Boat for West London. Our hare for the evening was Giving Head, setting a trail around the Barnes side of Hammersmith Bridge.  Not bad in general, but rather lacking chalk/flour in places with the result that several latecomers were somewhat disorientated.  Anyway, all ended well with a generous supply of hot Hungarian food and plenty of drink back at the hare’s apartment.

Back at the pub, RA Butt Plug presided over the circle with his customary witty repartee, and down-downs were awarded to the usual suspects

This week’s run was hared by KMA, and kicked off at his local, the Mitre.

Sensibly, a drink stop was omitted as no one would have appreciated standing around in the cold. In any case, there was a wide choice of fine ales in the pub at the specially negotiated discount price of £3.50 a pint, so well done to the hare for arranging that.

One complicating factor in setting the trail was that, unusually,  the gates of Richmond Park were to be locked at 8pm that night.  (Subsequent investigation revealed that this was due to the annual deer cull that is currently in progress in the park).  So we all had to be out by that time.  As a result we had what must have been one of the shortest trails around Richmond Park for quite some time, at barely 5km in length.  But as is often said, no hare has ever got a down down for setting too short a trail.  The upside was that we got back to the Mitre in good time to embark on demolishing most of the landlord’s beer stocks.   The hare had also managed to negotiate the provision of hash food, which was most welcome.  Unfortunately,  the landlord  did make the mistake of placing the food dishes on a table right in front of where Fat Bastard was sitting.  So that didn’t last very long.

Usual down downs, including a couple of visiting pilots from the USA who appeared to have flown across in their corporate jet just for the West London Hash, only to be returning back across the pond once they had sobered up the next day.   I also vaguely recall that Last Tango may have been awarded a down down for being trapped the wrong side of the Richmond Park fence after the 8pm lockup.  Apparently she had to chat up the park ranger to let her out and hence avoid begin culled.

An early Guy Fawkes or late Halloween hash, depending on which way you look at it.

A well laid trail around Twickenham, set by our hare for the evening, Man Magnet, with suitably frustrating false trails en route.  A particularly challenging check-back on  the final check left most of the pack stranded, frustratingly near the promised drink stop but with no obvious route to follow, and required a phone call to the hare to get us back on track.  It was worth the wait as Man Magnet had provided plenty of wine plus a large box of her excellent sausage rolls, which even hungry hashers did not immediately snarf.  To top it all we had a firework display! Not just sparklers, but real banging and flashing stuff plus some rockets thrown in for good measure.  I believe the hare was assisted by Pickled Fart, Called Away and Rent Boy in putting on this display, so thanks to them for their efforts.

Back at the Albany for the circle presided over by RA Wacker, with down-downs for a number of overseas visitors and returnees.