This was the annual Azalea Run, hared as usual by Man Magnet.

Obviously we all know where the trial has to get to eventually, but our hare led us astray very effectively by some devious false trails. I found myself in the company of a few FRBs orbiting around the Isabella Plantation in some sort of endless loop, before we finally homed in on the regroup point for our group photo amongst the azaleas.

The return trail was just as devious with a tricky back check on the way out of the plantation.  But eventuality we all got the drink stop near the park gate for some excellent wine, accompanied by a feast that Mad Cow or Butt Plug would have been proud of.

The trail as shown here is only an approximation of what the hare actually set, due to the tricky bits mentioned above. Azalea trail

After the usual down-downs our RA for the day, Mad Cow, performed a naming ceremony for the hasher now known as Breast Stroke. (Sorry, I missed the incident/comment that resulted in this choice of name).  See photos for a video of her naming ceremony.

Pleasant trail through Richmond Park hared by Dingo and Sally.

On-trail services provide by KMA, whilst hares sorted out some excellent sangria for the drink stop.

Usual down-downs, including a visitor from the US whose hash name was something like 5$,5$,5$, and one for a returning Eric the Viking.  Whatever next!

Thanks due to Ryde and Tablewhine for stepping in at short notice to hare today’s run, due apparently, to lack of illumination in the Kensington Gardens area, where Pope had originally intended to set a trail.

Anyway, always good to revisit my old home stomping ground on the Brentford trail, and the lavishly refurbished Globe.

A not-too-challenging trail (5.9km) set by Mudgee Smuggler around the delightfully posh neighbourhood of Primrose Hill.

The hare also provided a drink stop on some random canal boat that he had somehow commandeered on the Grand Union Canal.  Reportedly,  he had procured all the drink for <£10 at Morrisons.  Who would have guessed?

Down downs for all the usual suspects. Hopefully our singing did not upset the rest of the pub’s clientele who were apparently attending a wake!

A fine trail set by hare Wacker, including perilous river crossing:

Kenton trail

The pub did us proud with an excellent spread of hash food, which even WLH gannets were unable to finish.

A fine trail set by Sir Humpalot, with plenty of shiggy for those who like that sort of thing.

The Scrubs

Drink stop provided courtesy of Eagermount.  Most of the pack managed to keep out of HMP Wormwood Scrubs, hence the usual number of miscreants were present for the down-downs once we got back to the pub.  We had one visitor down-down for Steptoe from Pattaya Hash, no doubt back in blighty to revisit the old scrap yard in nearby Goldhawk Road.  (A surprising number of WLH hashers appeared to be not-unfamiliar with Steptoe’s home hash. Not sure why that might be!?)

Suddenly, figure-of-eight runs are all the rage in West London!  Last week, Pickled Fart’s innovative Richmond trail.  This week, Bhopal’s trail with not just one, but two, crossovers – here is the evidence:

Hammersmith Trail

A well marked trail, as you would expect from our hare raiser, with (many) perfectly circular checks, just to show off his draughtsmanship skills, I suspect.  A welcome rum and coke at the drink stop, located at Bhopal’s local floating social club/lounge. (OK, more of a tool-shed/workshop, but on WLH we are not too fussy).  Finally, loads of cheap beer and the obligatory down-downs back at the Weatherspoons.

A fine example of trail setting by our hare, Pickled Fart, including an audacious figure of 8 crossover – see trail: Richmond trail.  Managed to create a largely off-road trail without actually venturing into Richmond Park.

Made in Chelsea themed trail hared by Dingo and All Fours.  Plenty of pearls on display, teamed with waterproof tops and thermal underwear.  Might just catch on?

Chelsea trail

Drink stop featuring cocktail sausages and bubbly at the Battersea Park Pagoda.  A surprising number managed to get that far, bearing in mind the occasionally washed out trail.

Usual down-downs plus a naming ceremony for the hasher in the natty purple (actually maroon) velvet smoking jacket.  Now known as Purple Haze.

Australia Day hash hared by Man Magnet (with support from family).  No Dingo, but at least her dog bothered to turn up.  Trail was as for Man Magnets azalea run – Norbiton Trail – except that it was about 4 months too early for the azaleas.  Welcome drink stop supplied by Pickled Fart, and even more welcome beer and BBQ stop at Man Magnet’s gaff.

To view the map of this run, as recorded on Rambo’s GPS, click Here. One of our more interesting trails I thought.

On one of our recent runs some trainee journalists carried out some podcast interviews of Hashes for an internet radio station, if you would like to listen to this then stick your headphones, or speakers, on and Cick Hear. I was particularly intrigued by Dingo’s explanation of how she got her name; “because I come from Australia”. I had always thought that Dingo was an abbreviation for her full Hash name and also that there was a bit more to it than that……

Hared by Contour and (supposedly) Last Tango.

Took us on a convoluted tour around every single street in the Earls Court area, including a cunning underground section along Exhibition Road.

Trail here: https://goo.gl/Gneklw

Here is a map showing locations of some of the WLH runs during 2016.  Clicking on a run location will allow you to view the trail for that run.

Hopefully this will be helpful if you are a hare trying to decide where to set your next trail.