Category: Run Maps and Write Ups

  • Run 1624, 27th October 2016 – The Albany, Twickenham

    Our hares, KC and Cling On, had obviously been following the precedent set by Reach Around at last week’s run: plenty of arrows that suddenly peter out into nothingness, with no obvious check mark in sight, leaving the bewildered pack to stumble around in the dark Twickenham streets trying to find the trail.  This, coupled with a >10k distance and numerous intentional false trails, did give rise to a few grumblings amongst some of the assembled hashers.

    Trail

    KC did manage to redeem himself with a drink stop at his gaff, so all’s well that ends well, etc.

    Oh, almost forgot to mention, I was awarded a (possibly) well deserved double down down for firstly trampling Dingo’s dog underfoot and subsequently running into a hedge whilst using my satnav.

  • Run 1620, 29th September 2016 – The Bull, Barnes

    It is somewhat disheartening to find the last 5 moths of run write-ups lost somewhere in the interweb cloud.  I don’t know if I can be ar*** to re-post the missing trail maps.

    Anyway, here is the trail from a recent run in Barnes, hared by Rollback.  It included an excellent rooftop drink stop with a magnificent view of the London skyline at night.

    Barnes WLH trail

  • Run 1597, 28th April 2016 – Green Man, Putney Heath

    The venue for this Thursday’s run was that reliable favourite: the Green Man, on Putney heath. With Lick a Pile performing a dual role as both hare and GM, what could go wrong? Well, nothing much as it turned out.
    Having been assaulted by an overly aggressive lamp post on a previous hash in Action, your scribe was taking no chances on this occasion, and donned his high-viz vest for this trail. Oh how my fellow hashers mocked and ridiculed my garb. But the last laugh was on me, as I was not accosted by a single lamppost on the whole trail. Who says health and safety is a waste of time?
    At the on-off our two visitors – the GM from San Diego Hash [insert name here] and Camping Gas from Guildford – were given the customary West London welcome, and the hare received a cheer for announcing that there would be a drink stop. We then set off, not into the beckoning wild woods of Putney Heath as one might expect, but in a series of loops into some of the less scenic housing estates of Putney. Apparently the hare did this deliberately to frustrate Pickled Fart, who historically has ‘owned’ the role of Putney Heath hash master.
    Before too long, normal service was resumed and we crossed the road and continued on the trail through the heath, and then on around parts of Wimbledon Common, before returning back to the heath. Your scribe was diligently recording every step on his trusty OS map and is therefore in a positon to share this with you thanks to the wonders of the InterWeb: Map of Trail
    Giving credit where it is due, Lick a Pile did a great job of setting the trail, with frequent clear markings and just the right number of checks and false trails to keep the pack together. The only thing I could not figure out is that even though I ran flat out between checks, the hare would always be waiting there already, smiling and looking very relaxed. So either he was very clever and used some cunning shortcuts, or alternatively, recalling the tale of the hare and the tortoise, our hare was in fact one of a number of identical ‘tortoises’ placed strategically at each check. Since the first explanation is clearly not credible, we must assume that Lick a Pile does indeed have a number of clones at his disposal.
    Arriving at the drink stop we were treated to some potent Czech sprit reputed to be 65% proof. Deceptively easy to sip, but with an after burn that removes the lining from your oesophagus. As usual, one could overhear the Pope trying to coerce his fellow hashers into joining him in Hell. Then it was time to head back to the Green Man for beer and the circle. This proved to be a tricky gig for the GM when it came to inviting the hare into the circle, but Lick a pile handled it adroitly thanks to some nimble foot work. Our visitors were then give their customary down-downs, and since one was in fact the GM of the San Diego Hash, the rule: “One GM gets a down-down, all GMs get a down-down” was invoked, and he was joined by Wacker and Last Tango. Penalties were handed out for various obscure reasons that escape me now, some of which may have involved Australians and wine drinking. As usual, the details become somewhat hazy as the evening progresses.
    On On
    New Balls Please

  • Run nr 1595 on 14 April 2016 – George & Dragon, Acton

    It wasn’t the Journey to Hell, it wasn’t the Friday 13th hash, but this week’s hash was still macabre nonetheless. The Mismanagements campaign to attract new harriettes was continuing to go from strength to strength by having the run set in Acton Town, where not only does it have the highest number of greasy fried chicken shops per capita in the UK but it is also a suburb where there is currently a sexual predator on the loose. Those of us used to fending off predators on a Thursday evening were not perturbed by this and still made it along.

    The hidden gem in amongst the dilapidation was our venue for this week, the George and Dragon pub/microbrewery. Hashers crawled out of the woodwork, excited at the thought of drinking real ale at Wetherspoons’ £3 a pint prices but in a chav-free environment. Unfortunately the better half of the haring duo, Martian Matron, was struck down with flu but our knight in shining armour Moron gallantly soldiered round on his own setting us a mighty fine trail.

    There was a further casualty that evening, on the ‘Peckham of the West’ run itself when New Balls Please nearly knocked himself out. He’d been TV location spotting, looking for Mandela House and failed to spot the lamppost straight in front of him. You plonker!

    Back at the pub our illustrious RA Plug once again entertained us with stories of stupidity from the run. Sins I can just about remember through my vodka haze are: KMA for his lack of navigational skills, Hummingbird for leaving us and Robocop just for being Robocop. There was a naming too, young virgin Millie, offspring of Chocolate Starfish was named Chocolate Millipede. The speed she knocked back that down down shows true hasher potential.

    I can confirm that all three ladies toilets were fully functional at the end of the evening so we’ll be ok to return there in the future.

    On on

    Love Deuce

  • Run 1593 31 March 2016, Teddington

    The Adelaide, Teddington
    Hare: Foreskin
    Scribe: Doner Kebab

    After leaving our bags in the provided upstairs room the hare announced “Bad news & good
    news”. Bad: He was not going to accompany us and we should thoroughly check and call
    loudly. Good: The reason being that he needed to prepare the drink and food stop.

    At the nearby first check, most checked towards the town centre but the true trail was
    eventually called almost backwards towards the National Physical Laboratory and a Bushy
    Park entrance. The check just outside the park was quickly called inside to the right by
    NutSucker heading towards the North West corner for a presumably anti-clockwise tour of
    the park.

    After zig-zagging with plentiful checks the trail went into a tight loop North of the
    Water Gardens. This caught out most of the pack but Butt Plug and few of the slower
    guessed the trail would head South from close to an earlier check. They all called
    loudly but the pack took a while to cotton on and follow. These new FRB’s soon passed the
    walkers which included MoreOn and Lofty. The trail again zig-zagged with people checking
    in all directions before Butt Plug again found trail towards the gap in the Woodland.

    As the trail reached Chestnut Avenue (the road through the park), instead of following the
    paths it crossed the grassy area either side of the road and became almost impossible to
    follow. By this time Knickers had finally caught back up and Rambo who started late (as
    usual) also caught up. They helped in the search for blobs of flour in the grass. Rambo
    finally found one across the road but failed to find any more. Eventually Doner Kebab
    found a check away from any paths and everyone there checked in almost every possible
    direction. It was a while before Knickers found trail – back on a path – by which time
    most of the rest had caught up.

    As the light started fading the trail again left the paths and crossed a large area of
    rough ground. Progress was very slow as occasionally someone would find a blob of flour
    by their torch-light. Finally Rambo spotted a small pedestrian exit from the park and
    found arrows pointing out. No-one saw any flour leading to this.

    On the streets we soon came to a DSVN mark. A few hundred metres later when there
    was a false trail mark and a P trail some assumed the VN meant Very Near and they had
    overshot the Drink Stop. They turned back to look more carefully but luckily a Harriet
    caught up to inform them that the hare lived almost next door to the pub and the drink
    stop was there. We had a very tasty cocktail (of which there was seconds and thirds),
    sausages, sausage rolls and cheesy things.

    The circle was held in the bag room and the pub provided a pitcher of beer. Apart from
    the hare in a sexy shirt I have no recollection of any sinners. I did not realise the
    drink stop cocktail was that strong.

  • WLH3 RUN 24th March 2016 @ The Albany, Twickenham

    HARES: Nut Sucker and Minge-&-Tonic wearing stupid bobble hats..
    SCRIBE: Psychodelic
    Miscellaneous Run Info:

    The RA had given us really wet weather- sack him. I caught all at the first check… and again two Checks later I was still in touch, enough to observe the intrepid explorer Wacker crossing the busy road and stopping to pant away once off the bridge. He got it wrong.. Call Girl has never got it wrong in her life and her stationary motion exercises may be the reason- a new way of checking it out but what about the Trail.

    After a rescue by the Hares, the Run was steaming along at a fast pace out of my sight. I have it on good authority that Contours lead the front runners astray on a plastic bottle trail instead of flour. He wasted drinking time with the delayed return of the Pack so he never made the Circle later.

    The SCB route led to the Drink Stop with the help of Nut Sucker, passing three real ale pubs in town on the way. We were then presented with wine from a bag! Sacrilege. A miserable beer-less drink stop in the rain, so Dingo wanted revenge in the Circle with wine down-downs for the Hares.
    There were quite a lot of lost souls tonight with Pope, Roadkill and Knickers all coming up with excuses for early returns. Even one hare (Minge & Tonic) got lost off her own Trail after the SCB split – she forgot its true direction at one Check on the fast runners loop towards the end, but she made it to the Pub. I absolved her sins there and then on the spot so no punishment!
    Highlights of the Circle:
    a) The Hares Nut Sucker and Minge-&-Tonic had kept ISIS at bay so were given beer Down-Downs instead of wine and many deemed this as unjust after the drink choice at the Run Drink Stop.
    b) Visitors called into the middle were MickMac (he survived the latest Brussels terrorism) and Snitch Bitch (from St Louis, USA), still surviving here in London after two weeks.
    c) USA Returners from 5 years ago Dum Buff and wife Con Tripper had drinks waiting but Periodical and Prince had got them lost somewhere, in another Pub. Look for the Returners elsewhere in the next three weeks.
    d) The Virgin Kevin was chatted up by the Hares in the Pub before the Run, so after doing the wet run he earned his drink.
    e) Prince showed off a fitting T-shirt before the Run (the first time for many months/ years) but failed to turn up for suitable punishment from the RA. Periodical had led him astray.
    f) As New Zealand has decided to stick with the Union Jack on its flag, Man Magnet and Dingo (the two Aussie Sisters) were called on to celebrate this wonderful fact.
    g) Wacker proceeded to present today’s RA Lick-a-Pile with a 100 Run mug and congratulated him on being sacked after 26 years in his Halliburton job! Did the Hash contribute to his demise? He has an RA job now but his income is not as great.
    h) KC was punished for seducing Nut Sucker back to his house for beer, or so he claimed! They had enough energy to get to the Pub late. Healthy beer.
    i) Foreskin’s clothes were immaculate because he is now retired and spends all his time doing washing as nothing else to do during the day! Get another life!
    j) There were too many pairs of tight python trousers on display and even in over 70’s- so Pickled Fart, Pope and Rambo had to suffer some more expansion.

  • The Hope – Richmond 10 March 2016

    West London Run MDXC
    10 March MMXVI
    The Hope – Richmond
    Hare: Crap Nav
    Scribe: More On

    “When life is getting you down,
    And you need a little hope.
    Look deep down inside yourself,
    And you’ll find the way to cope”

    Crap Nav’s solution was to set a run, from the little Hope no less – a pub we haven’t visited in a long time. In fact, when we were gathering at the pub, most of those present were still reminiscing about the old days and the 30th anniversary the previous week.

    Crap Nav, who lives in the vicinity and should know better, failed to check the Environmental Agency website, which had predicted severe flooding in Richmond. This was immediately apparent as we approached the River Thames near Twickenham Bridge, where there was a large lake and no visible towpath, but with Kaffir as a front runner, and with KC just managing to keep his head above water, the pack managed to follow bits of the river towards Richmond, at which point we crossed the bridge and followed some more bits of the river, towards Ham. Or some people did.

    Once we crossed Richmond Bridge, there was a certain amount of peeling, as older members decided the beer on offer in the pub was more attractive than a trip to the Star and Garter, now that it’s no longer an old folks’ home.

    Meanwhile, Wacker had picked up a large plank of plasterboard, and looked like Eric Sykes in the silent movie from the 1970s as he swayed about crashing into everything.

    Back at the pub Lick a Pile eventually succeeded on organising a circle, but not before Mad Cow was heard complaining about the absence of water in the gents (when did he last wash his hands anyway?).

    Rent Boy, who should have been the hare, but pulled out claiming that gout had stopped him from setting a run, was presented with an appropriate card, and Wacker was given advice on how to repair his ceiling. Martian Matron was rewarded for being a Rollback lookalike (Lick a Pile has a vivid imagination!) and Pope and Pickled Fart were penalised for failing to walk on water, Contour was accused of stripping in the street, and Crab Picker was heard calling for the RNLI on his mobile phone during the run.

    And that was that. So thanks to Crap Nav for setting a run at short notice.

  • Run No 1548 -Battersea Park

    Pub: Duchess
    Hare: On All Fours
    Write up by Skylark

    Well it seems that West London Hash has been feeling a little left behind what with London H3’s slick quarterly magazine, enviable hare-line, and professional website, and so they should. So to try to rectify this they decided to recruit one of London H3’s top scribes to acclaim their glorious trail from The Duchess at Battersea. This decision they may regret.
    For choosing a pub that was within sight of the dog’s home, it was quipped that the hare, All Fours, should be renamed to All Paws. Instead she was made to give her chalk talk on hands and knees. This we felt was unfair treatment for someone who had stepped in at the last minute to fill yet another gap in West London’s increasingly sparse looking hare-line.
    With an encouraging spurt of imagination, All Fours took the trail straight through the Savona estate. Sadly in this 8km trail in which Pope counted only seven checks, the well of creativity quickly dried. The highlight for most was the part where the hare got lost on her own trail and ended up blindly following the blundering pack, marking trail behind them as she went. She did though finally get us to Battersea Park and we briefly got to see the pagoda, the river, and the Rosary gate. It was essentially a quick in-out, but maybe that’s what she’s used to.
    In all fairness it was a well-timed run, with most of the pack getting back to the pub in about an hour. The Duchess, with its range of fine ales, good location and eye catching décor (that would be the tastefully framed nudes then) is a venue to be remembered. Dingo, a GM that always leads by example, certainly thought so as she had spent the entire trail propping up the bar and getting increasingly giggly on the pub’s wine selection. Even before the on-out she had jumped onto Pope’s lap for a quick bounce up and down and left him with a wet crotch (from spilt wine). Then during the circle she had attempted to fling herself upon a departing five-a-side team who had simply wanted to get away from that group of weirdos with their rude songs.
    The evening ended with even more debauchery as Dingo was plied, rather unnecessarily, with shooter cocktails. The Slippery Nipples came out, followed by Sex on the Beach and Screaming Orgasms. The bar staff didn’t actually know how to mix a screaming orgasm, so Dingo ended up having a fake one. Well, we’re sure that wasn’t the first time.
    My work here as scribe is done. In the interests of fairness the London H3’s edit hare has been included on the distribution list, so that if West London decide to protect the guilty by way of censorship or publication ban then it can instead be included in the next edition of On Paper. Well we do like to give a fair representation of our rival London kennels. Oh and don’t forget, London H3 are hosting a far superior away weekend to the Norfolk Broads in August. See their website for details.

  • Run No 1577 10 December 2015-Harlseden

    Pub:-The Grand Junction Arms
    Hare:-Wacker
    Write up by Optimist

    The Evening Standard front page advert said it all “Turn me on” (ad for New Beats Pill+ (wireless speaker)) and the
    large pack gathering in The Grand Junction Arms clearly were in anticipation of Wacker’s trail set through the urbane delights of Harlesden, Park Royal and Willesden.

    The Evening Standard also featured an article on Operation Kestrel with photos showing Met police officers searching for guns in Harlesden, this only added to the frisson.

    On peering through the steamed up windows the rain was heavy and constant as it fell on the puddles gathering on the pavements and gullies. The words of Squeeze came to mind “And so it’s our assumption we’re really up the junction”.

    The landlord cheerfully saying “enjoy your run” as we left our bags behind the bar. Unperturbed, undaunted and pumped up, with thoughts of “well its bound to ease off” the pack of eleven ran off into the night.

    The sense of “lets get this over with asap” (too literally) was immediately evident with death by “petrol” on the agenda with the pack storming off across Acton Lane main road into a line of starting to move traffic, as the nearby traffic lights had just turned green. Dam it someone politely said.

    The pack streamed down North Acton Road into and around a playing field, on through a trading estate and up Victoria Rd and right along the Canal.

    Flushed as was inventor Alexander Cumming with enthusiasm, the pack continued to break checks with the speed of a rat up a drain pipe. Yeah right!

    Pope called Man Magnet, Mam Magnet maybe his mind was at that moment just a stream of thoughts or his thinking had become obscured by clouds.

    Passing Car Giant depot, turning left up Scrubbs Lane (away from Wormwood Scrubs and the Prison no visiting “Uncle” today) by as the rain continued we were all feeling very well scrubbed as we cut through to Harrow Rd.
    In the wet the trail was becoming harder and harder to find, for the FRB’s and arriving pack the services of NCIS or CSI or Wacker the hare were badly needed!

    The trail almost reaching Kensal Rise station before heading due West back towards Harlesden.

    Back at the pub two bowls of Hash Chips appeared as emergency rations drizzled in red sauce and splashes of mayonnaise. Despite the shelter, sustenance and a selection of fine Youngs ales, Called Away (was), Thunderthighs and a Hasher in a blue WLH3 left before The Circle.
    The remaining super hardcore hashers are hereby named in this WLH3 (despatch) write up, background music provided by Wet Wet Wet:
    ~~~~~~~ Wacker, Mad Cow, Pope, Sir Hump-a-lot, Nut Sucker, Optimist, KMA and Man Magnet ~~~~~~~

    Mad Cow presided as RA.

    On on
    Optimist

    NB: Daryl Hannah sent her apologies.

  • WLH Run No.1560 Teddington 13 August 2015

    Hare:-Pickled Fart

    Write up by Kiss My A***

    With darkening skies and threats of torrential rain, this looked to be an interesting hash – add to that the dubious benefit of having Rent Boy as co-hare and the potential for excitement bordered on the terminal. But the hare – Fickle Phart had stepped in to save the day – had stoked everyone’s passion with the promise of a drink stop, and one that was in spotting distance of the pub.

    And what a pub it was – the famed Anglers, on Teddington Lock; purveyor of fine food and no less than 6 draught ales from the Fuller’s cellars (although only 4 were on that night, they did make up for it with a rather tasty craft ale). Also the possessor of a vast, decked and pergola’d garden, complete with built in barbecue and sun deck. All of which was utterly wasted on the hashers who were camped indoors admiring the ale.

    We were reliably informed by a returning Rent Boy, that the entire trail would be flour as it was virtually all off-road, a fact confirmed by the hare with a promise it ‘wasn’t too long’. We set off in hope, casting dubious glances at the gathering darkness above.

    And off-road it indeed was! Over the river into the park we trekked; through bushes and scrub, over moorland and through forest – this was proper hashing! No dull suburban streets or tame concrete walkways for this hash – there was mud, nettles, ducking under branches and scaling obstacles. Far too many checks for my liking, but it kept the pack together and allowed the SCBs to overtake the FRBs to the point that when we arrived at the riverside drink-stop (G & T’s – very nice!) there were more SCB’s than anything else! However, despite this anomaly, there was still booze left, but, as we could see the on-inn on the other side of the river, the lure of ale dragged off the ‘thirstier’ hashers to begin social drinking.

    We had a stand-in/trial RA for the circle (editor – pls insert hash name here!) (how the feck am I supposed to know his fecking name if you don’t –Editor) who did a sterling job consider the conditions. It would appear the heavens chose the moment of our circle, to unload about 6 months of rain upon Teddington for the next few hours, so the exact details of some of the charges were somewhat lost to the elements. I know there was a charge for some visitors from overseas, a charge for the hare and co-hare, but for what escapes me.

    All in all, it was decided it was a good trail, in difficult circumstances and a good time was had by all (except possible anybody who had to cycle home!).

    On On!

    Sir KMA

  • Run number 1554 2 July 2015- The Swan Hampton Wick

    Hared by Butt Plug

    Write up By Pickled Fart

    Hampton Wick is one of the best kept secrets of the Western London suburbs, buffered by parkland this charming village of congenial pubs and cosy restaurants lies less than a mile from Kingston Town centre but, separated from it, and, thankfully, the chavaratti it attracts, by the Thames.

    In common with much of the local architecture, although probably Victorian built, the Swan is a mock-Tudor timber framed building in sympathy with the nearby Hampton Court Palace, complete with jettied upper floor and herringbone brickwork in the style of the period it emulates.

    Our Hare, Butt Plug, is famous, not only for his prowess in laying interesting off-road trails, but also for his legendary drink stops. As the heat of this warm July day subsided to a comfortable running temperature a sizeable pack assembled, including our lovely GM, back from a month in her native Australia, where she displayed an exceptional prowess in the Iron Man competition that is belied by her vivacious charm and elfin good looks.

    So we have our GM back, a great Hare, a fine evening, a great location and a large pack, so what could possibly go wrong?

    I shall give you a clue;

    It’s lonesome away from your kindred and all,
    By the campfire at night where the wild dingos call,
    But there’s nothing so lonesome, so dull or so drear…

    Yes, I think you have got it, the pub had no beer. Well nothing any self-respecting Hasher would call a beer, their three real ale taps were as dry as the proverbial witch’s tit, leaving just a selection of bottles and lager. The landlord, new to this establishment, pleaded that he had underestimated the additional demand generated by the Hampton Court flower show which was taking place at the time.

    As an aside, on Googling the above song to get the words, I stumbled upon the information that it had been rated, by the Australasian performing rights society, as that countries fifth most popular and successful song (it did not say where that Rolf Harris classic, “Two Little Boys”, came in the ratings). It was even translated into other languages, there was a Dutch version released called “Café zonder bier”. And a German version called “Ich steh an der Bar und ich habe kein Geld”. It requires only a smattering of that language to realize that the title, and chorus, line has been changed to “I am standing at the bar and I have no money” in the German version, presumably because the sheer incompetence entailed in a pub running out of beer is something that would be unimaginably to the Teutonic mind and certainly not be considered an appropriate subject for humour.

    Anyway, I digress from the task in hand, writing up this run. The trail took us to the river and in a loop around the Home Park and, with the use of some cunning live haring, exiting it again by means of the same gate before crossing the road to Bushy Park where skittish young deer started from our feet as we weaved our way through the bracken.

    At a certain point, a table appeared, in the middle of Bush Park, groaning under the weight of cheeses, pitta bread, charcuterie, quails eggs and a selection of red and white wines with which to wash it all down. The humble drink stop of the past is consigned to history, this was a full blown buffet that would do credit to a top hotel. By what black art the hare conjured this all up in the middle of a deer park no one could guess but that did not them descending on it with the customary lack of restraint displayed by hasher when they encounter food and alcohol.

    Back at the Swan Whacker presided over a lively circle where a handful of visitors were welcomed, including an attractive young Jordanian Harriette and her partner, I did try to make a mental note of the visitors’ Hash names for this account, and even enquired as to her name, in response to which she thrust her shapely bosom into my face to reveal it stitched across the chest of her T shirt, but for some reason I not take it in. The circle concluded with the Hare getting a well-deserved pint of lager and then we all decamped to the Foresters across the road which had more real ale taps than you could shake a stick at and without the badge reversed on a single one.

    On On

    P.F.

  • Run no 1514 -Kingston 25 August 2014

    Hare Lick O’Pile

    Write up by Pickled Fart

    Mention Kingston upon Thames as a run location and it immediately conjures up images of the Wych Elm, a cosy little local pub nestling in its leafy Northern suburbs, where the beer is expensive enough to discourage the lower echelons of society from crossing its portals and Richmond Park, in all its verdant glory and with endless possibilities for pretty off road trails, is only a short jog away. This Hare however was determined to show us an altogether grimier side to the Royal Borough. The P trail led us in the opposite direction from the park, to a vast Weatherspoon’s beer supermarket, located in one of the less salubrious parts of Kingston town centre and about a mile from the nearest blade of grass. Officially this establishment is called the King’s Tun, but it is more commonly referred to amongst the local drinking classes as simply “The Day Centre “.

    The pack set off in twilight through the Eden Vale and Bentall’s shopping centres, crossing Kingston Bridge, only to cross back again on the other side of the road.  The trail led us past the town hall and the eponymous King’s Stone on which the Saxon Kings of Mercia were crowned and Kingston’s famous “Fatberg”, now proudly  displayed on its own plinth in the market square. As the evening grew darker so did the trail,  Waitrose, John Lewis and Bentall’s gave way to Cost Cutters, Iceland and Sports Direct, as the trail weaved around the low rent side of town, through shabby, dimly lit shopping arcades which had seen better days, where Pit Bull terriers strained at leashes attached to faceless hoodies and wretched figures ravaged by self-neglect and alcohol abuse (no, not Rambo this time) shuffled past skulking mange ridden urban foxes rummaging through abandoned Kentucky Fried Chicken containers in the shadows. Then the trail led us out of the town centre altogether, assiduously giving what little greenery there was a wide berth,  past a few burnt out cars, to the sprawling Cambridge Road Council Estate, now euphemistically known as Social Housing. One of those monstrosities dreamt up by the architects and planners of the nineteen-sixties that won awards from just about everyone except those condemned to live in them. We picked our way through its labyrinths, carefully avoiding the used syringes and discarded cans of super strength lager and other such detritus of the social underclasses.  It was with some relieve that we crossed, literally and metaphorically, to the right side of the tracks and the marginally better neighbourhood on the other side, by means of the underpass beneath Norbiton station, as we did so a certain harriette was heard to opine on how well the Hare had kept the pack together thus far into the trail. Displaying my customary diplomacy I refrained from pointing out that it was not so much the Hare’s skill in trail laying that had kept the pack huddled together, as their fear of the environment through which he had just taken us. The trail taunted us by taking us to within fifty yards of Richmond Park before veering away from it towards the drink stop at that well-known local beauty spot, the Sainsbury’s Car Park, where we were treated to some strange Eastern European spirit with a taste vaguely reminiscent of battery acid.

    Back at the pub the staff had thoughtfully reserved a section for the Hash which they had blocked off from the rest of the hoi polio, who frequent such establishments, with a barricade of chairs. Within this alcove an inner barrier of chairs symbolically blocked off the Richmond Clique from the ordinary Hashers who had not been elevated to their rarefied world, or had been defenestrated from it; a clique within a clique as it were.   

    A circle was eventually organised, if that is not a misuse of the word, the Hare received his customary down down, as did Knob Job visiting from Madrid and Not Contagious for wearing a rather fetching Ebola T shirt.  I was called to the fore because I had posted a comment on the web site that the pub was frequented by scantily clad girls getting tanked up on cheap alcopops before venturing into the local night clubs and I received a down down of a cheap alcopop, that stuff called Wckd that I have seen advertised, but had never before tried, and never will again, even three pints of Guinness could not wash away the sickly chemical aftertaste of saccharin it left behind.                      

    Next week WLH3 are in Wimbledon, and, before that conjures up any images of cosy little local pubs nestling on the fringes of Wimbledon Common, with the promise of pretty off road trails, the pub is the Prince of Wales, a vast beer supermarket in a less salubrious part of Wimbledon town centre and in the opposite direction from the Common, and about a mile from the nearest blade of grass.

    On On

    P.F.   

  • 6th March 2013 – Northolt

    There was a young hasher named Yorky

    Who started the trail with a porky

    It’s like last time, he said
    But backwards instead
    Then locked up the bags with a door key.

    He said, no drink stop this time
    There was, but that’s not a crime
    FagEnd & Plastered
    Had the trail mastered
    The beer they provided, sublime!

    He said, like the London trail, but better
    It wasn’t, because that one was wetter
    If it was the same
    Then that was a shame
    Mad Cow was the golf course forgetter.

    Skirting round a Northala Hill
    Famously made from Wembley landfill
    The trail took a lurch
    To the right by the church
    Then on to the pub, and beer to swill.

    Back from the r*n with a thirst
    Service at the bar was the worst
    Free Loader treated shabbily
    While Last Tango got her Chablis
    And the rest of us waited and cursed.

    The queue had abated
    While Martian Matron had waited
    Despite the fact that she’d queued
    They stopped serving food
    And left Moreon’s hunger unsated.

    Down downs with Whacker, with drink stop beer
    Scar Face & Sleek Cheeks visited here
    The RA was comical?
    With the truth economical
    What to do with the last pint? no idea!

    Tablewhine & Rhyde
  • 27th February 2014 – Acton Town

    The P trail started at Acton Town underground station, which was opened as Mill Hill Park on 1 July 1879 by the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR, now the District line) on its extension from Turnham Green to Ealing Broadway.

    The name Acton means Oak Town and is an Anglo-Saxon name, suggesting that there was a settlement at Acton in Saxon times. The first recorded mention of Acton was in 1181. Most of the settlement in the Middle Ages lay along the Uxbridge Road and close to the parish church of St. Mary’s. There were several inns here by the late fourteenth century.

    The P trail led past Action Fire Station where I found Man Magnet admiring the 1930 architecture or was she in fact dreaming about the hunky firemen inside 😉 …. The original fire station was opened in the High Street 1899 and was in use until the current station on Gunnersbury Lane opened in 1930.

    As a south Londoner I was worried about being “north” of the river. On arrival at Aeronaut my concerns were justified. Firstly the friendly (not) bouncer quizzed Man Magnet and me about wearing track suits – the explanation that we were part of a running group appeared to be accepted, next he demanded that I leave my bottle of water at the door. Clearly the draft airport rules on liquids and gels also apply at the Aeronaut.

    The Aeronaut is part pub, part brewery and part circus! The pub pays tribute to local aviator George Lee Temple who was the first Englishman to fly an aeroplane upside down.

    The trail was well marked and took the pack in a circular route out to the east and south before returning back to the Aeronaut.

     

     

     

    Back at the pub some member of the pack watch part a Circus Act that was taking part in the other bar area.

    The Aeronaut is also the home of the state-of-the-art Laine’s Brewery:

    The Hares Martian Matron and Moron

    There was a playground stop where Skylark, Pope, Loveduce & Dingo acted their shoe sizes and not their ages!

    Obviously relieved that no one got lost or refused entry by the friendly bouncer and Martian Matron bought a large round of drinks to celebrate. Unfortunately her debit card was refused; the bill was entered as £2075!

    The run passed through the sprawling South Acton Estate and one of the sixties tower blocks (Harlech Tower) was the original location for Only Fools And Horses. The RA felt that Plug and Freeloader looked liked Del Boy and Rodney: 

    Freeloader earned another Down Down by leaving his shoes in the pub and not putting them in the disabled toilet with the bags.The returnees included Sleep Cheeks, Screw Loose, Disco King & Herbert Pecker.

    On On DayStripper

  • 20th February 2014 – Putney

    Hare: Eric the Red, aka the Viking, the scot and a few other names to numerous to list.

    I arrived at Putney tube station, knowing where the pub was, but I did look around for a “P” trail for confirmation.  No “P” sign was visible, it must have been erased by the worthy burghers of Putney, but there again I may be half blind.  However, when walking to the pub a “P” was spotted on an intermittent basis.  Was this an ominous sign of things to come?  Was this an omen?  The “P” frequency and the geographic location of the “P”’s would best be described as sporadic and random.  Does this account for the thin turnout? I do not think so, it was dangerously close to half term.  Moreover, hashers are made of sterner stuff. A challenging “P” trail is not a problem. 

    The Hare guaranteed a degree of shiggy.  He was not wrong, in fact very accurate.  But there were a few blind alleys, where the trail was alleged to go, but the trail petered out.  It was noted that KC was always on the trail, so to start with we followed him.  Questions were asked if on occasions if the trail had been laid?  There were a number of occasions when it became a live hare, the trail being made up as we went along.  This is an acceptable form of hashing, but we need to be told.  Was this by design?  Probably when there were trail failures we needed plan B – the hare was in the lead. 

    It was on one of the live hare incidents that there had been some hashers had been rechristened by the Madrid hash.  It is alleged that roll-up had been rechristened “roll-over” or was it “leg-over”.  Nutsucker had been rechristened “Mutt – Sucker”, dangerous – you are liable to have the RSPCA after you; but it could be worse – being rechristened “Butt Sucker”, well – kiss my arse.  You may have numerous amorous southern European running behind you. 

    But to speculate, I do not know if Dingo was running on the Madrid hash.  What would happen if Dingo was rechristened, what would happen then?  We could have pingo (Hydro laccolith – a mound of earth covered ice found in the arctic or sub-arctic regions) or worse still to “Pongo” to which the word “pygmaeus” could be added: a person of the forest who lives close to Australia.  This is dangerous territory, I will desist.  But clearly prior to the Madrid trip, there needs to be a mass christening, where everyone’s hash name is changed to be Madrid compliant – where is our religious adviser. 

    No sinners and other people guilty of misdemeanour have been included. 

    Yours

    Hobo