Ashclyst Forest - Belltoll - 15th January 2017

For the second week in a row, we had Bull Bait and Child Catcher just in front of us for much of the journey.  Because we weren't sure initially, we wanted some way of knowing their car.  So Speedy and Rocky were thinking about their registration plate, ending in NHF... Nude Hashing Fairies, and Noisy Horrid Farts were the favourites!  And a more leisurely driving experience this week, with BB at the wheel!

It was great to see Puss, Boots and baby Sylvie again, the latter making her second appearance after the Autumn Gathering.  And good to see the return of No. 2 as well.  
A muddy Belltoll arrived straight from laying the trail with hair looking a bit like Sonic the Hedgehog - presumably because he was running so fast.  He told us that there would be lots of long-short splits, and a sweetie stop.
The trail set off back up to the road, and across the other side, and almost immediately to a very slippery down hill track and a long-short split.  Taking the long, it soon became clear that this was a loop, and quite hilly at that, putting us back on the path we had just run along.  Another similar loop followed almost straight away.  The back across the road, and a third long-short - guess what - a very slippery loop again!  By this point, I had been lumbered the pleasure of running with my two boys and Splat and Stingray, and we seemed to get ourselves quite far from the FRBs and the pack behind.  There was quite  along stretch along the edge of the woods, before I needed a wee.  Given the last time that I had to relieve myself on the hash, I lost Rocky, I was sure not to disappear into the undergrowth.  Bu had to balance that with trying to to expose myself to children other than my own, and the rest of walking public!  
Another long-short-walk split, and again we took the long uphill, until we got to a junction and saw Miss Peaks go off left, and then Wide Receiver appeared.  But there was an arrow for walkers pointing backwards, and a Long arrow also back-to-front and going off to our left (the way Twin Peaks had gone).  Had we be going around the trail the wrong way? Or had we been here before?  Wide ran straight ahead, but after some discussion (and looking at my phone to see where Bollards was!), we decided to head back down to the split, and follow the trail on the short.  
Soon we caught up with the pack at the sweetie stop, at which most had been waiting for 5 minutes or so for us.  But Twin Peaks didn't arrive, and no-one had noticed that she was missing.  The decision was not to go back and find her... good job because she appeared at the next split.  A final loop (which I didn't do) and we were parallel to the road and within a mile home, which included a fish-hook for 10, for which no-one went all the way back to the hare!
Lots of 20p fines - including those 10, plus BB and I for talking (and not checking), Double D for screaming, No. 2 for arriving late (although she left early!), and some of the kids for arguing.
Please don't forget to Rate the Hash.  Also remember that subs are now due - you can pay online here via Paypal or debit/credit card, or with cash/cheque direct to Spocky.

Next week, we're at the Obelisk at Mamhead  (map).

Finally, if anyone can hare a trail on 26th March, please let me know ) via stix@cityofexeterh3.org.uk) so that I can get it in the South West diary for Feb and March.

Sweeties Stop - with with Twin Peaks gone AWOL