Following last week’s inspection of the formerly derelict Shire Brook Valley and its urban hinterland we were back in the sylvan beauty of the Derwent Valley. And the only strange women to be seen were from Hathersage. A healthy score of hashers assembled, including visiting Singapore Lion Hashers, Samson Latoy and Suction Cup as well as Captain Morgan, who should have been in Ireland but for Stena Line’s dodgy ferry. With no Captain Colon to stir us into action it was a very tardy start as we trundled reluctantly towards the first check via someone’s back garden. Skidmarks was soon charging off down the valley hotly pursued by Desperate Banana and our visitors (somewhat surprisingly given the usual state of visiting hashers). Wiser heads hung about near the bridge before the inevitable cries of back-to-check went up.
The trail was followed up into the Haywood below Froggatt Edge and it very soon became clear that this was going to be a classic hash as we blundered straight into a mire of shiggy before spreading out hopelessly in search of the lost flour. Of course that was because the trail had doubled back on itself in a manner which demonstrated that Suyin has inherited the genetic makeup of a true hasher; as one would expect of someone with a direct line to the Mother Hash. We zigzagged this way and that before emerging into a brief view of rural splendour before plunging back into the jungle; clearly the experience was mindblowing for Mincer, Monty’s Batman and Fast Eddie who were captured on film doing silly walks.
 |
| Demonstrating fine running form |
The Apprentice and Crystal Tips did sterling work on the gates and we crossed the road onto Froggatt Edge. Many assumed that we would soon be heading towards Curbar but the hare had other ideas and we cut back through the bracken towards White Edge. At least we might have done if certain lapsed hashers had been setting this run. Instead we trotted up the road past the Grouse and hung a left to the Hash Rest. It was here that the second of Suyin’s talents was revealed in the form of delicious cinnamon buns. Meanwhile Rawhide’s dog went off in search and found her behind a bush. We didn’t know who was most relieved.
Naïve hashers amongst us might have thought that was it and we would jog gently back downhill to the pub to the musical accompaniment of Trunk’s shoes. There was a sting in the tail though as we first hit the posh end of Nether Padley before climbing back up and then down a testing gully before heading past the Station Café and parallel to the railway. Dropping down onto the valley bottom there was a load more bog shiggy before the final mad dash On Home, a 5 miler and all safely gathered in by 9.20. We didn’t know it until later but the apparent inventiveness of the trail in the later stages owed more to another menacing cow than the skill of the hare. Thus it should have been no surprise when the third of Suyin’s talents was revealed, a new design for our next t-shirt featuring a bovine hash house “harrier”.
 |
| New hash stash coming to all good apparel stores soon |
On on,
Smittie
1 comment:
Post a Comment