R*n 155: Baines Cragg

What a lovely day for a hash! At least it wasn't just me who was thinking "what the hash am I doing here in the peeing down rain when I could be doing something far more civilised on a Sunday morning!". Full marks to Lurch for at least offering to cancel the hash and allow us all to retire to his house to read the Sunday Times etc with hot coffee.

Anyway, the thought was there. Onward and upward, thanks to Morticia, Lurch and White Noise for ferrying us all up to the top of Baines Cragg for the start. Not that we could actually see anything! Don't worry, it's all downhill said the hares - if that was supposed to make us feel better it didn't work!

On On through the bracken and heather and we soon forgot about the rain, Syd must have had her Sat Nav on to have got us through the first bit without a single wrong turn. Well done. Not even the flour trail going one way and the arrow the other threw us off the scent. Minor T**t was FRBing most of the way (most unusual) but at least he was one of the first to encounter angry farmer.

Well punks, you've gotta ask yourself the question, are you on a footpath with public right of way or aren't you? Well, go on punks, make my day! Farmer had only lived there three weeks "there's no path running through ere" said he, demanding to know the identity of the organiser (don't worry Lurch, we all kept tightly lipped!). Anyway, at least we didn't have to turn back, on on, farmer mellowing by the second - he might even join us on the next hash.

Still we must remember to check who was right in case we're brave enough to go through there again! He might have kept some fixed penalty tickets from his last job as a traffic warden. No beer stops today as we'd all drunk plenty of rain and everyone was a Rambo. Up the big hill and back along the edge of Brookhouse (soon to be renamed Brookside following the previous Hash) and back to the Black Bull with Madge and Syd eyeing up the cottages for sale next door but no good, no views. Through the slippery churchyard and round to the back of the Adams family residence for the circle.

Full marks to Pudsley and Cousin It for bringing out the hot teas (who was it that asked for coffee?). It stopped raining just in time for the end of the hash. Down Downs to the hares, to Minor T**t for having a hash crash and clocking up 30 runs and to the hash virgin, Tooth Fairy's friend Gaeli (down in one with no spillage - very impressive!).

What a good do!