Date =                            1st July 2018

Run Number =            1803    

Venue =                        The Moon Under Water

Location =                    Enfield

Hare/s =                        Mr X

Beer =                           T-Drop; Bamboozle, Abbott, IPA & plenty more…

Runners =                    18

Virgins =                        0

Visitors =                       0

Newies =                       0

Après =                          1

Hounds =                      1

Total =                          20

Membership =             A tribute in Yellow to our Sloppy Seconds!

 

            This Trail was supposed to be a regular one for keeping 2-1-2- Maureen in the loop, sadly it was a good turn out for a Yellow Tribute in memory of Sloppy Seconds, who had passed away on the Friday before.

            The Hare’s trials & tribulations of getting to the venue to set the Trail before the weather became too hot was hindered by the fact that his Train down from Welwyn Garden City was cancelled due to no Drivers being available, so an hours delay was added to his journey.

            Having finally set the Trail, the Hare believed that he deserved a Pint after the effort he had put in.  What he didn’t expect was Thunderthighs turning out in Yellow, after Lofty told her of Sloppy’s passing, Mr X was soon cottoned on that she had thought it was a different Sloppy Seconds, the one who Hashes with Dorset Hospitality Hash.  In turn this led to Mr X calling Ryde & Tablewhine who were miss informed earlier by Thunderthighs, so Mr X put a few things right before the wrong info spread any further.

            The Circle was called outside in the car park, a rather helpful member of staff made sure that those who had parked there were aware of the fact it was ‘pay & display’, with money back when the slip was presented in the bar before leaving. 

There was a good show of Yellow wear, mainly Polo & T-Shirts, hats & bandannas, Wanktlers was an exception as he was wearing the Lucky Blue England top, but with yellow ribbons this could be over looked. However there was some contention as to Lemming’s Lime Green top, which he briefly took off saying he wouldn’t need to wash, then the Hare threw flour over Lemmings bare shoulders! 

Someone said that Sloppy would be having the last laugh as the Pack, nearly alI in yellow, would be a target for flies, except it was too hot for the flies to be out!  Others wondered if he would have laughed at Kylie clambering on to his bonnet to take a group photo?

Fliptop called things together, obviously first on the agenda was the sad news about Sloppy, then it was on to the Hare to let them know what to expect out there.  Mr X told the Hash that he had set the Trail in as much shade as possible, the Trail was also kind of cobbled together due to the Train delays, there was a Held CHK which had a cooling down stop & a History Stop!  Short Cutters were advised to stick with the Hare & he would mark these shorter routes.

            Without further ado the Pack were shown the way out of the Pub & over to the west side of the Chase Side Road on a south bound trot, passing by Christ Church then beyond this the Trail would turn south-westward to head up the dead end of Lambs Walk, where a passageway led out on to bizarrely named Conical Corner, a dead-end row of homes where the Trail would again head southward as it came out on to Chase Green Ave, there the first CHK was found by the Railway bridge.

            The Short Cutters had by-passed this bit by sticking to the Chase Side Road before cutting over Chase Green Gardens, where a steam of Yellow Shirts could be seen trotting along the wooded strip along the open green spaces’ western edge, there a desire line of a path led through the shade of the trees as it led on by an impressive brick wall with rather large spiked rollers along its top to prevent access to the railway hidden at the top of the tree covered embankment.

            The Pack would leave the cool air amongst the trees & head out down over the end of the row of cottage like homes at the end of the park to a CHK on Windmill Hill Road.  The Trail was soon picked up by the Keenies, with Sparky, Milf, Wanktlers, Lemming, My Lil’, Fliptop, Mother, Ewok & Milf all following the arrows from the War Memorial on the end of the green, crossing over two sets of lights on the large junction, turning them 90° to head down Windmill Hill Road away from Enfield Chase Station.

The Keenies were directed by double arrows on to the western footpath along the New River as it gently flows southward toward London, just at a point where there is a split in the course of the waterway, around an islet, a Bar CHK was found. 

Back up to the cross the road bridge over the New River & the Pack didn’t look far enough down the footpath on the eastern bank of the waterway, the Hare arrived to prevent Wanktlers, Sparky, Milf, My Lil’, Fliptop & Ewok back from going off Trail & pointed them all back on down the New River’s eastern edge.

The earlier rouse had paid off, allowing Skip, Psycho, Paxo, Lobby Lobster, 2-1-2 Maureen & Kylie to reach this point not too far behind the rest.  A nice trot along the New River was rather pleasant as it gently shimmies its way along to the southeast, lined with black painted victorain railings on the other side of which were plenty of water fowl out to be admired along the way that had large tracts of duck weed to make it look like a snooker table.

A CHK was eventually found by the narrow footbridge over the new River, there was no Trail in to the Town Park on the east of the waterway, by the time the Hare & TBT OBE reached this point it appeared that it didn’t take long before the FRBs found the Dust on the long tree lined footpath that cuts through one section of the Bush Hill Park Golf Course.

The shade was greatly appreciated by the FRBs up to a where CHK was found at the T junction with the old track of Carrs Lane, there was no Trail out on to the Ridings & so the Hash moved on the gentle uphill south-eastward track, this was the longest stretch of the Trail but it was shaded again.  The only signs of the golf course were when the Trail passed by the gates in hedgerow on both sides to allow golfers access across to the opposite fairways.

The FRBs would emerge from the shade up by the triangle by the entrance to the Golf Course on Bush Hill.  Now things went slightly wrong for the Keenies from the CHK as Sparky called “On!” leading Fliptop, Wanktlers, Milf, Ewok, My Lil’ & the rest of the FRBs on away from the proper Trail down around Bush Hill, it eventually dawned on the other Keenies that Sparky had called “On!” after spotting Ant Powder & mistaking this for Trail Dust!

So, an unhappy group of Keenies now took to the other option & made their way around the descent of Bush Hill Road, once back on Trail they would be directed off on a footpath to through in to Amwell Close where it would run down & around a flight of steps to then reach a CHK on the centre of this small estate. 

Trail as picked up on Uvedale Road to lead north-westward & then around the bend to the north-eastward to enter the Town Park, the SCBs had been led into by the Hare & so the CHK at the southern tip of the Park had been marked to head northward, after the Hare had led TBT OBE, Paxo, Psycho, Skip, Paxo & Lobby Lobster & Lofty around the looping path from the New River & around behind the stand-out blue fenced-in tennis courts.

The Trail now was on a route that had been Hashed before, running over the old underground culvert & then turning to the right to pass by the concrete table-tennis tables, when the Hare passed by this he returned a missed table tennis ball to the guy paying his girlfriend, who served the other ball she had while the dude wasn’t looking, which brought a laugh from the SCBs!

A Held CHK by the water park, with various sprinklers, this was also the Sweet Stop, the Hare wondered why the rest of the Pack were so long on the loop, Fliptop arrived filled him in on the Ant powder misleading Sparky.

Wanktlers & Fliptop went for Ice Cream at the nearby Pavillon Café, Mr X did point out to Wanktlers that the served Kelly’s Ice Cream [Mmm, Ice-cream! – Ed]  Kylie also went over to the café to get an ice cream for Milf, who was now preoccupied with Ewok, Lobby & Psycho who were joined under the sprinkler fountain by TBT OBE, apparently he won the Wet T-Shirt contest! [Wot against Milf! – Ed] Kylie would later share his ‘chilled delight’ with Milf in a scene you’d expect to see on Lust Love Island.

When the Trail resumed Wanktlers turned to the left at the end of the Path, this may have been used last time we Hashed this Park, but there is now a new exit up to the right, then northward through the open, unlocked gates by one of the Enfield Community Church, seems that Enfield has a lot of Churches as the Baptist Church was also on Cecil Road.

The Trail would run anti-clockwise around this one way system, starting off eastward, then crossing to turn northward on to London Road, another pedestrian crossing was used to get the Pack over to a gated alleyway on through to Genotin Road, on a loop up near to Enfield Town Station would keep them occupied while the Hare marked a Short Cut over to the impressive building of the local Barclays Bank on Church Street

The History stop was here at the bank, Wanktlers knew what was about to come up while Mr X pointed out the information board & blue plaque explain that the World’s First ATM (Automatic Bank Teller) was used by the popular star of TV’s The Rag Trade & On the Buses, Reg Varney, on 27 June 1967.  A small crowd formed outside a branch where Varney, dressed in cardigan, slacks, shiny tie & golfing hat, was about to feed a paper cheque (these pre-dated the plastic card) into a strange machine paying out the maximum amount allowed: £10.

"Enfield was chosen as it had a model cross-section community, was fairly self-contained & had sufficiently high enough windows & enough space inside for the safe," To mark the 50th anniversary of the Cash-point, Barclays installed Golden Cash Machine.

Ironically these machine are now disappearing so the scene of the large crowd watching him with draw the first cash-point service may soon be like this again as citizens’ queue at the few remaining ones!

Along the main road there was a parade for Armed Services Day which only tail end of the Pack would see pass by, along with the Veterans, Cadets, Enfield British Legion Members & the like, also amongst the ranks were the Stow Caledonian Pipe Band, four of whom the Pack would met up with later in the Moon Under Water.  As Mr X correctly assumed the Stow being Walthamstow.

The Trail resumed with Sparky looking up Church Walk, the alleyway on the east of St Andrews Church, My Lil’ was a bit wilier & not confused by Ant powder, also he has Hashed these Parts before & he chose the opposite path by the Kings Head, along with Wanktlers to lead the way up the parallel flagstone alleyway to the north & onto a CHK situated where it join Holly Walk at the elbow in its course from west to east & then up to the north.  There was some hesitation with the FRBs on the west bound section of Holly Walk.

The sight of the Hare walking toward the returning Keenies made them think again & so for the second time on this alleyway they turned around to complete a whole 360°.  Arrows were found at the bend in the alley’s route, beside a local car park.  The north bound alleyway would now emerge out on to Gentleman’s Row, where the Pack would pass by Irian Jaya, who was still cleaning up his railings out the front of his house from when the Hare set the Trail an hour & a half earlier! 

This is a scenic area to say the least, it’s amazing how Enfield has a business like shopping centre, with little character, which is almost surrounded by lots of fascinating olde worlde homes of character & passageways to explore.  Lemming & mother commented on this really old historic homes, while Thunderthighs stopped for a chat with Irian Jaya others continued on to head down away from the obvious way Inn, there was a slight detour to bring the Pack back Inn by way of running out to the bottom of the cut off eastern side of Chase Green Park.

Now heading northward the ornate gardens path crossed over a small wrought iron footbridge spanning the New River.  Milf & Ewok stopped on the footbridge to admire the view, especially the little duckboards down to the water where four Ducklings could get in & out of the New river to their mum up on the grass above.

Mother & Lemming were impressed when the Trail took to the western side of the New River, on another flagstone footpath where the homes were resplendent with hanging flower baskets in full bloom & neatly kept front gardens [Steady there pebbledash! – Ed] there were also pretty in footbridges spanning the water way from the back gardens on the eastern side.

Ewok & Milf fell for the last Bar CHK, cruelly put up an alleyway up to the main road.  They came back to join the rest in leaving the New River’s edge a little further up to come out across from  he Crown & Horseshoes, then on by the Cricketers, on the way through the Hare pointed out that the Cricketers has a sign in the car park stating ‘No Ball Games!’.  Mr X said it was sad for the poor people in this lovely expensive houses to have a Greede King next to a Muc’s Pub next to each other as their local.  Worth a 100 yard walk up the road!

Out of Cricketer’s Lane & the Trail came out on to Chase Side Road, passing the On Inn before the arrows pointing the Out route from the ‘spoons.  Back in to the ‘Spoons & the Pack settled by open door in the former British Enfield School, built in 1838, it closed in 1901 to become United Dairies, finally after a time as a restaurant it became a ‘Spoons.  Wanktlers was concerned as to Sparky’s whereabouts, since he had disappeared after running the On Inn together, Mr X went to the Gents to wash his hands & found Sparky who was having issues trying to find George. [It wasn’t it that cold! – Ed]

            The Pack enjoyed the respite, several bowls of chips were ordered thanks to Lemming & TBT OBE, as well as main meals for others.  Many tales of Sloppy were told over a couple of pints, then Ewok stopped the conversation dead when she said “I’ve got a nurses uniform!” in respect to the upcoming wheelbarrow race!  Fireball then arrived just before it was time to move out for the Circle, while Lofty left early as Henry isn’t allowed in ‘Spoons Pubs.  Thunderthighs also depart early, no doubt to try & stop rumours spreading!

Fliptop called things to order, starting with a Toast to the Hash & a Toast to Sloppy’s memory.  Then the Hare was rewarded for a Trail that took an hour to get around.  Mr X took over the Circle & as RA he called forward Lemming for his Lime Green Top that he was still swearing blind that it was Yellow!

Skip was out for his turning in to the Hash Secret Santa [Which reminds me, No Eye Deer is collecting £25 deposits for the Christmas Weekend! – Ed] Milf was out for loosing to TBT OBE who had his hit for winning the Wet T-Shirt CompeTITion! 

Finally the Hashit was awarded by Fliptop to Sparky for his Ant Powder Antics on Trail.