Date =                            6th August 2018

Run Number =            1808    

Venue =                        The Sun Inn

Location =                    Lemsford

Hare/s =                        Mr X

Beer =                           Adnams Broadside; Courage Directors; Greede King Abbott

Runners =                    18

Virgins =                        0

Visitors =                       0

Newies =                       0

Après =                          0

Hounds =                      3

Total =                          21

Membership =            The Hottest Hash of the Year!

            There was no doubt that this was the hottest day so far this year for a Hash, the Hare arrived back at the suitably named Sun Inn after setting the Trail, it was obvious that it was a tad warm out there as he looked knackered.  The Pack waited for Sarah, Jack & Florence, as well as Nigel & Ben to arrive, to which My Lil’ said “Isn’t he a Boxer?”  His quip didn’t belay the fact that My Lil’ was developing itchy feet as the time went beyond the hour.

            Once the Hash were Circled up, Sludge stood in for the absent GM, absent Mother Hen & absent On Sexy, but at he earned himself a lot of Brownie Points as he got the R*n Number correct.  Then it was over to Mr X, who explained that due to it being 30 degrees centigrade plus out there, he had set as much of the Trail as possible in the shade, which would mean that it wasn’t the most exciting of Trails!  There would be plenty of short cuts, a Held CHK with Sweetie Stop, possibly Golf Balls (a Red Herring) as well as the usual Horses & dogs associated with this area.

            Just to cheer up My Lil’, the other survivor from the Isca ‘Roman Away Day’ to make it to the R*n, Mr X chose to set the first CHK outside of the Pub!  Having got over the look of daggers, the Hare encouraged the Pack to begin searching for Trail.  While some thought it would head up the hill toward St John‘s Church, others thought that it would cross over the road & head out North-westward over the River Lea to the footpath running by Lemsford Mill, the one that ‘Nellie Dean’ was alleged to have sat by to dream – in the days when Sparky was a mere lad at the turn of the last century.

            None of the options so far were correct & it was down to Spotted Dick to find the correct route around opposite the Long & Short Arm Pub before crossing over by Mr X’s local to head out of the village on what was once the Great North Road in the days that it passed into the village, where the old A1 turned right up beside the Long Arm to come out by the Waggoners at Ayot Green.

            Once out by the colourful blooms of the box of flowers, the Trail would head around the edge of the western roundabout then under the A1(M) Bridge to head to its eastern twin roundabout, on both sides care was taken crossing the tentacle like arms of the roads on either side of the motorway.  The FRBs soon came around on to Valley Road where a CHK was found by the small pond on the little nature reserve.  Friar Tuck checked out this section of wildlife while Milf had crossed over to the opposite of the two bus stops to head up in to the woodland along the wide green space on the east.

            By the time Mr X & Sludge had arrived, Milf’s howler monkey like ‘whoops’ could be heard heading southward through the shaded wooded area behind the homes on Attimore Road, a few tree roots had to be avoided [Fortunately neither TBT or Sparky were presence as the UK Qatar Reunion Hash took place that weekend, where on the Saturday Sparky managed to run all of the Sunday Trail all on his own! – Ed]

            The desire line gently snaked its way to lead up to a CHK on the bend in the tarmac path running between the back of the last home on Newfields to the other cul-de-sac of Broadfield Place.

            The Trail was quickly picked up by Milf, Ben, My Lil’ [Who had local Knowledge! – Ed] Ketchup & Where Wally? On around the 90° turn in the path hedged-in with large privets on either side to emerge out on to Broadfield Place, then up to a CHK on Attimore Road. 

            The Keenies found a Bar CHK away from the Red Pillar Box & the two Horse Chestnut Trees on the junction with Elmwood that heads away nor-nor-east.  Fortunately the ethos of the Garden Cities, that Ebenezer Howard devised, was for the town to have plenty of greenery & trees, these being well established now in the town's 98th Year to give shade on the roads.

            Back to Attimore Road & the Keenies ran on out on to Handside Lane, named after a local farm that once stood on it, it is one of the oldest roads that pre-dates the Garden City, while the Keenies would head North-eastward to veer off on to the Old Drive, the Hare Marked the Short Cut over the junction to Marsden Road, by the local Corner Shop.

The FRBs found the Trail led on through a short alleyway off of the roundel at the end of the Old Drive to come back out on to Handside Lane, there the next CHK was discovered.  The Keenies must have been pretty eagle-eyed as they soon picked up on the footpath behind the end of large hazel hedge, leading between a couple of the homes to emerge out on to the local Rugby Club pitches behind them.  Sludge was just far enough back on Handside Lane to see the Keenies cross over to rugby club path & he continued up Handside Lane to intercept them.

            This section of Trail leading over the edge of the pitches was exposed to the sun, probably the first real section like this, but once on behind the Welwyn RUFC Club House the Trail would come out of the short Hobbs Way road to Colegrove, where the next CHK was found.  The way around the curving arc had shade right up to the end of the road as it reached Stanborough Green where the arrows pointed the way down to the Southwest to a CHK where Marsden Road joins it.  Again more shade was cast by the homes on Stanborough Green.

            The Hare had marked the SC (Short Cut) nearly all the way down Marsden Road, he led Smartarse (The Amuthus, Cyprus Harriette) who was followed by Debbie, Sarah, then Nigel, Kylie, Jack & Florence in the Buggy.  As the Hare approached the drop at the end of Marsden Road he saw Ben go across the end of Marsden Road, then come back after finding a T.  My Lil’ then crossed over the green open space of Stanborough Green under the impression that the Trail would take to the old Stanborough Lane, that lies hidden behind the tree-line between it & it’s newer cousin of Stanborough Road.

            Mr X was also surprised on how long it took the rest to spot him in his Bright Orange Hare’s Shirt as he marked the SC to join the Trail by Heather Road.  The Trail took to this connecting side street from Marsden Road over to Springfields, at this T junction a CHK was found.  Most of the FRBs almost picked up on the first attempt but this trot down the slight incline to Stanborough Green petered out, just but before the arrow could be found a call of "On!" came from up Springfields.  The Hare was perplexed as there was no Trail up there & wondered if the Keenies that way were running on Sparky's Patented Ant-Powder Hash?

            Spotted Dick, Custard & Poppy were the first to head far enough around on to Stanborough Green to pick up the Trail, for it led along by the last of the Flats overlooking the green, before Double Arrows pointed the way straight over Lemsford Lane to find more arrows directing the Pack away from the Bus Shelters to head out over the wide brown grassy slope along the south-western edge outside of Stanborough School's playing fields.

            Shadows cast by the tree-line gave relief from the strong sunshine, with the Pack now heading toward the outside corner of the school grounds, the Trail led in to the gap in the small wooded area around this.  A CHK was found in the cool shaded area, every option now was out in the sun as the Pack over looked the north side of Stanborough Park.  Milf, Ben, Where's Wally soon located the Trail as it ran along the western edge of the School grounds.

            For some, this was covering ground that My Lil's Barbeque Trail held some six weeks earlier, the Hare admitted that he actually re-covered some of those markings that just haven't been washed away since then.  Shows you how dry it has been then, it was also the reason the Hare avoided the old Stanborough Lane as Arrows were still visible there & if Sparky & Teebs had been present we would have lost them!  The Dust led into wooded area that covers the northwest corner of the School grounds, here the Trail turned eastward to lead between the silver birches & pines that line the northern edge of the RA's old School.

            Ben, Milf, Where's Wally & Friar Tuck all followed the Trail out to the grass embankment by the end of the school grounds on Lemsford Lane, arrows pointed the way up the road for a short way beyond the small car park to turn left again to run through Amethyst Walk, named after the site of the former Welwyn Garden City Sea Cadets before they were relocated to the Town Centre to allow the building of a small estate of a Housing Association homes, made slightly obvious due to the piles of household rubbish heaped up in some of the gardens that was rather reminiscent of the previous weeks Trail in Hatfield.

            The Keenies were soon away from this & back in to the northern section of the woodland on Stanborough Park, this desire line would lead them around by the local Army Cadet & Air Cadets Huts to come up to two Held CHKs where the path comes out near to the ‘Mound’, the large pile of spoil from the 1968 construction of the A1(M) which now has paths through the wild grasses that now cover it.

            Ben had previously been warned by Milf “Not to follow Where’s Wally?” [Surely Where’s Wally?’s Hash Name should give the game away? - Ed] but Milf’s words of wisdom went unheeded as Ben, Where’s Wally & Friar Tuck all managed to miss the two adjacent Held CHKs!  [Why two Held CHKs I hear you ask dear reader?  Well, two to make sure no one missed this regroup! (Which happened!) plus one had a dog’s egg in the centre to help prevent tw*ts from kicking the Trail out! - Ed] 

            This regroup was the Jelly Baby Stop, there was also water on hand for the thirsty.  Most of the SCBs followed the Hare from one section of the woodland on Stanborough Park, across the short way across the open area where a family where setting up a game of cricket, to its counterpart wood behind the cadet huts.

            Milf did try to call the three errant FRBs back as they disappeared behind the mound, but none returned as the noise of the A1(M) behind the mound drowned out any calls.

            Jack, Sarah, Kylie, Nigel & Florence in the buggy were to that far behind, so once the sweets were gone the Held CHK was abandoned as was the section of Trail that went around the Mound, instead the Hare cut the Pack across the dry brown grass that earlier had a ‘Marine Commando’ Regimental Keep Fit session taking place.  The serious excising was over with by the time the Hash crossed over toward the A1(M) to the swooping gap at the end of the Hedgerow sitting on the edge of the drop down to the river Lea.

            My Lil’, Ketchup, Sludge, Spotted Dick with Poppy all followed the Dust downstream along the eastern bank of the Lea to a shallow point where an arrow directed the way across to the opposite Bank, again an area used by My Lil’ on his Trail.  Poppy was apprehensive at first to join the FRBs as they waded across to find the Trail turning back to the northern tip of the North Lake.  Meanwhile the Hare had marked the T on the footbridge over the Lea to change it in to an arrow, allowing the Harriettes & those with the buggy to get over easily the water obstacle.

            There was now only one way for the Trail to go & that was to drop down to the river’s edge & then take to the footpath that runs along the edge of the Lea to pass under the A1(M).  The Hare warned of the low headroom on the south side of the bridge, Debbie said that this was not an issue for her so she wouldn’t need to crouch down like most of the others. 

            Sarah was now carrying Florence, while Kylie, Nigel & Jack man handled the Buggy down to the river’s edge, Kylie said that this was the first time he had been under the bridge when the footpath had not been covered in parts by the river Lea.  The Trail made its way out of the western side of the A1(M) care was needed as the wooden steps of the footpath had gone years ago on the way up over a small wooded ridge, dropping down & then rising up to come out to the edge of the old Great North Road.  There a couple waited patiently with their two black Labs while Florence & then her Buggy were brought out to cross the Great North Road.

            The Hare was surprised to see the CHK was marked in the direction of the local horse paddocks & grazing fields, since there was no Dust that way.  My Lil’ would know where this footpath passes out through the local Stables in Lemsford to emerge on the main village road a little way up the road from the Sun.  If the Hare was surprised at these FRBs going wrong, but it wasn’t as much of a shock as the guy out having a picnic on a rug that covered all of the middle footpath!

            The real Trail would head off northward over the old 1927 Bridge spanning the Lea, the Hare stopped here to look in to Lemsford Springs Nature Reserve land, for he has seen Kingfishers along this section of the Lea, but there was no such luck today of seeing the shiny, metallic blue plumage darting through the air in to the water.

            A trot along the Great North Road, passing the Plumbing company, then the Volvo Garage & the yellow brick Houses that where built for the light railway that moved the locally extracted clay to build the homes of Welwyn Garden City, finally had the Pack finally swung down in to the dead end of an old section of the former Great North Road.

            The now dead-end road was reminiscent of an Ox-Bow in a river that gets cut off from the rivers changing course over the years, this sits below the level of the newer road & behind the tree line are some of the older homes in this spur of Lemsford Village.  The On Inn as found on the footpath that rises up to the main road back in to Lemsford Village on what was the Out Trail.

            The Pack all settled down outside the front of the Pub, there was a welcome treat of bowls of chips from Milf, while there were tales of the Isca Roman Away Weekend took place.  Mr X told of chatting to Easyrider (Isle of Wight H³) only to find out that she went to Stanborough School [The Hash very educational establishment that was almost circumnavigated on the Trail! -Ed] & it turned out that she was in the year below him! 

            Milf was impressed by the couple of pictures that had already been posted online as it showed Mr X, My Lil’ & Paxo in the Roman Centurion outfits, for on this Saturday Trail the Pack are dressed in Roman outfits.

            Jack, Sarah, Florence, Ben & Nigel set off before the final Circle, which wasn’t a bad idea as the bity things cane out as the Sun was setting.

            The Hare was rewarded for his Trail; other hits included: Milf for teaching the Pack a new song, then proceeding to sing something different when the next charge was announced.  My Lil’ for at the Isca Roman Away weekend coming up with the answer to who Vanessa Fletz’s Daughter (No internet could be used - not that he has it!) for on his trip to the gent’s he thought of Claudia Wrinkled-man.

Good News - the Fines Sparky & Kylie got at the Moon Under Water in Enfield have now been refunded, but they may not have received them if they had heeded the Bar Staff, listened to the Hare or read the Car Park signs - that there was a time limit to that car park.