Run No. 1931
Sunday 11th July 2021
Venue: Little Green Dragon
Beers: Kent IPA;
Location: Winchmore Hill
Hare/s: Standin Shit
Runners: 10
Virgins: 0
Visitors: 0
Newies: 0
Après: 1
Hash Hounds: 0
Total: 11
Membership: Depleted in Numbers
Early arrivals of 2-1-2 Maureen, My Lil’ & Mr X, then My Perfect Cousin all noticed that there was a lack of any Trail out there near to the Venue. At least they didn’t need to scratch about finding a place to leave their bags as the Landlord of the Little Green Dragon was outside setting up benches & parasols in front, he offered to look after the Hash-bags until the Pack returned.
Paxo & Pebbledash came walking around from parking up on Green Dragon Lane, then had to dodge the traffic at one of the areas worst road junctions, they were followed by Zing-a-long-a-max, who was putting in an appearance this day. Juices Flowing & Parson’s Nose arrived from the southwest, having taken the Train to the venue & witnessed the hoards already starting to make their way to Wembley for a football match later that evening.
As time edged closer to the hour, My Lil’ was getting anxious but there was no sign of the Hare. Mr X & My Perfect Cousin both agreed that Standin would arrive all of a fluster, as he seems to set Trails from here at the last minute. With the hour just gone, My Perfect Cousin called the Hare, claiming the Pack were now having a Beer, in order to speed up the Hare’s arrival, this ploy seemed to work as Standin claimed he was 2 minutes away.
The flustered looking Standin arrived & Mr X did the honours with the welcome to the Hash, getting the Run Number correct before the Hare then went through a demonstration of Hash Markings on the pavement, which seemed odd as Sludge wasn’t there & there were no Newies either! However, there was a reason for this as there were some new markings of double arrows that he claimed was all the rage with some Packs in London, these meant the Hash had to cross a road!! [Next we will have Hares in Hi-Vis jackets & Holding a School Crossing Lollipop to stop the traffic! – Ed]
My Lil’s blood pressure was still up as this demonstration now had CHKS being drawn out, which had him thinking that the Trail would start with a CHK outside of the venue, his BP would slowly drop when Standin drew an arrow to point the Pack away in the direction of the Green Dragon Lane Junction, thankfully the Pack didn’t have to deal with crossing this busy bend as the Dust led around the A105 of Ridge Avenue.
Ironically the Pack were led by the local Barbers in the parade of shops, then on over the New River, Mr X did stop to see if there was any Dust beside the waterway but was stopped from going through the gate by the Hare as he declared “There’s no Dust down there!”
My Perfect Cousin, Parson’s Nose & Zing-along-a-max crossed the end of one side road to the south, to follow Dust up to the First CHK at the junction where Percy Road joins Ridge Avenue, they were soon on Trail down the southerly suburban back street to lead down to Colne Road, there the Trail turned eastward, then it was a 270 Yards before the Trail then turned northward to lead up York Road for 160 Yards to return back on to Ridge Avenue.
While the FRB Pod of My Perfect Cousin, Parson’s Nose & Zing-along-a-max ran this with ease, Mr X & My Lil’ were further behind, so, as they made their way up to the north they could see Paxo & Pebbledash walking across the junction ahead of them, as they took a short cut.
The Trail came around by the local Library & a CHK was found on the Junction it sits upon, My Perfect Cousin searched over the Junction & was seen coming back Bush Hill Road as others had picked up Dust along to the Church Street, where the Trail crossed over the junction. Here Paxo & Pebbledash crossed by the shops, just after Juices Flowing, Mr X & My Lil’ had, meanwhile 2-1-2 Maureen was still walking at the rear of the Pack & the Hare kept an eye on her.
The Trail was no leading the Hash down a side road to reach Little Bury Street not far from the Beehive Pub, which was open but the Hare had set the Trail just far enough away from to prevent the Hash going off on ‘a Jolly’ as the Dust led on to a footpath running south-eastward along by the Salmon Brook for 250 Yards.
As My Lil’ stopped off in the tree-line to scare the squirrels, the rest followed the arrows up off of the tarmac & concrete in to the desire-line paths over the grass mounds on the Bury Lodge Wetlands, he came out to see the rest descending the hillocks & stuck with the hard-capped path to reach the A10, he made his way to the Great Cambridge Road with calls of “Short Cutter’ ruining in his ears!
The Trail crossed the A10 Great Cambridge Road to a driveway to the local allotments & the Churchfield Recreation grounds, the Pods ran 230 Yards until reaching another CHK, here My Lil’ went wrong in searching the Churchfields Rec, while others fell foul of heading further south-eastward. After these failed searches the Trail was found on a tree-line path heading sou-sou-west between two sets of fenced off playing fields, with Edmonton Sports & Social to the west where kids’ soccer matches were taking place, & Starks Field School to the east.
Mr X & My Lil’ slowed up as they passed by a Yoof standing by a bike & he was loudly abusing someone on his mobile, they wanted to make sure Juices Flowing behind them got by Mr Angry, which she did.
Back along Church Lane & the Pods were taken by another Hairdressers [The Hare was seemingly taking the p*ss? – Ed] & then off down an alleyway by another school, it was around here that the knackered looking Hare briefly sneaked away & came back with a bike, he was going to cycle the rest of the Trail on this, but the RA pointed out that it wasn’t a tandem so there was nowhere for him to sit! [Selfish Hare – Ed!]
The southbound Trail would emerge out on to Graham Gardens [Is this named after the former Goodie, writer & broadcaster Dr Graham Garden? – Ed] a few more yards to the south & at the road Junction the Trail would split, with the Long Trail heading further south, while the Short Cut headed away to the west.
The Pod of Keenies was now on south bound course for Pymmes Park some 450Yards away, meanwhile the SCB Pod were led out to cross over a junction on Halsebury Road. With all the pavements & tarmac taking its toll on knees the short cut looked good for Mr X. Crossing this area of shops around the junction, it was noticed by the RA that there was yet another hairdressers with Ozan Barbers being in the parade of shops on the west side.
Having crossed over, the Short Trail would take to Deansway, a long suburban street that had overgrown fenced-in green spaces, something that was lacking on most of the Trail so far. For parts of the Trail Mr X wondered if the Mythical Enfield Beast was responsible for the dogs’ eggs littering the paved streets without any verges.
The Enfield has the head of a fox, forelegs like an eagle's talons, the chest of a greyhound, the body of a lion, with the hindquarters & tail of a wolf. It is occasionally portrayed with wings. Heraldically it first appeared on the crest of the Ó Cellaigh (O’Kelly) clan of Ireland [Does Wanktlers have this in his family coat of arms? – Ed]
After 450 Yards, the Trail came back up to the A10, where there was a slight detour to the north, the Hare cycled up here to show the SCBs up to this subway, this slight u-shaped route came back up on the western side of the Dual Carriageways, then in a gap between the Kipling Terrace homes lining the western side, an access road was found to the south-eastern entrance to a park, where a CHK was found around the single bollard there.
There were only two options here, to head almost northward, or westward into Firs Farm Playing Fields, Mr X’s memory kicked in as he looked on the western option & this paid off as he followed the arrows up to the tree-line separating the fields, through one gap Pebbledash & Paxo spotted Mr X & My Lil’ up ahead of them.
The Trail turned northward along the western edge if the tree-line for 130 Yards, then it was around a field strewn with cut grass to head westward, this would eventually lead into the larger area of woodland. Entering among the trees via an area of woodland play equipment, here the Trail turned northward again, along the way dotted amongst the trees were little grottos to look at, many of the things within were made from recycled materials to form animals, planes & other vehicles.
For the SCB Pod they would soon be on the last leg of the Hash, when the Trail left the Firs Farm Wetlands area of the park to take to Firs Lane, once on this urban road it would keep with this way as it bends from north to northeast, crossing over a couple of side roads & the larger roundabout junction before bending north-westward to run across from the Winchmore Hill Sports Grounds with its cricket pitches & tennis courts, it was a long 850 Yards until the Trail turned off of Firs Lane, after crossing the new river again.
Dust led into the River Bank estate, a rectangular green encompassed by flats, finally the Hash emerged out of the north-western entrance to come on to Green Lanes, where a right-hand turn brought the Hash back to the Little Green Dragon.
With Mr X & My Lil’ soon getting beers in, Paxo & Pebbledash were next back, followed not too far behind by 2-1-2 Maureen. The FRBs Pod was out a lot longer than the others, & they missed out on the tasting of a new bar-snack that Richard was trying out for the Little Green Dragon. The Keenies eventually arrived back, no doubt having been led from Pymmes Park, along westward toward the junction with the A10 & the north Circular, then up in to Tatem Park & up the A10 Great Cambridge Road to Firs Farm Playing Fields.
With Standin, Juices Flowing & Parson’s Nose back, they were soon followed on by Fireball who is still on one crutch. The Hash were then spoilt as Standin & Fireball produced the couples best Silver knives & forks, well silver plastic ones, then plates of cheeses, meats & warm bread, for the vegans there were tomatoes [Not beef tomatoes? – Ed] & humus, 2-1-2 Maureen wasn’t having too much as she was off to a Birthday Party a little later.
If the Food & drink wasn’t enough, the Hash were serenaded by a guy who played Irish Folk tunes on a Uke & a steel banjo, which was far more pleasurable than the Yoofs driving around in cars & sounding their horns for the Football, in all it was a pleasant afternoon spent al fresco as some tackled the 10.1 Stout!
Mr X & My Lil’ noticed on their walk to the station that there were quite a few Italian restaurants along the way, with the Red, White & Green tricolours on display, needless to say that it would have bene a bit lively around there at the end of the night.