MH3 Run 229. Pattenmaker Arms, Duffield. 16/07/2012

Pattens were under-shoes of wood and metal which were worn strapped beneath the shoes to raise the wearer out of the mud and effluence of the streets. How appropriate we should meet in the Pattenmakers Arms in Duffield on an occasion when there was copious amounts of mud on our trail. Yesterday may have been a dry St Swithin's day:

Pattenmakers Arms, Duffield

"St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain 
For forty days it will remain 
St. Swithin's day if thou be fair 
For forty days 'twill rain nae mair."

but today we got rained on! Hare (Trianal) claimed he had used all his flour laying the trail but it should be anticipated that there wouldn't be much left across the grass fields. Bugger arrived just in time for the ON OUT, fourth run in three days, this was merely my third.


We eventually found our way off the streets north of Duffield into soggy fields edging the golf course. Well-marked checks but with much flour washed from the main trail kept the pack together. In the first couple of miles I had to pass Dobber and Lionel several occasions. At times it was a bit like having a live hare but with the hare at the back of the pack.
Indeed, today we had a very experienced pack of hounds (Beefeater, Lightning Rod, Oriface, Barritone and Bugger) who all took their turn of moving the pack along at a reasonable trot. My moment of FRB glory came to an abrupt end on a particularly slippery style. Falling backwards of the top step into the fence it was fortunate that it was a wire stock-fence, rather than a wooden one, so I hit it with a bit of a spring. The bad news was it was topped with two layers of barbed-wire. Thanks Beefeater for unhooking me. I told the wife when I got home that the numerous deep cuts down my back were the result of 20 lashes administered for abusing the RA. As though I would do that!
Well done Trianal for leading us along a lot of new paths in unfriendly weather conditions, and what a lot of sheep - Barritone was purring. Lightening Rod (ne Dyno Rod) had some beer handling issues before the circle was led by Dobber in the comfort of the Pattenmakers Arms bar. Today it was a men only hash, where was the fair-weather sex?

 Hash Trail as run by Durex.