QH3 Run 910. Royal Oak, Ockbrook

RUN #910

Date : Sunday 17th 2016
Location: Royal Oak, Ockbrook
Hare:Jelly Knob
Weather: Hot and Sunny
Pack size: 9

Move over Captain Oates, we now have a new hare apprentice to entertain us with their trail. Jelly Knob was today's virgin hare. Originally, Plan A was to set a trail from the White Hart in Stanley, but that was used by the Mickleover Hash during the week. So instead today's trail was laid from the Royal Oak in Ockbrook. A good place to meet with a good selection of beers. The hare promised us a trail of 5.7 miles, more like 7.5 miles the way I did it. The trail was based around five very well marked checks joined by infrequent flour blobs, even less than the hare said he had laid the previous evening. So the main trail was passed with some uncertainty and a lot of 'looking'. We visited the Hermit's Cave, a good point of reference for the hare to remember where he had laid the trail and an opportunity to regroup. We even had an Ashbourne fish-hook giving a clue to Jelly Knob's hashing origins. The fish-hook was done with little enthusiasm as Malteaser was walking a long distance behind and there was some debate as to how many hashers could get around her.
I had to run up many of the hills to keep up with newcomer Wednesday returning for her second QH3 trail. Having had most of the flour washed away on her first trail, and not an abundance of flour on this one, she must be wondering how we mark our trails!
When the trail returned to Ockbrook, on two occasions I checked in directions that brought me closer to the pub, the second time with Wednesday getting within 200 m of the pub car park. Not wishing to be accused of short-cutting we returned down the hill and did another three-quarters of a mile to the On Inn. Too Tuf was observed to be carrying one of the flour blobs back to the On Inn to ensure he was always 'running on flour'. Butt Plug claimed this had reduced the hash markings by 10%.

Chicki as RA led the circle, ably assisted by the cultural attache Too Tuf showing his experience as Beer Master. The following awards were made

1. Wednesday - a returning newcomer who has yet to see much flour on a Quorn hash;
2. Butt Plug - welcome back from holiday;
3. Barritone - for stating the obvious. The £1.50 on the bench really was his run fee.
4. Too Tuf - interfering with the trail markings by carrying around a blob of flour that he found.
5. Durex - apart from complaining to the RA that it was too hot, also abusing Malteser with comments about how many could get around her at the fish hook;
6. Jelly Knob - the hare was congratulated for completing his first trail and successfully herding the pack around the trail without losing anyone which, given the sparsity of flour blobs, was a good achievement;
7. Too Tuf - ably standing in as Beer Master; and
8. Chicki - was given whatever hash beer was left to try and deal with the fly she swallowed. I refrain from commenting about old ladies and swallowing spiders.....

A pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning and lunchtime, On On.. Durex

Trail as done by Durex