Ascension : Hash No: 1312
Submitted by The Islander (Shari Parkhill) 17.06.2010 (Article Archived on 01.07.2010)

It was a small but determined crowd who ignored the signs on the mountain road and turned up at Garden Cottage

Hash No: 1312

Hares:  Old Gollywaddler & Bloodsucker

Hounds:  Wee Chopper, Whiny Chopper,

Santa’s Little Voyeur, Lanky, Nip’n’Suck,

Madam Mardy Pants, Little Chuffer,

Wood’n’Pecker, Mucky Princess,Mucky Digger,

Uncle Fester, Headmistress, Moaning Angel

It was a small but determined crowd who ignored the signs on the mountain road and turned up at Garden Cottage.  Too many other events going on, it seemed!  But those who made it were in for a treat – it was Mucky Digger’s birthday hash, and he was determined to give the directions (with a little help!), and shout the on-on.  The sight of the hares in long trousers made a few of the hounds take special note of the warning of lots of scratchy things like long grass, gorse and raspberry bushes.  Of course, that got a bit lost with the warnings about hidden hash, rusty broken fence posts and a host of other dangers!

With Mucky Digger hollering on-on in his loudest four year old voice, off went the hashers, up the steps to Rock Cottage.  Okay, having ignored the signs on the road, did you think a “path closed” sign would stop them??  From there it was out to the road, through the tunnel and up to the old barracks.  The hash led on up behind the water tanks to the first circle check, almost hidden in the tall grass.

With warnings to stop at all circle checks, the hounds were well behaved, and waited for further instructions, which included “Follow the hash” closely.  The tall grass hid it well, and it would be easy to get off the trail.  Which Uncle Fester promptly discovered when we headed out again!  He had to take a bit of a steep uphill detour to get back on the track. 

Up to the Weather Gardens, and along the line of shrubs we went.  A few of the FRBs (who really weren’t being very quick this time) tried to turn at one point, on the “shortcut” but were called back by the hares.  To their dismay, the route through the tricky grass continued, past rusty fence posts and to the next couple of circle checks.  A slide onto Bishop’s Path found the group at the third check, with a decision to make. 

It was suggested that little legs head back on Bishop’s to the barracks and head for home.  The going was going to get tougher.  So off went a few of the crowd, while the others headed for the ledge.  Although the mist obscured some of the great vistas, it was still a beautiful scenic spot. 

With warnings to stay on the ridges, not in the gullies (Santa’s Little Voyeur had real trouble with this one!), we finally made it to yet another rusty pole, and another circle check.  All except Uncle Fester, that was!  He was a long way ahead at this point.  The hashers had been advised to watch for a new sign after a “crawl-through”!  But what was this sign?  Uncle Fester was the first one to crawl under the low guava tree (at least he followed the hash on this!), and decided to rest (hide?) in the tall grass and let the others catch up. 

One would think that a “U” was a fairly simple signal to decipher, but it took a little bit of coaxing from the hares for the tired hounds to realize that they had come across a U-Turn!  Back up the hill we went, finding it a bit easier to find the trail, beaten down as it was now.  Although Bishop’s Path looked to be a long way up in the clouds, we all reached it rather quickly, and then it was a nice trip back to the barracks and down the road to the cottage.  Uncle Fester and Wood’n’Pecker decided to take the final opt out, and head back on Bishop’s in the other direction. 

Back at Garden Cottage, delicious soup (thanks Old Gollywaddler) and leftover birthday cake were welcome treats.  A rousing rendition of “Hashy Birthday was sung to the birthday boy, and everyone had a chance to relax.  Not for long though, for most it was off to either watch the football, or get ready for the Queen’s Birthday Reception.

Good hash to some interesting territory, Old Gollywaddler and Bloodsucker.  The scratches will eventually heal!

Next Week:  English Bay

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