Date : 30th March 2003 Venue : Devil’s Punchbowl Cafe
Confusion over the starting place was to punctuate proceedings, especially as a barrier blocked off our intended start point. However, we had the Harerazor Dickhead in the car, but any advantage soon disappeared when he said he thought the venue was ‘Frensham Ponds’. We arrived eventually, after overshooting on the A3 and nearly getting to Guildford before we could turn around. Fruit N’Nut though was all calm and collected, and had laid the trail on the other side of the A3 anyway.
He released us across the busy A3 almost causing a major traffic accident , as the drivers tried to mow us down, but on we went like lemmings to our fate. JGG and I led us up a lane and into the country park. Hugging the ridge-line, I found the first check, then the second before arriving at a sunny clearing and an early regroup. Avoiding horse droppings reminding us of the New Forest, Specky called on and took us into the welcome shade of some woods, but on reaching a gate numerous trails led to a fanning out of the FRBs and a delay. It was only after acting on a tip off that Sex Slave took us across a field on top of Gibbet Hill and a magnificent view out to the east. This information being painfully extracted, after I was last to arrive, having been temporally lost.
Descending down a steep slope I then found consecutive checks as we meandered up and down a series of small hilly woods. Old Thumper then found a check to take us down a lane before eventually meeting a back-check, and it was her beloved JGG, who climbed up a very steep bank to find flour. At the top I led us a twisty track and then off into a heaverly wooded dike, before reaching another track. Here Fruit N’Nut had reversed the route back onto a previous check, having sneakingly re-laid the flour again. I called On, and took us down a steep path to a one blob check across a small clearing, but it was Specky who found it further back up a stony track. Another regroup awaited us, and having seen blobs high above our heads, we made our way up a long very steep path to the top of a ridge. At the top was a further regroup, and we had a long wait before everyone got to the top.
I called On further along the ridge as we moved into more open land, eventually seeing ponies running freely across the grassland. At the next check we fanned out across a hill trying to find flour, while behind Fairy Snow spooked Petal who frightened of snakes, was yelled at and told to get a move on as the horses’ looked rather randy. Fruit N’Nut then pointed us down to a valley and Old Thumper then found a one blob check before another back-check waylaid us. Damien then drove us up another steep hill into a heath, and a one blob check again was found by Specky. I then called On to take us up a track and then to the On Inn and across the A3.
Down Downs by RA Fairy Snow..
Fruit N’Nut – Hare.
Andy Hockland- Late arrival, who then followed the SCBs..
Petal/Flying Doctor/Velcro (f)/Cuddles – Mothers, on Mother’s Day.
Bidet– Abusing the RA, and not wearing a hash t-shirt..
Hobble- Celebration of his 600th Run.
Scribe: Silvier Fox