Little Horkesley Hash

High winds and torrential rain - it must be time for a run

This was my first outing with the Mersea Island Hash House Harriers for 2015 and it didn't feel like a good decision as the heavens opened on my arrival at The Beehive Pub on an extremely windy Saturday morning.

There was only one other empty car in the car park and I munched on my beetroot energy bar contemplating the sanity of a middle aged matriarch coming out for a run instead of staying in the warm and getting on with my knitting.

The gloomy view from Matilda (the mini clubman) as
I wondered if anyone else would turn up

As is always the way with a Hashing outing, suddenly the car park was busy with runners arriving and getting on with the job of changing into running shoes and greeting each other.

Archie the Springer definitely the keenest amongst us this morning

Thankfully the rain stopped just as we set off. I was finding it difficult to believe the Hare when he told us he had tried to find the driest route as there was so much surface water everywhere.

Not the kind of puddle you want to find yourself wading through
on a run - the farmyard smell was anything but healthy-seeming!

Oh boy did I struggle at the start of the run today. However, thanks to the usual interesting chatter my mind was taken off my poor physical state. The scenery was really outstanding even on this bleak day and I, personally, had not been to Little Horkesley before and was enjoying it very much.

That's Helen looking very smart despite the conditions

There are certain elements that need to be included on all hashes and one is the more lazy runners amongst us keeping an eye on the Hare, whilst others shoot off in all directions, to see if he will start towards the correct route. Our Hare today was far too clever to be outwitted like that and seemed genuinely surprised by someone's correct choice of direction so we were forced to start following one route or another until hearing the call 'on on'.

We hashers love the downhills but we know that
 there is bound to be an uphill soon

There were some very smart farms in the area. I saw some interesting cattle in the fields and both they and the few sheep about must have been, like us, hoping for a brighter spell of weather soon.

What an amazing angle this old farmhouse has settled
into

Look at how hard it must be to plough this soggy landscape

This hash had everything - terrible jokes, a run through the woods
and thankfully some very high viz clothing for us slower
ones

Now 'Dad' there is no way you are going to
convince me it is ok to get in that stream

Some lively ponies were very interested in our tramping
through their field

A quick escape was needed

But not before taking a moment to admire this
centuries old tree

Someone had kindly left us Hashers a welcome
message in the pub - it will never happen though!

And here are Hashers doing what they do best and being
looked after by a very characterful Landlady 

I was just enjoying my liquid refreshment when a dish of
chips and a sausage roll arrived 

And here was our very generous host Gentleman John

There was a mince pie too

Gentleman John had not only treated us to a well earned lunch but he had been as good as his word and found us a route as dry as possible. Thanks to The Beehive for their hospitality - it was a very rural and old fashioned pub. I thoroughly enjoyed my morning with the MI Harriers and was so glad Matilda and I found our way to Little Horkesley. 

Overheard

• The dog is holding me back (yes we can see that!)
• Great I now smell of eau de cow (well you stepped in it!)
• Is he fit to serve you, he's not usually when he's been playing with his toys 

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