‘Full turn out required!! LVH3 are on show. We have visitors from Devon and Swansea!!’ the Chief Whips declared in an effort to rally the troops, and to lure us away from the pub on a Bank Holiday Weekend.

The task of providing a fine route lay in the capable hands of Highway, who played a blinder. In a change from previous times, his markings this time were unmissable, and could be clearly seen from outer space (one of the cosmonauts in the International Space Station has e-mailed us to complement us on the size of the open checks). Route finding would not be a problem today – and what a fantastic route it was…

Cars, more cars, and a campervan assembled in the Gummer’s How Car Park at the allocated hour. The LVH3 front runners looked nervously at the Devonians who looked supremely kitted out in lycra and expensive running shoes. The best we could offer in return was a strange looking RA with a multi-coloured tea-cosy on his head and a brick around his neck.

Highway with his psychic powers had guessed that our visitors wouldn’t be prepared for a long run, and for running in severe off-road conditions (they usually run shorter evening on-road runs). No mercy was shown, and our visitors got exactly what they didn’t expect.

The run started with a gentle ascent into the heart of Chapel Wood followed by a few jumps provided by fallen tree trunks. Further into the woods we ventured to find shiggy a la carte. Shiggy, shiggy and yet more shiggy awaited. Through the mud and puddles we ran and out the other side onto dry land. However the merciless hare played his first joker – the dreaded fishhook sign (the first of four on the run – now that is cruel). Through the shiggy we returned, round the back markers and then through it all over again.

Our visitors had thought that was it by then, but Highway had another ace to play…a run down a seriously overgrown footpath / shrubbery with a multitude of brambles to snare those brave enough to be wearing shorts.

The brambles gave way to a fish hook, which was eventually followed by a fine downhill stretch to Staveley-in-Cartmel, where the Beer Stop could be found. We refuelled overlooking a miniature steam railway where the passengers looked back at us totally bewildered to see 40 or so strangely dressed characters necking beer.

Time to hit the road again. We were at the bottom of a big hill – the cars were at the top. There was only one way back. Up. Our Devonian friends disappeared into the distance, we held back.

Up through some wonderful tracks and back into the forest we ran. A Rambo / Wimp split greeted us with aplomb, the Rambo split even boasted a fish-hook. The Rambos ran back past a wonderful hidden tarn, through fields and back into the woods only to find the Wimps disobeying a Hash Halt command by the reservoir and searching for the route having missed an obvious marker. Back on track, through more forest, through a farm, and then a final push homewards up a steep hill. The LVH3 FRBS could smell the beer and finally hit the front in successful bid not to beaten on home turf.

Plenteous down-downs for our visitors for being visitors, lots of Hash-Crashers, Morticia for ‘foul and abusive language’ and Baldbrick for having a naff flag on his car.

Visitors:

SOUTH HAMS
Rabid
Floater
HT2
Goolie
Damp Patch
Endosperm
Tyred Bunny
Pythagorass
Little Pinky
Hue & Cry

SWANSEA
Trainspotter
Sherry (real name)

LVH3
Celia from Windermere (named Pondlife on 10/09/2006)
Emily from Preston (Celia's daughter named Roadkill on 10/09/2006)
Helen from Bury (Emily's friend named BlackPudding on 24/09/2006)