Isle of Arran
Date |
19 July 2003 |
Location |
High Corrie Bunkhouse A to B Run
|
Hares | Muff Diver, Mandy, Hughie
Blaaaghr Tight Beaver (Technical Support), Kipper
(Logistical Support) |
Achievements | Most hares to
date. Longest trail to date, probably in time but not in
distance.
|
Learning Points |
Beware what you outsource to other H3s, i.e. what MASS
outsource. When Oink goes straight to the pub do not
leap to usual obvious conclusion, ask "does he know
something we do not"
|
The Event
Yet again GH3 were struggling to find hares and after
plying the MASS reprobate regulars with much ale - in The
Three Judges - MASS were asked if they would hare.
OOOOPS!
So GH3 and guests woke up to find themselves in a cottage
halfway up the side of Goatfell on Arran.
Ah ha, some of the brighter ones thought, there is only
one way the trail can go from here if MASS are haring.
Downhill is tarmac. South is fence. North is
impassable bracken. Uphill (west) is a rough pass
towards the corries of Goat Fell.
But no, the hares for the first half - Mandy and Muff
Diver - said to themselves THIS IS MASS and plunged into
the 8' high ferns. Thats right these were not your
standard Troassach's weeds. Nope. These were full blown
fern trees - perhaps escaped from the historic fernery at
Brodick Castle a few miles south.
The hares had battled, dug, crawled and bashed a trail
through this primeval jungle, leaving enough damage and
flour to let the pack find a trail in which they would
experience the experience as if they were the first to
encounter the scene rather than having the assistance of
the hares' excavations.
The intrepid hares took the trail up and down the hill
avoiding paths and clearings but sticking doggedly to the
almost impassible (and above head hight) ferns. No doubt
if the pack had not experienced MASS trails before the odd
cynic amoungst them might have thought that the zig and
zagging and constant ferns might have meant that the hares
were lost and could not actually find the clearings or
paths. However, as MASS officinadoes we understand that
such a theory would be absoloute bunk and that the
debilitating battle with the ferns by the hares was
intended. Gee next the cynics will suggest that the
hares did not know of the deer path above the bunkhouse up
the the clearing above the ferns, Hah, some people just do
not understand!
At last, through use of man made geographical features the
hares managed to take the trail past the obstacles and
through boulder strewn fields to where Hughie and
technical and logistical hares had arranged a riverside
(Sannox) beer stop.
The pack stopped for beer, water, and then had a game of
pooh socks. This involes taking Mandy's socks and shoes
and throwing them into the torrent!
The next part of the trail was set by Hughiee so the pack
relaxed knowing that they could now conserve energy.
The Sannox was crossed and a gold course skirted as the
trail led up out the valley using the site of a quarry
railway to get maximum angle and rubbled ground, a trick
learned a few months previous at the Aberfoyle trail.
Disused quarry railways tend to be less runnable than the
nice hillside beside them.
Upon a Limestone mine bing the pack found a check from
which they could view south the entire of the Firth of
Clyde and Ireland (probably).
Anyway stuff that after much checking the trail was found
in the most obvious place, across a fence and up and muddy
stream then check again down back on itself to another
muddy sheep path before tempting the pack across deer
fence styles to find many false trails and back checks.
The trail fell down into the next valley. Being a
Glasgow trail it alas had to cross a man made
geographical feature before heading (on the North side of
a river) to the sea.
Thence a check...... the pack could smell a pub with beer
to the south, but also noted the 60' river mouth ah
well.....
On the otherside they picked up the trail and after some
sand dune bashing came across another and deeper river
(the Sannox again) and on the other side was the beer.
Much frivolity and games were held at the river mouth
whilst the pack awaited some of the missing adventurors
who were to be escorted by the first half/now sweeper
hares.
Much beer drunk and people getting wet.
Hughie Blaaaghr, October 2003
|