2009-10-18 51 -3

Location

Participants

Plans

Impromptu!

Expedition

On my way back from a birthday party in Swansea, I couldn't resist the opportunity to grab a Cardiff hash and my long-awaited Bristol hash (towards my Minesweeper achievement). This Cardiff one looked fairly easy, as it was near some trees on the edge of a field. However, I had a little surprise awaiting me!

Parking the car by a stile marked as a public path, I jumped over and walked round the edge of a large field. I worked out from the GPS that the hash point was on the other side of some trees, and I could see an embankment within the trees - probably an old railway. However, there appeared to be a gap so I hoped I could get through without having to climb over it. Sure enough, when I reached the gap I found a tunnel under the embankment, and a promising-looking gate and kissing-gate beyond.

As I reached the gate, my heart sank a little! It turned out to be a cattle pasture, and clearly the ground just beyond the gate was one of those places where the animals often congregate. The mud was indescribable! See photos for the best impression of what it was like. Not only was I in danger of slipping over and getting extremely messy with mud and cow dung, but it seemed more than possible that I might break an ankle in the process.

I made a couple of attempts to go around a different way, to no avail. Then I decided I was going to just go for it, as I was wearing my boots! I finally made it to solid ground after making quite a mess of them.

The hash was now quite easy to reach, and I managed it swiftly. After that, I spotted another gate and climbed over it, finding myself walking over the disused railway and back to the car via a much less muddy route, which of course I could have used earlier, had I known! Typical.

Photos

Entrance from the road
Large field showing trees containing embankment
Tunnel
Kissing gate
Ah...
...not good.
Squelch!
This way led nowhere :(
Just managed to hope from clod to clod in the end
Co-ordinates reached!
The hash field
Stupid grin
Looking back towards the hash field from the disused railway
The car - a welcome sight. I was quite short of time to reach the Bristol hash at this point!


Sun 18 Oct 2009 in 51,-3: 51.4945374, -3.2894258 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox