RIDE no :: 206
Sat 4th Nov 2006 Brandon Stn.
Hares:: Schoolboy’sDream & CLP
Sally (Schoolboy’sDream), who was my co-hare, and myself Chris (aka CLP) laid this trail. We set off in good time to catch the train from Cambridge Station at 6.45am to Brandon. This was to be the start of the bash trail, in darkest Suffolk.
The train was delayed. We finally reached Brandon at 7.12 am. On the train we met a man who told us the story of how Great Yarmouth, a nearby town, was covered in semolina when the semolina factory exploded. People tried to wash it off their cars but it turned into cement.
I had 6 bags of flour (9 Kg) in my rucksack. This would be enough to see us to the lunch stop. It was a very cold start in Brandon. A local told us this was because of the weather. Sally told me she also came from the Brandon area.
On the first part of the trail we passed through farmyards close to Brandon. (See picture of the goat above; he warned us about bears). There was a pig as well whose face reminded me of someone. I think he looked like the landlord from a small pub in King Street, Cambridge. The pig, however, was better looking and had better toilet manners.
The start of the trail went south east following the path of the Little Ouse River and many fire road open trails. It passed by small forestry commission owned groups of houses. It passed through the cosy, secluded hamlet of Santon Downham. It then cunningly crossed the river and double backed over it.
Heading north an attempt was made to visit the ‘Grimes Graves’ flint mines. Unfortunately, most of the interconnecting paths to them were overgrown. It seemed that only the fire roads were clear. Instead, the trail went north east to visit Lynford Hall’s picturesque grounds. The trail then got a bit lost there and it ended up in a circle. We then made a dash for the town of Mundford and the lunch stop at the Crown. This is a pub, which welcomes muddy people.
In the pub the bashers enjoyed the good food and told tales of heroism on the trail. Meanwhile, Sally and I, having had a few beers whilst waiting, decided to go and lay the rest of the trail. We bought 3 more flour bags. Flour in Mundford must be a rare commodity as it is nearly £1 a bag in the supermarket there.
The rest of the trail would bring the bashers along more forest fire roads and complete a sort of squashed circular route back to Brandon. It passed by groups of posh people in open vehicles on organised shoots. I explained to them that the bashers were not targets and that they were not to be taken home and eaten. We bumped into a couple of men strolling through the forest in all the right green shooting gear, along with some bloody great shotguns. They were from the St. Hubert Club Shetford Stalking Beat. Sally took a fancy to one of them and referred to him later as ‘the man with the nice eyes’. I think she is after a shotgun wedding.
Finishing back at Brandon the down-downs and the circle were held at the Duke of Wellington pub. A good time was had by all.
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