Baz aka Noddy look back at last week.

Noddy- Mary Benson has knitted a red bobble hat and I am to wear it when scouting, she said I look like Noddy so I am now looking for Big Ears.

Driver of the week; Surprise – Caroline driving behind a very frightened hound on a main road trying to manoeuvre it of the road and into a lane. Which she accomplished without damage to the hound, car, or me.

She shares this with Pat Black who nearly drove through the rope barrier at Applethwaite on Monday, swerving at the last minute – to busy talking?

Got the time wrong at Dearham on Tuesday- By the way so did everybody else!

Back to Applethwaite – What went wrong? The senior trailers walked for1 hour and 50 mins each that equals ( for a fresh trail) around about 36-38 minute trail add at least 5 minutes for the almost impenetrable bracken and you’ve got a senior trail.But, and a big but , what happened to the maidens? .All I can say is the weather was against them, wind and heavy rain on a dry surface, the rags were fine, the mixture, no problem but as the scouts reported – ‘ they couldn’t find a ‘line’ even the short trails which seemed ok had difficulty in finding a true line.

Perhaps those who were quick to criticize know the answer . Me , well only 50 years of running trails and I don’t know!

Spare a thought for Les Warwick, 71 years old, laying Shap trail last week in misty conditions. I can speak from experience -it’s extremely difficult and no blame should be attached to him.

Thanks to all those who turned out to look for lost hounds after Applethwaite.

Puppy Championship – Cunswick and Millstone Moor but you don’t have to be Einstein to realise that.

Rather an abrupt ending ; so to please John Toni Palmer:

AMEN!