The Tennents Super Trail

[Simonb]

While out riding on Sunday, I noticed a trail of empty Tennents Super cans
which stretched for about 4 km from near Denmead in Hampshire, stopping just
before Clanfield and then starting again at the foot of Butser Hill and
continuing until about halfway up. The cans were spaced about 10 metres
apart on the left hand side of the lane as I travelled northwards; sometimes
single cans; other times in clumps, but always about 10 metres apart in an
unbroken line (apart from in Clanfield). Question is, how could anyone carry
this many cans (must have been about 200 in total)? Even if there were a
group of people, how could they drink this much high-strength 'beer', still
keep walking /and/ carry all those cans? And why drop them at such regular
intervals?

My theory is that they are marking a route in a way which will go undetected
if passed at speed in a motor vehicle, but immediately recognisable if you
know what you're looking for.

Weird indeed.

 

[Simonb]

Map: http://www.widerworld.co.uk/tennents_trail.jpg

 

[[Not Responding]]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 11:05:20 -0000, "Simonb"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>While out riding on Sunday, I noticed a trail of empty Tennents Super cans
>which stretched for about 4 km from near Denmead in Hampshire, stopping just
>before Clanfield and then starting again at the foot of Butser Hill and
>continuing until about halfway up. The cans were spaced about 10 metres
>apart on the left hand side of the lane as I travelled northwards; sometimes
>single cans; other times in clumps, but always about 10 metres apart in an
>unbroken line (apart from in Clanfield). Question is, how could anyone carry
>this many cans (must have been about 200 in total)? Even if there were a
>group of people, how could they drink this much high-strength 'beer', still
>keep walking /and/ carry all those cans? And why drop them at such regular
>intervals?
>
>My theory is that they are marking a route in a way which will go undetected
>if passed at speed in a motor vehicle, but immediately recognisable if you
>know what you're looking for.
>
>Weird indeed.

I suppose that if you were in a car full of empties and got your
passenger to chuck them out as fast as he could, you might end up with
that sort of spacing. Seems unlikely, though.

I've come across linear fly tipping before in that neck of the woods.
From the top of Portsdown Hill to Southwick, I followed a line of
evenly spaced car tyres in the ditch and on the side of the road.

 

[Simonb]

[Not Responding] wrote:

> I suppose that if you were in a car full of empties and got your
> passenger to chuck them out as fast as he could, you might end up with
> that sort of spacing. Seems unlikely, though.

Even so, the cans wouldn't have landed in little groups.

> I've come across linear fly tipping before in that neck of the woods.
> From the top of Portsdown Hill to Southwick, I followed a line of
> evenly spaced car tyres in the ditch and on the side of the road.

But why bother fly tipping beer cans?

 

[Simon Mason]

"Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> My theory is that they are marking a route in a way which will go
> undetected if passed at speed in a motor vehicle, but immediately
> recognisable if you know what you're looking for.

Could be a secret code used by tramps or travellers. They use all sorts of
markers apparently. Like if a house holder is an easy touch for a meal, they
will used a code to mark your house, or so I've heard.

--
Simon M.

 

[Tony Raven]

Simonb wrote:
> While out riding on Sunday, I noticed a trail of empty Tennents Super cans
> which stretched for about 4 km from near Denmead in Hampshire, stopping just
> before Clanfield and then starting again at the foot of Butser Hill and
> continuing until about halfway up. The cans were spaced about 10 metres
> apart on the left hand side of the lane as I travelled northwards; sometimes
> single cans; other times in clumps, but always about 10 metres apart in an
> unbroken line (apart from in Clanfield). Question is, how could anyone carry
> this many cans (must have been about 200 in total)? Even if there were a
> group of people, how could they drink this much high-strength 'beer', still
> keep walking /and/ carry all those cans? And why drop them at such regular
> intervals?
>
> My theory is that they are marking a route in a way which will go undetected
> if passed at speed in a motor vehicle, but immediately recognisable if you
> know what you're looking for.
>
> Weird indeed.
>
>

Its an entry for next year's Turner Prize

Tony ;-)

 

[David E. Belcher]

Simonb wrote:
> Question is, how could anyone carry
> this many cans (must have been about 200 in total)? Even if there
were a
> group of people, how could they drink this much high-strength 'beer',
still
> keep walking /and/ carry all those cans?

What's more, why were they drinking that sort of rubbish? In that part
of the world, cans of George Gale's HSB would be a far superior
alternative ;-)

David E. Belcher

 

[David E. Belcher]

Simonb wrote:
> Question is, how could anyone carry
> this many cans (must have been about 200 in total)? Even if there
were a
> group of people, how could they drink this much high-strength 'beer',
still
> keep walking /and/ carry all those cans?

What's more, why were they drinking that sort of rubbish? In that part
of the world, cans of George Gale's HSB would be a far superior
alternative ;-)

David E. Belcher