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| Mermaid Hash - a welcome break |
A trip to Lundy Island with the Lundy Island Hash in 2003
planted the seed in the minds of Martin “Mixy” Chaffey and
Martin “Major Clanger” Monaghan, as the combination of running,
shouting and a bit of drinking seemed ideal for the Yeovil Town
Runners and so, on 28th September 2003, the first
run of the Ham Hill Hash House Harriers took place from the
Fleur de Lis in Stoke sub Hamdon. Over the years, there have now
been more than 80 hashes on a roughly monthly basis as a side
line to the main Yeovil Town Road Running Club activities – it
is an informal gathering and very much a “bit of fun”!
Hashing is an international phenomenon, having started in Kuala
Lumpar, Malaya in 1938 with the ex-pats at the Selangor Club (The Hash
House) who livened up their time with short
runs along the lines of the old paperchases. There are now Hashes
held all over the world. Locally the Taunton
Hash is very active and we have friends in the Chard Hash and
the Mendip Hills Hash – and of course we have been borrowing
Andy “Warthog” Goodman from the Blandford Hash for years (from
the very start in fact!).
To hash is easy – a trail is laid out in flour, with dots
leading the way. Find a dot and shout “On One” (the shouting is
important, to let the other runners know what’s happening!);
find a second, and it’s “On Two”; fins a third and it’s “On On”
– you have the right trail! However, often you’ll find a cross,
which is a False Trail and you have to make your way back to the
pack.
If you find a circle, then that’s a Check and the trail
effectively starts again – starting looking for On One again –
but if you find a circle with a cross in it, then that’s
Check-Back; you’re on the right course but you’ve run past a
turning off to the right or left – and be very careful ‘cos
those hares are sneaky! We have Regroups (circles with R in) but
the ones you want to look out for are the circles with JB or B
in them – that’s the Jelly Babies or Beer!! Another hash favourite is “ON INN” – that means you’ve
reached the end of the hash and you’re heading back to the Pub…
Hash names are awarded (never chosen!) and amongst the Ham Hill
Hashers you’ll find Mixy, Midflow, Grotbags and Dumbledore, as
well as Fossil, Hands On and Sanatogen – you’ll have to come
along and ask (nicely) the stories behind the names…
Next Hash Runs:
26 September 2010 -
Rest and Welcome, Melbury Osmond
- Debbie Neal and John Crane
10 October 2010 - Somerset Hash -
The Royal Oak, Stoke St Gregory - 11.00 a.m
17 October 2010 - Ilchester - Tina and Mel
For more information contact
Martin "Mixy" Chaffey.
Volunteer Hares needed for future runs – please email new Hash
Mistress Nicky “Flasher” Adcock
ot call her on 07727 681808 to offer your services.
If you are laying a hash, please contact the pub before the
event and also inform the police in case the local populace get
worried and report you for marking their properties for future
burglaries:
Dorset Police
01305 222222
Somerset Police
0845 4567000
Wiltshire
Police 0845 4087000
Mixy's blog provides new and comments on hashing and hashes.
Photos of previous hash runs:
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