| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Mar 2014 | Margaret and John | Brian |
This week Margaret and John decided that the KVH3 should, once again, hash from a new venue. They choose The Greyhound at Bessels Leigh which is about 5 miles before Oxford on the A420. This is a pub/restaurant that I used to pass twice a day on my way to and from work but had little idea of the countryside behind it.
The sun was shining when Kathy and I left Swindon but raining when we arrived. In fact it was raining so hard most were remaining steadfast in their cars keeping dry. However, just on 11.00 the rain stopped and we gathered around for the usual greetings and chatter. Good to see Keith and Kay there and Fiona proudly wearing the shorts to which she had added more bells.
John gave the pre-hash talk and told us we’d be passing two more pubs on our way around. He pointed the way and we immediately turned up a quiet lane in a north-westerly direction. I was struck by how happy and cheerful everyone seemed….I guess that Spring, fresh air and Prozac were all having their effect…. (I really must wean myself off them.. (I’m joking)).
At the first circle I elected to try the muddiest alternative (fool!), so when the correct On On was called I was behind… by which I mean I was last… and never to catch up, though I could always see the others tantalizingly ahead.
From that moment on I realized my chronicle of the hash could be no more than a combination of the scenery and the private thoughts of a long distance slowcoach and since my private thoughts are ….. well, private …. here is what I saw.
A lot of cows (Friesians), the first pub in the hamlet of Eaton, the River Isis*, then turning eastwards, the Farmoor Reservoir (with a multitude of sailing craft), lots of daffodils and open fields. Suddenly I was in the village of Cumnor with its duck pond, pub and cricket pitch. Then more open fields where again I caught sight of the runners elusively ahead. Then all of a sudden I was back at The Greyhound.
Had it been just a little warmer we would have sat outside as they have a really nice garden, but then again they had a really nice interior too. Much chat and bonhomie as usual, which meant everyone thoroughly enjoyed the hash. Many thanks to John and Margaret for an excellent trail and a huge round of applause. The shorts were awarded to Kathy.
*Historically, and especially in Victorian times, they insisted that the river Thames was correctly named the River Isis. Where the river meets the River Thame and becomes the “Thame-isis” subsequently abbreviated to Thames;