Hash 537 – Clanfield Tavern

I used to pass through Clanfield when I taught at Witney College and always admired it as a very pretty area with much history. The name Clanfield, which means ‘clean’ field in the sense of free from weeds or scrub, suggests that much of the parish was open field or pasture by the mid Anglo-Saxon period.

The Clanfield Tavern (as it is now known) was build in 1610 only five years after the Gunpowder Plot in the reign of James I which to me seems a long time ago.

A good crowd of hashers assembled in the car park at the rear of the pub for John and Margaret’s hash. I had intended to walk but as we waited for John’s pre-hash address I realised I was in the mood to run. John set us off north on the Bourton road but shortly after,  a circle sent us eastwards. We ran through a field of sheep (though we shouldn’t have done). It was a real reminder that we had finally reached Spring because among the sheep were a fair number of lambs which were gamboling (I don’t write that word very often) about.

It took a minute or two to realise there was no more flour so we back-tracked, found the right trail and were back on the Bourton road, though this time behind the walkers. Almost immediately we turned onto a lane going west.

Occasionally, because of false trails, runners get to run together as a group. This is always nice to do. There were seven of us, myself, GOM, Sue, Brian (new hasher), David, Maurice and Rocky. Suddenly we turned southwards across fields. Meeting another lane we headed for houses and back to Clanfield. Into a small park where one of our number had to have a swing. Then along a path through an allotment where we found a pump. Rocky who was suspected of rolling in the dirt was given a shower.

Back in the pub the walkers, for a change, were there already. Everyone agreed it was a lovely hash and John and Margaret were thanked and applauded.