Hash 445 – Queens Arms @ East Garston

East Garston is a very pretty village in West Berkshire between Lambourn and Newbury. The river Lambourn flows through the village, dividing many houses from the main road, so that each has a bridge over the river to the front door. The name East Garston is of Saxon origin, originally “Asgar’s tun”. A tun was Saxon for a village or farmstead. “As” was Saxon for God, and “gar” meant spear, thus Asgar was “the spear of God”.

We arrived early and the weather was perfect for a hash. It’s nice to be able to greet people as they arrive. Such arrivals were Brian and Jacqui ….. Simon and Ainsley …. Mike and Annie …. Val, Fiona, David, Andrew and of course our hares John and Viv. As often happens everyone was chatting so much it took a while for John and Viv to gather the group around for their pre-hash instructions.

We were pointed in the right direction and we were off. Andrew waited behind for Mike, who was late to arrive. The first part of the run was through the village …. lots of pretty cottages. However, we soon turned uphill. Fiona went on a long false trail to the right but the true trail carried on upwards. Some of the running was over fields of stubble and relentlessly upwards.

At the highest point we had a short regroup. There was John (the hare), myself, Mike, Fiona and David, and catching us all up Andrew and Mike. We were now on the gallops though there were no horses in sight and we were running mercifully downwards. Then we ran onto a small track and still downwards, so much easier to appreciate the open countryside. Then a road and still downwards …. but suddenly a turn off the road and upwards again. We were now joined by Viv. The hares really got around making sure no-one got lost.

Walkers and runners arrived back at almost the same time and we all sat out in the garden under the veranda drinking our beers, teas and coffee. Everyone agreed it was a lovely hash …. thanks once again John and Viv.