| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jul 2022 | David | Kevin |
Who ever volunteer’s to lay a trail for KVH3 has a vision of what they want us hashers to see and to experience on the day. Although we may revisit a venue over time each hash is unique in it’s own way as we get a variation of a trail, environments and landscapes change and the weather plays it’s part in the experience.
David has hosted a hash from The Marsh on two previous occasions this was his third and you would think you would have seen everything Wanborough had to offer but with the changing landscapes going on around Wanborough it gave David an opportunity to vary the trail to the one’s he had laid previously. These changing landscapes have temporarily restricted access to Wanborough with the main road from Covingham and one end of The Marsh closed this caused some hashers to arrive later than the normal for the 11:00am start, although today the start of the hash didn’t occur until 11:15am.
Upon arrival I noticed a temporary “Parking Notice” put up by David indicating where to park, David was also directing the traffic along The Marsh to ensure that we hashers didn’t inconvenience the locals and what a good job he did! Hashers disembarked their vehicles and unloaded their vittles’ and libations and handed them to David and Sue for later consumption at the apres.
We started gathering in David’s garden, I noticed he had laid in flour a perfect letter “A” on his lawn (a great piece of flour laying, I wish I took a picture) and thought this would have some bearing in the briefing to come. However, my dog Lily who had forgone her breakfast this morning (dogs can be fussy sometimes as to what they eat) took a liking to David’s “A” and ate all the floor and some of the grass it was laid on! There were some 30 plus hashers (mostly regulars and some invited guests) who attended today, exact number not known as there was some late comers, most had managed to get into David’s garden where I took the usual group photo and handed over to David for his briefing. David’s briefing was very detailed and very, very long (see photo) (in fact David broke the world record for the longest ever KVH3 hash briefing in our history).
The briefing was so long and detailed some hashers forgot what David had said at the beginning of his briefing and asked for a recap! As mentioned at the beginning of this mag about the uniqueness of our hashes David in his briefing wanted to point out a few local landmarks that we could encounter along his trail: firstly the roadworks that were located 50 yards pass the first trail mark which in itself was some two thirds of mile down the winding lane of The Marsh (que Beatles song “The Long and Winding Road”); secondly the letter “A” in the churchyard (this is when David was going to show everyone his perfect “A” on his lawn but seemed puzzled as to where it had gone. Lily sends her apologies for devouring the “A”) which he put down as a marker so that everyone could admire his world class allotment.
Briefing over, On! On!
Off we set along The Marsh to the first trail mark, as GOM I was duty bound to go the extra 50 yards to observe the roadworks (see photo), not sure that I saw anything exceptional, just roadworks.
Back to trail and on up to Upper Wanborough (this where I went astray and thankfully David pointed out the error of my ways and directed me onto the recreational field by the church). Again, as GOM I was duty bound to follow the flour marks laid down by David around the perimeter of the field, almost all of the hashers took a shortcut and went direct to the church where David was sitting on the bench (see photo) outside the church observing his flock (hashers) coming towards the church.
The trail took us trough the churchyard where another one of David’s perfect “A”s was laid where we could find his allotment to admire, although if looked directly in front of the “A” there were rows of graves laid with lovely flowers. Again, as GOM I was duty bound to locate the allotment which I did (just up to the left of the “A” down a slight embankment”) and admired the allotment (see photo) along with some fellow hashers who commented on the lovely onions which we wanted to pick but left in situ.
The trail lead us on down the valley and up to Ham Road, through Upper Wanborough and down through Lower Wanborough where we met David outside The Plough (see photo) enjoying a pint. The Plough was near to where the long and short divide was located and due to the time of our arrival and the warm, sunny and humid weather David suggested we forget the long route and just complete the short back to The Marsh to enjoy the apres and the group I was with had no hesitation in following David’s advice. I hope for David’s efforts that some of us hashers did take the long trail.
The weather turned out perfect for the apres, David and Sue had put out chairs and tables for the returning hashers. Sue was preparing food while David has helping us hashers with our libations. Before vittles’ were served I gave thanks to David for his well marked trail and took a straw poll by a show of hands as to who saw the landmarks pointed out in David’s briefing (I think it was just me who saw the landmarks as I was the only one with my hand up although there may be some hashers who were shy and just didn’t want to put their hand up), and I awarded David his world record for the longest KVH3 hash briefing! Julie received the bags from Margaret via Viv for her wonderful stitching and Kathy presented David the pink horn from Jane for his wonderful laying of his trail. These trophies seemed to be awarded for excellence when they should be awarded for indiscretions, must try harder at the next hash we can’t all be perfect!
Lastly, a big thank you to David and Sue for hosting a hash from their home in which they invested a lot of time and effort to ensure we all have an enjoyable apres, and what excellent hosts they were and what a very enjoyable apres it was! Thank you to everyone who brought food and drink for sharing. On! On!
PS. While writing the mag I received an email from Phil and Jane with the following comment “Really enjoyable Hash today. Very clearly marked, a good course and David looked after us, even cycling round and up Kite Hill to make sure we were on course!”. Thanks Phil and Jane
