| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Dec 2025 | David | Jeremy |
Many many years ago when we probably still remembered Brittania ruling the waves, we had traditions at KVH3.
At the end of June each year we’d do the Ridgeway Relay with 10 intrepid KVH3 runners (yes – we often had 10 runners back then). We would be up at the crack of dawn to run a relay of 10 legs from Ivinghoe Beacon near Luton all the way back to Marlborough. Possibly there was a bit of cajoling or even some downright lying, to cobble together a team each year but we succeeded for 9 years on the trot.
The lying worked when convincing Margaret that the final leg was only 5 miles (in fact it was 9) but hey she did it, and again the following year before the truth dawned. We hadn’t been able to understand why it took her so long.
Viv was a harder nut as I only managed to cajole her to do a 9 mile leg once – she demanded shorter ones after that. But we all survived and only once in those 9 years did we win the wooden spoons for coming last. Not bad given the other teams were all from proper running clubs.
Another event that might have become a tradition was Margaret’s Summer Hash from Studland near Swanage. The first year she laid it along the nudist beach (Hash 64)and on the second (Hash 90)the course attempted the low tide accessible route from one beach to another. Unfortunately when 11am came, so had the tide. Whilst both were great fun, they didn’t last the test of time.
The other firm tradition was the Boxing Day hash which in my time was ALWAYS at the Keeper’s Arms in Quenington. Today’s hash was neither on Boxing Day, nor at Quenington – but none the worse for it. In fact, the general view this time was that everyone was quite happy to have had Boxing Day off. Perhaps we should have a tradition of not having it on Boxing Day?
So onto today’s event.
Despite apologies form Kathy, Kevin and at least one Julie (and perhaps a few other people) we had a grand turnout at the Cross Keys – some 20+ of us.
David was on hand to welcome us all when we arrived at the Cross Keys car park – clutching his Bold Washing Liquid bottle – which worryingly still seemed full of flour.
We gathered for the group photo – where’s Soma? – and David’s introductory waffle, the highlight of which was his LS symbol which was supposedly to signal where the long and short routes converged. He’s tried this idea before on a previous hash using two converging arrows, which just left us confused. So LS is a definite improvement – if trying to tell us something we don’t really need to know.
Time to set off – right out of the pub, then left up the Green Lane – which Sue told me was a road years and years ago when they didn’t have roads, but which got reinstated as a proper track with David’s impetus.
After many wanderings around Wanborough and at varying speeds, taking in a view of David’s allotment / burial plot, we slowly regrouped at the pub.
A room had been reserved for us and with most of us returned @ 12:45 we started our lunches The final walkers came in just after 13:00 – at which point all were accounted for. Keith did try to thank David for the amount of flour laid, which started a brief but lively debate.
We continued to chat, eat and drink, until people started to leave from 1:30 onwards.
Many thanks David for organising a very enjoyable Not Boxing Day hash. Best wishes to everyone for 2026.
PS – Niki and Brian are proposing to lay a trail near Malvern in 2026 and are hoping there is enough interest for them to do it. Apparently it’s a 1hr 20 min drive from Swindon.