| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 2026 | Des | Kevin |
The location for KVH3’s 705th hash was The Carters Rest in Wroughton, our last visit here was 25 years ago, and this was the second pub in a row that Des had selected that offered wet sales only. This was also the second hash in a row (a saint or glutton for punishment) that Des volunteered to be the hare. Whether it was because it was closer to home for many, or the weather, a few more hashers turned out today to have a good blow because from the outset in Des’s briefing he informed us hashers we were going up the hills of Wroughton! Things were done a little different before the start of the hash. We gathered in the car park at the back of the Carters Rest for Des’s briefing before we moved to the front for the usual group photo. Des as usual was meticulous in his recce for the hash and in his briefing, making sure that we were aware of cows in a field (although he didn’t mention some had horns), and for those hashers taking the long trail the route would come back in the opposite direction of the short trail and for that he introduced a new hash sign L<——–>S.
The short trail was about 3 miles and the long 5½ with the short/long divide about ¾ mile from the start.
On! On! up church hill (huff and puff), took a right into the grounds of St Helen and St John (the venue of Mrs GOM’s christening in 1965 and Mr and Mrs GOMs’ wedding in 1985) , through the church grounds, down the hill past Elcombe Hall (relief) and across the road to the field leading up to the steps.
This is where the long and short divide took the shorties up the steps and the longies (including Mr and Mrs GOM) through a field with cows with horns, who initially shown an interest but left us alone and we went on towards Slathrop, Basset Down and Quidhampton woods (wild bluebells were out in full display and there was plenty of garlic about).
It didn’t matter which route you took the short trail would involve a short steep climb up the steps (lots of huff and puff) or the long trail taking a less steep but longer climb (puff, puff). Eventually both trails would converge near Salthrop Farm where the longies would follow the short out trail back towards the steps, downhill for the longies and back towards the Carters rest. The climb for both the trails went from 125 metres to an elevation of 208 metres (lots of huffing and puffing). On the return through Elcombe I must of seen four iterations of On Inn ——-> down on the ground to get us back to the Carters Rest.
Des said at the briefing the long trail was beautiful and so it was once you got to the top of the hills with lovely vistas of Wroughton and South Swindon and if you managed to get to Quidhampton wood you would have had the sight of the first bluebells of the season and the smell of garlic!
At the apres GOM thanked Des for his great trails and Des awarded the bags to Jeremy, hopefully to be worn at the upcoming London Marathon. And, those of us hashers who enjoy a beer managed to enjoy one of the many real ales on offer at the Carters Rest!