What's this all about?

HASHING is a combination of Hare & Hounds with cross-country running. It's also a very roundabout way of getting to the pub. It's a lot of fun and strictly NOT competitive! The aims of the original hashers back in the 1930s were "to work up a thirst and satisfy it through beer", and we're still getting thirsty!

The hash follows a trail around the local countryside, at a leisurely pace. Trails are usually about 4-6 miles long, and end up at the ON IN where they began. The hashers don't know how far they're going, or where they're going! The HARE sets the trail in advance, dropping blobs of flour to show the way. Every so often there is a CHECK (marked as a ring of flour), and the trail stops. The hashers have to spread out in all directions trying to find where it picks up again. As well as spreading general confusion, this keeps the pack together as the FRBs (Front Running B*stards) try to find the trail and the rest of the pack ambles up to the check. Hares can add to the fun by adding FALSE TRAILS (trails which end in an 'X', meaning go back and try again), LOST TRAILS (the trail just runs out - go back and try again) and BACK CHECKS (checks where the correct way is back towards where you came from).

The hash is a jovial and noisy affair. Cries of "ON ON!" are heard as the FRBs confirm they are on trail. Other calls are used, such as "CHECKING", "LOOKING", "ON CALLED", and "ON BACK".

When everyone has returned to the ON IN, the hash forms a circle and a ceremony is held to congratulate or deride the hare, and to punish offences committed by hashers on the trail. The RA (Religious Adviser) presides, and calls in the offenders to have a DOWN-DOWN (downing a mug of beer to the accompaniment of the hash down-down song). It is then ON ON to the pub!

  ___          ____         __
 / __ \___    / __ \___    / /   Oooo.
/ /_/ / _ \  / /_/ / _ \  /_/    (   ) 
\____/_//_/  \____/_//_/ (_)      ) / 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx     (_/ 

Last updated 20 November 2008 Auntie