Welcome to Episkopi Hash House Harriers
The Episkopi Hash is one of the last gentlemen only hashes left in the world. Why gentlemen only? Well, initially when founded in 1967 by three military types from Episkopi base that was the norm for hashes. Now most of our members are of retirement age and are driven out of the house each Tuesday to give our Harriets time to themselves. How many marriages we have saved is incalculable !!
We are these days very much an informal group of mates who meet every Tuesday afternoon for a little exercise and socialising afterwards. We are, of course, always eager to meet new mates who fancy a bit of exercise. We run, jog or walk in the beautiful Cyprus countryside for around 5 km. Following a pre-laid route, known as a trail, and this is designed for most levels of fitness – shortcutting is allowed and indeed encouraged by the hares who control the run.
The run or walk takes about 45 mins. In the summer and an hour in the winter but is rarely on flat terrain as we avoid like the plague, any tarmac or built up areas.
Hashing as it is known began in the 1930’s amongst ex-pats in the Far East who decided that they needed to take some exercise and so began the phenomenon which grew into 3000 clubs worldwide. Essentially it is a paper chase and you might have done one at school or seen it like me in "The Railway Children". However to make it non-competitive and ensure that it caters for most levels of fitness hares go out the day before the hash and lay 2 trails one for the runners, joggers and plodders and one for the walkers. Then the participants (hounds) follow one of these trails, with guidance (shortcuts) being given as required by the hares.
The whole emphasis of a Hash is to exercise in an informal way without any competitive pressures and then to relax afterwards with mates over a nice cool beer or soft drink. After a suitable time of taking refreshments at the end of the run/walk we always go to a taverna for a local meal to round off the day. Being such a social club, we throughout the year, have a range of events that include our Better Halves be they on the beach (we know many deserted ones) or up in the hills. These events are either catered or we bring picnics.
The Annual Run Stats for 2021 are in!
Click Run Stats 2021
Hash Words does not accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in the Stats unless written on the back of a €20 note!!!
The Inauguration of the 56th On Pres' Marshall Hughes.
Summer Runs with the Hash!
Marshall Hughes On Pres' #56 Missive #1
Firstly, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to my predecessor, Simon Carroll who has held office for 22 months through a very challenging period. He is now the second longest serving On Pres in the history of the Epi Hash, a considerable achievement in these difficult times.
My first run with the Epi Hash took place in the summer of 2000 and I was an immediate convert. I had dabbled with Hashing in several other countries but was not drawn to some of the stranger rituals and punitive practices I had experienced. However, I immediately realised that running with the Epi Hash was different. Whilst steeped in tradition (we are, after all, one of the oldest, continuously operating Hashes in the world) the foundational principles could be summed up in three words, camaraderie, running and beer. It is as simple as that and was exactly what I had been looking for.
Fast forward twenty-two years and I find myself in the position of ‘On Pres’. Inevitably, the Hash has changed somewhat over that time. None of us are getting any younger and we now offer members and visitors a run or a walk to choose from. ‘Checkbacks’ have also been introduced to our repertoire of laying techniques to help keep the groups together, another sound Hashing principle. The Hares selection of trails for both the walk and the run are perhaps tempered by a little more pragmatism these days, but the simple fact is that our three foundational principles of camaraderie, running of walking and beer (or soft drinks!) can be enjoyed at any age and at any level of fitness. That is undoubtedly the underlying, universal appeal of Hashing. I’m prepared to bet that what we do every week in the Epi Hash is very similar indeed to the activities established by our founder Alberto Gisbert in Kuala Lumpur 82 years ago. These days, we are also perhaps moving closer to the description of Hashers which was published in the ‘Illustrated London News’ in 1869, as “a merry company of athletic, pedestrian sportsmen”!
As I cast my eye over the roll call of the previous fifty-five ‘On Pres’, it is an illustrious and somewhat daunting list. I have personally known or run with twenty of them and what strikes me most is not only the enormous commitment that they brought to the job but also the sheer diversity of approaches employed by each past On Pres. These are undoubtedly big running shoes to fill, but I will do my best to bring my own style to the job whilst striving to uphold the long and very proud traditions of the Episkopi Hash House Harriers.
“Though the season gets longer, as seasons do,
And the rocks and the bondu leave me black and blue,
Will I stop while there’s Trash and an On On or two?
Not bloody likely!
On On,
Marshall Hughes
56th On Pres