Exploring Hash In Bahrain: A Guide To Finding The Best

The Bahrain Hash House Harriers, or BH3, is a non-competitive running social club in Bahrain. The club organises weekly runs or walks, known as hashes, every Monday at 6 pm or 1800. The trail is marked by the hare(s) using paper, chalk, sawdust, or coloured flour, depending on the environment and weather. Hashers follow the trail until they reach the end, with a few stops along the way. The hash location is usually posted a few days before the run, and anyone is welcome to join.

Hash House Harriers in Bahrain

BBH will be turning 41 years old this year and holds run/walks every Saturday at 5 pm. This group is perfect for those who want to round up their weekend and top up on their beer miles before starting the work week.

BH3 just completed its 52nd year and celebrated its 50th birthday with the Intergulf event, which was attended by over 110 hashers, both local and international. The runs/walks for this group are every Monday evening at interesting locations all over Bahrain. Some runs are themed, and there are costumes and patches. There are also annual events such as the red dress run and the desert dine out.

Both groups have Facebook pages and Instagram accounts where you can follow them for updates and check out their hareline for upcoming events.

Hash House Harriers: What is Hashing?

Hash House Harriers is a non-competitive running/walking club in Bahrain that is as old as the country itself. The club organises weekly runs/walks every Monday at 6 pm or 1800, with the hash location posted a few days prior. The runs/walks take place at interesting locations all over Bahrain, and some are themed, requiring costumes and patches. There are also annual events such as the red dress run and the desert dine out.

Hashing is all about following a trail marked by the "hare(s)" using paper, chalk, sawdust, or coloured flour (depending on the environment and weather). "Hashers" follow this trail until they reach the end of the run, with a few stops along the way.

The club is open to everyone, including friends, family, and pets. It costs 2 BD to participate in the hash for the day. Membership costs 30 BD per year, 25 BD for 9 months, 20 BD for 6 months, or 12 BD for 3 months. Members enjoy discounted rates on hash events, free drinks during the On-After, and free haberdashery.

Hash House Harriers: Who is welcome to join?

The Hash House Harriers (HHH or H3) is an international group of non-competitive running social clubs. An event organised by the club is known as a Hash or Run, or a Hash Run. The common denominal verb for this activity is Hashing, with participants calling themselves Hashers. Male members are referred to as Harriers and females are known as Harriettes.

The Hash House Harriers are humorously known as a "Drinking club with a running problem", with beer being the preferred beverage of consumption. Hashing originated in December 1938 in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, then in the Federated Malay States (now Malaysia). A group of British immigrants began meeting on Friday evenings, to run in a fashion patterned after the traditional British game of hare and hounds, in which one or two "hare" runners scatter a trail of cut paper for the "hounds" to track.

The Hash House Harriers are open to all, and anyone can join. Members include Marines guarding the local embassy, pilots, CEOs, recent graduates, expats, locals, marathoners, teetotalers, couch potatoes, multi-lingual math geniuses, and beach bums.

Most Hash events are open to the public and require no reservation or membership, but most require a small fee, referred to as "hash cash", to cover the costs incurred, such as food or drink. Some hash clubs have a hash home, which could be a bar, restaurant, resort, or a sports club. In that case, the hash always or almost always starts at the hash home. The club may then transport the hashers to some other location to start the run. Other clubs simply post the start online, and the hashers make their own way to that location. The run will then start and finish at that location.

Hash House Harriers: Run or Membership Fee?

The Hash House Harriers (HHH or H3) is an international group of non-competitive social running clubs. Members refer to themselves as "hashers" and to the activity as "hashing". The group is also humorously known as "a drinking club with a running problem", with beer being the preferred beverage of consumption.

Hashing originated in 1938 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when a group of British immigrants began meeting on Friday evenings to run in a fashion patterned after the traditional British game of hare and hounds. In this game, one or two "hares" scatter a trail of cut paper for the "hounds" to track. Harriers reaching the end of the trail would partake of beer, ginger beer, and cigarettes.

Hashing ceased after the Japanese invasion of Malaya during World War II, but was restarted in 1946 after the war. The idea spread through the Far East and the South Pacific, Europe, and North America, expanding rapidly during the mid-1970s. Today, there are thousands of Hash House Harrier clubs worldwide, with members distributing newsletters, directories, and magazines, and organising regional and world hashing events.

Most hashing clubs gather on a weekly or monthly basis, with some events occurring sporadically. At a hash, one or more members ("hares") lay a trail, which is then followed by the remainder of the group (the "pack" or "hounds"). Paper, flour, or chalk are usually used to mark the trail. The trail periodically ends at a "check", where the pack must find where it begins again. The trail may include false trails, short cuts, dead ends, check backs, and splits, designed to keep the pack together despite differences in fitness level or running speed.

While some groups place more focus on socialising, others emphasise the running aspect. In general, hash events are open to the public and do not require a reservation or membership. However, most require a small fee, referred to as "hash cash", to cover costs such as food or drink.

Some hash clubs have a "hash home", which could be a bar, restaurant, resort, or sports club, where the hash always or almost always starts. The club may then transport the hashers to another location to start the run.

The Perth Hash House Harriers, established in 1970, is an example of a club that charges an annual membership fee. The fee is $200 per year and includes a club t-shirt, access to the club's Facebook page, and other benefits. Visitors can pay a $20 fee, which includes three tokens for drinks.

In Bahrain, there are two Hash House Harrier chapters: the Bahrain Black Hash (BBH), which meets every Saturday at 5 pm, and the Bahrain Hash House Harriers (BH3), which meets every Monday evening.

Hash House Harriers: Benefits of Membership

The Hash House Harriers is Bahrain's first "drinking club with a running problem!" It is a non-competitive running/walking club that is as old as Bahrain itself. The club holds weekly runs/walks, with the BH3 chapter running every Monday evening and the BBH chapter running every Saturday at 5 pm. The runs/walks take place at interesting locations all over Bahrain, and some are themed, with costumes and patches.

Benefits of Membership

• Community: The Hash House Harriers is a social club that welcomes everyone, including friends, family, and pets! It is a great way to meet people and stay connected, as evidenced by their annual reunion runs.
• Exercise: The club provides an opportunity for members to stay active through running or walking, with the flexibility to choose based on their fitness levels and preferences.
• Exploring Bahrain: The runs/walks take place at various locations across Bahrain, allowing members to explore different parts of the country and discover new places.
• Themed Events: Some of the runs are themed, adding an element of fun and creativity to the experience. Members can dress up in costumes and participate in unique events like the red dress run and the desert dine-out.
• Affordability: Membership fees are affordable, with options for different durations, and members benefit from discounted rates on hash events, free drinks, and occasional freebies like haberdashery.
• Flexibility: The club offers flexibility in terms of attendance and membership duration. You can choose to participate in individual runs for a small fee or become a member for a longer period, with options ranging from 3 months to a year.
• Socializing: The club provides an excellent opportunity for socializing and making new friends. The runs often have several stops along the way, and the "On-After" events offer free drinks and a chance to mingle.
• International Connection: The Hash House Harriers is an international group, so members can connect with similar clubs and hashers worldwide, stay connected with the hashing community even when they move to a different location, and participate in international events.
• Variety: The club offers variety in terms of run locations, themes, and events, ensuring that members always have something new and exciting to look forward to.
• Tradition: The Hash House Harriers has a long tradition in Bahrain, with the BH3 chapter recently completing its 52nd year. Members become part of this longstanding community and can carry on the tradition for years to come.

Frequently asked questions