Never heard of a hash? Welcome — you're in for a treat. Here's everything you need to know before your first run (we promise it's more fun than it sounds, and you don't have to be a runner).
So… what is a Hash?
The Hash House Harriers are a global, gloriously non-serious social club, best described as "a drinking club with a running problem." Part trail run, part treasure hunt, part travelling party — it's a couple of hours of fresh air, daft fun, and good company, usually finished off with a cold drink and a lot of laughing.
It all started in 1938 in Kuala Lumpur, when a band of homesick expats went chasing paper trails through the jungle to work off the weekend. Nearly a century later, there are hashes in almost every city on earth — and turning up to one, anywhere in the world, feels like being handed an instant set of friends.
How a run works
It's loosely based on the old British game of "Hare and Hounds":
- A few volunteers — the Hares — lay a trail ahead of time using blobs of flour, chalk, or paper.
- Everyone else — the Hounds — follows it, calling "On-On!" when they find the way.
- The trail is full of checks, false trails, and dead ends on purpose. They scatter the speedy folk down the wrong path so the pack keeps bunching back together — which means fast or slow, runner or walker, nobody gets left behind.
- It is not a race. Front-runners and gentle strollers finish as friends.
Afterwards comes the Circle — a cheerfully ridiculous ceremony of songs, silly awards, and "down-downs" (a drink, alcoholic or not, raised to newcomers, hares, and anyone who did something daft). Stick around long enough and you'll earn a hash name of your own. Don't worry — you won't get to choose it.
Will I survive it?
Almost certainly. You don't need to be fit, fast, or a runner at all — walkers are genuinely welcome, and there's always a shorter, gentler route. First-timers (affectionately called "virgins") are looked after, fussed over, and absolutely not allowed to feel like outsiders.
Bring: shoes you don't mind getting muddy, some water, a bit of cash for food and drinks, and a sense of humour. That's it.
The Guangzhou Hash House Harriers
The Guangzhou Hash House Harriers (GZH3) are the city's own chapter — a warm, rowdy, wonderfully mixed crowd of locals and expats who've been chasing trails through Guangzhou's parks, villages, and hillsides for years. It's one of the easiest ways in the city to meet people, see corners of Guangzhou you'd never find on your own, and end the week with a proper laugh.
- When: Saturdays at 13:00
- Where: Cloud Westfood Bar — our open-air home base for eating, drinking, and gathering before and after the trail
- Who: absolutely everyone — runners, walkers, first-timers, families, visitors passing through. No membership, no commitment, no experience required.
How do you join? You just turn up. Come as you are, say hello, tell us you're a virgin (it's a compliment here), and we'll take it from there.
On-On!