The Old Queen's Head, Ford Street, Aldham
Having arrived earlier than expected Becci, Helen and I were keen to take advantage of meeting at a pub. The Landlord was a bit flustered by our asking for a drink at 10.30 in the morning until he realised we meant coffee.
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Becci and Helen decided this was a really nice way to start a Saturday morning |
There were a good number of us including some who would be walking and it wasn't long before the Hares gave us the call to get started.
The village is very attractive with lots of timbered buildings and a bridge over the river Colne but it is marred by the number of cars passing through Ford Street. We got off the main road by another pretty pub and then found ourselves in some lovely countryside.
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No shortage of pubs in this part of the world |
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Always a comfort to know! |
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Fordham Hall Estates are part of the Woodland Trust you can read a little bit about them here |
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A perfectly placed seat for taking in the beauty of this area |
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A loving Hash House Harrier Husband (in blue) encourages his wife to keep running ahead to look for the route (you can just about see her in the distance!) |
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It seemed every time we stopped more Hashers appeared |
There were still some Farmers working on their harvest and at this farm they were busy cleaning lots of tractors.
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Safely past the pressure washer |
This hash gave us some wonderful views and we found ourselves at All Saints Church, Fordham.
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Now why you would need to 'book your space' for a Psychic Night at The Three Horseshoes surely they already know you are coming. |
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Sweetie break |
Some of us used our newly thought about psychic powers to deduce that the trail led straight across the field rather than the edges.
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Once we called 'on on' the other runners converged towards us from both sides |
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David encouraged by the other hashers sets off to find the trail |
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Our lovely younger Hashers looking as fresh as daisies whilst the rest of us follow them panting and glowing!! |
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We weren't the only ones out enjoying the lovely Autumn day |
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Deep in discussion |
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And here is someone who looks deep in thought |
These are precious days of Autumn - warm and dry and perfect for Hashing.
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We look a bright and colourful lot today |
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Running off into the wild blue yonder but is it the right way? |
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Just what we Hashers love - a long steep hill at the end of a run!
We were out for about an hour and had run about five miles and were now ready for 'Home' (aka the pub).
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David admiring "Goliath's" very cool motor bike (I'm sorry but there just isn't another nickname so appropriate) |
The pub has recently been refurbished and the Publican and his family were very friendly and the sandwiches were delicious and very welcome after our exertions.
Now I know you must all be thinking: but where is our favourite Hasher!
Well he joined us at the Pub after the run for a well-earned pint of beer - yes it was 'Whowears'. He and his friend had been cycling all the way from Mersea visiting Churches raising money for their upkeep (the Churches that is). Then he was setting off again with some of the Hashers for a twenty mile circular ride from the pub before he cycled back to Mersea (taking in more Churches along the way) - what an inspiration for keeping yourself fit!
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Mmm...those shorts are a bit long!!
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No distances in the usual stats as I didn't set my watch properly but here is part of the route and the weather:
The Museum Trust had been able to raise some funds which they used to have the bones analysed by an expert Osteoarchaeologist (ancient bone specialist) Jaqueline McKinley who they had seen on the programme Time Team. She was able to tell them that it seemed to the remains of a man aged between 35 and 45 who had been physically active but had developed a disease of the joints giving him some stiffness and spinal pain but would not have caused his death.
One of the most important discoveries about this particular burial was that there was a sticky black resinous material on the bones which on further analysis turned out to contain frankincense which has never before been found on any British burial of the Roman time.
I was really glad I had taken the time to visit the Barrow and discover so much about the burial. Best of all is that as there is so little known about the man we can create our own story for him. I think he might have been a 'big shot' in Colchester's Roman Circus and that he brought wealth to the local people here on Mersea at the time and so they gave him a hero's burial - well that's my idea for him anyway!
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