Skip to content

Martijn.be Posts

Homage to a Clansman 2024

Homage to a Clansman 2024

Published on 5 October 2024

Once again, the Scottish clans with members in Belgium, gathered in Ypres to pay homage to their kinsmen fallen in The Great War. This year, there were representatives of the clans Hay, MacLaren, Ramsay, MacKinnon, Lamont, Sutherland, MacLeod, MacMillan, and Scott.

Read here why I am a member of the Clan MacLaren Society

For the clan MacLaren, I was the only one member able to make it to the ceremony this year. I knew this quite a while In advance, so I was able to order a poppy wreath made at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, with the MacLaren clan crest and motto already mounted in it. Apart from the convenience, it is also nice to know that it keeps disabled ex-servicemen and women employed, and that the proceeds help out veterans and their families in Scotland.

So early on Saturday morning, I found myself at the train station in full, traditional Boy Scouts of Belgium uniform—including hat¹ and thumbstick—and my MacLaren kilt, to start my journey to Ypres. Earlier than I would have liked, but due to engineering works on the rail network my trip would include a replacement bus and take much longer than usually… Since it was a matter of of arriving 15 minutes late or 45 minutes early, I at least had some time for coffee and cake at local roastery SloWWings before the ceremony would start.

After meeting up with the other clansmen and clanswomen and the Grote Markt of Ypres, we marched to the Menin Gate, headed by the Clan Hay Pipe Band. After arrival, we waited for the stroke of twelve and the sound of the bugles playing The Last Post. The ceremony then started with a reading of the fourth stanza of “For the Fallen”, a poem written by Laurence Binyon:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

A representative of each clan than read out five names of their kinsmen fallen in Belgium and France in World War One. As the only Maclaren present, that honour fell to me. After that, each clan then in turn laid down a wreath. Again, for the MacLarens, for the first time, that honour fell to me.

After the ceremony we headed back to the Grote Markt of Ypres, for an aperitif in Clans Pub Les Halles, and a lunch in the In Flanders Field Museum café.

Since I had a long journey back to Brussels ahead of me, I said my goodbyes then and went back to the station, sadly missing out on the afternoon ceremony at the Scottish Memorial in Zonnebeke.

¹ The keen observer will have noticed the dents on my hat are wrong for a BSB hat. This is because I only replaced my old hat eaten away by moths the day before with a hat from the catholic scouts shop, and didn’t have time to reshape it.

Day 5 – Last Day, Last Hash…

Day 5 – Last Day, Last Hash…

Published on 21 September 2024 
Reached this post by just scrolling through my blog? 
If you want to read about this trip from start to finish, instead of in reverse order, click here!

On the last day of my trip I had one more hash to go, with London H3 this time, and at noon already. Once again, in the west of London, meaning another day spending quite a bit of time on trains again…

No hash with at least some food in my stomach, so my first stop of the day was at BrewDog Waterloo , for a Croissant Brunch Burger and some pancakes. Being at an Outpost, I had to try some of their beers brewed on site… Good morning!

After that, and had no time to lose, and took the South Western Railway to Barnes Bridge, from where the P trail lead me to The Coach and Horses pub, where the London H3 trail would start. It was a great hash to do as the last one during my London visit, but even though I only walked this one—I didn’t want to too sweaty on the Eurostar—if was definitely one of the longer ones!

After trail, it was time to get closer to my final departure station, and to my favourite London BrewDog bar: BrewDog Camden. I originally had other dinner plans, but since I was running a bit late, I just had some Korean loaded fries in the bar. 

Getting to the Eurostar station, through security, and onto the train: it all went pretty smoothly, so that marks the end of this trip.…

Day 4 – Tunnels & Taprooms

Day 4 – Tunnels & Taprooms

Published on 20 September 2024

No hashing on the fourth day, nor any BrewDog bars… Lots of taprooms on the schedule though, but first the Vagina Museum and the Brunel Museum!

Well, before that breakfast actually, and today exactly as planned: kejriwal—fried eggs on chilli cheese toast—at Dishoom! 

Then off to Bethnal Green, to the Vagina Museum. The tiny museum was quite interesting and educational—as are their toots—so I happily donated a bit to help them keep up the good work. 

Just a couple of railway arches down the track was coffee roastery La Tostadora. Here I learned that in Australia, my usual order of a double shot cortado with oat milk, is apparently called the “Magic”!

Another couple of railway arches further is Mother Kelly’s, where I bumped into Tasha, who I know from her Weird Beard Brew Co. days! The beer list was cracking, impossible to get through if I wanted to make it to another museum in time…

Ah That next museum was the Brunel Museum. Being a big fan of shows like “The Architecture the Railways Built”, I simply had to go there! As it turned out, it was a different Brunel who built the Thames Tunnel! While the famous Isambard Kingdom Brunel was involved for a while, it’s was actually the project of his father, Marc Brunel. Fun fact: my train to get there went through the tunnel the museum was about. 

And just like that, I ended up on the Bermondsey Beer Mile again, passing a couple of places I knew and liked, but I was here for one the newer additions: Mash Paddle Brewery. Did I mention that every single place I went to today so far—apart from the Brunel Museum—was in a railway arch?

Just a couple of minutes’ walk took me to the new The Kernel Brewery Taproom. Yes, another new one, it’s their third location I visited… As usual, a lovely cheese board from Neal’s Yard helped tie me over until dinner. 

From there it was an underground and overground ride to Distortion Brewing Company, another brewery I had never tried before. Well, I certainly missed out! And guess what? Another railway arch!

I actually had some beers by Mondo Brewing Company before at BBP Dansaert, but didn’t visit their brewery and taproom yet. It was also the perfect opportunity to have dinner, served by the resident pan-asian joint Kato Kitchen. You can’t go wrong with fried chicken and spicy noodles, can you?

From there it was back to the north, to Red Hand. Not a brewery this time, ‘just’ a beer bar. It definitely had a Friday night out vibe, so not your typical craft beer bar. Great music though, and some nice beers!

The last stop of the night was the House of Hammerton, a bar operated by Hammerton Brewery. I made it to their taproom once, but only just before last call… So tonight was a great opportunity to try some more beers of them. 

Day 3 – West, East, and West London Again!

Day 3 – West, East, and West London Again!

Published on 19 September 2024

While I covered quite a distance yesterday with my excursion to Enfield, today’s milage wouldn’t be much less, due to my destinations being in the western and eastern extremities of London. 

I had my heart set on a Syrian breakfast at Maroush Bakehouse this morning, but for some reason it was closed. The queues at my backup spot were horrendous, and even Gregg’s was way too busy! In the end, a Mighty McMuffin had to do…

After that, I was off to the London Transport Museum Depot, which by sheer coincidence had their open days this week. I did the Pallet Racking Curator Tour, and lots of just looking around. They were even selling pieces of underground moquette seat covers!

Since I was that far west already, I went to Artisan Coffee for my cortado. On my way there I passed BrewDog Ealing, and thought it would be rude not to go there for a beer afterwards. The next beer stop, at BeerKat, actually was planned, although I didn’t really plan on having a DIPA and a TIPA already that early in the day…

I had plenty of time to recover on the Elizabeth line to Canary Wharf though, where I visited the London Museum Docklands. Pretty neat for a free museum!

While in the area, I had to revisit the refurbished BrewDog Canary Wharf, although I couldn’t remember what it looked like before… To prepare me for more drinking—and some running—I had this month’s special, the Chor-ree-tho burger. 

By then it was already time to get ready for my run with the West London Hash. The start was in Richmond: true to their name, quite far west. Definitely the darkest run of the week, I hardly ever switched off my head torch! 

After the run and circle, I joined some hasher friends in the Richmond Tap Tavern, for a last couple of beers. 

Day 2 – Muffins, Money, and More…

Day 2 – Muffins, Money, and More…

Published on 18 September 2024

My second day in London started with a full English Muffin Man breakfast, to prepare me for a day full of activities, ranging from ‘House’ visits, to meeting more Hash House Harriers…

In a place called Muffin Man, I had to have a muffin of course, so I ordered a toasted buttered English muffin in addition to the already more than filling breakfast…

The house I visited, was Leighton House, the former home and studio of the leading Victorian artist, Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896), on the edge of Holland Park. I hadn’t heard of him before this trip, but it must have been quite a character, and he left us a beautiful house!

Back in the centre, I visited the Bank of England Museum. A nice little exhibition, but most importantly: I got to touch and lift a real gold bar!

My selected coffee bar of the day was Rosslyn Coffee. Standing place only, baking in the sun, but what a location!

From there it was just a short walk to Pelt Trader, where I enjoyed a couple of beers, and their Sussex Hot pizza. By the time I finished it, I realised I was actually quite far ahead on schedule, which meant the next bar I planned to go to wasn’t open yet…

Luckily The Rake—the bar I finally went to in June—was only a London Bridge away, so I decided to cross the Thames and spend some time there. As expected, they once again had a great selection of beers!

After that The Bolter was open, so I had a last couple of beers there, before heading back to the hotel to change into my running kilt. 

The Piccadilly line was acting up a bit today, so I had to leave a little bit earlier to make it to Enfield in time to run with the Enfield Hash. By the time I arrived at The Cricketers pub, they had already almost finished chalk talk, so I gave my bag to Mick Mac—one of the Brussels hashers, but an Enfield native—and we took off! 

After returning in the pub, I managed to wolf down a steak and ale pie before circle started, so I was ready for a last beer stop before going back to the hotel. 

That last stop was in BrewDog Soho, a bar I hadn’t been in six years! I arrived just fifteen minutes before last call, so after two beers, I was on my way to a shower and my bed…