This year 5th Dartford Explorers and Scouts from the their three troops (Earley, Burne & Medcalf) camped as a group at Broadstone Warren going back to basics, focusing on bushcraft and scouting skills.

Saturday 30 Jul – Arrived for lunch setting up camp, and the on to the orienteering challenge locating the 20 points with in the  camp site 400 acres which is a part of the Ashdown forest. All members refreshed their knife, axe and saw knowledge and completed a safety assessment. Dinner of spaghetti bolognese was prepared beforehand by Karen which was enjoyed by all, followed by a wide game and hot chocolate and cake before bed.

Sunday 31 Jul – The leaders helped the scouts to locate the outstanding orienteering points and collected wood for patrol cooking later that evening. The first camp site activity of the Cube Course (High  Ropes) was undertaken. The Explorers and Scout patrols prepared spatcock chicken and vegetables for a roast dinner on a one fire which was very successfully followed by clear evening where were able to star gaze and identify the north star by the plough constellation.

Monday 01 Aug – The patrols continued with their own cooking in the morning preparing eggs (french toast, scrambled, fried) followed by pot holing exploring the artificial cave network finishing with a patrol competition of the quickest team through the system. Following lunch two teams were formed for the raft building, which were well built and withstood several laps of the pond until pirate raids of each vessel resulted in all getting wet. The evening meal comprised of own made burgers with mash and beans being centrally provided. The Explorers set up a hammock communion area. Then it started to rain.

Tuesday 02 Aug – The patrols cooked their own breakfast of bacon sandwiches, with the scouts championing the climbing and abseiling tower in the morning with Explorers manning the campsite dryer. In the afternoon fun and games were had on Water Rollers with the patrols preparing chicken wraps for dinner.

Wednesday 03 Aug – Sausages were cooked with Pioneering projects being constructed in the morning, the explorers building a catapult which throw footballs, and the scouts building an A-frame and tripod which could hold all the scouts, explorers as well as a few leaders. The scouts built their own shelters in the afternoon, however with the wood ants and other forest inhabitants they all slept in hammocks, with the Explorers having a fencing lessons with it being a curry night, Beef Madras and Chicken Korma was enjoyed by all.

Thursday 04 Aug – All enjoyed the Sumo Wrestling, with the older Scouts and a number of Explorers setting of for the overnight expedition with the those remains in camp partaking in the low ropes. Once again heavy rain was endured whilst on the walk, however stopped early evening allowing the walkers to dry out before arriving at Backlands farm their destination, with a combination of meals prepared on trangias and the new expedition tents being used by the scouts and explorers with the leaders string the hammocks in the trees.

Friday 05 Aug – The Scouts and Explorers navigated their way back to camp with the younger scouts cleaning out their tents and visiting the showers. All went shopping to Forrest Row shopping for Ready Steady Cook competition, enjoying ice-cream and sweets whilst there. The four patrols lead by the experienced explorers created four completed different 2 course meals which were of a very high standard, with the Paella winning. Once every thing was cleared away we enjoyed a blazing log fire sharing stories and song.

Saturday 06 Aug – With a centrally provided breakfast of cereals and bacon sandwiches all took to the task of striking camp with the parents collecting the youth members at lunch time.

I would like to thank all the leaders for all their help and assistance ensuring the camp, food, activities and young members enjoyed a safe activity filled camp, with many taking leave from work to make the camp possible.

Paul Boreham