With the incredibly wet weather we have had, it was unfortunate that a number of accommodation huts were decommissioned, however working with the camp site we were able to accommodate the Explorers in the serviceable village huts with alternative accommodation being provided for the Scouts in the Barcwood building by the fishing lake.
Friday afternoon started with a safety brief on bushcraft tools: Open fires, Whittling knives, Axe and Saw followed by an afternoon collecting fire wood, creating an impressive wood pile from a recently felled old oak with marsh mellow sticks being fashioned along with an ember fire to cook the evening meal of beef burgers, beans and jacket potatoes.
With the amount of surface water it was decided to have a quiz night in the marque rather than planned ‘Wide Game’, followed by hot chocolate and cakes before the long walk for the Scouts back to their accommodation.
Saturday after breakfast we worked our way through the academic topics of the ‘Climbing Badge’: equipment, slings, carabiners, stitch plate, figure of eight, ropes, environment and clothing before going through the required knots. We then split in to teams with one lot practicing their skills on the boldering wall and the others learning belaying and the climbing calls, before switching around.
Saturday lunch of soups, sandwiches and fruit included pizza dough preparation, ready for the evening pizza party. From 14:00-17:00 we had all three faces of climbing wall open, two abseils and four climbs resulting in 8 Scouts achieving their climbing badge with many more completing aspects of the activity badge. We also opened up the Cresta-Run as well as the Inflat-Bull during the afternoon for those who were not climbing. In the evening we lit up the new wood fired pizza oven, with everyone making their own pizza’s choosing their own toppings, and queuing to have it cooked. With the camp fire roaring, songs were sung, stories were told along with a wide game before hot chocolate and bed.
Sunday we got up, packed and cleaned our accommodation prior to breakfast followed by field games and a ‘Scouts Own’ with both the Scouts and Explorers providing their thoughts and insights to what Scouting has provided, friendship, adventure, working as a team and what the future could be. Then we said our thanks, preparing for parents to come and collect.
