Aug
17

Scout Camp 2015

Author // Gadget
Posted in // Scouts

This year our Scouts headed to Broadstone Warren Scout Campsite, in the middle of the Ashdown Forest. With Point 5 unable to make this years camp due to a recent knee op Gadget again took up the challenge.

We left on Sunday morning and with a clear run arrived at lunchtime. It’s amazing how much food a Scout seems able to squeeze into a small day sack. Some of them are like magician’s hat’s, they just keep pulling food from them. One highlight of the week was after the usual talk re bites, cuts, wildlife, behave, etc Gadget was asked if we would see bears. The Scouts seemed a bit taken back when Gadget answered yes there was a chance. It took them 30 minutes to ask will we really see a bear. Gadget replied with, yes there is a chance, there is a bear that lives in this forest. It’s normally seen walking with a small piglet, a rabbit and a depressed donkey, if you see it, it answers to the name Winnie. He then went on to explain that the Ashdown Forest is the 100 Acre Wood. Pooh corner and Pooh sticks bridge were only a few miles away. What he didn’t expect was the cries of Wow! this is were they filmed Winnie the Pooh!

Having set up Camp it was time for Burgers and Hot Dogs before the Scouts disappeared for the first of their many rounds of Man Hunt. With the Scouts gone for a while the Leaders sat down with a cuppa and listened. We couldn’t hear anyone else, we couldn’t see anyone else, it really was an amazing location. Now, the Scouts, having listened to the Leaders say “if your rolling around playing man hunt I would suggest you wear long trousers and sleeves” slowly began to return with all their cuts and scratches from rolling around play man hunt it shorts and T Shirt’s! Radar’s pen was almost smoking filling in the first aid book.

As we sat back with supper Gadget pointed up and said “any second now, over the top of them trees …..” and there it was, the International Space Station flying over. The first of many a pass we watched, some nights even getting two. Despite telling the Scouts that it’s orbiting at approximately 200 miles up and moving at 17000mph some Scouts still insisted on waving and shouting hello!

Monday

During the course of the week the Scouts needed to collect, saw and chop firewood. Along with various meals or bits of meals that were cooked on the fire it was also used for the Kelly Kettles. These are great and were the first thing to get going in the morning as they boiled the water a lot quicker than the Burco (for those interested we have a new Burco. It loves Gadget, lights with one click. It hates Radar!).  You fill them with water and set a fire in the base, place the kettle over the fire and feed it wood, pine cones, etc through the chimney in the middle and it boils in a couple of minutes, allegedly. Some days you could go for a shower, come back and there would be a pot of tea waiting. Other mornings you could go for a shower come back and they were still trying to light the fire! but they learnt and by the end of the week they had it nailed.

First activity on Monday was the Grass Sledging. Great going down, not as great dragging the sledge back up! Monday afternoon should have been the Zip wire but this was cancelled and moved to Wednesday, only later to be cancelled altogether so we had ago at some orienteering. We handed a camera to a team and said get us some photos as your going round the site. Don’t ever hand a camera to a bunch of Scouts and ask them to get photos, they won’t be exactly what you requested. We have left a few, not all of them, in the gallery below. See if you can guess who the team was!

Tuesday

First up Tuesday was Fencing. Again we had a minor complication with the booking of that. The office pointed out that it was only 8 per session and Gadget had only booked two session, not enough for 20 Scouts. This was soon resolved with a third session once Gadget pointed out that their booking form says Fencing, max 12 per session. What happens to a Scout when you put a Fencing outfit on them? Some turn into an instant Musketeer, some seem to become a Jedi and some lose the ability to walk and can only gallop around the hall. Even with an instructor holding them down by the shoulders they can still only gallop!

The afternoon and we were on the low rope course. Those shouting it’s easy, just do this and that weren’t as cocky once they got on them. Many a Scout hit the floor. The best way seemed to be to pull a really weird face usually with your tongue out as this helps concentration.

Wednesday

Today was Gadgets challenge. We were going to get the Scouts to survive 24 hours without the kitchen tent, gas, cookers, etc, build shelters and learn a few bush craft skills. However, with the zip wire being cancelled on Monday an alternative activity was booked and put in for this afternoon so the plan of all being on site all day sort of fell apart. The Scouts did start by cooking their breakfast over the fire. Bacon, egg, beans and a fried slice. It took 3 hours but by the time it came too the evening meal they had learnt from the mistakes in the morning and the pasta bolognese was sorted in no time. It’s amazing what team work can do. When they all pulled together it was much better than 3 doing everything why the other 17 watch. Lunch time was Super Noodles and instead of using the Trangia’s (Stoves that burn Methylated Spirits) Gadget had a load of Hobo stoves that he had made from drinks cans. We would have got the Scouts to make them but after a few Gadgets hands looked like he had been shaking hands with Wolverine! It worked great with a mess tin placed over the stove, the noodles took no time. During the afternoon we also tried the boiling water in a plastic bottle on a fire. Not by hanging it over it but by placing it in the embers on the fire, it works!

The re booked activity for the afternoon was the Jacobs Ladder. Again teamwork would come to the fore as they need to help each other up. The higher you go the rungs get further apart. Knowing that some of the Scouts are not the greatest lovers of heights it wasn’t surprising when a few only got to the first 2 rungs.

We also had a bit of rain and drizzle during the day so that also put paid to some of the plans. Don’t worry they will all come out next survival camp.

Thursday

Thursday morning and we had the Pot Holes activity. A huge mound with various entries and exits to explore. Didn’t get may pictures as they was no way Gadget was getting in there. Would have been just like the scene when Winnie the Pooh got stuck, even the Scouts said the tunnels were a bit small. No point in giving the Scouts a camera!

In the afternoon we had the Pole Joust, it was like a large inflatable pillow fight.

Friday

Friday mornings activity was Climbing. Knowing that some don’t like heights and having seen them on the Jacob’s Ladder we really wasn’t expecting much of some of the Scouts. However, just when you think you know them they surprise you! Some would shoot straight up the wall. Some would get 6 feet from the floor and say they couldn’t go any higher, some would get half way, some would get two thirds of the way up and be shaking, we even had tears. But with encouragement from Gadget, Tom our Instructor, Lucy, Elliott and Joe, every Scout that went to the climbing wall made it to the top and rung the bell. I thought some were going to burst when their feet got back on the ground they were so excited. We are so proud of every one of you that did the climbing. You helped and encouraged each other, you faced your fears and pushed yourselves beyond what you thought you could do, you certainly pushed past what we thought you could do. Unfortunately that means “I can’t ” is no longer an option.

We squeezed in a couple more of the Inflatable activities during the afternoon.

One highlight of the last day (along side the Pizza and Ice Cream) is it’s Crumpet Friday! We shut Lucy one of our Young Leaders in the kitchen tent and she makes homemade crumpets for lunch. Don’t think we hit the 100+ from last year but can’t have been far short, however, this years quality was far better. Well done Lucy.

So that was it, camp was over. Saturday morning and the kit was loaded and back home.

One of the great things on camp is the quality of the meals that are produced three times a day from a couple of gas burners and a fire. This year we added a few different ones throwing in a Paella and a Stir fry which seemed to go down very well. We also made flatbreads on a hot plate over the fire, so quick and easy and they taste great. Okay the Angel Delight wasn’t great but these things happen. It just wouldn’t set!

It wouldn’t happen with out a lot of work from a few people. A huge huge thank you to Akela & Baggy for driving Scouts to site and collecting again at the end, we wouldn’t have got there without them. Big, big thank you to Radar, Coach, Gizmo, Joe and Lucy I couldn’t do it without your help.

A massive thank you to Broadstone Warren and all the Instructors. What a brilliant site. If you could get some sort of ski lift up that hill it would be even better! we will be back.

And of course the Scouts. Watching some of you on that climbing wall, pushing yourselves beyond what you said you could do, was amazing. It makes every minute of planning and pulling your hair out worth it. I am so proud of every one of you. Thanks for another brilliant week. Roll on next year!!

Now to sit down and go through all the badges they have achieved

See you all in September, we have a busy term coming up. District ADUTT competition at the end of Sept. We will probably throw in a Survival Camp. Still trying to sort an Anglers Badge day. Then it’s the National Pedal Car Olympics after Christmas. Woohoo!

Have a great break, see you all soon.

 

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