Summer camp 2018

Summer Camp 2018

From 5th to 10th August we camped at Thriftwood Scout Campsite, and sampled lots of the activities on offer! Our Cubs and Scouts spent almost the entire week out of doors, cooking every meal over an open fire (OK, we had takeaway pizza one night!)

Activities

Kayaking
Cresta run
Slacklining
Orienteering
Assault course
'Ice' climbing
Raft building
3D maze
Inflata-bull
Zip lining
Archery

Day out

We had a day out at Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker, learning about the Cold War and how people would have survived if there was ever a nuclear bomb.

Badges

Well done to the Cub and Scout who managed to earn five badges each!! All that hard work does pay off when you get to display your achievements on your sleeve.

Cost

The cost of the camp was £120 and included a camp t-shirt and souvenir badge.

Programme

Sunday - we kicked off the camp with a kayaking session, learning to manoeuvre and paddle the boats. Next up was tobogganing on a wooden slope, before relaxing around the campfire.

Monday - after a leisurely breakfast we put up our slackline and everyone had a go at wobbling across. Then we had a go at orienteering, and learnt more about the layout of the campsite, before two of the Cubs cooked us lunch for their Backwoods Cooking badge. Next we raced around the assault course, then enjoyed a wide game organised by the campsite - sort of like a giant game of hide and seek, with hundreds of players in an enormous wood, in the dark and with a time limit!

Tuesday - we tried climbing using 'schmooling' hooks, which simulate ice climbing (and of course make a regular climbing wall much more difficult....) before an early lunch. Then we headed back down to the lake to build our own rafts to try to float! One of them fell apart on its way to the water, but the others stayed together long enough to be paddled the whole way round the lake - before the other groups pulled them apart to make sure everyone got soaked! After a splash war, swimming races and water tag, the leaders eventually persuaded the Cubs and Scouts that they needed showers to get rid of the lake mud. In the evening, we baked potatoes in the embers of the fire for our dinner.

Wednesday - the Cubs and Scouts voted on their activities for the rest of the camp, so we started the day with the 3D maze - an artificial 4-floor caving system built in a shed! Despite a few fears, by the end of the session everyone managed to make it round in the pitch dark. In the afternoon, it was the session everyone had been looking forward to - the Splash session. There was a zip line dropping into the lake, a massive water slide, a lawnmower-powered kayak, a slip and slide into a paddling pool, five different giant inflatables (assault course, gladiator duel, a bouncy castle, a giant slide and a demolition game) and a swimming area. After an incredible and busy day, the Cubs and Scouts actually got an early night as they were so tired!

Thursday - we got the bus up to Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker and spent the day exploring what would have been the home of British government if a nuclear bomb ever hit Britain. It was an amazing piece of history (and a great way to get out of the rain!). Afterwards, we had a go on an inflatable rodeo bull then compensated for our rained-out BBQ by ordering pizza and ice cream! At the site campfire in the evening, after a rousing chorus of 'I'm Singing in the Rain', we suddenly found we really were singing in pouring rain...

Friday - our last day came all too fast, and we packed up in torrential rain! After trying zip lining and archery, it was time to say goodbye to the campsite and all the people who worked so hard to give us an amazing week, and head back to reality.