Weekend forecast: Friday, rain. Saturday, rain. Sunday, rain.
Oh good.
Fortunately the weekend went a lot smoother than that (with the odd little hitch). Friday night we arrived, dropped gear and went off for the fish and chip walk. This was an intergroup activity as the walk included the cubs as well as the scouts and their respective parents (and dogs).
After filling up (and getting ourselves some matches) we walked back to the campsite and lit a fire. Still no rain.
Saturday night was very cold - the sky was completely cloudless. Whilst everyone was generally warm we did find it a little hard to sleep and woke early on the saturday to get the fire lit. After a fairly late breakfast (9am) which demonstrated to the scouts that even if you get up at 7am unless you get a fire going quick you can't start cooking until you've got some quality embers, we made camp gadgets.
We started off with the dead simple and necessary wet and dry pit, then moved onto washbowl stand, plate rack, mug tree, billy tree, washing line and finally shoe scraper. Lunch was a simple ploughmans affair and was followed by a hike from camp supposidly to Belchamps and back via a cicular route.
Unforunately the leader organising hadn't had a chance to walk it and by the time they were supposed to be back and lighting fires they were still about five miles away. One taxi ride later and since I was sitting around the fire was good and strong on their return dinner was cooked in short order.
Campfire started at 8pm and was the first 'real' campfire the PLAPLs had taken part in. We arrived at the fire with 'anywhere we go' and lit to 'campfire burning'. First stunt took some organising - it was my magical multiplying wall. Whatever you throw over is thrown back many times multiplied. First came the example conkers and wood. Then I made a cup of tea using teabags (need lots of those at camp) little cartons of milk (snatched from McDonalds), packets of sugar, then finally the water (Resulting in the scout who was throwing the stuff over the wall getting a good soaking - or would have if he'd stayed still).
Several campfire stunts & songs later we returned to camp for a few games of cards and bed.
Sunday it rained. A much warmer night though. Unfortunately we'd used all the kindling on the fire the night before. It'd been quite windy and if we hadn't we wouldn't have had much chance of lighting it. We did however show them where to find dry kindling (in the middle of bushes) and that even wet kindling worked if you got thin enough bushes. Fire alight food was all cooked by ten giving plenty of time to take down and hang up the gear at our hall to dry out. How comes it always rains on the last day?
Oh good.
Fortunately the weekend went a lot smoother than that (with the odd little hitch). Friday night we arrived, dropped gear and went off for the fish and chip walk. This was an intergroup activity as the walk included the cubs as well as the scouts and their respective parents (and dogs).
After filling up (and getting ourselves some matches) we walked back to the campsite and lit a fire. Still no rain.
Saturday night was very cold - the sky was completely cloudless. Whilst everyone was generally warm we did find it a little hard to sleep and woke early on the saturday to get the fire lit. After a fairly late breakfast (9am) which demonstrated to the scouts that even if you get up at 7am unless you get a fire going quick you can't start cooking until you've got some quality embers, we made camp gadgets.
We started off with the dead simple and necessary wet and dry pit, then moved onto washbowl stand, plate rack, mug tree, billy tree, washing line and finally shoe scraper. Lunch was a simple ploughmans affair and was followed by a hike from camp supposidly to Belchamps and back via a cicular route.
Unforunately the leader organising hadn't had a chance to walk it and by the time they were supposed to be back and lighting fires they were still about five miles away. One taxi ride later and since I was sitting around the fire was good and strong on their return dinner was cooked in short order.
Campfire started at 8pm and was the first 'real' campfire the PLAPLs had taken part in. We arrived at the fire with 'anywhere we go' and lit to 'campfire burning'. First stunt took some organising - it was my magical multiplying wall. Whatever you throw over is thrown back many times multiplied. First came the example conkers and wood. Then I made a cup of tea using teabags (need lots of those at camp) little cartons of milk (snatched from McDonalds), packets of sugar, then finally the water (Resulting in the scout who was throwing the stuff over the wall getting a good soaking - or would have if he'd stayed still).
Several campfire stunts & songs later we returned to camp for a few games of cards and bed.
Sunday it rained. A much warmer night though. Unfortunately we'd used all the kindling on the fire the night before. It'd been quite windy and if we hadn't we wouldn't have had much chance of lighting it. We did however show them where to find dry kindling (in the middle of bushes) and that even wet kindling worked if you got thin enough bushes. Fire alight food was all cooked by ten giving plenty of time to take down and hang up the gear at our hall to dry out. How comes it always rains on the last day?
Anyway, best part was the reviews afterwards "best camp we've been on" was the overall view and now we're happy they know what we expect when they go off on a patrol camp!
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