Awesome school and lots of fun

Cubs Camp and So Do Their Dads!!

Imagine a Forest glade, only twenty minutes from the school, and approached by two foot bridges. On a sunny summer afternoon the canopy is brilliant green and cool, and lush wild grasses rampant. There was a swimming pool and a crackling pit fire.

The tents for thirty Cubs were up within 30 minutes and the great billowing palaces of the Dads, a little longer.

Little did they know an aerial armada of a gazillion midges lay in wait to defend the perfect campsite. Capture the Flag seemed a sensible alternative.

There were fajitas for Friday's dinner, and despite the citronella torches and Jungle strength repellant, a modicum of discomfort. The deliberately smokey campfire was a balm!

With the fall of darkness, an amazing quiet descended as the Dads gathered round the campfire.

Saturday came too soon for some as the camp was roused, croissants and hot chocolate dispensed, and then the vans were loaded for the sortie. We were going to Brownsea, the hallowed ground where Robert Stephensen Baden-Powell hosted the first camp in 1907. The camp that heralded the birth of the world's largest youth movement.

"I spent my youth teaching men to make war, I shall spent my old age teaching children to make peace." B.-P. accurately predicted.

We parked courtesy of the Presslands, in their drive at Sandbanks and then over forty strong and loaded with supplies for lunch, boarded the ferry. The National Trust provided a pirate's map to explore and by midday we were at fabled Pottery Pier as the groups and Dads re-assembled with their tales of adventure.

It was quick march along the shore to the Scout camp and lunch where buns and drinks were consumed in the hot sun before two groups dispersed to enjoy the Baden-Powell Experience.

Our ferry home was at 4.15 and by four we were lining up at the harbour, ice lollies in hand for the trip home to a fabulous bar-b q cooked by the pool and then a campfire sing song in the dell.

Sunday was a lazy lie in till 0700 and then with the year sixes confidently cooking over an open fire, the Cubs set off for a ramble to Black Barrow and its crown of silver birch. There a was a hint of bacon on the air as they charged down the hill for breakfast.

Mid morn we had a swim in the pool and then struck camp for the march across the bogs to Ogdens and the Hyde Shop for ice lollies, and the welcome vision of the buses for the final leg to school.

Twenty-eight was the record for bug bites on one Cub, while the whole Pack must have accounted for a total of at least a 100 ticks, most expertly removed by our Tick Finder General. Thanks to all the dads who came along to help!

The Labrador is exhausted.

There are more pictures here!

 

 

16/06/2010