Phew!

Everyone is home and the reports, which have reached my ears, are all positive. It was an amazing weekend and we filled it to the brim.

Yes, the Scouts did get the water fight!
(Note leader with a Billy and Scout with a mug!

Let me know what you thought of it by commenting on the blog and look on the Group website for more photographs.

Guess what...we can repeat it all in two weeks time at the District Centenary camp. I will be there, will you????

Time to go home

The Cubs and Beavers have left site and are hopefully home or on the way home telling tales of their camp exploits and adventures!

The Scouts are just about packed up, having decided against backwoods cooking. The Met Office say the temperature is  28 °C and so it was felt a blazing fire was not going to be the most appropriate activity, the new plan is, yes you guessed it, a Water fight! Then time to head home for one and all.

I will update you more once the kit is put away, both at the HQ and at home and we have all had time to recover.

Scouts' Own

The Group gather together for Scouts' Own and Flag break.

Food Glorious Food

Whilst the Beavers and Cubs are being fed and watered by the leadership team, the Scouts are fending for themselves.

They soon learn how to cook up a storm and enjoy taking part in providing for themselves and others. This morning started with the Scouts sizzling sausages, frying bacon and making eggy bread (French toast).

What could be better than the aroma of a cooked breakfast wafting across a campsite in the cool air of a Sunday morning?

Another campfire is burning

The Scouts enjoy their campfire after a long and busy day

Campfires burning...

Badger starting off the campfire songs for the Beavers and Cubs...no need to say any more really.

UKCC drops by and we dine al fresco

Evening meal

Undaunted by the weather last night, we set up camp and then headed out for a wide game. After everyone was tired out we settled down into our tents to be lulled to sleep by the pitter patter of rain drops.

We all awoke from a very wet night to a lovely dry day and after breakfast set off for our activities. The Beavers arrived and duly got stuck into their own programme. Everyone had a great morning grass sledging, climbing, shooting etc and we were all ready for lunch, which we enjoyed together at the Lodge.

In case you did not guess our special visitor was Wayne Bulpitt, the UK Chief Commissioner of The Scout Association. We knew he was at Gilwell Park this weekend and so we invited him to drop by. He called in at lunchtime and we are really grateful that he would give his time to visit us. The GSL had a quick chat with him and Dormouse made him a cup of tea and said he is a really lovely gentleman.

We then set off again to the afternoon activities and the Scouts headed for the hills (well the trees really) where they enjoyed a fantastic cycle ride through Epping Forest.

The temperature has been steadily increasing and so were all (except the Beavers who were otherwise engaged) ready for a swim to cool down..this predictably turned into a water fight against the leaders, but then again I am not sure who enjoyed that more the Cubs and Scouts or the Adults.

Dinner is Al fresco tonight due to the beautiful evening weather. The smiles say it all! The Scouts are cooking for themselves in their field. It has ben a great day and a fitting way to celebrate 100 Scouting years.

Evening meal

Us!

A Group shot including our special visitor , who even wore a black shirt to blend in seamlessly! Do you know who it is?

Lunch at Gilwell

Who said our camps revolve around food? We have just settled down to our Picnic lunch at the Branchet Lodge, before we head off to even more activities this afternoon.

We may be Centenarians but we are very active!

Breakfast at Gilwell

I am serving the cornflakes...can you spot me?

For the Cubs and the Scouts the excitement of the first night is over, breakfast has been taken and we are ready for the day!

The Cubs have grass sledging, Aeroball, pedal karts, swimming and the climbing wall to look forward to.

The Scouts will enjoy rifle shooting, the Leap of faith, swimming and a cycle ride in Epping Forest.

The Beavers have yet to arrive (due anytime now!) but after claiming their bunk will have the revolving rock, low ropes, grass sledging, games and craft to enjoy. 

In 2007 we camped at Gilwell as a Group and the Grass sledging proved very popular with two of the leaders (Can you recognise them?) I wonder which activity will be a favourite this time?

We also hope that, if his schedule allows, a special visitor will join us at some point and I will hopefully finally achieve my mission to get a photograph of him and me!!

Check back later for me camp updates.

Off to camp...

...yes it is centenary camp time. This time it is the Group camp (everyone not just the Scouts). I am packed, the trailer is loaded, the bike is on the car roof, the advanced party has arrived and we have set off for Gilwell. I will update you when I can.