Alternative Summer Camp 2012
The summer camp that isn’t a summer camp, summer camp…
Saturday 2nd June 2012 until Saturday 9th June 2012
Click for:
| Jubilee Celebrations | Activities | |||||||
| A Most excellent Camp report | ||||||||
“A severe weather warning has been issued for Dorset, with the threat of high winds and rain expected…
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning as gusts of upto 50mph are forecast to hit the County.”
thisisdorset.co.uk, Wednesday 6th June 2012
In actual fact, the chaos started on the Tuesday. We travelled across to Langton Matravers, near Swanage, for our outdoor activities, where the heavens opened almost upon exiting the minibus. The odd Scout was not amused that the changing rooms were the great outdoors, the worst however was yet to come.
A lengthy walk across a number of fields and down a steep path to the sea was the first part of the excercise. The return journey up same said path in the driving rain was even more of a challenge! Just spare a thought for the poor leader that had to do it twice, both times like a pack horse.
Somewhere inbetween was a toned down coasteering and climbing session to fit in with the weather conditions. Land and Wave, our activity providers were full of praise for our Scouts writing in an email:
“I believe it was somewhat wet?! Our instructors were full of praise for your scouts and their tenacity and perseverance.“
Upon return to our sodden campsite an impromtu rousing sing-song cheered up the leaders at least! From here on in the programme was abandoned and wet weather plans adopted, sadly, the fossil man, canoeing, tunnelling and planned hot showers all had to be cancelled. In replacement was Bridport leisure centre and the simply wonderful Tank Museum. Strangely, when we entered these places the sun came out…
…which brings me onto various texts received from people in Bristol. All concluded about the curse of 62nd, where ever and when ever there always seems to be extremes of weather, usually appalling.
A visit from District staff also saw more praise for our Scouts and their inability to get unduly bothered by the wind and rain. Congratulations and thank you to you all.
And I haven’t even mentioned the river yet…
Around lunchtime Thursday it reached it’s peak, just a few inches off flooding. Thankfully all Scouts were safely getting run over by tanks to even notice the predicament. Daisy and Dave though managed to stem the flow of the river and when we all returned – it was as if nothing had happened. Apart from that is, the small lake that sprung up under one of the tents, some local tourists in a holiday cottage just up the road came to our rescue with the loan of their tumble dryer! They turned out to be lovely people, offering beds and accomodation in case of the worst!
Finally, a big thank you to the farmer, who also offered his tumble dryer…
…and his washing line
…and his stair rail
…and the chairs in his garden
…and just about every other space available in and around his house!
“…if you all hadn’t have been so brilliant with all the scouts, the scouts wouldn’t have been so positive about the whole experience.”
“Thank you all so much for giving them such a great week and bringing them home in one piece. “
“I don’t know how you can still sound so cheerful after such a week!! Thank you to everyone who made a success out of a week of really miserable weather.”
“I think we parents owe a massive debt of gratitude to the scout leaders. Whilst I’m sure you are right that the scouts themselves rose to the challenge of the weather and maintained a positive attitude, I suspect that they were only reacting to the example set by the leaders. So please pass on our thanks to all of the leaders for giving up their time for this camp, and setting such a great example to the scouts.”
“we are very proud of all the scouts and how well they coped with the conditions.”
It was a Jubilee special…
Around the Camp:
