Summer Camp 2013 - Day 1

Summer Camp 2013 was a week of squelching crocks and sunburnt necks. The weather on the first day foreshadowed the moods, atmosphere and the weather for the rest of the week.

Saturday July 27th started off beautiful as enthusiastic Scouts, Seniors, Rovers and leaders packed the van and the 4X4 for a week at Kings Meaburn near Appleby however as the day went on the weather slowly deteriorated.

The minibus full of loud Scouts departed from the Scout HQ at 9:50am and arrived at Steele's Mill at around 11. The 2 Scout Patrols which had been decided one Thursday night set about pitching their tents and food tents. There was the Walrus patrol lead by Liam Pape and Poppy Milner and there was the Giraffe Patrol lead by Maverick and Sam Wears. Both patrols were evenly made up of experienced and inexperienced campers - some had never even been to a weekend camp before!

The Giraffe patrol took slightly longer to set up as they needed to re-pitch their tent and realign their guys a couple of times however it became hard as the day got warmer and warmer. Eventually, everyone stopped and was allowed to have their packed lunches.

Refreshed and re-motivated Scouts and Seniors alike started building their kitchens; digging fire pits, wet pits, dry pits and putting the freshly painted food boxes on pegs. When the day was at its hottest (around mid afternoon) the PL's and APL's decided to lead an expedition along the path and past the ford to a wood where they had been wood collecting last time they were at this site 3 years ago. Poppy thought it would cool her feet down by wading through the ford however it only took her one small step into the Lyvennet Beck before she slipped onto her back and smashed her head of the road. Luckily she only got bruises however everyone then decided it would be best to use the bridge. It was good to see how everyone in the Scouts and everyone around the ford relaxing showed concern in Poppy's injury and nobody laughed at all. Even the woman who sounded like Janet Street Porter didn't run to her rescue.

Anyway, the wood past the ford was neither useful or practical. The walk there took at least 10 minutes from camp and all the decent wood was amongst nettles. There was also a swing which distracted most of the Scouts. Fortunately, the Scouts did find a huge amount of wood in a pile so they decided to half it and fill their tent bags.

By the time they returned to camp it was time for tea. The 3 kitchens cooked a sausage casserole with pasta before the sky started to leak. It gradually got heavier until everyone was forced into a shelter. The leaders watched the Scouts from the marquee like it was Big Brother as the Scouts played cards and sung in their food shelters to keep themselves amused before an early bedtime.

Everyone laid in their sleeping bags that night listening to rain bounce of their tent and the deep clatter of thunder. John Newton's early birthday present of solar powered fairy lights did raise the mood a little as they gave the marquee a homey feeling (that is if your house if a fairies grotto).