SUMMER CAMP SCOUTS & CUBS …….
Fantastic report below of Summer Camp at Parkwood Campsite in Sussex from Xavier, Scout:
Day 1 – Arrival & Camp Setup
After an hour and a half long drive we finally arrived at camp.
After unloading the trailer, everyone sprung into action, setting up tents, hammocks, and
tarps. Once we were settled, we cooked our first dinner in our patrol groups. Later, we
gathered for a briefing on the camp rules, it set the tone for the next week
Day 2 – Pancakes, Manhunt, bushcraft, big axes and sledgehammers
In the morning, everyone was woken up at 7am. We started the day, Cooked some
pancakes on our patrols. Then we got the whole day to socialise, and played an epic game
of manhunt with the cubs. One highlight was learning how to properly sharpen a knife from
John, followed by chopping some wood, But THE highlight was when Ian taught Me, Tom,
and Edison on how to use a splitting axe and even got to use a splitting wedge and
sledgehammer.
Day 3 – Shoreham Trip & Radar Learning
We took a trip into Shoreham, where we explored the town, picked up snacks and souvenirs,
and visited the National Coastwatch station. There, we got a fascinating look into radar
systems and how they’re used to keep our coastlines safe. Afterwards, most of the scouts
made a beeline to the Co-op to pick up “contraband” (sweets and fizzy drinks), while my
group took a direct trip to Maccies before heading back to the meetup point and chilling.
Day 4 – Hike & Trangia Cooking
Our hiking challenge began, with the older scouts choosing their own route from a set of
mapped options. It was an awesome chance to test our navigation skills and
decision-making. We cooked noodles on Trangias at a scenic stop and ,true scout style,
might’ve taken a little shortcut on the way back. Dinner was an entire pork shoulder roasted on a
fire
Day 6 – Thunderstorms & Hungry Games Prep
With the Hungry Games on the horizon, we headed out for ingredient-shopping. Then the
skies opened with a full-blown thunderstorm, forcing us to postpone the Games. We waited it
out under cover drenched.
Day 7 – The Hungry Games
Our team threw everything into the Hungry Games cooking competition, making up garlic
bread, chicken katsu curry, and a peach cobbler for dessert. The smells were amazing, and
the dishes actually turned out quite good. The competition was hard, but it was all about
teamwork. Then went down for a bonfire and a sing off of Parkwood against the explorers
who were invited but didn’t show up
Day 8 – Packing Up & Farewell
The final morning came too soon. We packed our kit, took down hammocks and tents, and
loaded the trailer with all our kit. Saying goodbye to camp was hard but we all couldn’t wait
to get to the comfort of our homes.
Huge thanks to all of the leaders for supervising, organising, and running these activities. It
wouldn’t have been possible without them.
Photos below of visit to Shoreham, patrol cooking & 12km hike across the South Downs.
