Parents Camp 2006

Well, whoever the God of Camping or Scouting is (and yes, I did check the internet to try and find out if there was one - there isn't*) he or she was certainly smiling on us over the weekend and kindly arranged for the rain to be turned off a few hours before the camp began and then turned on again about half an hour before the camp finished. It's still raining now (Tuesday morning) as it has been continuously since camp finished.

This weekend was our first "Parents camp" in several years with 18 Scouts and 5 Parents (all Dads) on the camp at Daviot. The camp also marked a historic first for the Troop in that this was our first camp with both boy and girl scouts attending. 4 intrepid lasses took the plunge and decided to see how they could match up against the experienced boys. Well... there was no contest really was there...?

The camp began with the allocation of tents and the sleeping arrangements and the groups were soon getting to grips with their tents and equipment. The Dads & Girls then took on the Boys at rounders. I can't remember the score but the boys and girls were an awful lot quicker in  getting around the bases than the Dads. I think the boys won the game... but that was pretty much the last thing they did win for the rest of the weekend (just joking guys)!

The group was then divided into the four Patrols in which they would spend doing the camp activities, competition and cooking. These patrols were composed of a range of age-groups and boys & girls, rather than the same patrols who were sharing tents.

After a supper of burgers & cocoa the group again went out into the woods for a night-wide-game of "Coastguards & Smugglers" - the dads and some leaders the former, the scouts the latter. The result has become subject to a steward's inquiry but as the ref complained it was too dark to see anyway, I think it will go down in the books as an honourable draw.

So. To the first night's sleep. We all settled down around about midnight (with some taking more time settling down than others!) but sleep was not on the agenda in the girl's tent and they decided their time would be more profitably spent eating Pringles and watching the sun come up on Saturday morning at 4am! Most of the firelighters and cooks were up at 7am and breakfast was soon on the go. Following our flag ceremony, the group then made up their packed lunches and set off for a few hours hill walking up Bennachie to Mither Tap. On the way down a series of "incidents" were staged with several of the dads taking the part of injured or confused & disorientated walkers (not much acting was required on the latter incident I'm lead to believe!) and the scouts having to deal with them appropriately.

Everyone was back at camp fairly early so there was a bit of free time until preparation for dinner began. Some time was used for the Leaders to demonstrate the correct and safe use of both lamps & stoves and axes & saws. Those scouts working towards their Outdoor Plus Challenge were then asked to demonstrate the operations back to the Leaders in order to check-off that requirement for the Challenge.

Each group then organised, prepared and served up a three-course dinner consisting of sliced melon for starters, chicken in a sauce with pasta for main course, followed by treacle pudding and custard for desert. I think quite of few of the scouts, particularly the younger ones, were surprised you could eat so well when cooking out of doors. This writer couldn't even finish his meal he was so full!

No time for digestion though as a series of other team games had been arranged and while this was going on the main camp fire was being prepared for the evening's entertainment. The camp fire sing-song was a rousing success led by Amanda our Junior Leader from the Explorer Unit, and everyone presented a sketch or stunt or song. The new scouts were initiated into the deep and wonderful mythology that is "Yella Canary" and there were several songs and stunts presented which will certainly go into our "entertainment book" for future use. Meanwhile, pancakes & cocoa were being prepared next to the camp fire and, for those that had some space left over after dinner) these were devoured at the end of the evening. Needless to say everyone slept a lot better tonight!

Next morning, after a long lie-in (until 7.30), breakfast was begun and completed in a hurry to get ready for a uniformed flag ceremony and a "Scouts Own" to be followed immediately by a full kit and uniform inspection. Terry's message for the Scouts Own concentrated on our environment and how we can look after it better in order that others can enjoy it in the same way we had over the weekend. Afterwards there was a last few minutes to prepare for the inspection which was carried out in rotation by the whole Leaders' team. There was certainly a wide range of ideas as to what constituted a tidy tent! Seriously though folks, if you're going to be sharing a tent with several companions for several days you really owe it to yourselves to make sure your kit is tidy and well organised. Your clothes will remain dry and you will not lose or misplace any of your gear.

A quick change back into normal clothes and our main Team Challenge events were begun. This consisted of a tournament between all four team patrols involving races, pioneering, crate-climbing, knotting and building camp gadgets. Again, some patrols were slow to learn that it is more important to compete in every activity rather than to concentrate on one or two, ignoring some others. For example - only two Patrols submitted camp gadgets for judging and therefore all the points were shared between two Patrols rather than 4. Nevertheless, the competition was still extremely competitive with the top three patrols all within 6 points of each other at the end (out of 100) so well done to you all.

The Leaders considered the camp to be very successful and we hope that you agree with this assessment and have enjoyed yourselves this weekend. Remember, if you haven't done so already please fill in and return our camping questionnaire and let us know what you think. Thanks to Leaders Terry, Jim, Keith, Mike, Chris, Nick & Amanda for running the camp, thanks to the intrepid dads for braving the elements (and nearly twenty kids!) to join us and thanks to those scouts who came along too - hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as the Leaders did!

  Competition Winners

* Although there is apparently no "God" of Scouting, there is a Patron Saint - St. George (he of "slaying the dragon" fame)