Explorer WinterCamp 2018

The New Year begins and, as has become Explorer tradition, the WinterCamp beckons!

Roughton Mill, home of the 1st Rural (Roughton) Scouts was our venue and Friday evening saw 30 Explorers from Nelson’s Victory, HAndS and Amphibians ESUs and 7 Leaders arrive and set up camp.  We’d been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast all week hoping that conditions would be good to enable the abseiling down the Mill on Saturday morning to go ahead.  Setting up camp, it was very chilly and still.

Saturday morning dawned and we were pleased to see, despite it feeling very cold, that it was a dry day.  After a good breakfast and split into 4 groups, the Explorers rotated around the activities – Abseiling, Archery, Rifle Shooting and Axe Throwing.  Several Explorers overcame their fears and, with much encouragement and support from each other, achieved the abseil which was fantastic.

We enjoyed down time Saturday evening with a game of Bingo before evening meal and a Wii-Just Dance marathon afterwards till late.

On Sunday the Explorers split into 2 groups with half hiking to the Karttrak just outside Cromer – karting was an activity many had asked to try during a planning meeting and it was too good an opportunity to pass up as we were in the area!   The remaining half hiked into Cromer to complete an orienteering exercise.

Meeting back at camp early afternoon, the Explorers enjoyed a hot lunch before breaking camp and heading for home late afternoon.

It was great to see our Explorers from several District Units enjoying their scouting together.

Working with Leaders from our own District and also on Saturday with Leaders from the Roughton Group who ran the abseiling for us and Michelle and Gerry O’Keefe from Gorleston who ran the rifles, it’s great to see new friendships formed.

As always it is a pleasure to host visitors to the camp and Chris and Steve Reynolds from our District Team also spent time with us on Saturday (even joining in with the Bingo!) and enjoyed their time getting to know the Explorers better.

As District Explorers look forward to the forthcoming BPA Hike in February – a number of them will be entering teams….. I wonder which Unit will come out on top?  Whichever team, if this weekend is anything to go by – I know they will enjoy it, support and help each other and rise to the challenge.

There are a number of photos in the gallery – go on, take a look.

15th January 2018     Explorers, News