Way back in July during our summer camp…. when scouts were meant to be cooking…. we instead found them crowded round phone screen watching the Lionesses become European Champions again! So a plan was hatched…. with them due to play China at Wembley in November a weekend trip to the capital was planned. 35 scouts and leaders set off for a sold out Wembley Stadium where they watched England cruise to an 8-0 win over the Asian champions. With a sleepover at 1st/6th Edgeware scouts and some London site seeing on the river, Westminster and Greenwich thrown in.
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Summer camp 2025 – Ashdown Forest
As the school summer holidays loomed scouts from both troops along with explorers from Woodsmoke ESU set out for the annual week long summer camp which in 2025 took us to Ashdown Forest in Sussex, staying at Blacklands farm.
While the scouts camped the explorers vanished into the woods creating their own hammock based sub camp that soon became the epi centre of spooky noises and unsettling wooden figures carved with axes. The scouts were a mix of the intrigued and the terrified 🙂
A trip to Brighton, a somewhat soggy hike, a murder mystery night, canoeing, paddle boarding and high ropes all made for a fantastic week in the woods. We’ll be doing it all again in 2026 in the Lake District
Just Hanging Around
Early spring and back in April scouts from both troops decided to dispense with tents and instead opt for a weekend of hammocking at Thriftwoood, one of our favourite sites. A back to basics camp with minimal kit, cooking on fires and of course as we were sleeping by hanging around in trees the high ropes in the trees were a must as well 🙂
A golden weekend
We once again attended the National Scouts Archery Competition at Phasels Wood. Our 16 scouts, 1 explorer and 3 adults competed in the Target, Field and Clout disciplines.
The sun shone from dawn to dusk and the temperatures were very warm in the day, cold at night. Of course this was a camp, too, so fires, marshmallows and even an investiture all featured.
Well done to all our archers. No medals this year, although one or two were very close, so plenty to look forward to next year!
Summer Camp 2024
The end of term and the start of school holidays saw scouts from both troops head for the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors for summer camp. Staying on the Ravensgill campsite with the moors literally out the back gate of the site they set to for a week of rock climbing, hiking, pioneering and day trips to Whitby and the North York Moors Steam railway AKA Hogsmead!
We were joined for the week by two scouts from Yorkshire, 1/36th Doncaster, who could not make their own summer camp, and hope that the bonds formed round the campfire between the two groups last long into the future 🙂
Head for the hills!
Originally planned for October 2023 but delayed by an Atlantic storm 12 intrepid scouts headed for North Wales in May to get some proper experience of the Snowdonia mountains and real hill walking. The target was the classic route of Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach via The Devils Kitchen. A classic North Wales route!
Summer’s gone…..
Back in September both scout troops rounded off the summer camping season with a gloriously sunny weekend at Gilwell, the international home of scouting. A lovely way to sign off 🙂
An aurorasome time!
12th Cambridge & Woodsmoke Explorers fielded 26 archers at the National Scouts Archery Competition 2024.
The event, held at Phasels Wood, consisted of 3 types of archery – Target, Field (in the woods) and Clout.
As well as great archery, beautiful weather and a lovely relaxed weekend, those who were awake late enough on the Friday night were treated to a spectacular aurora display.
Well done to all our archers, including our silver medal-winner! We are also proud of our team of four who bravely lost out in the first round to a very experienced team, but managed to win one ‘end’ of the three!
A coastal ramble
As July drew into August and our various international contingents made their way home a contingent of scouts from both troops headed off to somewhere a little closer to home for a hike a long the Norfolk Coast.
Friday night saw us hosted by our friends at 1st Sherringham Sea Scouts who we would like thank for their brilliant hospitality! Saturday saw our intrepid gang first encounter a seal basking in the sun at Sherringham life Boat House before we headed along the coast.
Hiking is all very well but when its a sunny day…. and you happen to come to the beach at Cromer early afternoon… what else can you do but go for a swim? Even if the north sea is a touch fresh! Fully refreshed the scouts headed along the increasingly remote and beautiful coast reaching Mundesley for fish and chips and epic stone skimming competition on the beach at dinner time.
We were hosted for the evening by the very hospitable village hall and would like to thank them for the excellent accomodation 🙂
Sunday saw the scouts head in land and navigate their way through the Norfolk countryside to North Walsham, tired but very proud of a long trek well completed.
Canada 2023 – Part 5: Homeward bound
Our expedition draws to a close and we are sad to say farewell to Cambridge, Ontario. We bring back so many tales to tell, new friendships made and a considerable quantity of maple syrup.
We thank our Canadian hosts for their warm welcome, extensive support and sheer hard work looking after us and providing the most amazing experiences our young people could possibly have wished for.
Special thanks to the Canadian Scouters – the awesome Katie, Ana, Philippe and Mike – and our own Leader team – Ben, Sabine, Lucy and Bruce. They have all sacrificed their holiday time to be responsible for looking after our young people and delivering them back to us safe, happy and with a warm glow – “we did it, wow!”.
Au revoir, Toronto. A bientot!
