The Cubs and Scouts have just returned from a fantastic weekend camping in the woods at the Downe Scout Adventure Centre.
The weekend started off a bit wet on Friday evening, but the new tents the Scouts choose withstood the torrential rain and did the job of providing a home away from home for the Cubs and the Scouts.
The weekend started with learning five basic survival skills and “The Rule of Threes.” A human can survive for:
– 3 minutes without air
– 3 hours without a regulated body temperature (shelter)
– 3 days without water
– 3 weeks without food
The “Rule of Threes” provides a guideline of how to prioritise basic survival skills: first shelter, then water, and lastly food.
The first survival challenge was to build a waterproof shelter that could help them regulate their body temperature – either for a group or for an individual.
The Cubs worked together to build a simple ‘A’ frame debris shelter for one person – which could fit an adult or a child. One group of Scouts built a similar shelter but much larger for a small group. The other groups of Scouts used tarpaulins to make shelters, one of which was covering a hollow tree!
The next challenge was to light – and keep alight – a fire using a flint and steel. All the Cubs and Scouts had lots of opportunities over the weekend to practice their fire lighting skills.
Once they had a good fire going, they learnt how to cook over a fire without any utensils. There was also a lot of sitting around the camp fires over the weekend, with story telling, singing (Oasis’ Wonderwall and the ‘Lime and the Coconut‘ song were just two of the many songs shared).
The Scouts and Cubs took turns cooking meals, both over the fire and on a camping stove.
Other activities completed over the weekend were orienteering for the Scouts, as well as Zip wire, abseiling and tomahawk throwing.
Overall, a fun – if tiring – weekend was had by all!
Thanks to the parents who helped out and the wonderful staff at Downe Scout Adventure Centre.