Last month saw First Romsey Scouts braving the elements for a variation of the 'incident hike' theme.
Having been practicing a bit of pioneering and the use of gas stoves and lanterns at the HQ it seemed like a good idea
to incorporate this into more of a realistic exercise, now the nights are properly dark.
After arriving at the Black Hill Road car park, Scouts divided into 3 teams and each team was issued with a subtly different set of instructions,
either to start an activity, or to hike off on a predetermined bearing, to seek out a particular cache of equipment and instructions for a challenge.
Hidden around the 'course' were some kits of parts for emergency basha shelter building, in orange survival bags, illuminated by a glow stick.
Scouts had to find the right kit, and follow the instructions to build the shelter, to the satisfaction of nearby adult, before continuing round the course to the next challenge.
All teams that completed the course in time managed to
a) build a tripod to hang a lantern for morse signalling, (tripods OK, signalling less successful, perhaps we should revisit this !!)
b) to build an emergency shelter large enough to protect the team, and
c) to make and consume a cup of cocoa each.
Although not all teams did things in the same order or the same places, they would all do all of the challenges at some point in the evening.
Due to one compass that had lost its magnetism (!) one team came in rather later than planned.
Hopefully once warmed up and dried out everyone who came will decide they had fun after all.
At last we know where to improve for next time !
As always, of course, thanks are due to all leaders and parents who kept this running smoothly,
and to the youngsters who gave it their best shot.
Mike Page-Jones,
1st Romsey.
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