Scout Indoor Camp • Senior Bunk Barn
8th Darlington Scout Group 2013
Toilets, up close and personal with some ice & Maverick wears a funny hat!
Editors Column Page 2
PAPE”R”MAIL editor-in-chief There are thousands of gadgets trying to make your camping trip more relaxing so you can enjoy the tranquility of the countryside. Here are my favorite pieces of tech you could go camping with: Biolite Campstove One of them, probably my favorite one too, is the Biolite Campstove. For around £80 you can purchase this small yet powerful stove. Once you’ve lit it with a small amount of kindling, the special vents situated around the stove do the rest of the work keeping the fire inside burning hot. Plus, this stove can charge your smartphone (or anything that charges via USB), it simply uses the flames to power it! The company behind this awesome invention have recently released a kettle and a grill that clip on top of the camp stove, it heats them up swiftly and efficiently.
Petzl Nao Headlamp This head torch is the king of all head torches, it uses sensors to detect how far you are looking and adjusts the brightness of the light depending on that. The light also predicts where you will look
next and it shines the light there also so when you are navigating your way back from the bogs in the middle of the night you don’t fall into a fire pit or river. The Headlamp costs around £110 and it is, without a doubt, the most impractical thing you would ever buy. It has a box strapped to the back where the battery and computer is and the build quality isn’t the best; there are lots of unnecessary wires, so I doubt it would survive a week at camp.
won’t need it for any more than a hour every night and for only £15, you can’t go wrong!
Spork Ever had one of those meals where you are panicking because you can’t decide if you’ll need a spoon or knife and fork? Well, worry no longer, you can now do all 3 at once with a Spork! Not all gadgets need to be complicated and expensive, in fact some of the best gadgets (like the Spork) are extremely simple.
Hi Gear 5 LED Remote Control Tent Light When you return to your warm sleeping bag at night you don’t want to be scrambling around in the dark tent looking for your torch so why not just install a Hi Gear 5 LED RC Tent Light in the roof of your tent. Just keep the remote in your pocket and click the lights on when you need to enter your tent. The battery life lasts for around 36 hours which is pretty decent considering you
As you probably guessed by the name, a Spork is a spoon, knife and fork all in one which makes it perfect for any meal at camp. It’s a well known fact that you’re not a proper camper until you have owned a Spork!
It is, without a doubt, the most impractical thing you would ever buy!
Page 3 Scouts Indoor Camp
T
he autumn gusts of wind scattered marmalade and beetroot coloured leaves around on the moist ground whilst above, fluffy grey clouds began sheltering Darlington from the scorching summer sun over the weekend in October when the Scouts lodged at the Scout HQ. The always enthusiastic Scouts met at the Scout HQ at 9:30 am to be swiftly drove to the home of the rare and endangered Poppy Milner (Richmond) for a ’15 million mile’ hike. The trek along the wet, slippery and mucky pathways were so bad Max even lost his shoe in the mud. Despite the harsh conditions the Scouts still managed to appreciate the amazing scenery. The Scouts stopped for lunch in a creepy wood before returning to the Scout HQ. Back at the Den they were able to change out of their soaked clothes and into some fresh, dry outfits. Mark was even kind enough to
treat the Scouts to a hot chocolate and doughnut! Before tea the Scouts had some free time where some played ball games, painted pictures on par with the Mona Lisa or simply just chatted and chillaxed.
Then they settled down in their warm sleeping bags in a twisted line in the small hall where they could dream about terrible things such as a murderer with a chainsaw or a bunny which lost its carrot.
dream about terrible things such as a murderer with a chainsaw or a bunny which lost its carrot. Pizza and chips were for tea, followed by a board game proven popular with Scouts, Trivia Pursuit. Saturday night took an unexpected turn when Holly and Poppy, Chris and Max, Goose and Patrick and Maddie and Holly starting re-enacting ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. Before bed, the hyper Scouts wound down to Maddie’s favourite film: Star Wars – A New Hope.
The next morning, a breakfast of bacon sandwiches was served before the annual cooking cup (which the Otters had won the previous two years.) The three groups were cooking Spaghetti Bolognese and apple crumble and once again the Otters and Tigers triumphed over the Swifts and Owls. Some could blame their failure on the Spaghetti Bolognese which was apparently 75% oregano and 25% unknown ingredients. Overall, apart from the loss of Porkins during Star Wars, the indoor camp was a huge success. Scouts left on Sunday afternoon with full bellies and memories of a great weekend.
“Poor Porkins, Poor, Poor, Porkins”
BunkBarn Words by Liam Pape / Pictures by Tom Robinson & Harry Carvey
Away in a barn, a mattress for a bed, the leaders and Seniors lay down their sweet heads.
D
ue to bad weather and other contributing factors at the end of summer, September camp was tragically cancelled meaning that the Senior Scouts couldn't go camping at the usual spot at the end of Teesside Airport. Instead, they organized a bunk barn weekend in the Lake District. The small group arrived at the Scout HQ at 6:30PM on Friday evening eager for their weekend away. Once the cars were packed full of personal kit and essentials they departed. The pitch black November evening sky didn't hold a single cloud so millions of stars could be seen above.
By the time that the 3 Seniors and 4 leaders had arrived at Low Skelgill Farm in Newlands Vale the temperature was -3! Wrapped up with more layers than an onion, they left their vehicles to inspect the accommodation where they would be living for the next 40 hours. They swiftly walked to the bottom of a path which ran adjacent to the white farm house until they found two large wooden doors sat next to each other. One crooked door was opened to reveal a converted barn with a stage divided up by two concrete partisans and three strong, wooden support beams running across under the high roof. The room also offered 10 mattresses to sleep on, 11
Above: Harry, Mark and Tom start their descent from Robinson
chairs, a collapsible table, log burner and lots of booklets which featured various points of interest in the surrounding area. The kitchen area next door had huge tables, a bin and only the most basic kitchen appliance: a kettle. To the dismay of the adventurers, the bathroom was all the way at the top of the bank. Admittedly, the accommodation was not on par with the Four Seasons... or even a travel lodge to be honest but it was good enough. Little could they tell in the darkness that our dinky barn was in the shadow of dozens of raspberry and mint coloured hills.
Right Descending: On arrival in the bunk barn, an egg-traordinary friend on Saturday morning, Mark and the Seniors at the peak of Dale Head
As the ping pong journeys from the cars to the barn and back again with equipment commenced the barn's roof sprinkled with glittery ice reminded the Seniors of the harsh elements they were thankfully being sheltered from. Before bed, there were Pies for supper which were heated up on the stove and were enjoyed outside whilst photographs with long exposure were taken attempting to capture the bright night sky.
Bright and early the next morning, everyone awoke after a chilly night to bacon sandwiches which were shared with some visitors whom had decided to not stay cooped up inside all day and instead had spread their wings to come and join us despite the cold and fowl weather. Mark, Tom, Harry, James and Liam then packed a walking bag and headed off into the hills for their hike. Spectacular views surrounded them as they ascended up Catbells. The seniors gazed at leaves on trees which had a blended pallet of natural colours, and white houses in the nearest town reflected off the surface of Derwent Water. The views were unappreciated until the group reached the top though as Catbells was so demanding and strenuous to climb it required their full attention. Sweat patches quickly broke through the first couple layers of clothing and thick jackets and coats were soon put in bags.
Page 5 Senior Bunk Barn
Senior Bunk Barn Page 6
At their own pace, the Seniors and leaders trekked along the top of the hills to the next peak which was Maiden Moor before running into a problem you don't expect to find at the top of hills: traffic. What seemed like dozens of ramblers, were all using the same pathway to the top. Luckily though, it didn't take long for the 8th to overtake them all. The closer towards the peak of Dale Head the group came, the more like Winter it felt like. Marshes were no longer an issue since the moisture in them had frozen however this did make areas rather slippy however the energy burning off inside the bodies of the Seniors and co kept them toasty even when the ice turned into snow and there a bitter wind started howling. After a quick lunch in the snow the group made their way along to Robinson where the snow was so thick, snowballs could be made; and made they were! Dozens of snowballs were catapulted at Mark by excitable Seniors. As the snow thinned out, the group zigzagged down the walkway like they were Skiing; making loose turns every time they reached the edge. Among conversations about everything from taxidermists to rock
formations the seniors also sung a symphony of sniffs. One of the most challenging parts of the hike was climbing down approximately six meters of almost vertical rock. This took great precision and strength as one misplaced foot on an icy rock may have resulted in an injury. To great relief, they all completed it safely.
the group zigzagged down the walkway like they were Skiing; making loose turns every time they reached the edge. To get back down to the bottom of the valley, where the camping barn was located, the footpath look the group down a slippery, soaked slope. James, resident boffin, had a bright idea of sliding down it on his bum which actually worked surprisingly well. There was a break at the bottom of the 250 feet descent where steaming bodies could cool down. The hike neared its end as the group walked over appreciated flat ground and past endless fields of sheep.
The exhausted bunch returned just after mid-afternoon and greeted Erika and Neil when they arrived 10 minutes later. Erika and Neil had got the boat to Keswick for the day to do some shopping and exploring. Free time to relax was in order whilst tea was prepared and some of the hikers got a shower. Pasta Bolognese was cooked for tea on the dining table and thoroughly enjoyed by all. This was followed by swissroll and custard. Washing up completed and equipment packed away, the group settled down in front of the log burner and watched the DVD of stand-up comedian Ross Noble whose performance was unplanned yet very entertaining. Then before the group went to sleep they got cosy in their sleeping bags and played Trivia Pursuit which was won by Tom and Harry with Liam clearly being the most unknowledgeable team member. The night was not as cold as the previous one and despite aching muscles and joints from the hike. The group arose on Sunday morning bright and early and went through the same routine of washing, bacon sandwiches and then washing up before packing all the personal kit and equipBelow: Seniors trek up Maiden Moor
Page 7 Senior Bunk Barn
Upper left: Ice shaped by violent winds at the peak of Dale Head. Upper right: Liam being traced with a laser pen. Lower left: Newlands School and Church Right: At the foot of Dale Head James reflects on the hike so far.
ment away and then packing it into the cars. Before going home, the group spent the morning in Keswick where Neil admired the Christmas decorations however the Seniors got bored of the countless Outdoors shops which sit comfortably inside of Keswick. One mildly interesting thing which was happening was an arts and crafts fair which took place in a local hotel. When Erika and Neil had visited the fair the day before they commented that it was very posh, and they were right. The feel of the spotless red carpeted corridors leading up to the room where the stalls were reflected the type of person who was attending the event.
After a decent bag of chips from the local 'chippy, which warmed everyone up, they set off back to the Scout HQ in Darlington. Their weekend away was without a doubt an enjoyable experience overflowing will laughs and fun which the Seniors are likely to do again if they get their way. The breath-taking backdrop to the weekend was unforgettable and reminded the Seniors that they don't need to go far to see staggering countryside. For more pictures, videos and other exclusive content visit the 8th Mag’s website: www.8scoutlog.blogspot.com
DISTANCE
11.4
MILES
TIME
5 40 H
M
TOTAL ASCEND
3741
FEET
The Bog Roll
Refurbished
Loos
T
he smelly, dark and dingy room previously referred to as the toilets have, over the summer holidays, been refurbished. 50 years worth of graffiti has been plastered over, uneven floors have been raised and made smooth again and the toilets themselves now flush without you pulling a chain on the wall which made a noise like a tsunami was about to sweep its way across the pot. The toilets are now stylish, modern and clean! Both the male and female toilets have been refurbished as both of them have been desperate for some TLC for months now.
Beavers visit Fire Station
T
he Beavers visited the Darlington Fire station earlier this year to have a tour and see what firemen do.
A bald fireman showed the Beavers inside a fire engine and explained to them what his exhausting job entails. The beavers even got a chance to dress up as firemen and then look through thermal imaging cameras.
Information
For more pictures and videos from the Senior Bunk Barn you can visit our amazing website:
www.8scoutlog. blogspot.com
If you have any criticisms or suggestions please feel free to keep them to yourself. You can find the 8th Darlington Scout Group on Facebook: www.facebook.com /8thDarlingtonScouts
Senior helper for Friday night beavers, Maverick said ‘It was great, apart from I accidentally head butted a fire engine.’ Everyone from the group found this trip extremely entertaining and enlightening. Maverick looking happy whilst in a fire engine
“Camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business.” ~ Unknown