Bournemouth District Cub Camp 2022

Arriving at Butcher’s Coppice from 6pm on a sultry Friday evening, off the back a few very warm days, the Cubs dropped off their belongings to start setting up camp.  10th Bournemouth were sharing their sub-camp with 3 other sections from 17th, 26th and 43rd and fortunately, some of the work had been done by those regular “Scout Fairy” visitors the night before.
The Cubs set to putting up the 5 dome tents, filling water containers, setting up tables and chairs in the mess tent and getting themselves ready for the evening’s hike activity.



Blessed with a beautiful evening sunshine, we set off from the Coppice with our maps and directions through the local housing estate.  Within 10 minutes, suburbia evaporated into grassy fields; engine noise replaced by the joyful buzzing of crickets, birds and excitable kids.  Following the directions, we meandered along river banks, through tall grasses (and some pesky stinging nettles) to find ourselves in a veritable oasis of calm (except for the frantic cooking of hot dogs) that could have been anywhere but on our doorstep.  Suitably refuelled, we continued the hike uphill to the Dudsbury Ring (a former iron age settlement) before returning to the collection point for mini-bus transport back to camp after 9pm.

Drinks, ablutions and bed followed soon after the Cubs return, not that this stops them staying awake beyond expectations.
Saturday morning dawns all too early (before sunrise), with some suitably surprised Cubs learning that 4.30AM is not an acceptable time to start messing about.  They are quickly reminded of their Cubs Promise “to think of others before themselves” and to keep the noise down (there was no way they were going back to sleep!).


Games were not planned at 6.00 AM, but an impromptu game of football rounders was organised to keep the noise away from the rest of the main camp.  Needless to say there were some hungry Cubs eagerly awaiting a pancake breakfast – it’s fair to say you can’t cook quick enough to feed 30 hungry kids – at least no one goes hungry (including the leaders).

The day’s planned activities, get under way soon after the flag break in the centre of the field at 9.00AM with staggered starts for all Cub sections.  The scenario is set, with thieves stealing all the sweets from the Scout Tuck Shop and the Cubs have 10 different bases with 10 different suspects to assess.  They have five challenges on camp and five that take them off camp, with each one being different and requiring different skills to solve (some of them required more thought than expected).  The Cubs did an amazing job both physically, covering some big distances and mentally, working through the challenges.  After a full day of activities, finding codes to unlock padlocks, climbing through the (pretend) sewers and solving puzzles, the Cubs deduced the cheeky scamp of a sweet thief.  The reward of a visit in the afternoon to the Tuck Shop was what this organisation is about: sharing of pocket money (not every Cub remembered), sharing of sweets, sitting in groups and laughing. 

After tea-time came the camp fire – a huge spectacle of seasoned leaders in their camp fire robes, preened and ready to entertain and the young faces, full of expectation as to what was to come.  Campfire songs are an artform in their own right and the seasoned professionals know how to whip up a crowd (especially pitting one side against the other in terms of volume).  Some 300 kids around a fire, screaming and stamping their feet, is a sight not to be missed.

Sadly, the forecast had turned for the worse, so the pre-bed activities included preparations for some unfavourable wind and rain, requiring the addition of guide ropes for all tents.  This task safely completed, bed time was a more sedate affair, with all tents asleep well before 11.00.

With all tents sleeping well and surviving the night’s rain, with a full cooked breakfast inside them, the break in weather changed the Cubs’ morning plans slightly, with the focus on taking down tents to dry before being packed – as everyone knows, you can’t pack a damp tent and expect it to be waterproof the next time you need it.  Unfortunately, this meant a good bit of down time for the cubs until the day’s activities of Morse code and problem solving could be started – a lesson we can take for next time.

The day’s finale was a mass lunch in the centre of the field with all Cubs on a long Jubilee style table.  The weather improved nicely in time for the ice-cream van’s arrival - a big hit with the Cubs.

Dismissal in the centre of the field (including lost property repatriation, which was a big entertainment spectacle) and closing thoughts seemed to come around too soon and symbolic in the absence of the flag.  It is always surprising how quickly the time seems to fly past, but hopefully, time in which the Cubs take away a few new experiences and fond memories – until the next camp.

19^th June 2022 Matthew Spendley (Bagheera)