Hammocking with scouts 25th-26th Sept

**tim_n** · 09-27-2010, 02:37

My older scouts really wanted to get out and camp one more time this year and two of the eldest ones hadn't yet used the hammocks I bought earlier in the year.

There's a small woodland site which is scout only (so no pinching the GPS data off the images and thinking you can hook up over there!)

As you can see, they had a fantastic time in the woods. I didn't once need to raise my voice, we arrived, hooked up the hammocks then said 'light a fire' which they did and then said 'shall we make a wood pile'. I could have had a heart attack. They actually went off and gathered a lot of wood! Food was low hassle ration packs, but it was also chestnut season so we roasted some early windfalls over the fire and the leaders drank a box of wine (classy eh?)

The eldest kids were in DD Camping Hammocks, the smallest was in a scout hammock and the leader was also in a DD Camping, I was in my HH Asym D.

Tidied up and made sure the site was better than we arrived. Some pics:

Sorry, haven't yet added hammock forums to the hotlinking system I have, I'll fix this when I get home. Meantime you can see the same pics (slightly different trip report!)

http://www.escouts.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=16301

**Damifino** · 09-27-2010, 07:37

Very cool!

**sk8rs_dad** · 09-27-2010, 08:36

Here's a cluster of hammocks from our group's fall camp last weekend.

**Raul Perez** · 09-27-2010, 08:45

awesome! looks like a great time

**bigbamaguy** · 09-27-2010, 09:38

Man........where were all of these things when I was scouting? Looks like fun was had by all on both sides of the pond!

**VegaMike** · 09-27-2010, 13:24

Isn't it grand when everything works the way it's supposed to? A Scoutmaster, too, I know how you feel! Nice photos of some happy moments.

I'm intrigued by the differences in Scouting across countries. E.g., in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), alcohol (and smoking) are strictly verboten at any Scout activity with youth participation (i.e., alcohol is ok at adult-only meetings).

Also, the traditional BSA troop is boys only through age 18. BSA Venturing is boys and girls age 14-21.

In the UK, are girls and boys allowed in the same troop?

**tim_n** · 09-29-2010, 03:23

All sections (beavers 6-8, cubs (formally wolf cubs) 8-10, scouts 10-14, explorers 14-18, network 18-25, active support 18+) are now allowed to be mixed. The rule is that once a section takes girls, it has to continue to take girls. If say the beavers took in a girl, when that girl reaches 8 and wants to join cubs they _have_ to accept her and therefore that section must then always take girls etc.

Alcohol is fine as long as long as the responsible adult remains sober though for child protection reasons it's not advised to be directly consumed in front of childen due to the fact they may have suffered from alcoholic abusive parents at home.

Personally we make it clear to all over 18s that alcohol may be consumed (and in front of children) on the basis that they need to see that alcohol can be consumed sensibly, that adults don't always go out to get drunk & violent. Doesn't stop them trying to drink. At their age, generally they need to become more worldly wise and a strong dose of common sense needs to be taken. That's not an official view from the scout association, but just my own.

We would stop any adult who was getting silly/drunk/irresponsible and probably ban them from future camps. The idea is to be a good influence.

Baden Powel of course didn't drink as far as I remember (and looked down at people who did), so it's fine that the BSA takes that as part of their rules.

**dkperdue** · 09-29-2010, 06:29

As an Assistant Scoutmaster I was surprised at the box of wine thing as well, until I read the follow-up posts.
We were stationed over in Spain for 6 years 2001-2007. Europe in general is much more sensible about alcohol and a lot of other things than we are in the States. We should learn something from them.
DKPerdue

**Veto 65** · 09-29-2010, 23:53

Great pictures thanks for sharing. I also went to your other forum and saw that there might be some converts. It looks like we are well represented there, thanks for getting the word out.