Oct 5th - 6th
It was decided that we should have a Sixers council but to make it a little more special a night hike and sleep over at the Scutt was organised.
At 17:30 the Cubs ( Becky C, Becky D, Steph D, Steph S, Georgia, Levi, Ella, Alex, Mike, Sam and Tom) joined the Leaders (Abi, Akela, Alison and Hathi) and put up the patrol tent that the girls would be sleeping in, Mike arrived early and had helped put up the hike tent that the boys would be using. Despite all being seasoned campers there were a few people not sure of what to do.
|
|
We were taken by car, thanks to the parents that helped us with this, to 'The Rising Sun' public house in Pensford and after the obligatory team photos we started the walk.
I should say at this point the sun was shining and had been all day, a fact that Akela was happy to point out. Under the old railway viaduct, and along the river bank. Stiles were a problem with people having to wait for others to get over. Akela offered to show why kissing gates were so named but nobody was that interested Alison tried her Bo-Peep trick again with some sheep that were in the field and it nearly worked.
We took a slight detour to visit a hollow tree, where three Cubs forced themselves inside. Hathi and Alison were encouraged to try and it was a struggle to get them out again. Hathi had never been inside a tree with another person before and enjoyed the experience a great deal. Back to the walk, we crossed the river and started up the slope to Guys Hill. This was made more exciting by the presence of several large cows. Akela and Hathi were brave as lions and managed to shoo them away from the stile at the top of the field.
After crossing a road the real climb started, the going was narrow, rocky and steep. This section was the least popular part of the walk and it was a trial. The road sign at the top indicating that no motorised traffic was allowed any further was a moment of comic relief before we started across the fields towards Norton Malreward. We had, in a previous year, had a dispute over the exact route of the footpath with an owner of a very nice house who was unhappy with our walking through her garden. The Cubs were very good and kept quiet as they walked past and there was no incident.
A short stroll on the pavement through the hamlet of Norton Malreward brought us to the next field. This was hard work as the harvester had been through and only stubble was left and this made walking hard and noisy. We had a short break and looked at the sky, which was very clear and many constellations were visible. We recognised one, Ursa Major, and left it at that. A passing satellite made the Cubs sit up and take notice. Soon it was time to move on and we came to the stiles that had not been used since the Foot and Mouth problem closed the countryside last year. Luckily a pair of cutters were available and a path was soon cut out of the dense brambles and hawthorn.
The next field had been ploughed since the recce that had been done the previous weekend ( this is how we knew about bringing the cutters) This made the going very difficult and even the dancers amongst us who would be expected to be light on their feet managed to fall over. At the next stile Hathi tried to regain his title of "Mr. Wrong Way" by missing a stile and taking the Cubs several hundred yards further than they needed to. He was rewarded for this by being pushed into a briar patch by another of the Leaders. He managed to cross the next field in a sulk until he cheered up.
The walk back to Whitchurch was interrupted once as the Cubs need to ease springs and were segregated while this was done. At this point some of the younger Cubs started to get tired and the novelty wore off. The walk was becoming a pain. Akela carried two of the Cubs a little way until they relented and walked by themselves.
The local Chinese food shop was warned that we would be along soon to pick up the pre-ordered meal. While Hathi went and got the food the others rested and prepared the tables for the feast. After the meal the Cubs were much happier and went to bed without any moaning. Three hours later they finally went quiet, the last one with no-one to speak to gave up and went to sleep herself. The Leaders kept going talking and putting the world to right until some silly hour of the morning. Abi very wisely went to her bed as early as she could.
Sunday came round far to quickly. The Cubs were up and breakfasted in short order and the Sixers Council was started, some interesting and good ideas were brought into the open. The new programme was touched upon and more themes for Pack nights were suggested.
 |
 |
The tents were taken down, in bright sunshine (how does he do it?) the pegs cleaned and dried and put away and soon the parents were turning up and collecting their young ones. The tidying up was done and the Leaders went home for some well earned rest.
The Cubs enjoyed it, the Leaders enjoyed it and it was a fine night and a sunny morning. A good event.
Thanks to Akela for organising it and the other Leaders and parents for helping make it happen.