This has become a tradition, a short stroll from the Scutt to the Hall at Eastwinds.
The previous weeks have seen the Cubs working towards a Map-Reading Badge so we tied this walk into the programme (Who said we make it up as we go along!!)
Saturday morning dawned bright but crisp, i.e. it was very cold. At 09:30 the Cubs arrived with their overnight kit, this was then taken down to Eastwinds. We were a little concerned with the state of the hall, one of the bunkrooms was full of 'stuff' and the kitchen was less than spotless. The bunk room was cleared out with a lot of help from the Caretaker. This took a lot less time than be thought it would and our half formed backup plan of using the Scutt in Stockwood was put on hold.
At 14:00 The Cubs started to arrive at the Scutt ready for the walk down. Julie as arranged was to take some 'last minute' item down to Eastwinds ready for us to arrive later. We had one person drop out at the last minute and one whose mum had got the date wrong and had arranged something else for this weekend, shame.
So the following set out on a bright sunny afternoons stroll; Shannon, Joe, Jack, Megan, Jess, Kayleigh, Ryan, Dan, James, James, Liam, Charlie, Harry, Bradley, Tom, Ollie and Matthew, oh and Jamie who wasn't sure if he wanted to stay the night but came on the walk and was then forced to go home with his Mum. It should be pointed out that he was nearly asleep on his feet when he was picked up so it was probably for the best.
We tried a slightly different route this time in an attempt to avoid walking near to busy roads, not easy when hiking in Bristol, we managed to do quite well but it was slower and we were later than planned arriving at Eastwinds. The Cubs on the last part of the walk were encouraged to do a bit of wood collecting, we were going to have a fire, it was November 5th (nearly) after all and the forecast was for a frost.
Julie won the Leaders heroine award for her first question when we arrived - "Do you take sugar in your tea?" Ahh Bless you Julie thanks.
As we were going to be setting fireworks off it seemed prudent to sleep inside, canvas burns really well I've been told. The Cubs were lined up and helped carry all their overnight packs into the hall, this took a while and by the time the kit was claimed by its owner it was nearly tea time. Julie went to a semi-local chip shop and came back with enough food for 17 Cubs and the Leaders. While she was away the Cubs were given the task of drawing or more accurately chalking a fireworks design onto a piece of black card. The Cubs were much more interested in doing this when it was announced that there would be prizes for the best pictures.
After tea we went outside, it was now dark and the surrounding area sounded as if a fire fight was going on with the number of bangs and airbursts. Now it was our turn to add to the display. We had a great deal of fireworks due to the generosity of the Cubs parents and Hathi and Akela were kept busy lighting and retiring. The Cubs were mostly good while this was going on. We finished the display with a 200 round special. this was brilliant and with the last two rockets being launched simultaneously proved a good ending.
Indoors then for a film and supper, a burger and a bun with special camp hot chocolate drink. The Cubs were beginning to look tired and seemed grateful to be allowed to go to bed at about 22:30, naturally this was done in chaotic manner and resulted in the Cubs becoming lively again. The leaders only had to go in four or five time in the next half hour before it was only the hard core of party animals that were awake. Even they had to fall asleep sooner or later, thankfully it was sooner and the Leaders went to their beds at 01:30ish.
Hathi and Julie were woken up gently by Akela with a hot drink at 07:00 with the sound of Cubs 'whispering' in the next rooms. So it was time to get up and face the day.
One of the Cubs who shall remain nameless, (is that ok with you Jack?) provided us with some early morning entertainment, he was 'punished', for being utterly. . . something and doing something . . . so horrible that no-one can remember what it was, by running the length of the garden twice. The other Cubs said that this wasn't fair so they joined him running. The Camp photo shows what it was like on that morning. The blue lips have been Photo-Shopped out and the frozen grins were just that!!
While Akela and Julie produced breakfast Hathi looked after getting the Cubs up, dressed and ready to eat. Breakfast was lovely and set us up for the day. A number of Cubs were selected to volunteer for drying up duties, which they did. The rest of the Cubs cleared away the tables and chairs and then packed their overnight kit away ready to go home. There was the usual loss of things that were packed by accident into the wrong persons bag but it all got sorted out.
To kill a little time the Cubs were asked to help Hathi light a fire and burn some of our rubbish. The fire from the previous night was still hot under the top layer of ash and we soon had a little fire going. The Cubs cleaned the area of rubbish that included some used fireworks. these were put on the fire and burned quite nicely. We then discovered that even though they had been lit and burned out last night that not all the gunpowder had been consumed. It made a few Cubs and one Leader jump. A few sparks and a coloured flame erupted in the fire. As no-one was allowed close to the fire there had been little danger. A lesson that the Cubs and Leader will not forget!
All too soon the parents started to arrive to pickup their tired children. They seemed happy to be going home and than there was just Hathi and Akela, who dropped of the Halls keys and returned all the stuff that we had taken from our stores.
Thanks to the usual minor deity for his weather, to Julie for being so wonderful, to the parents for the fireworks and to the Cubs who made it worthwhile.