Scout Camp
Monday 4th August, 2008Last week I went away with my old Scout Troop to North Wales, staying at Hertfordshire Scouts' Coetmor Mill bunk house. We had a great week rock climbing, kyaking, hill walking and wild country camping, as well as a day off visiting Dinorwig Power Station and Llechwedd Slate Caverns.
In the early part of the "week" (we went on the Thursday) the weather was so hot we were reconsidering where to wild camp as the site we had chosen had no shelter. Geoff and I have camped at this site by a reservoir up the Conwy Valley before. It's a beautiful location and ideally situated for walks in the Carneddau range, but it is very open.
The weather started to change on the Sunday (before our two-day hike and wild camp) so we decided to stick with the original plan.
After a walk-in in hot weather followed by a (probably illegal) swim in the reservoir, we set up the tents and settled down to an evening meal. As we were finishing, it started to rain. Never mind we thought, it was just past 9PM so about time to go to bed anyway as it would be dark by 21:45.
At about 11:30 PM the wind got up, the rain got heavier and the thunder and lightning arrived. Boy did it rain! I left a billy outside and it was full by the morning, so we had at least 3 inches overnight. We had to spread leaders around the Scouts' tents to re-assure them and provide added weight to stop them blowing away. Nick went over to our patrol about 3AM.
Next morning all was sweetness and light again. We had a good walk in the morning and broke camp in the afternoon. We were back at the Mill by 5 (even though the mini-bus ran out of fuel)
In the early part of the "week" (we went on the Thursday) the weather was so hot we were reconsidering where to wild camp as the site we had chosen had no shelter. Geoff and I have camped at this site by a reservoir up the Conwy Valley before. It's a beautiful location and ideally situated for walks in the Carneddau range, but it is very open.
The weather started to change on the Sunday (before our two-day hike and wild camp) so we decided to stick with the original plan.
After a walk-in in hot weather followed by a (probably illegal) swim in the reservoir, we set up the tents and settled down to an evening meal. As we were finishing, it started to rain. Never mind we thought, it was just past 9PM so about time to go to bed anyway as it would be dark by 21:45.
At about 11:30 PM the wind got up, the rain got heavier and the thunder and lightning arrived. Boy did it rain! I left a billy outside and it was full by the morning, so we had at least 3 inches overnight. We had to spread leaders around the Scouts' tents to re-assure them and provide added weight to stop them blowing away. Nick went over to our patrol about 3AM.
Next morning all was sweetness and light again. We had a good walk in the morning and broke camp in the afternoon. We were back at the Mill by 5 (even though the mini-bus ran out of fuel)
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