Bathampton Scouts Night Hike 2014

On Friday 17th October, we ran our annual Night Hike for the Scouts. This year, because Simon was unfortunately ill, he had to leave early and so it was left to leaders from another group, helpers from Bath 'BUGS' SSAGO, the Young Leaders and I to run the hike. This year we resumed to the Skyline route, and although only one patrol was able to complete the full 18 miles before it go too late to carry on, both the other patrols got very close with minimal drop-outs.
Overall the hike was a success and the Scouts benefited from practising their navigation skills prior to this.

Intense 2014

In September, I attended 'Intense' for the first time, which is a national camp for Network Scouts (18-25), run at Woodhouse Park just outside Bristol. The Saturday is spent doing activities such as segways, laser quest and playing on giant inflatables, and on Sunday the infamous 'piano bash' takes place.

The article that was written for intense is copied below:

At Woodhouse Park Scout Activity Centre near Bristol last weekend, over 250 Network members tackled a massive variety of activities, including the aerial runway, water bungee slide, leap of faith and crate stacking.

In the annual piano bash, an legendary tradition at Intense, participants raced to dismantle old pianos and post the pieces through a letterbox. The evening programme was just as busy, with discos, a foam party and a traditional campfire keeping everyone entertained.

Lots of participants shared stories of the weekend on social media. Gary Barron commented on Facebook: ‘Intense was amazing, best weekend I have had away in a long time! Saw so many old faces and met a lot of new ones too.’ Bath City Scout Network posted: ‘Epic weekend at Intense. Loved the piano bash this afternoon.’

Intense is just one of many opportunities for 18-25 year olds in Bath and the surrounding area. If you would like to join them in further adventures contact them here!

28th Bath (Bathampton) Troop Camp 2014 - 'Sway Camp'

Between the 14th and 24th August, I went along with Bathampton Scouts for our annual summer camp, which this year too place just outside Sway, in Hampshire.
Throughout the camp, the Scouts wrote a blog with what they did each day which is available at blog.bathamptonscouts.org.

In addition, the summary article we wrote for the camp is below:

Scouts from Bathampton have just returned from their yearly summer camp in Sway on the edge of the New Forrest. The intrepid Scouts took part in their annual Top Gear Challenge that involves them identifying land marks from photos and using any transport method. This year saw the 30 Scouts walk from Sway to the local station and then catch a train to Portsmouth.

From here they took a ferry to Ryde on the Isle of Wight. The Scouts then caught a bus to Sandown Pier on the other side of the Island, had an ice cream  and free time on the beach. They then caught a bus to Yarmouth, a ferry to Lymington and from here they walked back to Sway. The Challenge was won by Kestrels who achieved the exercise in the shortest time and used the least amount of money!

Other highlights of the camp included hiking through the New Forrest for their Expedition Challenge badge, a 24 hour survival exercise for their Survival Badge, a Christmas party complete with music, Christmas games and crackers. Archery, Dutch Arrows, zorbing, sea kayaking at Lymington Sea Pool, a visit to a music concert in Bournemouth and a sandcastle building competition on New Milton beach (won by the Merlins) and a quiz in Lymington.

All of the Scouts slept under canvas, cooked on wood fires and built their own camp gadgets including dressers to help make camp life easier. The camp competition; where points are awarded for cooking, Scout craft, Top Gear Challenge, sandcastle building and the quiz was won overall by the Kestrels led by Melissa whose Patrol was awarded the Spadger Trophy.

For more information about what we got up to on camp, please visit our day by day camp blog at blog.bathamptonscouts.org.

Centurion Challenge 2014

Between the 4th and 6th of July, for the second year, I spent the weekend helping with Beechen Cliff's Centurion Challenge where I was part of the cycle support team, working with Mr Brewer. Over the course of the event, I managed almost 200 miles from going up and down the group of walkers.

Below is the full write up from the event from the school newsletter:

The Beechen Cliff School Centurion Challenge 2014 has take place. 61 boys in years aged 12 to 17 took this year’s challenge and making history was one young woman,  Caitlin Beddoe in the lower sixth. 

The start at 4 o’clock on the Friday was in slowly greying sky’s and there was a fine drizzle on the way to the Devizes Camp Site, but with 3 hours the numbers had reduced by 2. Most arrived at 9 o’clock, feasted on the awaiting BBQ before retiring fort the night. Only to be woken at 5 o’clock for the start one hour later, just as the nights torrential rain had ceased. 

The magnificent 60 now made their way to St Lawrence Church, Hungerford, the 50 miles half way point and were welcomed by the Reverend Andrew Sawyer. Resting only for 15 minutes, the challengers feasted on the buffet of rolls, cake, fruit and energy bars before returning along the same canal tow path. 10 challengers were to fall here and on the long 27 miles journey back to the Devizes encampment. 

On the final morning 49 challengers set off to return to the school by 4 o’clock to qualify as Centurions. The first 3 ; Matthew Wedding,  Joseph Grosvenor and Ethan Foster,  covered the final 23 miles in just over 4 and a half hours and will have their names engraved into the Centurion Challenge Hall of Fame. The others followed in the hot sun and were greeted by friends and family to be hailed as Centurions. 

The charity we adopted t for this year’s challenge and our Three Peaks Challenge was Ethiopiad. Their aims are simple. They provide breakfast and schooling for the hundreds of children living on the streets of Addis Ababa - in partnership with Hope Enterprises.  A nourishing breakfast provides the incentive for these children to attend informal classes in basic literacy and numeracy. By removing the constant pressure to find money for food, the children are given time to learn and gain the skills necessary for a better start in life. The 2014 Centurions agreed that this was a noble cause and worth the pain to raise sponsorship for.

Alex Wringer in one the last groups to arrive before the deadline said, “it was the toughest thing I have done! Many friends say they will do it, but it they never do. The constant pain on the way back from Hungerford is a real killer. John ( Elliot) and I walked it all together signing and joke all the way. I am not doing it again”

Richard Stewart

Centurion Organiser

Ten Tors 2014 - The Event

On the weekend of the 9th, 10th and 11th May 2014 the Ten Tors Challenge took place on Dartmoor
- in theory to be my last as a 'challenger'. Having taken a break from Ten Tors in 2013 due to a very busy exam schedule this weekend I would be going for the gold, 55 mile, route.

On the Friday we met at Bearflat shortly after 7am, departing via Norton Hill and Exeter services, to Okehampton Camp. We arrived mid morning and followed Mr Brewer to our site which was as always marked by the tallest, and widest selection of flags. At the site I met up with Tom and Rob who had gone down the day before, along with most of the staff to set up the site.

The routes had been released while we were on the coach so when we arrived we discovered we had been allocated route 'X'. All the routes were different this year as part of the army responding to budget cuts, so rather than taking us to Trowlesworthy Tor at the bottom of the South Moor, our route's most southerly point was 'Peat Cot', the new most southerly point of all routes, and as such there would be far more zigzagging across the moor. Nobody knew how much easier or harder the routes would be as a result of this, and how this would affect our timings.

We then went to our tent, and had our kit checked before going up to the scrutineering. We went up to with the 35 and 45 teams and made fun of Rob who wasn't very happy he'd been asked to be the 6th member of one of the 35 teams (he did get a Rab soft-shell out of it though so couldn't complain in the end). Scrutineering took place without any problems, as did the briefing which followed. Once we'd had both of these stamped on our route card, we went back to the site for lunch and to plan our route. After this, there was just time to cram in some revision before dinner and an early-ish night.

The next morning we awoke to the classic 'chariots of fire' over the camp tannoy as quickly packed up our things. Once we'd had our breakfast we were lined up for a series of photos in front of our display of flags, and then quickly made our way to the start point at Anthony Stile.
We took our place next to the big 'X' sign and waited for the guns to go off to start the challenge.

Our first tor was Great Kneeset however because of the new routes, we first had to go via Nodden Gate on the west edge of the moor. This involved us crossing the West Okement River and curving passed Sourton Tor and then joining the discussed railway line to the gate.
After checking in, we quickly turned around and headed east, passed Great Links Tor and Green Tor before reaching Great Kneeset. After a brief stop, we continued on, joining the track below Okement Hill and then cutting across east to Watern Tor.

Following Watern Tor we then had another 'via' to go to at Fernworthy on the western point of the Fernworth Forest. This was a fairly short leg across boggy ground however we had to wait just before checkpoint as a member of the team running the base ran towards us and got us to wait while one of the three helicopters which support the event picked up somebody who had hurt their leg and couldn't walk on.
We didn't stop any longer than the amount of time it took to check in at Fernworthy because we had already had a break waiting for the helicopter. We then made our way around the north edge of Fernworthy Forest, cutting up north east to our third tor, Kes Tor. From there, we walked south, on the eastern edge of the Fernworthy Reservoir, heading due south to Water Hill as the weather took a turn for the worse. The weather was at its worst point for the whole weekend while we were at Water Hill - one of the most exposed points on our route - so we only stopped briefly before heading down into Postbridge.

The field behind the car park in Postbridge where the army had made their base had become a quagmire as a result of every single route passing through this bottle neck, as had most of the paths in and out. We stayed just long enough to see one of our 35 teams and then headed up a slippery track full of teams back onto the moorland. From head we headed north west towards Rough Tor. By this point some members of the team were starting to struggle so we had a brief break halfway between Postbridge and Rough Tor. Shortly after moving off again, I noticed the tracker that the army supplied us with was beeping, and when I took it out of my bag, saw the emergency button must have been activated (I don't know how this happened because it was still in its sealed case), the screen said 'are you in danger'. The only option the device gave me to respond with was 'Yes', so because we were now just at the bottom of Rough Tor we though the best option would be to explain the problem to the team there.

As we approached Rough Tor we were asked who were, and when responded with 'x-ray alpha', we were told that I, as team leader, had to go with the tor leader and phone Ten Tors HQ because our tracker had been activated and the tor party had been put on alert to look out for us. Once it had been cleared up that we hadn't activated the tracker and were all ok, we checked in and left, just as a helicopter arrived at the checkpoint to help find us!

On the next leg we walked passed Beardown Tors (although this wasn't one of our checkpoints), passed Beardown Farm and onto the South Moor. It was getting close to the 8pm cut off time by this point and we didn't want to be stuck at our most southerly point, Peat Cot, overnight so really picked up the pace, overtaking a few other 55 teams on our route as we did so. We got to Peat Cot at 7.55pm giving us 5 minutes spare to check in before we were allowed to walk on. We headed up the 'yellow brick motorway' until South Hessary Tor where we curved off to the West. We crossed the B3212 as it was starting to get dark and the weather started to turn again. We preceded to follow the old railway track west and then north to the disused quarry next to Yellowmeade Farm were we decided to stop for the night.
We tried (unsuccessfully) to find a sheltered spot for our tents and promptly went to bed.

The next morning we managed to oversleep - we'd meant to get up around 4am, giving us two hours to pack up and make our way to our next tor for when checkpoints open at 6am. Unfortunately, we didn't wake up until 5am so despite getting our kit packed in record time, we didn't make it to our 7th tor, Middle Staple Tor' until 6.55am. Fortunately, because we'd managed to get passed Peat Cot on Saturday evening we were still in the top half of the team on our route and we made up lots of time by powering through the next section to Standon Farm. By this point we were the fourth team on our route (out of 12), behind QEH, who were over an hour ahead on the team in second, Great Torrington Adventure Group, and Norton Hill who we arrive at Standon Farm just one minute behind.
We left Standon Farm and headed passed Lane End going north west and ticking off Ger Tor and Hare Tor as we passed them before arriving at Chat Tor, our 9th. Norton Hill had taken a slightly different route from us for this leg but we both arrived at Chat at exactly the same time!

Our penultimate leg was the longest and by far the hardest of the challenge, from Chat we had to Cosdon Beacon on the east side of the moor, overshooting the finish line at Okehampton Camp. To do this, we first went north west to Kitty Tor where we dropped down the steep valley to cross at Sandy Ford. I managed to hurt my knee on the steep descent which made the steep climb on the other side even harder. We hit a track just north of Dinger Tor and followed this east and then north until we were just south of Higher Tor. From here we left tracks and went east over the River Taw and up Cosdon Beacon. We'd managed to overtake Norton Hill on the long leg so were now the third team. We took a slightly longer break than usual before descending again, down around Higher Tor, passed Cullever Steps and up the track there until we could see the camp. At this point we met Mr Stuart and Mr Sayers who gave us each a flag which we carried, running the last few metres across the finish line into the camp at 3.50pm.

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After the event, the army uploaded the GPS tracker data from our route which can be seen below:


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Below is the full write up from the event from the school newsletter:

Ten Tors 2014
Great Success for Beechen Cliff teams. Have no doubt, this year’s event was tough. With an
almost deliberate timing low pressure with rain and gales gathered over the Atlantic to take great delight in blasting Dartmoor from Thursday to Sunday morning over last weekend.
However this could not undo the preparation or determined attitude of our teams who responded
brilliantly over the weekend and won out in due course. Once again we had teams walking at all distances, 35 miles, 45 miles and 55 miles respectively. Training began in January as this is not the sort of event where you can ‘just turn up’. The ante is progressively upped with day walks on the Mendips and Quantocks turning into more arduous weekend expeditions over Dartmoor.
As ever the teams have to become self-sufficient, able to spend a night out on the moor and navigate across no matter what conditions. In this way they visit their Ten Tors.

Okehampton Camp high on the moor was our exposed base for the weekend where teams from all over the South West converge for the mass start at 7.00am Saturday morning. This means that the place fills up over Friday as kit checks and briefings are conducted by the Army. Teams also see their respective routes for the first time and have to plan their tactics and approach. The atmosphere builds in this tent city which even boasted a 200 person strong ‘conga’ line at one stage, weaving its way around tents and portaloos.
The start was as spectacular as ever with the sun shining briefly before the maelstrom returned to cover the 2400 participants. Then as ever parents and staff become glued to the Ten Tors website as team’s positions and progress is tracked across the moor. Despite a day of driving rain and gales our teams were in good positions to complete on the Sunday, if they could hold their nerve against the conditions. It was at a relatively dry finish that they rolled over the horizon to see crowds and waiting parents at the finish before the medal ceremony. For most of the 55’s it was to complete the
set of medals, topping Bronze and Silver medals with a coveted and prestigious Gold. Special mention must be made here to Harry Jenkins who walked with another 55 team (Norton Hill School). Without him and his training and ability to complete this most demanding of distances they would not have been able to start the event as teams of six are needed. Well done Harry!

Ten Tors is a firmly fixed event on the Beechen Cliff calendar and is recognised nationally as the premier youth challenge event of its kind. I am sure pupils would want to acknowledge the huge input and hours given up by staff at Beechen Cliff of whom seven have been regularly involved in preparing groups for the event.
Completing Ten Tors is a huge achievement and the scale of the event has to be seen to be believed. On this note it was greatly appreciated by staff that so many parents came down to witness the finish and understand what all the efforts have been for. Here’s to Ten Tors 2015.

Dave Brewer (Head of Humanities), Richard Stewart (Head of Chemistry)

Ten Tors Training - Dartmoor 3

On Friday 25th April we went down to Dartmoor for the final Ten Tors training weekend before the event itself in two weeks time. After the usual stop at Exeter services, we went to South Zeal for our kit check, route planning and bed.

Early the next morning we drove to Okehampton Camp and met the 55 team from Norton Hill School. As they had 5 people wanting to complete 55 and we had 7, one of our team would be joining then for the event and we would be walking with them for some of the time this weekend. We then promptly headed off, reaching our first checkpoint at Cullever Steps just after it started to rain. We then headed south passed Oke Tor as the weather continued to deteriate, and on to Waters Tor. The weather then started to improve as we cut across east to Kes Tor and held out until we reached Fernworthy when it started to get worse again. We then made our way to Sittaford Tor and continued to complete the long leg over to Water Hill and then back down into Postbridge. At this point, we met Mr Brewer and, as we were ahead of schedule, continued on through Postbridge and up to Bellever Tor, meeting the staff and minibus at the road on the other side of the Tor.

We were then told that so we got to know the 55 team from Norton Hill we would be camping with them at the campsite which the staff use in Princetown and so, for the first time, would not be wild camping. The Norton Hill team were still walking (we had the same route as them but had overtaken them at Cullever Steps), so we ate and set-up our tents while it was dry and were just about to go to bed when the Norton Hill team arrived. We went and sat in their minibus for a while and found out that they were planning on sleeping in the bus overnight rather than in tents, and then went to bed.

The next morning after breakfast and collapsing our tents down, we set off again, this time heading our south, towards South Hessary Tor and Peat Cot where we almost doubled back on ourselves and headed towards Two Bridges. Once there, we headed up the path through Beardown Farm to Beardown Tors where we met Mr Stuart and his drone. We then headed down the valley with the intention of crossing it at the bottom, but hight river levels from all the rain we had had the day before made this much more difficult that we'd expected and delayed us slightly. Eventually we did find a way across and headed up to, and passed Higher White Tor before walking around the boundary wall north west of Postbridge where we were able to find the footpath in to Postbridge, at the end of which we waited for the staff and other teams to arrive just as it started to rain. 

Ten Tors Training - Dartmoor 2

Having missed the first Ten Tors training session of the year on Dartmoor earlier in the month, this was my first visit to Dartmoor in 2014. We drove down on the evening of Friday 28th and after a brief stop at Exeter services as usual, we arrived at the hall in South Zeal and had our kit checked before planning our routes for the next two days.

Early the next morning we drove to Okehampton Camp and promptly headed off into the fog surrounding Yes Tor, once there heading back down and over the West Okement River to Sourton. We then headed south along once of the well established tracks to Great Links Tor, before heading down off the moor via Chat Tor, and to the right of Sharp Tor and Hare Tor to the Lane End car park. We then followed the road and paths to a footbridge over the Tavy, and then continued passed Standon Farm up to the top of Lynch Tor. After this we did the dreaded walk east to Baredown Tors, and then back, west to Little Mis Tor where we briefly met some of the staff. Following the poor advise of an ex-student who was helping, we then headed straight down the side of the valley and eventually managed to cross the river at the bottom and traverse the two barbed wire fences on some very boggy ground in which I went up to my waste, allowing us a supposedly quicker route to Great Staple Tor. Our final checkpoint of the day was, as usual, Black Tor, so to get there we headed down off Staple, crossed the road, and followed the dismantlement railway for most of the way before crossing a small area of open more to our campsite.
Once there, we met Mr Brewer and other members of staff who brought us away from our normal spot down to next to the Devonport Leat before leaving us to have our dinner and go to bed.

The next morning, after having breakfast and backing away our tents and kit, we headed north to North Hessary Tor and then followed the pass down one side, into Pricetown and passed the Plume and Feathers where the staff had been staying. After a quick chat with Mr Brewer we sped down the 'yellow brick motorway' to the Whiteworks at Peat Cot before going east and then north to the Prince Hall Hotel. Once there we crossed over the road and went up Bellever Tor where we met Mr Stuart and Mr Mason before descending the other side into Postbrige where we finished.

Dragnet Camp 2014

From the 21st to the 23rd March 2014, the Scouts had their annual Dragnet camp. This is where they spend a weekend camping with the focus being on a all day hike on the Saturday during which the Scouts are tasked with 'Operation Dragnet' and are hunted by the hunter patrol, which this year comprised of the Young Leaders, Leaders and Patrol Leaders.
This year, we chose to move the Dragnet camp to the area around Wooton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire.

On the Friday evening, after the scouts arrived at the site they set up their tents and sorted out equipment for the next day before playing a wide game, and then going to bed.

The next morning the scouts were up and ready to go by around 9am. The route the scouts took saw them walking in the area north-east of Wooton using parts of the Cotswold Way. This gave the hunter patrol ample opportunities to ambush the scouts, with several areas of dense woodland acting as perfect cover. Throughout the day we managed to ambush each patrol at least once, and some three or four times. Between 1pm and 2pm, the scouts had a one hour 'truce' in which they heated up and ate boil in the bag ration pack meals for their lunch. In general, despite a few slight mishaps, the scout's navigation had improved, and as a result they didn't miss as many of our ambushes as they had the year before - although their navigation did still have plenty of room for improvement!

The final patrol finished the hike just passed 5.30pm, and shortly after this we went into Wooton to pick up fish and chips for the evening. The scouts then enjoyed eating fish and chips before I had to leave due to having work the next morning.

Driving Test

On Wednesday 19th February I went to Chippenham test center where I successfully passed my Driving Test!

— Ethan Rose (@Ethanol_Rose) February 19, 2014

Ten Tors Training - The Quantocks

On Saturday 8th February I took part in the second Ten Tors training of the year. We had originally intended to go to the Black Mountains but due to the met office issuing an amber severe weather warning it was decided on the Thursday before, that we would move to the lower Quantock hills.

We left school at around 7.30am and had an approximately two hour journey down to the Quantocks. After a bit of a slow start, we soon got moving over the hills whilst the weather was nice, if a bit windy of the top of some ridges. The weather stayed nice for most of the morning but as we came off some of the more exposed hills onto a wooded path we got caught in a very heavy rain storm which then turned into hail.
After the rain storm passed, he headed down through some fields and then back up to some moor-like land on the other side of the valley where we met Mr Brewer. He told us to be quick across ridge that we had to walk across because it was about to rain and become even windier. When we got to the other side of the ridge, we went down into a valley following a stream, and then back up the other side. We then came off the moor-like area and followed some paths down to a park where we met Mr Stewart and some other teachers. We then went down into a valley following the side of a forest and up the other side as it started to rain. By the time we reached the car park at the top where the minibuses were parked the rain was coming down very hard, we then got on the buses and left at between 2pm and 3pm.

IST South West Selection Day

On Sunday 2nd February I took part in the selection day for IST/JPT in the South West. To read the full write up of this event, please visit my sperate blog which is specifically dedicated to the 23rd World Scout Jamboree 2015 in Japan - http://ethanjambojapan.tumblr.com/

Ten Tors Training - The Mendips

On Saturday 25th January I took part in the first Ten Tors training of the year.
We met at school just before 8am and departed for the Mendips just after. The drive took slightly longer than expected due to some closed roads but we left the minibuses and started walking at about 9.20am.

Our route took us all around the Mendips, first by heading East, and then South Weston along a ridge into Cheddar, where we then turned North before doing some small loops, and heading back to near where we started.
We finished the walk at almost exactly 4 and arrived back at school approximately an hour later.

Bathampton Scouts Sleepover at Grove Street and Chip Shop Challenge Jan 2014

On Friday 18th January the scouts had a 'chip shop challenge'. This was where the scouts went around the chip shops of Bath, judging the chips on taste, crispiness and price. I wen't with Katie's patrol (Eagles) and we decided that the best chips were from Schwartz Bros. on Walcot street, however this was partially because they gave us chips for free.
After the challenge, the scouts went the Bath District Scouts HQ at Grove Street in the centre of town.where they ate cake, watched Toy Tory 3, and slept over.

Bathampton Scouts Night Hike 2013

On the night of Friday 8th November, we ran our annual sponsored night hike for the scouts, with all profits going towards new equipment and other things than benefit the running of the group.

As usual we started from the HQ, however this year, instead of following the Bath Skyline walk, they hiked through Marshfield, towards the M4, and back again.

The young leader (Tom, Ashley and I), along with Rosie, followed the scouts along the route until we reached Marshfield and about midnight when I had to leave due to having work the next morning.

Coast 2 Coast 2013

On 5th October I took part in the school's 'Coast 2 Coast Challenge'. This is where we cycle from Illfracombe, on the north coast of Devon, to Plymouth on the south coast from dawn to dusk - a ride which is advertised as being a 3 day trip. The ride was very successful and we were faster than the previous two groups who had attempted to challenge in the last two years. Below are the details of the ride which I recorded on my phone, and the write up of the challenge from the school's Wednesday letter.

DEVON CYCLE CHALLENGE MET BY BEECHEN CLIFF BOYS
Twenty one pupils took on this year’s cycle challenge to cross Devon, North to South in a day. As usual the Friday night was spent at a hostel in Ilfracombe to ensure that the 7.30am start time could be made the following morning. After a good journey down the boys raided the fast food outlets of the town to ‘carbo load’ before their efforts of taking on the 102 miles and 9000ft of ascent provided by the route. As staff plotted the location of support vehicles and access to the Beechen Cliff peloton the following day, the boys drifted to bed by 10:00pm.

A 6:00am start saw Weetabix and bananas for breakfast followed with liberal portions of chocolate spread on toast. The boys quietly sorted their bikes being aware not to wake nearby residents. That was until the inner tube on Miles Lloyd’s bike burst in spectacular fashion, echoing across the harbour like a gun shot. So much for stealth!

The mass start assembled and at 7:30am on the dot the journey started to the bemusement of tourists
catching an early coach from their hotel, as 30 pupils and staff cycled past. The first hour saw the group into Braunton after spectacular views across Woolacombe beach towards South Wales. The Tarka trail around the Taw estuary was picked up with the high tide and calm weather allowing for mirrored reflections of the surrounding hills. It also became apparent that this was a fast group as the E.T.A at Great Torrington was broken by an hour, a pacey start. Could it carry on as the hills and undulations of mid Devon made their presence felt?

Punctures punctuated the leg between Great Torrington and Hatherleigh before the steep downhill drop into Okehampton for lunch of a hot pasty, still ahead of schedule. A steep ascent out of Okehampton ensured the pasties did not sit comfortably in the stomach as the Granite Way was gained. This is a stunning stretch of cycle track, skirting the west side of a brooding Dartmoor with clear views across the Tamar valley into Cornwall. This was busy with other cyclists who turned to look when hearing 60 tubular tyres humming across the tarmac towards them. The pace was still quick and the boys sensed that the last climb of Brent Tor signified the ‘breaking’ of the route if they did not break first!

A grin inducing downhill ride to Tavistock saw the group gain the Drakes Trail, the remaining 20 miles to be on cycle track. A last ‘top up’ at the buses at Yelverton saw energy levels replenished for the final push to Plymouth Hoe. A puncture for Ben Goodman meant that he and Mr Moat stayed back and had to watch the peloton sweep onwards. Would they be able to regain their place for a group sprint finish? With the help of a bridge swing in the Barbican Harbour in Plymouth they did and en masse the Beechen Cliff cyclists invaded Plymouth Hoe under a beautiful blue evening sky. Ten hours of cycling behind them.

A big well done to all pupils and staff involved. Hopefully a good sum of money has been raised for the charity ‘Help for Heroes’. We hope for more success next year when a new bunch of budding cyclists will attempt this fantastic Devon test route.

Mr D Brewer 
Trip Coordinator

ONS 2013

On Saturday 21st September I went to One Night Stand, an annual Explore Scout event organised by Keynsham Explorer Scouts, at Chelwood Campsite. Because I was working the next morning I was not able to stay over night, but did stay until midnight. We spent most of the time playing tricks on other members of our unit which included moving and cable tying someone (that we knew's) tent while they were asleep inside!

Avon Scout County AGM 2013

On Tuesday 9th July I went to the Avon County Scout AGM at the Bath Racecourse. Amongst other things, I did some archery, blindfold cake decorating and met Amy Williams for the second time! Details of the event from the press release are shown below.

Winter Olympics gold medalist Amy Williams has become an official Scouting ambassador and her first engagement was at Avon Scouts County AGM held recently at Bath Racecourse.
Amy was hosted by Simon and Tracey from Avon Scout Network and invited to a race up a climbing wall against Alex from Bathampton Young Leaders and she also tried her hand at archery with the County team.
Williams hopes to inspire Olympians of the future  with young people often getting their first taste of sporting pursuits and adventure as Scouts. Polar adventurer Dr Ed Coats has also been appointed as a county ambassador and met young members in Bath.
County commissioner Dan Wood said: “Amy Williams and Ed Coats are incredible role models for young people, like so many of our adult volunteers. We hope many more volunteers will follow their lead and join us in the adventure.”

Centurion Challenge 2013

Between the 5th and 7th of July, I helped run the Centurion Challenge, which I successfully completed last year. My principle role was cycling up and down, making sure all the walkers were okay which was approximately a 200 mile cycle as I was going repeatedly from the back to the front and back again along the line of walkers. I also helped set up the route and campsite before the event, and helped with the monitoring of the walkers.

Below is the full write up from the event from the school newsletter:


THE CENTURION 2013 CHALLENGE 100 MILES IN 48 HOURS
……..started in front the main doors of the School at 4 o‟clock on a warm sunny Friday afternoon. The centurions, coated in sun cream and clad this in their crimson imperial purple shirts embroidered in gold, made their way down to the Kennet and Avon canal to complete the first 22 mile leg of their journey that would take them to the overnight camp at Lower Fox Hangers, our new camp on the outskirts of Devizes. By 9pm most had arrived and feasted on the barbecue prepared by our catering team of Emma Brewer, Olivia Angwin and Paul Floyd. Our cycle pursuit team of JJ, Ethan Rose and ex Beechen Cliff pupil Eliot Farmer monitored their progress under the watchful eye of Dave Brewer and Tom Moat our principle cyclists. Jack Torrance this year combined the role of Medical Assistance, health checks and the emergency collection of any of the brave 75 Challengers that had set out, but even he could not save our men from falling in unprecedented numbers by the end on the second day. By nightfall we had already lost our first
challenger to heat exhaustion. From now on our challengers were forced to constantly hydrate at every checkpoint and carry extra water supplies.

The bright dawn of the Saturday greeted our eager challengers, all keen to make haste and cover as much ground as possible before the sun was too high in the sky. Most had risen by 5 am and all were ready by 6 o‟clock for the next installment of the challenge and for over half this would be the end of the challenge. It was 28 miles to Hungerford. The first 20 flew by with such speed that some marshals were caught unawares with challengers bearing down on them out on the ever-increasing heat of the day. Jamie Forrest and Andy Seal had walked with our challengers on the first day but were now deployed in strategic locations to monitor and encourage our quick footed legion. The final 8 miles was walked in the open. The tree lined canal with its overhanging branches that had shielded our men from the full intense glare of the sun became open country side. The cool breeze of the canal became still stifling air. But our challengers marched on, sometimes losing their way in the unbearable heat, with several reporting the false dawn of church spires, willing the halfway point to be in sight but most made it. Exhausted but they had made it.

At the church of St Lawrence carnage followed . . . . refreshed our half centurions attempted to stand and restart. Moving out of the cool shade of the church yard they were brutally cut down by the intense sun light. We lost 17 within hour. Unable to make it back to the tow path they retreated to our new fleet of mini buses to lick their wounds and rest their aching bodies. They would play no further part in what was becoming a battle against the heat.

Challengers began falling at every checkpoint. Some slowed down to encourage their fellow walkers but to no avail and they too fell victim to the heat. In the next 10 hours were lost another 30. This was unprecedented in the history of The Centurion Challenge - never have so many valiant men been so brutally slain - injuries to hips, knees, and, worst of all, feet. The hard ground destroyed the skin no matter how well protected. Blisters burst through socks, bandages and even blisters plasters. Blisters formed on blisters, sweaty feet become bloodied but still a small band carried on. Some had resorted to the tactic of strapping their socks to their feet with tape to stop any rubbing. Some just toughed it out ignoring the pain until they reached camp and medical assistance. By 11:00 all had returned to camp. Some would restart from where they hand been force to stop and some had been forcibly retired.

That night a fleet of vehicles carried away the stricken back to safety of their homes. The camp was still. The laughter of the previous night had gone. Peoples talked in hushed tones. The enormity of the challenge had now sunk. To be a centurion takes courage, lots of it. That‟s why all are not Centurions.. The honour to be called a Centurion is paid for not with gold but through sacrifice. It‟s the eternal challenge of will over pain. It tests each challenger to their very limit.

Sunday morning arrived far too early for everyone. The staff were up again at 4:30am to prepare the final breakfast, bandage our band of survivors and bid them farewell on the last leg of the journey. Statistically if you have survived the first two days then you will make it home to Beechen Cliff and the glory that waits. However that does not detract from the pain that will be endured within the next 10 hours if you are to be a Centurion. One minute after the 4pm deadline counts for nothing. The coolness of the morning air lifted the spirits of our challengers and a small miracle unfolded. Some challengers started to run. Others picked up their pace too. The marshals had been briefed about the possibility but to see it unfold was inspiring. How could it be? After 78 miles our challengers could not only walk but some could run! and my how they could run. Marshals claimed new records for the passage of challengers past them. Energy bars were devoured on the move and water replenished at lightning speed. Dominic James this year arrived at school first at 10:12am. Mateo Russo followed some 40 minutes later, with Ethan Foster less than a minute behind.

Richard Stewart, Centurion Organiser said, This year was an amazing achievement. In spite of the horrendous heat all weekend that roasted our boys, they kept their spirits high and kept going. The staff, pupils and parents who help make this such a special event and next year we have plans for 100 Centurion Challengers!

Boys who participated in the Centurion Challenge:

Harry Ames, Conor McDonald, William Edwards, Elliot Norbury, Ben Black, Thomas Payne, Harvey Ellis, Patrick Osborne, Aaron Boehm, Ben Pearce, Henry Ellis, Akhilesh Pai, George Cave, Oliver Pimbblet, Conrad Hendy, Jasper Perry, Dylan Charles, Elliot Press, Louis Howell, Ross Plain, Owen Daykin-Pont, Anders Rees, Henry Hyde, Harry Potter, Ethan Foster, Charlie Ricketts, Frederick Isaksen, Henry Rawlinson, Edward Fraser, Matteo Russo, Thomas Johnson, Jordan Ricketts, Joseph Grosvenor, Samuel Watkins, Joseph Sargeant, Harry Room, James Head, Matthew Wedding, Hamish Kale, Jamie Singleton, Hugh Hegarty, Ala'a Al-Rawi, Edward Kamal, Ewan Tabram, Samuel Holburn, Jesse Armstrong, Max Kombert, Daniel Templer, Jack Holman, Nathan Bagby, Matthew Le Butt, Harry Turner, Dominic James, Edward Barby, Jack Lewis, Max Tyson, Archie Jelbert, George Bowen, Matthew Marchant, Elliot Warwick, Tom Leslie, Sam Brake, Finlay Mist, Jack Whitmore, Miles Lloyd, Milo Brosnan, Max Murray, George Wynne-Griffiths, Mark Lynch, Matthew Childs, Nicholas Natrella.

Monies raised will go to Well boring for their work with supplying water to those who need it.

Many thanks to all helpers as well because without these people who freely give up their time we would not be able to run this and other events:

Andrew Davies, Dave Brewer, Olivia Angwin, Emma Brewer, Paul Floyd, Adrienne Baker, Jamie Forrest, Andy Seal, Andy Mason, Amanda Denning, Giles Denning and Edward Kirk

Parents:
Pam Norbury, Miranda Kombert, Mary Wayne Griffiths, Matt Grosvenor, Graham Holbourn, Alison Murray Bevan , Annie Daykin, Simon Marchant, Philip Lloyd, Daryl Payne, Catherine Wedding, Helen / Neil Foster, Ruth / Mark Turner,

Present and past Beechen Cliff Students:

Eliot Farmer, Jack Torrance, Rob Sayers James Taylor, Jayakrishna Jagadees, Ethan Rose, Jack Holmes

And last but not Mr and Mrs Fletcher for the use of their campsite facilities.

Richard Stewart
Centurion Walk Organiser

NEX 2013

On 15th June 2013, Simon, some of the Scouts from Bathampton who had recently moved up to Explorers and I, attended the NEX 13 Explorer and Network event at Uphill near Weston Super Mere. 

*** Below is the district's press release from the event ***

Explorer Scouts from Inferno based on the East side of Bath attended NEX13 an annual event for the 14-25 year olds. Joining 120 other young people from across Avon County, the team enjoyed a day on the beach at Uphill near Weston Super Mere.

With lots of free candy floss, a BBQ, ‘Mocktails’, a comedy act and several live bands, the team all ex-Scouts from the 28th and under artistic direction from Simon their former Scout Leader they entered the sand castle building competition and built a stunning skull and cross bones complete with studded treasure chest filled with uncut stones.

The judges commended them for their unique style and themed entry. The winning sand sculptors still had time to enter the tug of war competition, along with members of Bath

Dragnet Camp 2013

Over the weekend, 19th - 21st April 2013, the Scouts had their annual Dragnet camp. This is where they spend a weekend camping, with the focus being on a all day hike on the Saturday, during which the Scouts are tasked with 'Operation Dragnet' and are hunted by the hunter patrol which varies from year to year, sometimes including PL's or occasionally APL's, but always, and this year exclusively Young Leaders and Leaders.

For the first year since Dragnet started, I was unable to attend the entire camp, due to the fact that I now work all weekend, however I was able to get someone to cover my shift on the Saturday, meaning I could attend the main activity.

I arrived at about 9am, just as the patrols were preparing to leave and after the patrols had headed off, we quickly followed, ambushing the last patrol almost immediately as we left the campsite.
We then drove into Marshfield and had some drinks (and the leaders had breakfast) at the tea shop where James' fiances (now wife), Hannah, worked as she was helping on camp.

Throughout the course of the day, the Scout attempted to hike from our campsite at Rock East Woodlands, to the other side of the M4, and back again without being intercepted. For the most part, they managed this despite some navigation errors and our success as a hunter patrol to intercept them.
We managed to intercept all of the patrol numerous times, with one particularly good site, at the top of a hill just below Cold Ashton.

After the Scouts had completed the hike, we returned to Rock East Woodlands for fish and chips before I had to leave for work the next morning.