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.