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Activity log
This page contains a log of all notable activities. We don't record weekly programme here unless we're out and about somewhere, or something special (or embarassing) happens.
Please note, we've been too busy over the last few months to update this page! There will be a bumber update during the Christmas holidays.
Gilwell 24
When: 10-12 July
Where: Gilwell Park
Highlights
Successfully staying up for over 24 hours, Bear Grylls being invested as Chief Scout, high ropes, funfair, zorbing, segways.
Skiing
When: 7 April
Where: Pontypool Ski Centre
Dolygear camp
When: 30 January - 1 February
Where: Dolygaer, Brecon Beacons
Highlights
Dawn hike, party games, fires
New year walk
When: 3 January 2009
Where: Cadair Fawr, Brecon Beacons
Another tradition - our new year walk
Indoor climbing
When: 29 December
Where: Llangorse rope centre
Our traditional antidote to Christmas holiday boredom, and endless turkey sandwiches!
Rememberance parades
When: 9 November
Where: Rogerstone and Newport city centre
Unit members were present at their local parades.
Newport fireworks
When: 2 November
Where: Newport Statium
We helped Newport Round Table with marshalling of the event.
Black mountains night hike
When: 25 - 26 October
Where: Grwyne Fawr, Black Mountains
A challenging hike in difficult conditions, in the dark with the mist down. Walking into the early hours, then camping in the nearby woodland. Full breakfast at a cafe in Abergavenny!
Science abuse II
When: 21 October
Where: At the hut
Playing with fire, and finding out the properties of non-newtonian fluids (you can walk on them, but if you stop, you sink!)
Wide games
When: 7 October
Where: Woodland and fields near the Scout hut
The Explorers always enjoy running around the local countryside playing wide games, and tonight was no exception.
Do any Explorer units (or even Scout troops) want to challenge us to some wide games? If so, get in touch!
CRAI district fun day
When: 20 September
Where: Islwyn Scout Parc
Who went: Dave, Pete, Richard
We have new next-door neighbours! Caerphilly, Rhumney and Islwyn districts have merged to form CRAI district. To celebrate, they held a fun day for all sections, and we were invited along to help them run the climbing wall. Unfortunately all of our Explorers who help with climbing were busy with other Scouting activities that day, but the leaders and an ex-Explorer went along to help.
We took the opportunity to add a few new routes to the wall while we were there (photo 1, photo 2). You can now complete a low-level traverse from side to side along the wall too.
Team X - Silver Cross
When: 19 - 21 September
Where: Silver Cross, Swansea
Who went: Three of our Young Leaders, dozens of other Young Leaders from across Wales, Pete and various other leaders from other units and Network members
Team X is the all-Wales Young Leaders unit, and provides training opportunities to develop Young Leaders from across Wales and give them the skills to help run their sections.
Highlights
The campfire - for two reasons; dancing and other entertainment, and the sheer size of the fire (nearly 30 pallets, we think)
Camp at Jubilee Fields
When: 12 - 14 September
Where: Jubilee Fields, near Cardiff
Highlights
Playing with fire (under highly controlled circumstances, naturally), NO RAIN!!!! The kitchen sink!
Cooking Competition
When: 9 September
Where: The Scout hut
The Explorers were challenged to cook a two course meal using random ingredients selected by our talented judges (that'll be the leaders then)
Pete's Kandersteg fact-finding trip
When: 10 - 17 August
Where: Kandersteg International Scout Centre, Swiss Alps
Who went: Pete tagged along with some Scouts and Explorers from another district
Highlights
The awe-inspiring scenary, via ferrata, white-water rafting, overnight stay in a mountain hut, walking on proper snow, being lowerd into and "rescued" from a crevasse.
View Pete's photos, and look out for opportunities to go to Kandersteg, as there will be some coming along soon!
D of E Gold qualifying hike
When: 26 Jul - 1 Aug
Where: Dartmoor
Who went: Gold group
Highlights
Completing the hike and passing! Not getting lost!! More rain (surprise surprise)
Gilwell 24
When: 11 - 13 July
Where: Gilwell Park (The spiritial home of Scouting)
Who went: The only two from No Limits who weren't on holiday (where was our invite the rest of you?), plus 4 Explorers "adopted" from Tan Gwyllt. Dave and Pete went with Scafell.
Highlights
Lasting the 24 hours (or not!). The leaders were busy as staff, so haven't got a clue what the Explorers got up to, but activities on offer included a fairground, zorbing, climbing, high ropes, 3g swing, EA games trailer, segways, crate stacking and woodland quasar.
District Cub camp
When: 4 - 6 July
Where: Islwyn Scout Parc
We ran the climbing and abseiling at this year's district Cub camp.
Highlights
Abseiling forwards. An never-seen-before style of indoor "campfire". Pete's rendition of Zombies.
Gold training hike
When: 28 - 29 June
Where: Brecon Beacons
Who went: Gold group
Highlights
More rain! (Seems to be a theme this year...) The leaking bothy shelter. Somebody forgetting their lunch. Pete failing miserably to get everyone lost (Couldn't catch 'em out at all)!! Nearly everyone getting scared in a dis-used railway tunnel. Pizza!
Hovercraft project
When: 17 June
Where: At the scout hut
We've started to build a hovercraft! One which will be big enough to sit on. This meant introducing some of the Explorers to power tools for the first time...
Quotes
There were numerous. Mostly involving going either too fast or too slow with a router/jigsaw, or not being able to follow a line marked on wood!
Climbing @ Tyle-y-coch
When: 10 June
Where: Tyle-y-coch quarry
Who went: Matt, Kate, Naomi, Nathan, Richard, Lee, Dave, Pete
Highlights
Lee getting to the top of a climb
Quotes
- Where's the fishing rod?!
Rogerstone Group camp
When: 24-30 May
Where: Parc-le-Breos, Gower
Who went: All the Young Leaders, Explorer Leaders, and most of Rogerstone Group
Highlights
Helping to plot and execute the "swimming hike" for the Scouts! Watching the Cubs nearly take off during storm force winds on Oxwich beach. The new Girl Scout. More rain!
Bronze expedition
When: 10-11 May
Where: Usk Valley
Who went: Bronze group
Highlights
Doing it! Finally!
Easter camp 2008: Lake district
When: 24-30 March
Where: Great Tower Scout Campsite, Windermere, Cumbria
Who went: Alex, Nathan, Jade, Zoe, Dave, Peter, Lee, Gavin, Andy
Highlights
The weather! Mountain walking in the snow, Via ferrata, Jacob's ladder, leap of faith, crate stacking, the chocolate shop
The quotes
- Cooooooooooold
- We're all gonna die!
- What's one of these? A dead one of those!
- Alex the Salmon's got... wet feet
- What's cold and green? Lee!
- What's cold, wet and Brown? Zoe!
- Doing a Pete! this means leaving your mobile phone on the roof of your car and driving half way to Kendal before realising!
District Cub funday
When: 29 February - 2 March
Where: Magor Woods (Wilcrick Hill) near Magor, Monmouthshire.
Who went: Nathan, Zoe, Kate, Tom, Dave, Peter, Gavin, Lee
Highlights
Wind (and not due to baked beans!), falling trees, burning stuff (again), Lee's backwoods kitchen, comparing the burning properties of meths and paraffin
Winter camp
When: 25-27 January
Where: Jubilee Fields, Scout Campsite, Vale of Glamorgan
Who went: Nathan, Zoe, Jade, Kate, Tom, Dave, Peter, Gavin
Highlights
Learning proper backwoods skills, burning stuff, spherical burning stuff, a game with sticks, and the aqueous challenge!
Gwentrek 2007
When: 5-7 October
Where: Cwmbran to Usk
Who Went: Jade, Zoe, Kate, Naomi, Nathan, Alex, Will, Jon, John, Tariq, Dave, Pete
Highlights
The A team coming second and the B team; not coming last, despite getting disqualified
AWESOME 2007
When: 28-30 September
Where: Glanusk Park, near Crickhowell
Who Went: Jade, Zoe, Kate, Naomi, Nathan, Will, Jon, Dave, Andy, Pete, Gavin
Highlights
Skinning rabbits! Shaving foam (don't ask), getting to know hundreds of other Explorers from around Wales
Quotes
- Woo-hoo!