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Rhod Walters (Skip)The Scout Troop comprises of around 38-40 boys and girls.
The decision to open membership of the troop to girls, in line with the policy of the Scout
Association was made in the summer of 1999 and the first two girls entered at
the beginning of the new term in September 1999.
The new Scout programme is being followed, which produces a wide and interesting range of activities
throughout the year. We hope that the fundamental aim of scouting is being achieved and that all Scouts are
benefiting in some way from the training given.
Traditional scouting skills are being taught throughout
the programme mainly by camping and cooking. During the year Scouts will have
the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities many of which are annual
events: incident hike, a cooking competition, youth
hostelling, Snowdon, Brecon
Beacons, Lake District, Flat
Holm, summer camp, spring
camps and life support training.
Annual district scouting events are arranged:
ice-skating, swimming gala and five a side competition.
We have a 5 to 6 year rolling programme of camp sites. All the sites we visit are
international sites, this gives the Scouts the opportunity to meet other Scouts or
Guides from all around the world.
All the sites have activities such as:
- Abseiling
- Archery
- Assault Course
- Climbing Wall
- Orienteering
- Air rifle shooting
- Swimming (So they do have a wash!!!)
When the Scouts are not busy with activities they have an opportunity to do badge work. We also introduced a
form of Olympics called "Octeflon" in 1999. This consists of 8
events and lots of water!
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Our Spring camp are over the spring half term holiday weekend (April- May).
The idea of the camp is an introduction to camping for the younger Scouts and to
brush up on camp techniques that the more seasoned Scouts have learnt on other camps.
The 2000 camp was a group millennium camp. This was our contribution to the Scout
Association's millennium camps. The event was well attended with about 30 Scouts,
Ventures Leaders sleeping on the Friday night.
Saturday started early with the Scouts cooking their own breakfast, then a visit to the
warden to get pioneering poles to make an aerial rope slide, flag pole & two
poles to put up our new group banner. Between 11 and 12 o'clock Beavers, Cubs,
Parents and other visitors arrived at the site. The activities were planned to
start at 1pm.
- Face painting
- Key ring making
- Stenciling
- Aerial rope slide
- Treasure hunt (younger members)
- Water slide
- Five-a-side football
- Assault course
- Barbeque
The camp culminated in a camp fire, with a theme of light. The camp fire was run,
with thanks, by Mr. Gough. We were joined
by a company of Guides, we hope that they enjoyed themselves as much as we did.
To fulfill the theme, every one left the fire with a lighted candle. We
all decided to "hit-the sack" as the weather had really set in. ;
About 70 of us camped the night and survived the down pour!!
On the Sunday morning we had a Scouts Own run by Mr. Eric Leach from the Bath
District. Most of the other groups (around 10 in all) camping on the site
joined in. It was a quiet half an hour to reflect on the fun that we
had. We struck camp and made our way home.
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The troop visits Flat
Holm approximately every 18months. We started the visits in 1992.
The purpose of the trip is to carry out conservation work on the island.
The only eventful trip the troop has had on Flat Holm is in
1994 the troop was evacuated with all the staff as there was a storm on its way,
by the Barry life boat. Other than that the trips have always been very enjoyable.
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Brecon Beacons grid
SO 0121 2158
The Brecon Beacon are only about 30minutes drive away from Creigiau so the area is
ideal for training for higher mountain ranges.
Our normal route is up to Corn Du (873) then to Pen-Y Fan (886) then dropping down to the cars
at Torpantau near the Neuadd Reservoirs.
We try to go to the Beacons as much as possible. We insist that any scout that
has not gone to Snowdon must go to the Beacon before the trip to Snowdon.
On all our trips we try to encourage the scouts to take an active part in map
reading, compass work & awareness of their surroundings i.e. weather.
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The annual Snowdon trip is open to Scouts 12½and Younger Explorer Scouts.
We cover "The
Glyders", "The
Carneddau" and "The
Snowdon" mountain ranges over 3 days.
The troop have been going to Snowdon on an annual basis for 10 years. We go in
the summer half term holiday (May - June). We leave Creigiau on Thursday
evening. We stay in a school field centre
called Dolawen this is located just outside the national park
near Bethesda. This is fully equipped to sleep around 20 people and it
also has a cottage which will sleep 6 people.
On the Friday we drive to Llyn Ogwen near the Ogwen
Valley Mountain Rescue. We walk the Glyder Range, up the Devils
kitchen, then to Glyder Fawr (999m) and then to Glyder Fach (994m) where the
cantilever stone is situated. Then we descend the scree to the bottom of Tryfan, then
make our way back to the mini bus. I must add that this does change according
to the weather. We have varied
our route according to the ability of the Scouts.
On the Saturday we decide what to do according to the weather. We have walked the
Carneddau range also Yr Aran (747m). On fine days we walk up Snowdon (1085m), to ensure we get to the top. If the weather is bad on the
Saturday at least we get a second chance on the Sunday if the weather permits.
The final day, we choose again (depending on the weather), normally
a shorter walk to ensure enough time to travel back to Creigiau.
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The Youth hostelling is carried out in January or February.
We try to choose a hostel that takes part in the "RentaHostel" Scheme,
also we choose an area that is interesting for walking and quite close to home
to keep the cost down.
We have used Manorbier, Poppit Sands, Broad Heaven, Port Enyon & Welsh
Bicknor.
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