In mid June, twenty-one scouts from the Aird section of Kirkhill Scout Group attended an action-packed and hugely enjoyable weekend camp at the Brora Scout campsite. Somehow, in just two days, we managed to pack in a huge range of activities including map skills, hill walking, raft building, swimming (in a chilly loch), abseiling and collecting bizarre objects for the ‘nature table’ (mainly sheep bones). The highlight for many was the chance to abseil down a sheer rock face. In addition, we formally welcomed and invested eight new scouts and of course enjoyed the traditional camp-fire, complete with charred marsh-mallows.
The campsite itself is fantastic, set in a valley beside Loch Brora. The weather was mainly dry and the midges stayed away – we did however have to take cover when a herd of cattle decided to invade the campsite.
The weekend culminated in a raft race to an island in the loch (see photograph) in which, against all expectations, both rafts stayed afloat (unlike most of the scouts).
The camp marked the end of a hugely successful and varied summer term in which the scouts have participated in a wide range of land and water-based activities and have worked towards achieving the Forester badge
Thank you to Brora Scouts for organising the abseiling at the camp and to Karen Blagden and Jill Kent for helping out with transport. And, a special thanks to Muirton Sea Scouts for hosting our canoeing sessions and to Ged Church for organising the woodland evenings.
Helen Cowan, Assistant Scout Leader