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Latest
Explorer
News
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Explorers in the news |
(Last
updated:
29 April, 2008) |
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EXPLORER NEWS |
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Item Date: 29-04-2008 |
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Building Round Houses in the Whistle
Field at Polyapes Camp Site |
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ESHER DISTRICT - GENERAL NEWS |
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Item Date: 20-04-2008 |
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What have the Explorers done?
Find out in the May's newsletter |
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ESHER DISTRICT - GENERAL NEWS |
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Item Date: 03-03-2008 |
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The Explorers started the year with the
Winter Activity Weekend along with other Explorer Scout
Units in the District. We stayed on the south western edge
of the Brecon Beacons, in Wales. The journey there was very
wet and windy, which didn’t much change over the whole
weekend! On Saturday four groups went out walking and all
went up Pen-yfan, the highest peak in South Wales, covering
distances of between 11 and 15km. This was a very wet walk
which everyone enjoyed nonetheless. On the Sunday we visited
a Silica Cave nearby. Despite relentless rain, all who went
had a great time and learned a great deal. Other activities
this term included building a trebuchet, a medieval catapult
used in sieges. This was great fun seeing how far we could
throw the missile. We also did some shooting at Surbiton Gun
Club using .22 guns and had a wide game in Arbrook Common.
We are busy preparing for Easter as we hope to run some D of
E Expeditions over the four days in Dartmoor. We are looking
forward to drier outdoor activities in the summer. This
year’s summer expedition is to North West Scotland where we
have hired a bothy for 10 days. It’s very basic (it has no
electricity and we have to collect our own wood in for the
fire) which is what we like. On a lighter note, I am
informed it does keep the midges out!!
Edward Bowles
ESL |
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ESHER DISTRICT - GENERAL NEWS |
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Item Date: 15-12-2007 |
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| The Explorers
team from 1st Claygate who won the District 5 a side
Football event |
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ESHER DISTRICT - GENERAL NEWS |
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Item Date: 26-11-2007 |
| Explorers Survival Weekend – a
participant’s account
The weekend started with us
lugging a cart full of supplies in the dark. We set up camp
and began looking for firewood; soon we were sitting round
the fire eating chips. Next morning we got to look around
and had to light a fire using one match to get breakfast and
we came to the arrangement that if you left camp you needed
to bring back wood for the fire – this meant we had plenty
of fire wood. Graham found us some fresh birch wood and we
all sat down to carve spoons (mainly because a couple of
people had forgotten their cutlery) and ate chicken
sandwiches cooked in our oven pit, while we cooked a
pheasant stew. Then four of us set of to build a bivouac for
the coming night. Then we realised we needed to build one
together instead of two separate shelters so we joined them
together holding one pole up with an extensive rope system,
thatching them and getting a fire going we all sat down for
stew. After a long chat (including the dreaded phrase: ‘The
phone, the phone is ringing, someone’s in trouble, we have
to help them, this is serious’) and some chocolate we turned
in to a night of howling where Richard was saved from a
burning wood panel by Phil. Slowly the four of us woke and
joined the others for breakfast, then leaving Rich to play
housekeeper we went foraging for blackthorn berries to put
in apple pies, cooking them with potatoes and a butternut
squash in the oven. After that we began packing up and
removing all traces of our presence. |
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2007 Summer Expedition to
Switzerland |
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Item Date: 27-08-2007 |
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ESHER DISTRICT - GENERAL NEWS |
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Item Date: 28-06-2007 |
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The Explorers have been busy over the last
few months. The Gang Show was enjoyable, although the
rehearsals were a struggle! We won the Explorer Section in
the District Cross Country Run and came 9th in the County
Night Challenge – one of only 12 teams out of 40 to complete
the 15km route. At the Group Activity Weekend we camped
under the old parachute, which keeps some of the rain
out...but not all (and we had some!). While there we made a
charcoal in an old oil drum. This process takes about a day
and a half. We also carved out spoons to eat with. Other
activities have included orienteering at Newlands Corner,
Cycling at Leith Hill, Volleyball with the Rangers and
making nettle tea. We began taking part in the 100 Shoot
Challenge – a county shooting competition run over the year.
One weekend we camped with the group at Walton Firs at the
District Centenary Camp. The Explorer all enjoyed the
weekend. We are now looking forward to our trip to Adleboden
in Switzerland for our Summer Expedition. We wish Alex
Ackland a great and enjoyable time at the World Jamboree in
Essex. He is part of the Surrey contingent. Also James Major
& Ben Fox will be there as part of the support staff which
helps makes the Jamboree run smoothly. We will look forward
to hearing from them when they come back.
Edward Bowles |
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Arran Summer Expedition 2006 |
'Click' the picture to make full size |
item Date: 03-07-2007 |
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Sitting at Hadrian's Wall on the way up to Arran |
A
little snooze before we catch the ferry to Arran! |
Walking the coastal path to Brodick, with Holy Island in the
background |
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| Our
Camp Site at Lamish |
Shelter building |
'Sleeping' in the shelter |
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Washing the dixie |
Playing Cricket |
Ferry back to the mainland |
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