During the February half term, Cubs from Bathampton headed to PGL Liddington, near Swindon, for a weekend of adventurous activities and team building. The Cubs were working towards their Adventure challenge award which involved taking part in exciting activities such as high-ropes and fencing. With Storm Dennis battering the South West over the half term, the group had a more exciting weekend than they’d bargained for!
Everyone arrived on Friday evening, and was treated to a delicious meal cooked on site. The group was supported by Lily, our PGL instructor, who showed us to our accommodation in the Ridgeway building. The group stayed inside dormitories during the camp, which kept us warm and dry even when the storm was at its worst! We spent the first evening playing Ambush in some nearby woodland. Ambush is essentially hide and seek in the dark, where the group worked in teams to find the other hidden team. Hiding quietly wasn’t always easy in the mud and rain, but everyone had a great time.
On Saturday, everyone woke up early for breakfast before starting a jam-packed day of activities. The group took part in crate-stacking and fencing in the morning. A team’s success at crate stacking was fully dependent on their ability to communicate well and support one another. Some cubs got as far as 12 crates high and everyone got to kick the tower down once it was completed! Mini fencing tournaments took place after everyone had mastered the basic skills and the Cubs learned about all of he equipment fencers use, and how to defend from and attack our opponents.
After a break for lunch, the group headed back outside to climb Jacob’s Ladder. The wind had picked up quite a lot at this point, so the ladder was swinging in the storm! Nevertheless, the Cubs managed to get close to the top of the ladder even when their hands were cold and the rungs of the ladder were slippery and muddy! Nothing can stop a Scout! Some members of the group did get a bit cold, so Ethan and Beth ran a star-jumping masterclass whilst the young people waited for their turn, meaning everyone stayed as warm as possible. The day ended with a series of team-based problem solving activities which included untying a human knot and crossing a large hall without stepping on the floor!
We all played a quick game of Sardines before heading to dinner. The Cubs were then treated to a game show ran by Lily, where Cubs competed in games like ‘Family Fortunes’ and ‘The Cube’ to see who could get the most points. A very tired group of young people then headed off to bed.
On Sunday morning, we packed up and emptied our rooms before heading to breakfast. After breakfast, we all went back out into the storm for the final time to complete the Vertical Challenge and to ride down a zip-wire! It was a really fun morning that saw everyone conquer their fear of heights and show bravery even when they are cold and wet. All of the leadership team are very proud of everyone who attended the camp! We hope everyone managed to have a rest over half term before coming back to Cubs the following week.
If you’re interested in joining us next time, to PGL or on one of our many other adventures, get in touch today!
