Monday was the first of the camp's three activity days, and the Scouts spent it on the limestone at Craig y Cilau, high on the Llangattock escarpment above Crickhowell.
The path in beneath the limestone cliffs
The section split into two groups for the day. The younger Scouts went underground in the morning while the older ones took the climbing and abseiling, and after lunch the two swapped over, so everyone had their turn at both.
Kitted out for the caves
The cave itself is Eglwys Faen, the Stone Church. The main chamber runs seventy-five metres back into the hillside and stands high enough to walk through, with side passages leading off it. The Scouts heard about the history of the caves from the instructors including their role as a place of worship during the reformation as Henry VIII closed down the monasteries. After a few tight squeezes, the Scouts crawled on their stomachs to leave the cave.
Inside the Stone Church
Climbing and abseiling took place on a limestone face nearby, with ropes rigged from the top.
Ropes rigged and the day's first briefing
Charlie, the camp dog, came along for the day and was issued a helmet like everybody else. Charlie left to return to London after lunch but not before receiving plenty of hugs from the Scouts and Leaders.
Charlie, correctly equipped
Scouts' Own in the evening gave everyone a little time to sit with the day.
Tuesday was a quieter one by design. The morning went on skills and on getting the patrol sites in order, and Anthony led an exercise session to get everybody moving. The afternoon was spent in Abergavenny, where the Scouts were given time to explore the town on their own and to buy their own lunch. The evening went to card games in patrols and a dessert billed on the menu only as "Lior's surprise".