The Scouts woke to a chilly two degrees Celsius on Saturday morning at Perthyre Farm. It was only temporary though: as the sun rose, the temperature climbed to around twenty degrees by the afternoon. By mid-morning the whole Scout section was out hiking.
Two degrees on the camp thermometer at first light
Every Scout was out walking: the older Scouts and Young Leaders on an overnight hike, carrying tents and kit with them, and the younger Scouts on a day hike out from camp and back. Maps were handed over, packs loaded, and everyone headed out through the camp gate.
Packed and ready under the camp gateway
The routes took them along narrow lanes, over harvested fields and, at one point, single file down a track through a maize crop standing taller than most of the Scouts.
Single file through the maize
There was livestock to meet along the way, pigs at a fence and horses in a paddock.
A pig comes over for a closer look
Charlie the dog went out with one of the day hikes and walked five miles, a personal record by some distance, which he marked on his return with a long and well-earned sleep.
Charlie, dressed for the conditions
The day hikers came back to a welcome that had been arranged some hours earlier: bottles of Coke wedged into the shallows of the river to give them a cool drink.
Chilling drinks in the river
With half the troop away for the night, camp was quieter than usual. Camp chef Lior Duby showed the day hikers how to make naan breads on the griddle, and they sat down to curry with the leaders as the sun went down. Some miles away, the overnight party pitched their tents at Symonds Yat West, with another day's walking to come.
Lior showing the day hikers how naan bread is done
On Sunday, the day hikers spent the morning learning backwoods cooking with Daniel, the business of producing a meal with no kitchen, no pans and nothing but what a fire and a bit of ingenuity will give you. Later in the afternoon the overnight hikers walked back in through the camp gateway, tired but thoroughly pleased with themselves.
Back through the gateway
Ice lollies and a cold drink were waiting, both to mark the achievement and to mark Judah's thirteenth birthday, which had coincided neatly with the final day of the overnight hike.
The group then went down to the river for a swim, watched over by leader Alistair, a qualified lifeguard, and after two days of walking in the heat it is fair to say the water was appreciated.
Alistair keeping watch over the river swim
Judah received a gift from the group that evening, and camp settled down for the night.
Birthday celebrations after dark