1st Kyle Valley Scouts Expedition Weekend...

What an intense weekend! It was everything we wanted it to be but in a slightly different way!

The 1st Kyle Valley Scouts were in teams of between four and six people. They walked routes totalling 30km (18miles) over two days on their own, using maps and notes they had made themselves.

The teams had to carry everything needed with them; tent, sleeping bag, food and cooking gear, spare clothes and a myriad of other kit.

Scouts navigated by themselves between various checkpoints. They erected their own tents and cooked their own meals.

Friday started in nice weather at Coxwold village hall where the teams had a final briefing before setting off at ten minute intervals. Amazingly, although we had spent a whole night at a Scout meeting going through the route, hardly anyone knew where the first checkpoint was! Suitably re-informed they were off in high spirits and with big smiles.

Despite a few slight navigation wobbles in the early stages everyone soon had their eye in. They had realised that they needed to concentrate and that, in fact, making some good route notes might have been a plan!

Passing Byland Abbey they climbed through Wass wood emerging at Cam House before stopping for lunch and winding their way down through Cockerdale.

Unfortunately, by this time the rain had settled in. Over the next three hours they had to dig deep to find the resolve to get to the camp site.

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