Camp 3 Sponsored Climb

Camp 3: Ross Wood (Sponsored 100 climbs)

Day 1:
On the way to the camp we got lost. Well we didn’t get lost exactly we just missed the turning and had to find a place to turn around and go back. I arrived just after my friend Laura did so we took our things down together. We had to help bring all the food and the marquees down but we didn’t mind. Then there was the daunting task of figuring out where to put the tent?
It was starting to get dark so we had to try and put the dinning tent up, but first we had to lace the sides together. That took more than three tries to get right but we got there in the end. Half of us put up the dinning shelter and the other half put up the cooking tent. We got called in the dinning shelter to be put into groups. In my group this time was, Ryan, Chris, Tom, Luke, Michael, James, Stacey and Martin. Stacey was in charge.

After being shown how to work the stoves and the tables were up and the food was away, we were given our timetables. These told us what time we had to be and where: climbing, attempting the assault course, with the leaders, cooking summer pudding or taking a well deserved break (and riffle shooting on Sunday). Then bed, we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow.

Day 2:
Assault course first breakfast would be waiting for us when we got back. Now I could do most of the course by myself but there was this one wall I could not get over, so I needed a little boost from the boys, but I am an independent person so I didn’t like the idea of being helped. I had to get over it by myself. I found a tree stump close by so I placed it against the wall. It was the perfect lift I needed and I didn’t need anymore help from the boys. After our slot was up we went back to camp for some breakfast. Didn’t we need it? We started climbing after and all too soon lunch came around. Luckily we didn’t have to make it this time but we all needed a break.

We had to try and make summer pudding but the leader who was showing us had something really important to do so we only got the fruit in a pan. We came back and finished it when we were meant to be playing Jenga but we didn’t care. It seemed to be taking longer than normal to heat up though. After about fifteen minutes I asked why it wasn’t working, they just turned up the heat a little more. Another 15 minutes later it still wasn’t boiling so I asked the leader and we found out the setting was still on really low, no one had turned the heat up enough! We got it done in the end. Then there was dinner.

Each group had to do so much of the preparing or the cooking. Luckily we only had to prepare some vegetables. More climbing! There was not enough room in the marquee to fit all the tables, so some of them were sticking out the door.

After dinner we had a competition. Guess the food. We were blind folded with our neckers, and had to place our hand under a bowl and pick up a piece of food and guess what it was and where it came from. I had banana… I HATE bananas!! While this was going on the leaders were sorting out the wide game. A wide game is a game which takes place in a wide area, hence the name ‘Wide game’. I had never played a wide game before, I didn’t realise that the aim was not to get caught. I think my final total time of being caught was nine, Stacey also got caught nine times, we drew for the worst score! After the game we talked until we were tired, so we went to bed.

Day 3:
I over slept. I was meant to get up early and start breakfast but I didn’t. I got up eventually. I set up the tables and got all the cereal out ready for who ever wanted it. Then I had to start the bacon. Ryan and Stacey took over after a little while, I helped them by putting the bacon in their pans. After a rushed breakfast it was back into the routine or climbing and the assault course, with an extra twist today, riffle shooting! We had to tidy up the kitchen, that was funny. I started doing the washing up and the boys decided to have a tea-towel war! I couldn’t defend my self because I had my hands in water! I got quite annoyed at James who kept whipping me, so I threw a wet sponge at him! Now Stacey and I are not very good at tea-towel whipping so we got killed! I was covered in red marks after that, but I did get all the washing up done while I was getting whipped which is pretty good.

By now people had started to finish their one hundred climbs. Each climb up and down the wall counted as one, once round the assault course counted as two and up and down on the floor climb was four. I did 22 times round the assault course and 56 times up and down a wall. I was extremely pleased with myself, but there was one person on that camp who deserves mentioning. Joe. He climbed up and down a wall 100 times in one sitting, after he had done his 100 he was meant to! He was like a human spider. After everyone had done their climbs we had lunch and packed the camp away. By then I was aching all over. Awards were given to the winning teams, and to the best scouts of the camp, Joe got a prize and so did Ben who got up both mornings even when it wasn’t his time. Time to say goodbye and go home.

I can’t wait for next camp in November!!