We have just returned from our trip to the South Kildare Scout County - County Camp 2010. This was held in Lacken, just outside Blessington on the banks of the lake. We departed from the Scout's Den at about 5pm on Friday evening the 24th September and arrived to a bustling Camp Site. We had our site set up and running by 7:30pm. Sandra, then got busy in the Cooking tent preparing a delirious meal for us all. After we cleaned up from supper we all got ready for the Official Opening Ceremony. This was a great spectacle with over 850 Cubs, Scouts and Leaders in attendance. The ceremony was followed by an outdoor disco. At about 11 pm the Disco finished up and everybody headed back to their camp sites. Again Sandra was on hand to provide some food for the Cubs and Scouts. Everybody bedded down for the night by 11:30 and Lights out was called at 12am.

Much to the surprise of many in attendance, the early "Morning Bugle" and Tunes of "Walking on Sunshine" was blasted out over the PA system at 7am. Needless to say some of our group were not too impressed with such an early start. But after a bowl of cereal and a few sausages they were in fine form for the day ahead. Our Group was split into two sections, Cubs and Scouts and they headed off on their Programme for the day with kids from other scout groups from the county. They were involved in various activities throughout the day, like the Obstacle Course, Field Games, Karting, Archery and Kayaking. They had a break during the day for lunch, which they all enjoyed. Later that evening it was time for all to get changed into their costumes for the "Hillbilly BBQ", Some of the costumes where very imaginative and lost of blue rope and straw hats were used. After everybody had been fed, we had our Campfire singsong and another disco. This finished up by about 10:30 pm as everybody was very tired at this stage. The Staff at the camp then provided a surprise box of piping hot sausages and rolls for every group on site. I did a walk around the camp site at 11:30pm and almost everybody was asleep at that stage.

On Sunday morning we let everybody have a sleep in and we didn't get the group up till about 9am. We all had our breakfast and we started to pack away our kit. We had the site cleared away by 11:30 and the kids had some free time until 12:00 when we went for a hike down by the lake for the Closing Ceremony. This  hike involved crossing a few streams which proved to be a bit of a challenge for some of the kids, but was great fun to watch. After the Ceremony was over we all returned to the site to wait for the additional transport for the lift home. 

In all we had 22 Kids and 3 Leaders on camp. I would like to thank Sandra, Daryl and Jacko, who came on site Friday morning, for all their help over the weekend. I feel that it was a great success and I'm looking forward to going again next year, and I hope that the Kids are as well

Yours in Scouting

Brian