A Hike? Well, what about a golden hike?

Hikes are one of our favourite things in the world! However, there is something even more special than that - read on to learn about the Golden Hike of our Scouts. 

Your child's progress through the scouting sections - from Beavers to Cubs to Scouts and beyond - is a wonderful journey of new beginnings, adventures and challenges that - we hope - will give them the gift of skills, memories and friends for life. The Scouts' system of badges and awards is a symbolic yet tangible reflection of your child's efforts and achievements, topped off with the highest, the rarest, the ultimate award that is given to the most dilligent and determined kids as an acknowledgement of their achievements during their time in any of the sections.

In the case of our Scouts (10 to 14 year old), this is the Chief Scout's Gold Award. This small, gold-coloured badge is a token of recognition your child receives towards the end of their time with their section after successful completion of all nine of the Challenge Awards, plus six Activity badges.

Among the tasks required, a Scout may choose to organise and lead their group on a hike, conveniently named the Gold Award hike, or, simply, the Golden Hike. With minimum adult help and supervision, our Scout has to design a route and make all necessary plans for getting there and back again, including means of transportation, arrival and departure times, appropriate kit and any emergency or backup measures. 

Which is exactly what our Scouts did on a Sunday morning in early June as they joined a veteran of their group on one of his final challenges before he leaves scouting. As part of his claim for the coveted Gold Award, the 14 year old boy took his group on a hike to a place few of us would imagine as a hiking destination - the Flemish countryside right next to the Brussels Airport. 

After reaching the town of Nossegem by train, the Scouts followed country roads and woodland paths, through crop fields and along train tracks to reach the main attraction of the hike - plane spotting platform 01/19.

Scroll through the gallery to see how our Scouts did at this special hike.

And, of course, well done to our Scout!