I was a scout for 4 years and I loved it so unbelievably much. It all meant so much to me and it made me the person I am today. So many of the happy memories that I have involve scouts. I've learnt so many valuable life skills and all of the leaders (still call them that even though I'm one now haha) are like family. When I left last October I knew that as soon as my six months away were up I was going back to help and be a young leader.
This summer the head scout leader, Chris, did the one camp he's always wanted to do; go to the New Forest and stay overnight on Brownsea Island (the place where scouting started!). I'd been to the New Forest many times throughout my childhood, especially when we were going down to the Isle of Wight. Going there with scouts was such a fun and different experience and I absolutely loved it. Sometimes you find that going somewhere you've been so many times with your family is a completely different experience to going there with friends and other people. Me and Zak (another young leader) were the youngest ones there from Saturday until Tuesday and although it was fine it was so nice to have Matt and Em join us (and there was another female leader!) when they got there on Tuesday.

The campsite we were staying on was so so so pretty and the new forest looked gorgeous as always. I was so happy when we finally got there after a 6 hour journey (traffic was awful)! We went Saturday to Saturday and when we got down there on the first Saturday we spent the day just setting up and getting settled into the campsite. On the Sunday we all did activities on site. Somehow all the leaders ended up being made to participate in one of the activities. We had to climb up this pole that has a small platform on the top and the grab each others wrists and lean back without falling off. It was so funny but so hard. When we were all up there we were just holding onto each other for dear life.
Top photo - Me, Garion, Zak and Daniel up on the top of the platform.
Bottom photo - When we all lost our balance and fell off, oops!
On the Monday Chris decided to take us on a walk. He told us that it would be about a 3 hour round trip (we were having a stop in a little town) and that there was a chance of light showers. The liar. It was about 2/3 hours each was and there was a monsoon rain storm on the way back. We were not happy! Even our raincoats didn't keep us dry, I think the phrase "drowned rats" was pretty fitting to be honest. On the upside there was a amazing sweet shop in the town! On Tuesday we all went mountain biking which was lots of fun but, oh my, the bike seat were so uncomfortable! My bum was sore for days after. We stopped in Brokenhurst that day which made me so, so happy as it is where we always stayed when we were in the New Forest.
On Wednesday we were off to Brownsea Island, eek! We traveled down to Poole on the train and then whilst all the little scoutlings and the majority of the leaders went to the island, me, Zak, Dave and Mick stayed to get the food, yum yum. The island was full of wildlife like peacocks and deers. We got so incredibly close to a deer and it was probably something I'll never be able to do again. People on Brownsea used to make pots and all the ones that weren't any use just got thrown onto the beach. During the evening we all started skimming pieces of broken pot across the sea.
Top Photo - A deer that we got so incredibly close to.
Bottom Photo - One of the many peacocks that we got to see, we even started feeding them! (sorry about the quality of the photos as they were taken on an iPod)
Top Photo - The amazing view from the beach with all the pots on at night.
Bottom Photo - When we were all skimming pot across the sea. I'm sure Bruce (the one bending over) will really appreciate this photo of his beautiful bottom haha.
There's a stone that explains what happened at the "experimental scout camp" and we all had our photo taken with that. When some people visited the island they put a sign on a pole that pointed in the direction that they came from. I really wish that we'd known about it so that we could put a sign on their so that we could've put our mark there. We left Brownsea on Thursday morning and I actually felt quite sad leaving, I'd had a really nice 24 hours on the island. We spent the day in pool, and as the healthy leaders we are; me, Em, Matt and Zak took a trip to McDonalds and Matt had six cheese burgers, SIX. And he ate them all. Lucky thing.
Top Photo - Me looking at the stone; just thought I'd be quick to point out that I am not posing for this photo and I did not know that this photo was being taken.
Middle Photo - The sign posts of different groups that have visited the island.
Bottom Photo - Most of the leaders by the stone that reads "This Stone commemorates the experimental camp of 20 boys held of this site in August 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell, later Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell. Founder of the Scout and Guide movements." Leader L - R: Me (Chloe), Bruce, Em, Garion, Joh (the gnome), Zak, Mick and Matt.
On the last day we decided to take a trip down to Brighton beach to relax and go for a swim - although the sea was absolutely freezing! It was an overall great day and it was a lovely way to spend our last day together. Everyone just seemed to have such an amazing time and it all reminded me just how much of a family we all are. At the end of the day (we're another day older. ok no Les Mis quotes) the leaders were chasing the scouts around playing with a rugby ball, and it kind of just looked like we were all family having a day at the beach.
Top Photo - Garion throwing the rugby ball to someone.
Middle Photo - Dave chasing after my brother to get the rugby ball off of him, no he did not get it haha.
Bottom Photo - GROUP PHOTO!:D L - R: Chris, Joe, Kelsey, Kieran, Joesph, Abby, MOlly, Lewis, Chloe, Kayleigh, Tiffany, Myra, Bruce, Matt, Mick, Jed, Liam, Zak, Daniel, Dave, Garion, Em, John, Matt, Me.
Saturday wasn't exciting, we packed up and then sat eating frosties and coco pops, haha. It was a bit emotional leaving as it always is because you just remember what an amazing time you've had and just end up wishing that you could do it all over again.
Photo - Another group photo:)
Overall it was such an amazing week, one that I would happily do again.
Clo x