International Cooking night

Last week we had a great session do some cooking from around the world. The sushi was a little tricky to roll but it did mostly stay together and was very tasty. The fortune cookies were great fun to make, and to invent some "interesting" fortunes to put inside...but weren't that nice to eat!, and then the home made tortillas, which we made into quesadillas were great to eat and fun to make...although try to make sure the smoke alarm didn't go off was difficult with so many people making so many quesadillas.

Fireworks 2018

The fireworks at our annual Group Bonfire Night event get better every year!

Thanks to all who came along and particular thanks to the Beavers for their wonderful Guys, to the Cub leaders for the hotdogs and hot chocolate, Calum for another great bonfire, Gage for the fireworks and all the Explorers and Young Leaders who helped with serving food and the fireworks.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day this year was the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. The war memorial had been renovated by the Community Council and was rededicated. There was a very good turnout from the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers and all involved (in attending, flag bearing, wreath laying and reading during the service) should be thanked.

One of our former scouts was also one of the pipers during the 6am "Battle's Over" event.    

Badges...lots of them

Last week we had our Annual General Meeting for the Scout Group and, as has become tradition, we combined this with investitures and badge awards. This year seven(!) of our Scouts were awarded the Gold Award (the highest Scout award), and thanks to our District Commissioner for coming along to make the presentations.

There were also over 200 other badges to present to the other Scouts for their hard work over the last few months.

Australia night

Last week the Scouts did some Australia-themed creative work...making boomerangs and bullroarers (parents might remember Crocodile Dundee using one).

There were some very creative boomerang designs inspired by traditional patterns but some were a bit more up-to-date.

We tried out the boomerangs in the nearby field with limited success...but the bullroarers worked well. 

Meggernie Camp 2018: Cub activities

The Cubs didn't get to throw tomahawks like the Scouts (but were very keen to get to Scouts as quickly as possible so they could have a go) but they did get to go grass sledging, tackle the Nightline and learnt how to light fires.

Meggernie Camp 2018: Cub hike

On Saturday of the camp the Cubs went off for a hike down the valley, and then on the way back they stopped in the woods to make some great dens.

Meggernie Camp 2018: Stand by your Tents!

Each morning at camp the Cubs and Scouts have tent inspection. Everyone has to have their bedding tidy and all the contents of their rucksack (which have previously been widely spread around the tent) back in their own rucksack. Then the eagle-eyed inspectors come round to judge their work.

Here are the Cubs standing by their tidy tents just before they are inspected.

Meggernie Camp 2018: Lost property

There was a bit more lost property than normal this time...if any of this is your's please email balfronscouts@gmail.com.

• Blue roll mat
• Cub jumper (Karis on label)
• Adventuridge roll mat
• Water bottles: Dentistry/Sistema(CLAIMED)/Glasgow Warriors(CLAIMED)
• Coleman sleeping bag (CLAIMED)
• Bag with boots in (CLAIMED)
• Gelert sleeping bag (CLAIMED)
• School shoes (CLAIMED)
• Fjall Raven thick trousers (CLAIMED)
• Scout shirt (CLAIMED)
• Peter Storm black waterproof jacket (CLAIMED)

Click an image to have a closer look.

Meggernie Camp 2018: Scout hike

It's traditional at Meggernie now for the Scouts to be visitied by Dmitri the Russian Spy. Yet again he failed to land safely and crash landed in the hills, so we had to go and find him. After a bit of searching we did find him, his parachute and quickly helped him with his broken arm.

We found a great place by the river for lunch, cooking diablo toasties on the fire with soup.

On the way back one of our Scots slipped and twisted her ankle, the Scouts were quick to help, comforting her and keeping her warm, and then making a stretcher to carry her the mile home. Much to the Scouts amazement and disgust, it turned out that the ankle wasn't sprained and the leaders had played a trick on them and this was just an exercise. Perhaps the smile on the injured Scout's face should have been a give away...but it was great fun anyway. 

Meggernie Camp 2018: Tomahawks and Climbing

On the Sunday of Camp the Scouts occupied themselves with practising their tomahawk throwing and climbing skills. Maybe not surprisingly, tomahawk throwing is one of the Scouts favourite activities at Meggernie and, thanks to some expert tuition by Rab, some of the Scouts are now quite expert. Jake was King of the Tomahawks, with a fantsastic 11 out of 12 tomahawks in the target.

Climbing on the traversing wall is also great fun and Meggernie's wall is a bit tricky, but Mila, Fred, Alexander and Archie all managed to get to the end and honk the horn.