Our first and last Sunday on Camp 2022 officially started around 8:30am however some Venture Scouts and a Scouter were up much earlier as they couldn’t sleep and may have woken a few others!!

Once breakfast was done and wash up was completed we piled onto the bus and headed to Lough Gara Stables & Country Pursuits which was about a 30mins drive from our site. When we arrived we met Adrien, Jimmy and their team.

We split up into two groups, one group headed off and got set up to get on horses while the other group went off for some airsoft shooting. Both so different but equally as fun. When the sessions ended the two groups swapped around so everyone got to take part.

After our packed lunch the next set of activities started, group 1 headed off to do some Archery while group 2 were shown around the rest of the centre, got to interact with the goats, the pony’s, the donkeys, the rabbits and everyones favourite Percy the pig. The group also got to learn about caring for and how to groom the ponies. Again, the two groups then swapped around.

The final activity was an assault course which was really good, some people did it more than once and even some of the Scouters took part!

Sadly the day had to end but it was a brilliant way to spend it and we headed back to site. The weather today was really sunny and very warm so after some time to make sure we had enough water and sunblock we started on dinner. Pocket pizzas, a camp favourite, especially over the open fire. A game of soccer followed then by a surprise visit by the ice cream van so what a treat that was!

When the ice cream was done various games of Uno were underway however we ended up combining 3 decks and played one huge game that ended at 11:15pm when it was time to call it a night.

All tucked up in our tents now and can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Well can you believe it, Camp 2022 is finally up and running? As we settle into our tents tonight it feels so good, for some us it’s been a few years doing this and for others it’s a first time experience.

Setting off from the Scout Hall this morning shortly before 10:30am by bus and by car there was a level of excitement and nerves but once the journey got underway everyone settled down and began to enjoy the experience, the banter with your fellow Scouts and making a few new friends.

After almost 2hrs we stopped off at the Midway Services (Junction 17) for lunch and a chance to stretch the legs. We jumped back on the bus about 45mins and across the country we went, nearly 3hrs later we arrived onsite to Lough Keel Scout Campsite in Boyle Co. Roscommon.

First things first was to shake off the travel tiredness and shortly after the bus arrived Ronan pulled in with a trailer full of gear in tow! Time to unload the trailer and start setting up the site. The Scouts and Venture Scouts have a selection of tents and everyone has space to be comfortable. The Scouters have a number of tents too and we’ve a central tent, known as ‘the grubber’ where a lot of our spare gear, equipment, cooking equipment and food is stored. The site has communal fridges that we share with the other groups onsite.

Once our tents were up we had a chance to sort our our personal gear while the Scouters and two volunteers got to making dinner of burgers and beans in the grubber. Yum!!!

When dinner was over and everything washed away we headed over to Lough Key forest Park to check out the lough itself and get our barings around the site.

Tonight was very relaxed, card games and chat with hot chocolate and donuts for supper. Bedtime was around 11pm and we can’t wait for tomorrow already!

Please check back here – this list may & probably will be added to!

• Full & correct Uniform – Worn travelling and possibly at other occasions
• After discussion, a lot of people are missing or grown out of uniform parts since covid / lockdown etc. Because of this, we’re no longer requiring full uniform. However everyone MUST have a Neckerchief – this will be worn nearly all times throughout the camp.
• Hiking boots (if you have them).
• Water bottle – At least 1 litre
• Sleeping Bag
• Ground Mat or Small Inflatable
• Track-ends/Leggings
• Warm Sweater
• T-Shirts
• Insect Repellent
• Changes of Underwear
• Plenty of Socks
• Warm Nightwear
• Change of Shoes or Runners
• Shorts & Trousers
• Raingear – Waterproof Jacket & Trousers
• Warm Hat & Gloves
• Wash Gear – Toothbrush & paste, Shower Gel, Shampoo, Comb
• Towel
• Swimming costume & hat
• Tea-Towel & Dish Cloth
• Sun hat
• Sun cream
• Unbreakable – Cup, Plate, Bowl, Knife, Fork, Spoon
• Torch
• Rucksack or similar type hold all
• Day trip bag
• We would ask not to bring any electronic devices. They can easily get lost / stolen / damaged and we will not accept any responsibility for them.

If you choose to bring a mobile phone on camp (at your own risk), please be aware that it’s likely that you might not be able to charge it. Also, use of same may be limited to specific times etc.

Due to the nature of the activities planned, we’d recommend not bringing good / expensive clothes.

Please check back here often. This list may & likely will be added to!

Location: Cuskinny Court Activity Centre, Cobh.

Date: 18th June 2022

Start Time: 9.30am

Collection Time: 6.00pm

Cost: €25 – Covers all activities and snacks.

Pay online by following this link Online Payments System When logged in select “Cuskinny Activity Day” from the list.

Directions (Google Maps): https://tinyurl.com/5cpzmy8f

The group have organised an activity day in Cuskinny Court activity centre for all our Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ventures.

Activities will include archery, climbing wall, grass sledging, zipline, squirel trail, forest maze, some activities have an age limit. We will also have a combined age games event, so lets hope the leaders can keep up!!

Gear to bring:

• Knapsack lined with a bin bag.
• Rain gear (coat and waterproof pull-ups)
• Boots or old runners
• Old clothes
• A change of clothes and shoes
• Lunch
• Water bottle
• Sun hat
• Sun lotion
• A compass, if they have one.

Mobile Devices: Leaders will not take responsibility for any devices brought to the event and there are no charging points at the centre.

Hi All,

Summer camp 2022 will soon be upon us! It’s really great after the last couple of years without one, to finally have a summer camp again!

The Ventures have been planning this for a while, and now it’s coming to fruition.

Details are:

• Venue: Lough Keel Scout Campsite, Boyle, Co. Roscommon.
• Dates: Saturday 9th July to Saturday 16th July
• While always open to change, among the activities that are being looked into are Camping (obviously!), Boating, Island Bivvying, Surfing, Zippit and lots lots more!

Lough Keel is a really fabulous site. We’ve had many summer camps there, going back over nearly 40 years!

The price of the camp, in total, is €375. This includes everything, travel, food, activities, camp fees etc. The camp is now listed on Easy Payments and the structure will be 5 payments of €75.

Any questions at all, please get back to us! Any normal means of communication, or email camp22@douglasscouts.ie

Kind Regards,

Leader team.

To ensure your Beaver and Cub Scout gets the maximum enjoyment out of their hikes and camping trips it’s very important that they have the right kit with them. Thankfully here in Ireland we don’t usually get huge weather extremes, but we do get a lot of rain. A good rain coat will help keep the rain out and boots will help prevent a twisted ankle.

Below is a basic list of items they should have. If you have any questions please speak with the leaders.

Clothing + Footwear

• Hiking Boots with ankle support + spare laces <Click for boot info>
• Light weight waterproof raincoat with hood
• Waterproof pull-ups
• Warm Hat and gloves
• Light fleece jacket.
• Hiking pants
• Warm hiking socks – woollen are best.
• Sun hat
• For Winter Hiking
• Thermal skins
• Buff / neck warmer
• Scarves or cotton trackies should not be worn as they soak up the rain, scarves can get misplaced.

Kit

• Rucksack that has waist band – Can be used for all hiking and camping, does not need to be filled!
• Large bin bag for lining the rucksack.
• 1ltr Water bottle – When hiking it is very important your scout keeps well hydrated.
• Head torch + spare batteries – When walking important to have both hands free.
• Best place to carry spare batteries is in a spare torch!
• Whistle – 6 Blows for help needed – 3 to respond
• Sleeping bag – 3 season. <Click for bag info>
• Ground matt – Foil backed has best combo of insulation and light weight.
• Travel pillow – Do not bring regular pillows, they are bulky and just get dirty.
• Pillow alternative, empty pillow case stuffed with clean clothes or towel at night.
• Wash gear.
• Small pocket notebook and pencil
• Bivvy bag
• Metal flask – Hot drinks are always welcome on a cold day.
• Cup / bowl / plate / knife / fork / spoon / t-towel / j-cloth
• Pen knives and fire starters – Only permitted with a leaders permission.

First Aid

• Face masks x 2
• Small bottle of hand sanitiser
• Personal 1^st aid kit – Can be a small zippo bag with waterproof plasters.
• Insect repellent
• Sun lotion

Optional Items

• Compass – Long bodied is best for map reading, route planning and navigation.
• Walking poles
• Gaitors

NB: All kit should be labeled or etched with the scouts name.

Hi all,
You can download a consent form that needs to be filled out for every youth member and handed back to their Leader immediately to allow for activities in 2021/22.

ConsentForm2021/2022

You can also download the Managing Medications form which is now referenced in the consent form if needed.

Managing Medications Form

You can fill them in and print it off yourself and bring it down to the next activity.

To ensure your scout gets the maximum enjoyment out of their hikes and camping trips it’s very important that they have the right kit with them. Thankfully here in Ireland we don’t usually get huge weather extremes, but we do get a lot of rain. A good rain coat will help keep the rain out and boots will help prevent a twisted ankle.

Below is a basic list of items they should have. If you have any questions please speak with the leaders.

Clothing + Footwear

• Hiking Boots with ankle support + spare laces <Click for boot info>
• Light weight waterproof raincoat with hood
• Waterproof pull-ups – ideally with zips and Velcro fasteners along the legs.
• Warm Hat and gloves
• Light fleece jacket.
• Buff / neck warmer
• Hiking pants
• Warm hiking socks – woollen are best.
• Sun hat
• Gaiters
• For Winter Hiking
• Thermal skins
• Ice grips for boots
• 2nd warm hat
• 2nd pair of gloves
• Do not bring scarves or cotton trackies as they just soak up the rain.

Kit

• Rucksack 65ltrs that has waist band – Can be used for all hiking and camping, does not need to be filled!
• Large bin bag for lining the rucksack.
• 2ltr Water bottle – When hiking it is very important your scout keeps well hydrated.
• Head torch + spare batteries – Scouts need both hands free on night hikes and for putting up tents in the dark.
• Best place to carry spare batteries is in a spare torch!
• Whistle – 6 Blows for help needed – 3 to respond
• Compass – Long bodied is best for map reading, route planning and navigation.
• Sleeping bag – 3 season. <Click for bag info>
• Ground matt – Foil backed has best combo of insulation and light weight.
• Travel pillow – Do not bring regular pillows.
• Pillow alternative, empty pillow case. Can be stuffed with clean clothes or towel at night.
• Wash gear.
• Small pocket notebook and pencil
• Bivvy bag
• Metal flask – Hot drinks are always welcome on a cold day.
• Cup / bowl / plate / knife / fork / spoon / t-towel / j-cloth
• Walking poles
• Pen knives and fire starters – Only permitted when an equipment safety course/test is undertaken.

First Aid

• Face masks x 2
• Small bottle of hand sanitiser
• Personal 1^st aid kit – Can be a small zippo bag with waterproof plasters.
• Insect repellent
• Sun lotion

NB: All kit should be labeled or etched with the scouts name.

A good sleeping bag is an essential piece of scouting kit. In Ireland we’re lucky not to have huge weather extremes, but one of the biggest issues that we see scouts of all ages experiencing is being cold at night when camping. Having a good sleeping bag is as important as having a good rain coat and hiking boots.

What type of bag to get?

Sleeping bags come in two shapes

1. Mummy bags
2. Standard or Rectangular

1. Mummy bags

• Are quick to heat up.
• Retain their heat well.
• When compressed take up less space than an equivalent rated standard bag.
• Can be a little restrictive for movement.

2. Standard or Rectangular

• Quite slow to heat up.
• Don’t generally retain heat well.
• When compressed are much bigger than an equivalent rated mummy bag.
• Much roomier than mummy equivelant.

Rating of bag

Bags are rated using the term “Season”, which in effect corresponds with Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. We don’t have major extremes of temperatures and while scouts do camp out in cold weather it’s never at excessive sub-zero levels, so we’d recommend the bag you get is a “3 season”.

A “3 season” will keep a scout warm in the Irish conditions we camp in and if it gets warm they can easily open the bag to cool down.

Bag prices can vary widely, so we’d suggest you shop around to match your budget.

Sleeping bag care.

A good sleeping bag when looked after properly will give your scout many years of warmth and comfort.

They come with a compression bag, helps squeeze it as small as possible which is handy when packing a rucksack. When not in use bags should be kept in a pillow case and not in their compression bag. This keeps the fibres loose and helps maintain the bags heat retaining properties and will increase its life span.

After using the bag.

After returning from a trip the bag should be opened, unzipped, shook out and hung on a line or over a door for a day or two and then stored in a pillow case.

If the bag is dirty

It’s very important that you follow the cleaning instructions on the label. Most are machine washable, but be sure to check what soap can be used. When washing include a tennis ball or two in the drum, this will help loosen out any compacted fibres.

Hang your wet bag on a clothes line or across a door in a well aired room until totally dry. Then shake before storing in a pillow case.

NB: All kit should be labeled or etched with the scouts name.

Scouts of all ages hike across all types of terrain and at times can be many hours from the nearest road access point, so the foot and ankle supports that well-fitting boots offer are invaluable at preventing needless injuries such as twisted ankles and blisters.

Type of boot?

Leather or Gortex?

Gortex can be lighter, which can be better for the younger hiker. Leather on the other hand can probably handle more extreme use.

It really comes down to your personal preference which type you go for, but the fit is key to comfortable hiking.

What size boot to get?

You should go up a half-size from your usual shoe size, this allows for wearing warm hiking socks. That said, they shouldn’t be too loose anywhere in the boot except for the toes. If the foot is sliding around in the boot even with laces done up that’s not a good fit and it’s a recipe for blisters and sore feet.

Never wear brand new boots on a hike, besure to break them in for a few days before hand.

Wearing boots

One of the most common issues scouts have with hiking boots is that their laces are not done up securely. It causes rubbing that creates painful blisters on the heels, it also allows for water to get in further adding to the potential blister issue and of course it means cold feet even on a warm day.

Looking after your boots

You should clean your boots immediately after you’re back home from your hike, it’s a good habit to get into. You’ll be happy you did the next time you head out and your boots are ready for action.

Cleaning Boots

Remove the laces and just rinse the outside of the boots with a damp cloth and warm water. To remove mud and dirt use a stiff brush. Do not use any detergents as they may damage the fabric or boot leather.

How to dry your boots?

Keep them away from any direct heat sources e.g. radiators or sunshine as these will damage the boot uppers. Stuff them with old newspaper and leave them in a well ventilated place and replace the paper until it eventually comes out dry.

Care after cleaning

When dry, treat your boots with a water proofing agent. Best to speak with the shop you bought them from or drop into one of the many outdoor shops in town for advice.

Proofers are usually just sprayed or rubbed on and then gently rubbed in and left to dry. They’re not expensive and are well worth investing in, they’ll help lengthen the life span of your boot uppers and will help keep your feet warm and dry when out hiking.

What socks to wear?

The best socks to use are woolen or you could opt for any number of the special hiking socks that are available in outdoor shops.

Extra laces

You should invest in spare laces when getting a pair of boots.

NB: All kit should be labeled or etched with the scouts name.