2021 saw us in lockdown but not locked up. Summer camp afforded an opportunity to practice online skills learned during lockdown sessions. Virtually and theoretically we learned knots, shelters, cooking and fire building. The challenge at the summer camp was to practice what had existed in the ether.

But it would’ve be Wembley scouting if we didn’t add further challenge. A decision was taken to cook the entire weekend on fire alone. But wait, that’s not all folks. We also challenged ourselves by not sleeping in tents! Explorers only had tarpaulin sheets. A technique known as bivy whacking.

Even leaders caught the adventurous bug as the famous Wembley parachute camp tent went up high into the night sky.

The open air did our boys good they woke up refreshed the next day to make their own breakfast cooking on an open fire before learning how to chop wood with an axe to maintain the camp fire.

The weekend ended safely and spectacularly with a barbecue of quails and roasted vegetables on an open Fire. Perhaps the most bushcrafty camp paccar had ever seen.