Sparkle & Ice, winter survival camp, is always interesting. We’ve had mud, rain, snow and now we were going to be camping in Storm Ciara. Girlguiding has four flagship national events. The first-tier ones are Wellies & Wristbands, their 4-day summer festival camp and their Guides-only stadium gigs. The second-tier ones are Magic & Mayhem,… More Sparkle & Ice 2020: camping in Storm Ciara
One of the things my Brownie parents comment on the most is “It would be nice if she could have gone to camp”. Yeah, it would, but we don’t have a camp licence in the unit, we’re struggling to keep the unit running week-to-week and we don’t have as much free time as you might… More My first Brownie camp
Last year I did my first ever virtual race. You sign up and even get a downloadable bib (has anyone ever printed and worn this?) but you do the race by yourself at your own pace at your own place. You don’t even have to run. I walked it but cycling is also an option.… More Virtual running and swimming
This is the most ridiculous thing ever. I made a washing-up bag. When I go camping, I never have washing-up stuff. I traipse across a field carrying my plate and bowl and knife and spoon, I find a rusty sink tucked away behind the standpipe and of course, it doesn’t have any washing-up liquid or… More The camping kit-list: my washing-up bag!
In June, I tried the Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days Wild challenge. Spoiler: it didn’t go too well. It started ok. Well, it started ok in May. I found myself continually doing things that made me think “I should be saving this for next week” but when June started, it wore off a bit. The first… More 30 Days Wild
Last week I went to West Sussex for a couple of days of training. I’ve talked before about my forays into becoming a casual (read: occasional) outdoor activity instructor (archery | fencing | selection day) The full-time instructors were over at the training centre for two weeks (depending on what they were already qualified in)… More Bushcraft training day
I’ve talked before about getting my archery instructor qualification and before the end of the month I’ll tell you all about the climbing instructor training but for now, I’m going to tell you what it’s like to actually teaching archery sessions with a group of teenagers. The teenagers in question were my current Rangers, aged… More Inspiring kids: archery vs Rangers
One of the big things in my life is Girlguiding. I’ve been a volunteer for eleven and a half years now. Well, no, I’ve been an adult leader for eleven and a half years now. I was an occasional unit helper while I was away at university and I was a Young Leader for a… More Inspiring kids: introduction to fencing
In 2014, Iceland quietly had a massive volcanic eruption that lasted for six months. Hardly anyone outside Iceland heard of it because unlike when Eyjafjallajökull erupted, it didn’t affect anyone else. It was a fissure eruption up in the Highlands that poured lava and poisonous gases and fire fountains for six months and resulted in the… More The Volcano Adventures – Leirhnjúkur
Sparkle & Ice is Girlguiding’s big winter survival camp event. This was its third year and also my third year there. Sparkle & Ice happens at three training & activity centres simultaneously – Waddow in Lancashire, Blackland Farm in Sussex and Foxlease in Hampshire. I took my Rangers to Foxlease and the adventure started with… More Sparkle & Ice 2019: Sparkle & Ice was sparkly and icy!