Kells Scouts Summer Camp August 2015

13 September 2015

SUMMER CAMP AUGUST 2015
It’s Saturday the 15th of August and scouts are off for their summer holidays. They go on holidays every year with some of the places they were on holidays being France, Tipperary, Rosslare, Austrian(so good they did it twice), Norway last year and now Westport. This is going to be a very relaxed camp, there are 11 scouts going (Timmy, Tadhg, Tommy, Mason, Killian, Owen, Amy, Kate, Ashlinn, Molly and Ciara and 4 leaders (Clare, Vivian, Aidan and me Tadhg) this is the first time I have been away with just the scouts so I am really looking forward to this. After cramming in 6 tents, 1 patrol box, food boxes, 3 chairs (Vivian forgot his), 4 benches, 4 tables, pots and pans, gas rings, gas cylinders, first aid box, hot water boiler, 15 rucksacks, 1 marquee, 15 bikes,11 scouts and 4 leaders into 3 cars and a van we are off.


After passing through every town and village in Ireland we finally arrived, we had one stop-off on the way at a petrol station where Ashlinn broke all 3 tills and the credit card machines while trying to pay for a bag of Sweets. We arrived at Westport House and set up camp for the week. It’s Tadhg’s 13th birthday so cake time is the order of the day, then it’s time to go for a walk around the town. Aidan got us a discount in ‘BLUE THUNDER’ the first night, the kids through it was great, the door security set us up tables and we watched the coming and goings in style with food and drink provided. Ashlinn and Kate decided to wake us all at 6.11am after only going to sleep 4.20am (guess who’ll be washing up after breakfast)
Next morning, after breakfast and with lots of suntan lotion we are heading of on are bikes for the day, we are going to do the ‘GREENWAY’ cycle track. Older and wiser scout leaders (wiser in Clare’s case definitely not older) had gel saddle covers on their bikes. We had many adventures including attacked by flying ants, getting sunburned even with lotion, having to walk with our bikes after being bold (sorry Aidan), making up 2 songs, Ciara fell off her bike, then later Molly fell on Ciara and sitting in a fridge don’t ask. After
64km of cycling (we all through we were going to die) I can safely say it does not matter what kind of bike you have big, small, old or new for the love of god buy yourself a 15euro gel saddle. Back at camp after the scouts had peeled me of the bike and got me a coffee Clare and Aiden provided dinner of pork chops and we had a relaxed evening.
It’s now Monday morning and Vivien had decided to finish of the job of trying to kill me by taking us to Croagh Patrick. Two and a half hours to climb up the mountain and no sign of mountain rescue to get me up to the finale 100 yards all well at least I have the church at the top to look forward to! That’s it ‘I’m going home’ the church is locked one million visitors climb the mountain every year and the church is locked, while I’m trying to contact the Vatican the rest are enjoying the sights. Ciara got her 13th birthday cake at the top but didn’t get to blow out her candles because of the wind. The kids (and Tadhg) have just realised that we still have to climb down the mountain yet (at this stage we all agree that Vivian is VERY much are favourite leader after coming up with this great idea to climb the mountain). With a number of small falls and one head butt we finally arrive back at the bottom, scouts then had ice-cream and a drink because they deserve it.
Back at base camp and time for sweet and sour chicken and another relaxed evening. Just noticed of the 3 leader’s chairs Aidan’s is the biggest, Clare’s is next and I have the small one I wonder is it a sign?
Tuesday morning and with breakfast eaten were ready to head off again, we are just waiting for the girls to finish their hour long shower. Then with bikes packed (12 is the max you can get in a van) were off. The scouts have forgiven Vivian for yesterday and he is leading the convoy to Rohan Point for the ferry to Clare Island for the day. We could take the fast ferry to the island but have decided not to as it’s just not that kind of day. With us all loaded on the slow ferry and it heading out, Owen has decided to entertain us with  come Irish Dancing to Spanish music.Clare Island is 7km long by 3km wide and with bikes unloaded we are off, with only about 15 cars on the Island (and not a tax disk in sight) we feel confident about taking up most of the road while cycling. After a leisurely cycle we arrive at the island lighthouse and the Atlantic Ocean, with us crawling on hands and knees (Health and Safety) to the cliff edge and two kayaks in the water (Health and Safety ) we finally stuck are heads over the cliff to fantastic views, then it’s cycle back to the beach for a swim in the freezing cold Atlantic and sand castles, as a treat we had some food in the local pub and then back to the mainland on the ferry. We had another leisurely night and next morning it’s time to pack up for our journey home. Aidan did another blinder on the way home getting us into the ‘WOLFTRAP’ for a lunch special. After lunch and a quick swapping around of scouts (Kate and Ashlynn we kicked out of scout leaders Clare’s car ‘don’t ask’) we were on the final leg of our journey home .Next year’s holiday Essex England, I usually finish by saying ‘scouts for the time of their lives’ but after spending such an enjoyable few days with scouts I would like to say ‘BECOME A SCOUT LEADER FOR THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE’