CAMP REPORT
Click photographs for larger views At 8.30 a.m. on Saturday 1st August 30, members of the company, including staff and families started out from Basingstoke for Pembrey Country Park, Camarthenshire, South Wales for the companies annual camp week. This was the first year we had used this site but a previous check out trip had shown that a good week was ahead. Saturday was spent travelling and setting up the site, but by 7.30 p.m. we were finished. The site is situated within Pembrey Country Park, which boasts a whole host of activities as well as plenty of space (some open and some wooded) for organising your own. It is also adjacent to nine miles of flat sandy beach. Our site was quite enclosed so we were spared interruptions from other sites, as well as us not disturbing others. We were also lucky enough to be quite close to Battalion camp from Exeter and District. Our plan was to have a week split between beach activities and activities in the park. Sunday was the start of all the inter-tent competitions so after breakfast the usual kit and tent inspection marked the beginning of a busy week. After a short session of inter-tent sport we sat down in the sun to have our Sunday service. Our theme for the week being "friendship". Sunday afternoon was spent on the beach. It was then we found out that the tide would be out each afternoon and that it was a bit like Weston Super Mare, when the tide goes out it goes out a long way. In fact we had to put up a flagpole and flag on the beach to mark our position. It was a twenty minute walk to reach the waters edge. It was so far out that the lifeguards had quad bikes to change shifts and get back to their hut. This did not however dampen the boy' enthusiasm for the sea. After a long trek back up the beach, we set off to walk back to the site. It is amazing how boys will walk quickly and in front of you when heading towards the sea, but seem to dawdle on the way back. Again on Monday we awoke to a clear blue sky and a hot day. So in the morning headed towards the beach in the hope to catch the tide closer in. This we did so avoided the long walk. Monday afternoon we split the group up and some went orienteering, around a course already set up in the park which proved to be harder than expected with a lot of the markers hidden well into the undergrowth, so jungle training would have been good. The others went mountain biking in Pembrey forest adjacent to the park. This forest is ideal for all abilities with a mixture of wide flat gravel tracks and narrow winding undulating sandy single track. The hot weather seemed to slow them down a little so at least the staff could keep up. On Monday evening we run an obstacle course, but with a little difference. It was a course done on the mountain bikes. The pictures show the boys having a go.  |  |
Tuesday again was hot and sunny so we reversed the activities with the groups going mountain biking and orienteering in the morning and we HIT the beach in the afternoon. In the evening we had planned to go swimming at the local leisure centre, when we investigated at Easter we were told this was no problem. But when we phoned to confirm we were told that they had changed there opening times and were now not open in the evenings past 7.00 p.m. The best laid plans!? Wednesday was the day out. This year we decided to blow the budget and took the boys to Oakwood Theme Park. The largest park in Wales. This proved to be the wettest day of the week but this did not seem to dampen the boys' enthusiasm for the rides. Oakwood has a 47m vertical drop bouncing ride, the longest wooden roller coaster in the UK, a long log flume and Vertigo a 50m high bungee swing, as well as plenty of other attractions. The boys had a great day despite the torrential down pour half way through the afternoon, which soaked them all. Three brave, or some might say stupid, staff members had a go on Vertigo. All I can say is it's the closest to weightlessness I want to come, but definitely worth the ride. Some of the pictures show the outcome.  |  |
On Thursday the sun returned so again we hit the beach but as the tide was out played beach baseball and football instead. In the afternoon we inflicted the boys on the poor people of Llanelli and took them into the town so as they could do some shopping and buy presents for home. Ha! Ha! In the evening we took the boys to the Cobra Run based within the country park. This is a 500m long dry toboggan run. You sit on a cart, with a brake if you need it, and are towed up to the top of the hill and let go around a series of bends and U-turns reaching as high a speed as you wish until you come to a screeching halt at the bottom. As you can see from the pictures the boys had a brilliant time. This is a fun and safe activity for any age that I would recommend to any company. Friday was finals day we hit the beach again in the morning to make use of the good weather and as the wind picked up decided to make kites in the afternoon. The boys joined in with great zest and a few even managed to get theirs to fly. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
The evening marked the end of the competitions, which was marked with the camp Bar B Que. This event acts to mark both the end of the weeks activities and competitions and also as a beginning to the more relaxed events of the evening. Again Friday evening proved to be wet with torrential downpours most of the night. The evening started with the prize giving.  |  |
Best Tent: the prize given for the highest store for kit and tent inspection was won by Tent 1. The table inspection trophy was won by Tent 3 and the fall-in trophy was again won by Tent 1. The Best Boy prize this year went to Zac Pate, one of the first year boys. After the closing service and final sunset the boys enjoyed a party in the main marquee whilst the officers relaxed in the kitchen tent. It was quite a late night but everybody seemed to have a good time. Saturday morning came dry and bright, just what we needed to get the canvas dry before we packed it away. The lorry was coming at 12.00 noon so it was a battle against time. We made it with about ½ an hour to spare. Once the lorry was packed and the final flag lowered, we all set off back to Basingstoke. Camp over for another year. The next camp is already in the planning stages we all look forward to a great time once again. 
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