Ye olde tales of adventure. Scroll down for photos.
We pushed through a forest of young beech trees, being bathed by wet leaves. We walked into Chilcombe bottom and clambered up a steep slope, sat in the sunshine, mist below us and had a fruit snack. On we walked up and up , then we had another break looking down on Bath and Solsbury Hill. 200 metres high, we imagined zip wires taking us down to fudge shops in town! We cut Hazel poles earlier and planted hazel nuts and acorns. Edward pointed out a moose or 'Mangolian death worm' in a beech tree, We pushed along a bramble path. We passed a 'dwarf coffin, Mr and Mrs Charlie, a.k.a. David Attenborough. We came across a rope swing - shriek of delight we turned up at our lunch destination. James and Edward went off to make their shelter but returned and said they needed walls and a roof. Herne then pointed out you needed foundations to make a den. Edward lit a fire that would cook some of the food that we had brought with us on our trek. Two teams said they wanted their own fires so Rachel went with one team and Edward with the other team. Hazel swings, Aidan swings. Hazel makes flatbread. everyone makes industrial wood stuff. Play continues, sun is dappled. The children find a pump and start water running along gutters. Some go off in search of the mud slide. Hazel makes marshmallow sandwiches. We struggled out of the woods up onto a sunny plain. James pointed out a footprint of an animal which had been following us from the start - a kamikaze pheasant. Everyone is sacred of the pheasant... then we saw it. We tried sloe berries.
Best bits:- Herne - making the spreader; James - hmm, getting stalked by the giant... thing!; Joseph - probably making the spear; Charlie - umm, the great sayings; Ed - when we were at the campsite carving and mud slide; Hazel - cooking the bread; Aidan - making my spoon; Sebastian - umm... probably the mud slide; Edward (leader) - being on the edge...?; Rachel - Charlie's running commentary at the camp, it was funny.
Great sayings:- Jamie the more fires we have, the greater the chance of survival; Herne - the pen is mightier than the sword, but when you are fighting to the death a sword in probably more useful; Herne - A can of beans is more accurate than a tomohawte' Aidan - eat or be eaten; Joseph - I am eating my sausage; Herne - I think this is a good size, don't you; Rachel - I can knit myself out of any situation; Herne - OMFG, oh my far-away goodness; Herne - That's a waste of good vomit; Charlie - you will live and you will die; Herne - wow that's a big stick; Joseph - we're still alive after that long journey of doom
Camp:- Top camp
Leaders:- Edward and Rachel
To Edward and Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the day I had with Swainswick Explorers. It was great fun and I would happily come again. I don't think that anything should be changed. It is so good, I think it should be bigger than it is. You were both amazing. Thank you again for your kindness. Love from, Charlie aka David Attenborough. Go Swainswick! =)
postcard from Charlie Basley age 12