Scouting out home territory

Lockdown hasn’t stopped Scouts across Scotland from experiencing adventures and learning new skills. Former Brownie Gayle signs up for one of Scouts Scotland’s new ‘at home’ challenges

Scouts are masters of adventure – think epic hikes, wilderness expeditions and camping. It’s a great social scene and a way of life for both youngsters and adults who help out as volunteers and leaders. But, like everything else, members of Scouts Scotland have been forced to approach things very differently during lockdown.

There can be no face-to-face meetings, jamborees or any en-masse gatherings until Nicola says so, and that could be a while yet.

But badges have to be collected, lives have to be lived and fun has to be had, so ever-industrious youngsters have been completing challenges from their homes and gardens instead of in busy halls and campsites.

Woggles may not need to be worn for a while, but the scouting ethos – give it a go, to try new things and to muck in – is as strong as ever.

This has meant a lot of adapting, adopting and, in some cases, improving.

Those who take on the newly-created At Home Zodiac Challenge have to complete a number of tasks to earn a certificate.

And most, while missing the company of their pals, have found it to be hugely fulfilling and a great deal of fun.

The original version of the Zodiac Award encourages different outdoors “nights away” experiences including camping, staying in bivouacs and unfamiliar environments.

Meanwhile, the alternative lockdown challenge revolves around doing this from home.

Hence, gardens have been transformed into campsites, with a variety of sleeping quarters ranging from improvised hammocks to bivouacs cobbled together from random household items, to dens and good old tents.

When the weather has turned bad, Scouts have headed indoors to camp under tables and in empty bath tubs.

Accompanying activities include collecting firewood, designing flags, learning new knots, making Lego models of campsites, painting stones and identifying constellations.

While help can be sought online for some tasks, one demands that you survive 24 hours without your phone, wifi, computers, TVs or consoles. Perish the thought!

As a former Brownie, and with a thirst for lockdown adventure, the At Home Zodiac Challenge was right up my street.

With 10 points required to get me a certificate, it was a big ask, but I had to start somewhere.

Camping in my garden, sleeping in the bath, or building a den would net me a mere one point, and I found it hard to imagine myself doing 10 of such activities!

Nevertheless, I dug out my tiny one-man tent and got to work erecting it on the freshly-mown lawn.

The last time the tent saw the light of day was in 2015, on the banks of Loch Lochy in Lochaber, so it was due an airing.

With a little bit of help from my black Lab, it was up and ready in no time. Did I spend the night in it? Well, of course! That got me one point.

The next activity was to collect firewood and grade it in piles. I did this with great relish, gaining my second point.

What I should’ve done after this was to spark up a cavewoman-style fire by scratching two sticks together, or at the very least, by using a fire steel, and then cook up a feast of sausages and marshmallows. Had I done this, I’d have earned another point – but I’m saving this task for a sunnier day.

Instead, I went online in a mission to learn five new knots. This was tricky.

I started off with the square knot, billed as one of the most simple, but my attempt was woeful. I blame the rope.

As to the other four knots, well, I’m a very long way off cracking them.

I gained another point by learning how to identify four constellations using an online star chart.