With a torrential downpour the night before and the rain to end all rain pelting the minibus most of the way along the M4, we were all a bit worried about the weather for the week ahead. As it turned out the sun was on our side (mostly) for the week and Troop B were set for an outstanding week of adventure in South Wales.

Botany Bay Scout Camp Site was to be our base from 29 July to 5 August 2000, with various forays into the Wye Valley, Brecon Beacons and Forest of Dean. Having put all the tents up in record time, the whole Troop got their hiking boots on and made their way to the Devil's Pulpit - a rock that you can climb on with an excellent view of the Wye and Tintern Abbey.

Sunday saw Luke, Josh and Arran (three of our older Scouts) hiking the Brecon Beacons with Ed, Alan and David (Leaders and County Sailing Advisor). The views were stunning from all three of the peaks we climbed - Corn Du, Pen y Fan and Crybin. The weather was good and an excellent days hill walking ensued, the funniest moment being the meeting with the friendliest sheep in the world. The rest of the Troop hiked to Chepstow with Colin and Winifred and were even good enough to have dinner ready for the mountain party on their return!

Monday was the day of climbing and kayaking. The Troop split into two groups with one group kayaking and one group abseiling in the morning session. The kayakers spent an hour or so splashing about in the sun-drenched Wye, playing all sorts of games and getting wet, before tackling the famous Symond's Yat rapids. A few capsizes later and they were ready to move onto rock climbing. The abseilers made their way vertically down a 100ft rock face so were ready to cool off in the rapids that afternoon!

It was Camp Challenges on Tuesday morning which saw Scouts doing all sorts of silly things from getting the entire patrol on a brick to making Ed laugh. Then in the afternoon it was off to the pool in Newport for a swim and a wash (the first of the week for some!) which was excellent fun even if the slide was a bit tame! After several dunkings we visited Newport Megabowl for a couple of frames of ten-pin.

We split into two groups again on Wednesday, each group spending half the day on the turbo powered bungee run and half a day burning rubber round the Forest of Dean on mountain bikes. The morning bikers discovered the thrills of what we're told was the fastest downhill known to man, whilst the afternoon group tested out the single track, bomb holes, technical course and utterly scary 'nutcracker' drop - which will bring water to the eyes of Toby!

More bungee, Wet Quest - a big water fight, Camp Sports and a visit to Tesco for the Patrol Cuisine Challenge rounded off Thursday.

Then on Friday it was Gorge Walking in the Brecon Beacons. Having left the camp site a fair while earlier at some obscene time, we teamed up with our instructors at Dina's Rock. What an activity - clinging onto rocks above a very cold river, going neck deep in that river, crawling through the Black Hole, scrambling across a thundering waterfall before completing the days big challenge: Loonie's Leap. Here we were each made to jump about twenty five feet from a cliff, into the pool below - insane but definitely brilliant. On the way home we polished off a McDonald's (cheers for the free food McD's!) and a few of us visited the tightest supermarket in the world.

Saturday came all to soon and it was back in the minibus and back to Hersham. All exhausted, in need of a shower, but ultimately raring to go on next years Summer Camp!

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