England & Belgium

Our pre-trip begins in the capital city of the United Kingdom, London – London is one of the largest cities in the world with a population of 8,787,892 (Toronto, Canada’s most populous city, has 2,731,571)!  So basically London offers pretty much anything you could imagine!  Here’s a list of the “Top 17 Things to Do in London”

Our London experience actually begins in a little piece of Scouting heaven, Gillwell Park.  Gillwell Park was the home of Lord Baden-Powell and is now the headquarters for the UK Scout Association as well as home to a HUGE adventure camp!  Activities at Gillwell Park include grass sledging, sailing, bell boats, aeroball, revolving climbing wall, go-karts, kayaking, standard climbing wall, low ropes, rafting, canoeing, adventure course, crate stacking, archery, Jacob’s ladder, leap of faith, and an insane looking 3-G swing.  Needless to say, there is LOTS to do in Gillwell Park!

Location of the first Scout Camp!

While we’re in England we’ll take the train for a day trip to the South coast and visit Brown Sea Island.  Brown Sea Island is the location of the first ever Scout Camp.  Back in 1907 a visionary took a group of kids out to camp on a beautiful island off the coast of England, and from that simple act the world’s largest peace movement began.  Scouting now thrives in almost every country in the world, and it all started on Brown Sea Island.  A highlight will be visiting the exact spot of the first ever Scout campfire 🙂

Ghent, Belgium

After four days in the United Kingdom we’ll board a ferry bound for Dunkirk, France.    Dunkirk was the location of the final desperate evacuation of the British and Allied forces in the early days of World War II as Hitler swept through Western Europe.

From Dunkirk we’ll take the train into Ghent, Belgium where we will stay at a local Scout Camp for two nights.  Ghent was established around 650 AD (yup, well over a thousand years ago) and grew to be one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Northern Europe during the middle ages.  Today Ghent is a very popular tourist destination as it has maintained a lot of its medieval charm.

Ypres from Cloth Hall

While in Belgium we’ll take a day trip to Ypres, Belgium.  Ypres was literally reduced to mud in the first World War – over 1.5 million people died on both sides to advance the front just five kilometers; truly incredible to think of the scope of loss.  The battle of Ypres is perhaps the bloodiest and most tragic battle in human history.  To this day the Belgians stop traffic at the Menin Gate in Ypres and perform the “Last Post” ceremony to honour those who died so they could be free – we will be there to see the ceremony first hand.  They have done this every single day for nearly 100 years!  (except when the Nazi’s occupied Belgium during WWII).  Our Scouts & Venturer Scouts had the privilege of visiting the Menin Gate in 2015, and it was by far one of the highlights of the trip.  You will simply never forget the power of being there, and the depth of gratitude the Belgians have for the sacrifice of Canadians and Allied troops.

We could even lay a wreath on behalf of the Newfoundlanders that fought and died at Ypres and in Passchendaele.

Finally after our epic adventure through the United Kingdom, France and Belgium we board a train bound for Haarlem in the Netherlands to set up our camp at the Haarlem Jamborette 🙂


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2019 European Adventure Trip Requirements

As for previous big adventures it fell upon our Troop Leadership Team to determine the participant requirements for our 2019 European Adventure.  This is NOT an easy task, and we had a pretty tight timeline to work through some pretty good debates.

Representing the interest of our Scouts we had our Troop Leader – Ella N, our Patrol Leaders – Alex P, Cameron S and Ben N, and our K.P. – Brady M.  Our Venturer Scouts were represented by Declan M & Steven D with help from Nathan B (Our Company CEO) & Maiya K.  We even had our Cub Scouts represented with Lex N.  To support the youths’ efforts we had Scouters Claudette, Erica, Gerry, Mark, Shanlee, Robin and myself.

It is important to understand where these requirements come from.  As this will be our fifth major adventure we have learned a few things along the way (and like good Scouts, often from “failures”).  The requirements are meant to ensure that all youth and adults that attend the trip can do so without risking their own or anyone else’s safety and to ensure that their behaviour will not negatively affect the experience of others on the trip.  Most of our younger members (keeping in mind that we will have Tracker Cub Scouts registering for this trip) will be missing a LOT of requirements at this point – DON’T BE DISCOURAGED!  Parents, Scouters and participants need to use the requirements as a road map to get the youth prepared for this adventure.

To make it easier to track your progress, the trip requirements will be set up on ScoutsTacker as a custom badge.

These are the requirements for youth participants.  The requirements for Scouters will be all these and a bit more (Scouter requirements will be determined in the next few weeks by our Expedition Leadership Team)

  • MANDATORY EXPEDITIONS
    • In order to attend the trip, all participants will be required to attend a minimum of two mandatory expedition camps.  
    • The expedition camps will be challenging in nature and designed to help prepare the youth and the Scouters for the adventure ahead.
    • While intentionally challenging, our expedition camps in the past have proven to be some of our best camps ever!  Examples include Hodges Hill 2013 (and 2017), Exploits Canoe Expedition 2014, Camp Froze-In 2015 and the Red Indian Rafting Expedition 2016.
    • A MINIMUM of six months notice will be provided for any mandatory event.  For that reason, mandatory means mandatory – if you do not attend the expedition camp you will not be permitted to attend the trip to Europe.
    • Please note that certain pre-trips may require an additional expedition camp if the Expedition Leadership Team feels it is important to prepare the participants for the trip.  As with all mandatory events, a minimum of six months notice will be provided.
    • The date of the first expedition camp has been confirmed for September 7-9, 2018 – it will likely be a canoeing/kayaking camp involving sleeping in improvised shelters.  While still an expedition camp, this camp will be designed to be accessible by our younger members while still challenging for our older youth.  Details will be confirmed by our Expedition Leadership Team, but please mark the date on your calendars!
    • PARENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A WORKSHOP – There will be a workshop 6-8 weeks before the trip that youth will be required to attend along with at least one parent or guardian.  The purpose is to instruct parents on behaviour that will support their youths’ adventure and make it possible for the Scouters to ensure their youth have a great experience.  Topics will include managing home sickness, communication with home, and also some practical information on baggage, travel details, etc.
  • PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR
    • Consistently acts in accordance to the Scout Law and Promise (broken down at the bottom)
    • Consistently follows the Troop & Company Code of Conduct (Troop Code of Conduct)
    • Consistently shows respect for the youth leadership team and from Scouters, including consistently following their rules and instructions
    • Understands how to remain safe with adults & strangers, and has attended a workshop on staying safe (to be provided)
    • Consistently demonstrates the work ethic required in a camp environment
    • Consistently demonstrates that they can keep themselves entertained during quiet/wait times (examples could include knowing card games, improvised board games, or just being happy reading a book, quiet in thought, etc)
    • Has demonstrated a willingness to try new things and step outside their comfort zone
    • Has demonstrated they can spend multiple nights away from home without incident
    • Has demonstrated a willingness to try new foods and to consistently eat sufficiently (quality & quantity) to stay healthy in a camping and/or high-adventure environment
    • All participants must be actively engaged in the Scouting program. While there is no specific attendance requirement, it will be difficult for you to make a case that you are actively engaged if you attend less than 75% of the regular meetings and events between now and the trip.
    • ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST HAVE SCOUTS CANADA MEMBERSHIP IN GOOD STANDING.
    • ALL PARTICIPANTS REQUIRE A VALID PASSPORT TO ATTEND.  EXPIRY DATE CAN BE NO EARLIER THAN AUGUST 31, 2019
  • SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
    • Consistently demonstrates skills equivalent to Camping Outdoor Adventure Skill Levels 1,2,3 & 4 (details on ScoutsTracker)
    • Consistently demonstrates skills equivalent to Emergency Aid Outdoor Adventure Skill Levels 1 & 2 (details on ScoutsTracker)
    • Has experience cooking a small variety of meals on a propane stove
    • Has demonstrated their understanding and commitment to proper dishwashing at camp
    • Has demonstrated their ability to set up a basic (but functioning) tarp dining shelter
    • Has mastered basic pioneering skills (reliably tie clove hitch, square lashing, tripod lashing, diagonal lashing, round lashing, shear lashing and fisherman’s knot – it is acceptable to rely on notes and/or Knots 3d app or similar)
  • KNOWLEDGE
    • Participants will be required to research a portion of the trip and prepare a short video presentation.  Assistance will be provided by the Expedition Leadership Team and the Scouters attending the trip.
    • Participants will be required to attend a cultural workshop (to be provided) so they can learn about the culture, traditions and laws of the countries we will be visiting.
    • Participants will be required to attend a cultural workshop (to be provided) to ensure they know enough about the traditions of Newfoundland & Labrador as well as Canada in order to properly represent our province and country on the world stage.
    • Participants will be required to have a general understanding of the trip itinerary
    • WORKSHOPS: We recognize that “workshop” sounds inherently boring, but that is not at all the intent!  Last time we went to Europe we had a full day cultural workshop that proved to be one of the highlights of the year!  Scouting is not school – we learn by doing.  You will enjoy the workshops 🙂
    • TESTS: There will be a quiz of some kind for all the knowledge-based requirements.  The quiz is also meant to be fun, and participants will have as many times as you need in order to pass.  We just need to ensure you actually have the knowledge you need.

Scout Promise:

On my honour, I promise to do my best;
To do my duty to God and to the Queen;
To help other people at all times;
And to carry out the spirit of the Scout Law

Scout Law:

A Scout is helpful and trustworthy,
Kind and cheerful.
Considerate and clean,
And wise in the use of all resources

Breaking them down:

  • Scouts consistently do their best
  • Scouts respect the differences between all people, cultures, religions, etc and the validity of everyone’s personal beliefs
  • Scouts represent their country well and consistently follow the law
  • Scouts always provide help when it is needed, without having to be asked
  • Scouts do not lie – dishonesty is not tolerated
  • Scouts choose kindness over spite
  • Scouts remain cheerful whenever possible – we cannot always control our situation, but we can always control our attitude
  • Scouts are not wasteful and take care of equipment, supplies, and of course each other.  Scouts can manage money in a responsible manner

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Team England Planning Meeting

Well we went into this planning meeting intending to link the Irish and English pre-trips into one option that would be offered up along with the combined Switzerland/Germany option, but things definitely did not go according to plan.  Turns out that even if we don’t leave southern England, there is still so very much to do!  Gilwell Park for example, is not just a significant historical site for World Scouting, it is also a full-fledged adventure camp!  We’ll need at least a full day taking in Gilwell, then another couple days (at least) to take in London, and don’t forget our pilgrimage to Brownsea Island!

Given the timing of the meeting being right before exam week for our senior youth, and right after a Scout Camp we had nothing in the ways of formal presentations so I don’t have a pile of links to share with you.  That said, we all sat around and discussed our options, Googled some awesome things to do in London, and quickly came to the realization that it’s Ireland OR England, not both.  So Team Ireland, you are back to being on your own!

Our very, very rough plan of an England pre-trip would look like this:

  • Sunday – Arrive, settle in at Gilwell Park
  • Monday – Explore London
  • Tuesday – Travel to Brownsea Island (location of the first ever Scout camp)
  • Wednesday – Explore London
  • Thursday – Take the ferry to Dunkirk, France.  Soak up the history in Dunkirk and travel by train to Ghent, Belgium to spend the night at a Scout Camp.
  • Friday – Experience Ghent, then travel to Ypres in the afternoon to participate in the Menin Gate ceremony.  Return to camp in Ghent for the night
  • Saturday – (early) Take the train to Haarlem, the Netherlands to begin the Haarlem Jamborette!


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