Scout’s Paddle Camp 2024

The Scouts enjoyed an amazing weekend on Island Paddle Camp, following the success of the camp in 2023. Another brilliant weekend, the Scouts have all been fantastic rising to the challenges of paddling upstream late Friday evening, camping on an island without running water and facilities and a long paddle into Nottingham on Sunday. It’s great to do a camp that is a bit different.

This camp is quite the undertaking for the leaders, so huge thanks goes to Darren, Jake, Sam, Adrian and Young Leaders George, Grace and Lucy for running the weekend and all those hours planning and sorting boats.

On Friday, Scouts set off from the marina, paddling upstream on the river Trent to Barton Island. They arrived on the island in good time where we stayed the weekend.

Saturday morning and cereal done, ready for main breakfast of sausages! In all preparation for the day’s paddling on the river. A trip around the island to warm up, before a serious game of ‘capture the kayak’ and a kayak polo. But, it wouldn’t be Scout camp without the rain and to make things even more exciting, some thunder to add to the drama. This made a good opportunity to break for lunch combined with a disco, of course, for good measure.

By the afternoon and as the rain finally finished. Games on the island before it was time for tea, a camp favourite, Chilli and rice with garlic bread all cooked from scratch on a wood fire.

After a very wet night, it was a bright Sunday morning on Barton Island. Following a spot of breakfast, bacon rolls, it was time to dismantle camp before flag down to mark the end of the island part of our weekend. We then launched onto the water for a trip into Nottingham.

A quick portage and stop for lunch at Beeston Marina and we were off again, paddling into Nottingham and finishing at Trent Bridge.