District Canoe Camp 2004

Willesley Based Camp using the river Trent

25th – 27th June 2004

This was a weekend camp set up by Pete who is a 4 star canoeist. Pete is the leader of blackfordy Scouts. Me (Ben McManus and my fellow 4th Ashby Scout, Daniel Bagley were the only two from the 4th Ashy who took part in the event.
On Friday we put up our tents, watched and listened to Pete tell us what we were in for during the camp.
The first night was a long one, a few Blackfordby Scouts decided not ot sleep and kept on waking me (Tard) and Baggers. The next morning it was an early start. We had breakfast then it was off to the river Trent at Burton. Todays journey was to Swarkstone Bridge, we stopped at Sinfin for lunch soon after which, Baggers got caught on a tree and the current sucked him under, Bet that was cold !!.
When we got to Swarkstone the journey ended under the bridge after first riding the rapids.
We went to the bank and got out, as if we weren’t wet enough, it started to rain.
That night we all slept well, the long journey had tired us out. One of the Blackfordyby Scout, (joe), has almost fallen asleep on the river (presumably, he was one of the Scout who had kept us awake the previous night).
On Sunday morning we returned to Swarkstone and paddled down the river for a ‘play’ before returning to ride the rapids once more. Guess who didn’t make it, yes it was Baggers again who had to show the rest of us how to get back into a canoe after falling out in mid stream.
When we finally got out to dry off, as if it were a signal, it started to rain again.
When we got back to camp our parents were already there, waiting to take us home to our warm beds. It was the end of another great camp, even more special to me as it took me to the magic 50 night away.

Ben MacManus. (otherwise known as Tard)