The YHA weekend started off as a taster weekend before the camping season started, but has become one of our most popular weekends away. This year saw 3 leaders, 5 Venture Scouts and 15 Scouts heading for Wensleydale with a weekend of hiking and cycling to look forward to

John and Ollie, one of our Venture Scouts had organised the cycling and together with Gillian and 3 of the Scouts cycled an 18 mile circula route using minor roads and green lanes from Aysgarth Youth Hostel to Hawes and back via the inevitable stop at a tea shop. John like his tea shops!

Two more of our Venture Scouts, Karen and Rose, supervised 3 of the Scouts undergoing expedition training, who for the first time were carrying all the gear for a weekend in their packs. They enjoyed a 12km walk from Bainbridge to Aysgarth Youth Hostel via Askrigg and Carperby. A complete contrast to the previous weekends was the weather “sunshine” instead of “rain” and the walk was finished off with ice creams!

The remaining Scouts were split into the groups with Daryl one of our PLs supervising Robert and Simon on their expedition, and Clive walking with all the younger Scouts who were getting a taste in practical navigation and map reading

An important part of any weekend away is food, and once at Aysgarth the Scouts swt about preparing theirmeals, without a doubt full marks for the best meal must go to Simon’s “stir fry”. Even the vegetarians amongst us gave it the “thumbs up”

The evening was spent by the Scouts planning the next day’s routes and playing pool whilst the leaders relaxed with a bottle of wine

Next dayt we were greeted by good weather once again, the sun obviously shines on the righteous and we cycled and hike our way to Leyburn. The Scouts now set a records that amazed all the leaders and parents. Every group arrived on time! No one got lost, no one decided to play in the river and forget the time. This suspicious occasion had the leaders checking and re-checking the arrivals convinced they had forgotten somebody, but no it was true and congratulations must go to all the PLs and Venture Scouts leading the groups