Over ground, under ground and through water was on the minds of 26 Explorer scouts aged 14 to 18 and their leaders from Woking, as they travelled up the motorway to the Derbyshire Dark Peaks over the weekend of 24^th to 26^th October   for a weekend of challenge and endurance. On the Saturday afternoon they were taken through a number of introductory and then challenging caves at Stoney Middleton, near Eyam the Plague village.

After a good nights sleep in one of the bunkhouses at Hesley Wood Scout Activity Centre, the teams were up early to attempt part of the Four Inns Walk, which included Jacobs Ladder and Kinder Scout, in torrential rain and strong winds. The following day the scouts climbed at an outdoor climbing wall, and also enjoyed paddling in Canadian canoes at the Activity centre. New member to the Weyahead Unit in Pyrford, Libby Broadhurst was invested as an Explorer Scout in the middle of the lake on canoes rafted together.

 

“It was an action packed weekend, and it was pleasing to see that the Explorers were all up for the challenge and they were able to put their navigation skills to good use and experience walking in really bad weather”.