I am a cub leader from Reading, and I have been to both Walton Firs and Bentley copse quite a few times. (Both are near Guildford) One thing we look for is access to a building with a kitchen, as we do central catering and setting up a field kitchen is too much work. Bonus if the building also has a hall in case it rains, and a small bunk room for the one or two leaders who hate camping. What we don't want to pay for is a large building filled with bunk rooms for all our cubs. On the other hand at Youlbury (near Oxford) there are no options to rent a building without paying for lots of sleeping accommodation. Speaking of buying groceries. Walton Firs is less than 5 minutes drive from an enormous Sainsburys supermarket. For our most recent cub camp this summer we must have sent leaders to get a few more items that we forgot at least 5 times over one weekend.
@@bigmaninthewoods Mostly cleaning products. I delegated the catering and grocery order to another leader who just did not know to buy washing up liquid, brillo pads etc, but it took several trips because people kept popping out for missing items. (The fact that the shops where so close was a curse, because those where quite quick trips). I now have quite a few receipts to track down and include in the camp accounts.
A good campsite for us is one that can accommodate over 100+ kids if we want to do a group camp 😅. Otherwise as long as it can accommodate us we will look into it.
I'm happy with just a field in the woods. I prefer back to basics, low planned activity, camps (my scouts do too). High activity ones I like for district or joint camps. The site we use the most has high ropes, marked trails and pioneering poles.
In Banbury, we're really fortunate that our district site is like 3 miles out of town. So Beavers and Cubs camp there regularly, and we go up there with Scouts on a midweek evening regularly. It's a great campsite for proximity, but for most other metrics it's mid, so when I take the scouts camping we go further afield for more adventurous activities etc. Side note, we've just come back from a night on Brownsea Island. Yes it has the history and it's a beautiful location, but with public access through the site and terrible ground for camping I really couldn't justify rating it highly.
A campsite Committee or manager that are welcoming! In my old home town there's a site with good facilities that we didn't use for years as the Committee would spend the weekend telling the leaders off
We just came back from Cub camp, and much to our suprise had the whole site to ourselves! Just as well as the woodland camp had terrible toilet facilities, no shower and only 1 washing up sink with no hot water. The camping fields have a new facility, but that was a bit of a trek away - too far for cubs in the night! That said they LOVED havong the run of the place, and spent the entire weekend just being free in the woods. Plan went out the tent door. Also no providor ... and we forgot the coffee = one very unhappy Akela
I am a cub leader from Reading, and I have been to both Walton Firs and Bentley copse quite a few times. (Both are near Guildford) One thing we look for is access to a building with a kitchen, as we do central catering and setting up a field kitchen is too much work. Bonus if the building also has a hall in case it rains, and a small bunk room for the one or two leaders who hate camping. What we don't want to pay for is a large building filled with bunk rooms for all our cubs.
On the other hand at Youlbury (near Oxford) there are no options to rent a building without paying for lots of sleeping accommodation.
Speaking of buying groceries. Walton Firs is less than 5 minutes drive from an enormous Sainsburys supermarket. For our most recent cub camp this summer we must have sent leaders to get a few more items that we forgot at least 5 times over one weekend.
5 trips? Hahaha what did you forget?
@@bigmaninthewoods Mostly cleaning products. I delegated the catering and grocery order to another leader who just did not know to buy washing up liquid, brillo pads etc, but it took several trips because people kept popping out for missing items. (The fact that the shops where so close was a curse, because those where quite quick trips). I now have quite a few receipts to track down and include in the camp accounts.
Was at Paccar this past weekend for Explorers district hammock camp - great site as has certain pitches with lots of suitable trees 😊
A good campsite for us is one that can accommodate over 100+ kids if we want to do a group camp 😅. Otherwise as long as it can accommodate us we will look into it.
I'm happy with just a field in the woods. I prefer back to basics, low planned activity, camps (my scouts do too). High activity ones I like for district or joint camps.
The site we use the most has high ropes, marked trails and pioneering poles.
In Banbury, we're really fortunate that our district site is like 3 miles out of town. So Beavers and Cubs camp there regularly, and we go up there with Scouts on a midweek evening regularly. It's a great campsite for proximity, but for most other metrics it's mid, so when I take the scouts camping we go further afield for more adventurous activities etc.
Side note, we've just come back from a night on Brownsea Island. Yes it has the history and it's a beautiful location, but with public access through the site and terrible ground for camping I really couldn't justify rating it highly.
Yer I agree with you about Brownsea. I’ve only day visited it and I think that’s enough for me
A campsite Committee or manager that are welcoming!
In my old home town there's a site with good facilities that we didn't use for years as the Committee would spend the weekend telling the leaders off
We just came back from Cub camp, and much to our suprise had the whole site to ourselves! Just as well as the woodland camp had terrible toilet facilities, no shower and only 1 washing up sink with no hot water. The camping fields have a new facility, but that was a bit of a trek away - too far for cubs in the night!
That said they LOVED havong the run of the place, and spent the entire weekend just being free in the woods. Plan went out the tent door.
Also no providor ... and we forgot the coffee = one very unhappy Akela
I think you are a bit spoilt
In what way?
@@bigmaninthewoods I never knew such campsites existed until I watched your video, I thought crate stacking was very fancy
I'm in Ireland and only involved for last 6 years so still getting used of scouting