Foresters Hike.

Well as most of you should know by now I am part of the scouting movement, specialty part of the Bromley Network. As part of this we do lots (and help out at) activates around different parts of the country. Robot wars (last weekend) The Moonwalk and various others.

This weekend we took part in a night activity called the Foresters Hike. It involved walking 16 odd miles in and around the Ashdown forest starting off at 7:00pm in the evening and finishing at 7:00am the following day. Along the way there where various bases which tested out scouting skills, such as first aid, map reading, knot skills and various others.
Along the way round the course we passed though or round or over, a graveyard , a badger, rivers, mud, llama farms (I think), 3 pubs(which where shut) and lots of other things as well.

I managed to make it the entire way round due to having lots of sleep the night before, lots of chocolate and my mp3 player on random. The injuries I got going round are 4 blisters due to very old hiking boots and general muscle pain in my legs due to the exercise.
The only noticeable thing that happened was having a shotgun waved at us. (Well not waved but still…) we where going along a disused railway when we came across a cross junction which we needed to turn left and then right a bit further along. We where walking down the path which was going along some guys driveway when we couldn’t find the turning on the right. So I was sent ahead to scout for the turning and a guy jumped out from behind a tree. “What are you doing on my property? Get out this is privet land.” “Sorry we may be a bit lost; I am looking for a pathway to the right. Is this privet drive?” “No this is privet property get out before I call the police.” Or words to that effect. So 3 of us walk up the path to see if we went wrong (and to stay away from any trouble) and 2 people stay behind.

We head up the path to find out that there is a public right of way sign heading down his drive, we stay there waiting for the others to come backup but I get a call on my mobile saying “come on down, we will tell you what happened”.

We head down to find them standing on a bridge. Apparently the guy wouldn’t tell the 2 where the pathway was and called the police instead. The shotgun got involved when his wife came out with it under her arm cocked, or at least unbroken. So we hang about for about ¾ of an hour waiting and in that time another group showed up. So when the police came we explained what had happened and they went up to the house. They came back and said that the guy wouldn’t even tell them where the pathway was until they asked again. And that the guys shotgun licence is going to be evoked because his wife shouldn’t have access to the weapon/s.

The Turnip A team came 3rd and the B team came 1st so we keep the trophy for another year.

I am going to add pictures of various stuff when I have the pictures.