St. Andrew's Day

 Today is Saint Andrew's Day, the day of the patron saint of Scotland, one of the four Home Countries of the United Kingdom.

Andrew the Apostle also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Peter and is a son of Jonah.

One legend builds upon Andrew’s extensive travels, claiming that he actually came to Scotland and built a church in Fife. This town is now called St Andrews, and the church became a centre for evangelism, and pilgrims came from all over Britain to pray there.

Another ancient legend recalls how it was after the death of Andrew, sometime in the 4th century, that several of his relics where brought to Fife by Rule, a native of Patras.

On or around the 30th November many local scout groups will be running a celebratory night of all things Scottish.

This may involve wearing a piece of tartan, play Scotland inspired games, finding out about a famous Scottish person etc. 

Others may put on a Scottish based feast.

It's not uncommon in Scotland, especially for ceremonial events such as parades for male Scouts to wear kilts and females to wear plaid skirts.

The Derbyshire Peak District - Mam Tor

Today I'm looking at Mam Tor which sits on the edge of the Dark Peak (gritstone) and the White Peak (limestone) areas of the Peak District  which is just to the North East of  here.

From there you get some fantastic views of the limestone parts of the National Park, such as the dry gorge of Winnats Pass which many a hiker has photographed.

Mam Tor is the main link between the eastern end of Rushup Edge and the western end of the Great Ridge, making this one of the most popular ridge walks in the entire Peak District.

From there on a good day you can see as far out as Manchester.

Being located near Castleton, it has a number of caverns just below it, such as: Treak Cliff Cavern, Blue John Cavern which I visited several times as a boy, Speedwell Cavern and Peak Cavern.

Thanksgiving

 

Different countries have different national days that feed their way into incorporation into Scouting so today I'm looking at Thanksgiving which is marked in October in Canada and more famously the United States of America today.

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia.

It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year. Similarly named festival holidays occur in Germany and Japan. 

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and around the same part of the year in other places. 

Scouts may assist at home or in community settings in "making" thanksgiving, preparing the food or setting the dining area.

Here Scouts have thanksgiving together as a unit which I'm sure would be most memorable for all.

Why we in Great Britain don't do thanksgiving is probably lost in time because we do have Harvest Festivals in our Churches and Chapels in October which schools traditionally collected non-perishable foods for relief to the old and less well off.

It might be a tradition well worth importing.

Things to do when it's raining

 As I'm typing this out it's very dull and raining hard here so it was fortunate I did get out early but when it comes to organized activities it's a great idea to have some indoor options lined up not least at this time of year.

You might keep a few boxes with objects gathered from the woods, local beaches or connected with activities that you may place within a room which members might look for and, working with others find what they were used for and any connections.

You might organize a collage that a pack might work together on and then be shown together with others.

Being resourceful, finding things you can do when you might of preferred isn't possibe is something that can be encouraged.

The seasons march on

 

It's been a rough weekend here with strong winds and rather a lot of rain about with partial flooding in places here so I've had to pick my moments to get out exploring.

We are on the march towards Winter, with the winds seeing off a good deal of the foilage in the last week or so but in the woods, the trees are made of hardier stuff.

This one looked great in the low sun in the morning while watching the birds and looking at insect life.

Scouting in the Staffordshire Peak District

 Today I'm not going far away but in some ways it may seem more like it because Staffordshire and especially North Staffordshire is an area of contrasts from the heavily urbanized core which I'm in the edge of to areas of quite unspoilt countryside.

For the adventous child in this city region in Scouting or not, we are not so far from great places to explore and so we have two scout camps of which one was written about sometime back.

It is under appreciated that we have as one gets beyond Leek in the Staffordshire Moorlands that actually a good portion of the Peak District National Park does fall in this county as much as I like our neighbours in Derbyshire.

This area was very much the playground in my back yard growing up.

Gradbach Scouting Centre is to be found where our county intersects with Derbyshire and Cheshire placing it well within the reach of youngsters in the North West Midlands with its core being a traditional stone farmhouse.

It lends itself to traditional under the stars scout camps while having more permanent structures for the base camp

There are a good many trails you can go hiking or cycling around here while getting a break from the noise and activity of our busy urban centres.

Meet the Beavers!

I hadn't said much about Beavers, probably because when I was young they weren't a thing in Scouting, here so today we'll take a brief look them.

Beaver Scouts, often shortened to Beavers, is the second youngest official section of Scouting operated by The Scout Association in the United Kingdom. The core age range for Beaver Scouts is six to eight years. 

Sections of Beaver Scouts are known as Colonies and are run locally by Scout Groups that enables easy moving on to Cubs.

In Beavers together you get with your Colony you might build a den, or go on a trip to the seaside, or host a Beaver sleepover beneath the stars enjoying the great outdoors.

Things you learn include things like integrity – which is about being honest and doing what you think is right – and initiative – which means knowing how to take the lead on something without being asked. It’s all about having the courage to try new things and learn from them.

You also get to learn about helping others both at your meeting and beyond.

It's an awesome program for boys and girls within that age range.

Thoughts on Remembrance Sunday

Yesterday was Remembrance Sunday which for me always started  the day before polishing up ones shoes and then getting permission to stay up to watch the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on the Saturday seeing the different arms of the Services and hearing inspiring stories and poignant reminders of the sacrifice given.

It was also something to see them all in full highly polished uniform.

Parades on Remembrance Sunday are etched into my memories, marching with the local Scout Group from the community hall to the church for the afternoon service.

I have laid wreaths a number of times and there is a protocol to it you observe.

Having laid it and stood back, you are stuck with the sobering realization of the loss not least as minutes before you heard the Post and the Roll Call of those who lost their lives.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We Will remember them"

From the poem "For The Fallen" by Laurence Binyon.

Remembrance Day

 

Today is Remembrance or Armistice Day where we mark the moment what became known as the First World War ended and has become the day we think about the sacrifices given for our freedom and liberty

In The U.K. apart from providing advice and support for those who have left the armed  services, the Royal British Legion is front and centre of the transmission of what that act of sacrifice meant - the loss of lives, the injuries sustained and its impact together with the freedom that was preserved at that cost so they work with the Scouts Association who provided support during both World Wars at home and in the Field too in teaching this to children and young adults.

Shown is this years badge set.

For reasons probably more connected around convenience since W.W.2. in this country more store by way of acts of Remembrance has been given to Remembrance Sunday which will be in two days time where Scouts and Girl Guides will parade, lay down their Standards and present their wreath at the local cenotaph

A pause along the way

 

I'm afraid that won't be me, as much as I would love to be out there today because I have hurt the hamstrings in my left leg and have to rest them for a bit being unable to get down the stairs on foot, having to pull myself up and down on my bottom.

Instead I'm reading my books on scouting tips and planning adventures for the future.

At our Post Office and General Store, the post box has been decked out to mark the sacrifice the members of our armed services made and all who suffered in conflicts in advance of Remembrance Day by locals.

There were fireworks displays nearby apart from in peoples own gardens and this is a picture from an event I attended.

Cubs wherever you may be

 

Usually if one mentions Scouting the usual context is that as after school activity with a once a week hourly session in the early evening with other events slotted in because the majority of schildren attend day schools but this isn't always the case.

Some like me attended boarding schools which either had weekly boarding or term based which means that connected with school would be organized at or with arrangements made in order for you to attend such using school buses or lifts.

Scouting often featured, some having their very own Scout Groups when it came to Prep Schools and some like while mine did host the local cubs which give 8 to 10 1/2 year olds the chance to join in.

Cubs can and does involve a variety of things some may involve fund raising for local charitable concerns or community facilities such a  Children's Hospice by a group of Cubs in Cornwall shown here.

Treemendous trees

 

There just is something really magical about being in a wood or forest at this time of year with a carpet of leaves and beautiful colourful leaves in the glistening sun.

It's not uncommon to find acorns about ready to be buried by the squirrels.

Spooky Bonfire Season

We are at that inbetween stage between Halloween which has just gone and Guy Fawkes Night which is to come Saturday where we don't usually publish on here.

I recall Penny For The Guy but never Penny for the scout!

At the sort of age you'd be in Beavers or especially Cubs or Scouts these two events are very much a part of your social currency, attending, having a role within them or making something for them.

Not unsurprisingly it does with me so recently while away, I made this lantern although it was meant to be supported  on an apax really.

Equally I enjoyed being suitably wrapped up a traditional Bonfire and Fireworks display which with the crackling, smell of smoke and colourful fireworks whizzing through the air in star shapes just took me back to my yoouth and what I loved about the Scout Firework displays I attended.