The Official Website for the Blair Atholl International Jamborette

Camp Diary

This page will be updated daily with details of the days activity on camp, comments and photographs from the over 1000 Scouts and Leaders at the Jamborette.

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Pictures with a border can be clicked on to see a full sized picture. From this you can scroll through the range of pictures in this section.

Jamborette Programme

Camp Diary

Monday 19th July

April 2004

8.30 a.m. 19th July 2004

6.30 p.m.. 19th July 2004

Over the last few days the camp staff have been hard at work building the basics of the camp site such as the Kross and the individual sub-camp headquarters tentage.

This in preparation of the arrival of the Scottish Scouts during today. On their arrival, they will be building their own camp areas within the sub-camps in readiness for the arrival of the International Scouts on Tuesday.

The morning's weather started off overcast, but bright, but as lunch time approached there were some short heavy showers, but by late afternoon these showers had passed again.

By night fall, the Patrol Areas were ready to receive the incoming visitors in the morning.

Tuesday 20th July

A few people up early this morning as the first of the arrivals were due at 0630 hrs at Blair Atholl Railway Station.

From about 1000 hrs there was a steady flow of arrivals as can been seen from the 60 + pictures that can be found in the Gallery section under Arrivals. If I have missed any of the International Contingents, my apologises.

After checking and checking details of the Scouts, they were taken up to meet with their Scottish Patrol who would help them settle in after their travels.

In the evening the official opening of the Jamborette took place with all six sub-camps and staff gathering in the central area of the camp and the ceremonial handing over of the flame from the 2002 Jamborette to the sub-camp Leaders to take back, with their members, to the respective area of the site to light their own camp fire followed by a camp fire.

Lighting the torches

Auntie Jackie lights the MacDonald Campfire

The evening ended with a short firework display on the hill above the campsite.

Today has been mainly dry and sunning, but with occasional showers as can be seen from the umbrellas that were is use during check in.

Wednesday 21st July

I guess most people just got to bed last night when the heavens opened and we had heavy rain. I don't know how long it lasted, as I was soon asleep.

In the morning it was dry, but the cloud was very low, but as the day went on it improved and was quite a pleasant day.

This was the first day of activities and the scouts had selected there days programme the night before from a list of options. These can be found on the Activities page. All seemed to have a great time, from the ones I have talked to.

This evening the staff, know as cousins, dined with the Patrols in the sub camp. In return for the meal, the cousins brought small gifts of sweets, biscuits or drinks. After the meal, there was the choice of playing games on site, watch a film in the Kinema or just chatting around the many new friends that have been made in the last two days. One activity that was noticed was the swopping of badges to the extent that some were seen cutting them off there uniform.

Thursday 22nd July

This morning saw another cold damp morning with low cloud, but there is not much we can do to control this. After breakfast and morning inspection it was back to the activities. However my mid afternoon, it was a beautiful summer afternoon with some of the sub-camp staff taking the opportunity to relax in the sun while the youngsters were on activities. However there were some Leaders around the sites as some of the activities including cooking a meal, based on a TV programme in the UK called "Ready Steady Cook".

Some came prepared complete with hat.

Tenderising the meat

It's a messy job making meat balls

Friday 23rd July

A change in the weather this morning - for the better!

There was some cloud but in the main a clear sky, which occasionally clouded over. We did have the odd shower during the day, but nothing to worry anyone.

The activities continued today as before, with people getting very muddy when they took their turn at the Atholl Experience. The showers worked over time after each run :-)

One of the activities of the camp is to do some conservation work around the Blair Estate and surrounding area, in return for the use of the site. This year the Scouts are doing some repair work on a path between Killiecrankie and Garry Bridge. This includes building some styles (a step over a fence or wall) which saves damaging the fence or wall. One of the Swedish Scouts (Henrik, from Malung in Sweden) has kindly brought us some pictures of the work. They also have a talk on various aspects of tracking and survival in the wild from the Rangers who discuss the various foods available in the wild and how to predict which animals are in the immediate vicinity which could be used as food.

The start of a new style

Task completed

How about some natural refreshments?

Tonight there is an International Show Case, a variety show put on my the Scouts from the various countries. It is a very colour occasion, and hopefully we shall have some photographs tomorrow.

Tomorrow is visitors day to the Camp, so there are no activities. Instead, everyone will be make the site tidy and preparing for the Fair in the afternoon, where the Patrols run stalls where you can buy samples of foods or purchase small goods using the "Atholl" a special currency for the day. Standby for many colourful and entertaining pictures in the coming days as we try to give you a flavour of the afternoon. One of the guests of the afternoon will be the Scottish Chief Commissioner for Scouts, Eleanor Lyall. Eleanor has recently taken on this role.

Saturday 24th July

A rather dull, damp and cold morning. Hopefully this will improve as the day goes on, as it is visitors day.

There are no activities today for the Scouts, but the Satellite Camp in the adjoining field will have the opportunity to try some of the activities that have been on offer. What is the Satellite Camp. It is an opportunity for younger Scouts to come along for a long week-end (Friday to Monday) and see the the older Scouts and international Scouts in camp.

The Jamborette Scouts spent most of the morning tidying their sites for the visitors or preparing for the Country Fair

At 1 p.m. the visitors started to arrive, parents, scouts leaders, friends, to visit the camp.

The Fair itself started at 2.30 with the Camp Chief and the Scottish Chief Commissioner parading from the Camp gate to behind the Cross where John Kennedy unlocked the gates to the Fair.

Sunday 25th July

A long lie in this morning - for some

A brighter morning, but still overcast with a few blue patches. Flag break is half-an-hour later this morning and then it is full Parade up to Blair Castle for the Scout's Own.

A can be seen from the pictures this was an open air service, and some of the visitors to the castle joined in the proceedings, some of them commenting on how moving the short service had been. After the Scout's Own, the Camp parade back to the Camp Site and after lunch there was the opportunity to take part in International Games which were played around the camp site, or just to "chill out" in the afternoon sunshine - and it was a glorious afternoon with the first real high temperatures of the camp.

After the games, it was the staff's turn to cook for the Scouts, with a barbeque of hamburgers, sausages, beef, pork and gammon steaks with salad.

In the evening there was a an open air ceilidh and what must have been one of the longest (length and time wise) Strip The Willow dances.

Monday 26th July

A cold morning, but the sun soon reached us and it was another marvellous day. In more ways that one as a number of the Scottish Scouts received awards from the Chief Scout, George Purdy, when he visited the camp this morning.

After making the presentations, the Chief Scout visited a number of the activities on site before having lunch. he departed immediately after lunch.

The Chief Scout tours the Camp, chatting with the youngsters

I had the opportunity of visiting one of the off-site activities, the first occasion that it has been taken up by a Scout Camp - Zorbing.

An amazing experience, I am assured, being strapped into an inner cell suspended with in an air filled ball, and then rolling down a hill.

The following pictures show a short section of the trip of the ball down the hill. Clicking on the last frame will take you to a section of pictures in the activity section that shows the whole story from throwing oneself into the ball, to tumbling out at the bottom of the hill. The organisers say nobody has yet been sick after a trip, and to date, we have upheld that tradition.

The three pictures are taken from exactly the same spot using a three shot burst of frames.

Down

and down

they roll!

Tuesday 27th July

Another 'cool' morning as I rose and overcast into the bargain. However the sun soon broke through and by mid morning it was another glorious day. I am not going to tempt fate.

The second last day of activities of the camp. The administration team are now working hard on making arrangements for home hospitality for our visiting friends when the leave camp on Friday. How to arrange transport from Blair Atholl to various parts of Scotland for those without transport and ensuring that those who or offering home hospitality know when their guests must be back with their group for their return trip home. No mean feat.

During the camp, one of the activities has been BART (Blair Atholl Rescue Team). This is an activity that gives the Scouts a brief introduction to what is involved in Mountain Rescue. The morning starts off with a short First Aid Course covering the ABC and then a demonstration in the use of the hill stretcher and the VAC PAC splints and carriers that are used now-a-days. Then it was off to the hills, complete with gear for a rescue exercise, to bring the 'injured' walker back to camp.

A full body Vac Pac

An elbow Vac Pac

Off on their rescue mission

Wednesday 28th July

The last day of activities for the Scouts. This morning was much warmer than previous days, but overcast and despite the weather forecast suggesting it was going to be another fine day, the cloud base never lifted and at one time we had a very light shower of rain.

A final set of pictures of activities during the day and in the evening haggis tatties and neeps were the order of the day throughout the camp. The Staff held a formal Burns Supper, less the whiskey, with the normal toasts made with water.

Off on their cycle run

The Celtic Cross made from local stones painted why and with messages written on them by the Scouts

After dinner and flag down, there was a Farewell Disco in the Kross.

Thursday 29th July

The last full day of camp for the Scouts - but a fun packed one. This morning was dull and damp with the clouds down to tree level in the field. It has stayed that way all day with the occassional light shower. But this has not damped the spirits.

This morning after morning parade and inspection in the sub camps, by now a morning ritual to all, they held the Atholantics - a series of zany games around the camp site.

After lunch it was time to dismantle the various gateways and pioneering projects and store the timber for the next Blair Atholl in 2006.

The closing ceremony takes place round the final Camp fire later this evening, eather permitting outside, but if the worst happens, the Kross is there as a standby, although not nearly as effective. Photographs will be taken, but will not be uploaded this evening, but some time tomorrow night as we need to shut down the computer network tonight to enable the equipment to be packed away for collection first thing in the morning.

Camp Fire's Burning

The Flags are lowered for the last time at the Camp

Candles of frienship

Friday 30th July

This morning the camp breaks up and our new, and old, foreign friends leave camp to go on their own ways. Manu of the Scouts and Leaders will be taking the opportunity of Home Hospitality with their Scottish friends for a few days whilst some Leaders take the opportunity to do a private tour of Scotland and others head straight for home.

In two years time we will gather again here at Blair Atholl for the 30th Blair Atholl Patrol Jamborette and we hope to see many of our friends again at this time.

HASTE YE BACK

Copyright © 2004