Explorer Scouts

Taking advantage of the great weather in May, Kinnaird and Altitude Explorer Scout units held a joint meeting travelling to the Auchenstarry quarry at Kilsyth.  Some concentrated on improving their paddleboarding skills and didn’t worry if they fell off – it helped cool them down! 

Others practised rock climbing and to make it more exciting and to further their experience, the Explorers belayed for each other, (with appropriate supervision of course).   This meant that the young people who were climbing were held and lowered by another young person with an instructor standing by and most made it to the top.

Earlier this year, the scouts from the 93^rd Braes Scout Group and the Altitude Explorer Scouts joined Limerigg Action Group, Paths for All and CVS Falkirk to do some path clearing in Limerigg Woods.  The sun shone while they sawed trees and lopped off lower branches to help make the walks and paths more accessible to all in the community.  The Explorers were in their element building a couple of bridges over some really muddy areas. It was great teamwork especially as Limerigg Action Group laid on plenty of snacks and a hearty lunch in the community hall. 

In April, the North Star Explorer Unit members embarked on an exciting journey to Aberdeen, where they immersed themselves in all that was to offer at the Woolly Jumper Camp. Amidst a backdrop of breathtaking landscapes, they enthusiastically participated in a myriad of adrenaline-pumping activities, forging unforgettable memories and forming new connections with fellow explorer scouts hailing from diverse units and districts across Scotland. 

If you or someone you know aged between 14 and 17 want to know more about Explorer Scouting in Bonnybridge and the surrounding area, reach out to the Explorer Scout Leader, Chloe Krykant, at thenorthstarexplorers123@gmail.com.

Team building exercises have taken place for the lucky young members who have been chosen to represent Falkirk District at the 38th Blair Atholl International Jamborette which takes place in July in the grounds of Blair Castle, Perthshire. The event, which is open to youngsters between the ages of 14 and 17, takes place every two years. The youngsters have been working together in preparation for their two-week camp, practising lashings by making a raft and trying to stay afloat. They have also practised putting up canvas tents and cooking on wood fires and so far have stayed dry and eaten well.

The photograph was taken during the 2023 Explorer Belt Expedition to the Netherlands.  Falkirk District intends running another in July 2025, this time to Norway. The Explorer Belt, one of the top youth awards in Scouting, is a challenge of a lifetime giving participants the opportunity to take part in a ten-day expedition which brings a real understanding of a different country, its culture and way of life.   At the end, there will be a few days in Oslo.  It is open to youth members between 16 and 24 years.  Interested in taking part?  Go to https://www.falkirkscouts.org.uk/about/what’s on for more details.