Put your survival, scouting and outdoor skills to the test with intermediate challenges designed to build experience, confidence and practical wilderness abilities.
There is something satisfying about arriving at camp with little more than some rope, a few useful tools and whatever suitable materials you can find around you, then turning the campsite into something that actually works for you. A simple tripod can become a kitchen. A few poles can turn into a gear rack. With…
Knowing how long a walk will take is an important part of route planning. It affects what time you start, how much food and water you carry, whether you will finish before dark and whether the route is suitable for everyone in your group. The simplest calculation is: Walking time = distance ÷ walking speed…
You have planned your route, checked the weather, packed your bag and set off for a good day’s walking. Then you reach a footpath and discover that you cannot continue. It might be a fallen tree, flooding, a damaged bridge, a locked gate, a landslip, fallen branches or a temporary closure. The important thing is…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–60 minutesLocation: Campsite or suitable outdoor activity areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Knots, ropework, pioneering, teamwork, problem-solving, communication Pioneering knot challenges turn basic rope skills into practical team activities. Instead of simply tying knots from memory, Scouts have to choose the correct knot, tie it accurately and explain why it is…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Moderate–AdvancedTime: 60–120 minutesLocation: Campsites, activity fields and suitable outdoor training areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced Cubs with appropriate supervisionSkills: Pioneering, design, knots, lashings, problem-solving, teamwork, planning and leadership Pioneering design challenges give Scouts a problem to solve rather than a structure to copy. Instead of providing step-by-step instructions, give…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Moderate–AdvancedTime: 60–180 minutesLocation: Campsites, activity fields and suitable outdoor training areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced Cubs with appropriate supervisionSkills: Pioneering, knots, lashings, teamwork, planning, problem-solving, communication and leadership Pioneering competitions challenge patrols to use knots, lashings, poles and teamwork to complete a practical task against a time limit or…
🧠Intermediate Challenge: The Outdoor Skills Expedition Can you put your outdoor skills together and complete a real adventure challenge? This challenge is designed for people who already know the basics and are ready to use them in a more realistic outdoor situation. You’ll need to think about: The aim isn’t to rush. It’s to…
