Useful camp resources for Scout leaders and outdoor groups, including planning advice, campcraft, cooking activities, kit lists and bad-weather ideas.
Getting a fire going isn’t always about adding more tinder or piling on extra kindling. Sometimes, a small amount of carefully directed air is all that’s needed to help an established bed of embers burn more strongly. A traditional fire blowpipe is a simple tube that lets you direct your breath towards a particular spot…
Sleeping on the ground outdoors can be uncomfortable, even when the weather is mild. Cold ground draws heat away from your body, while roots, stones and uneven surfaces can make it difficult to settle down. A traditional bough bed tackles some of these problems by creating a raised or thickly insulated sleeping platform from natural…
A handful of fresh greens can turn a basic pot of soup into something worth making again. Nettles have a mild, earthy flavour once cooked, wild garlic brings a gentle savoury sharpness, and sorrel adds a fresh, lemony taste. Each works well in a simple soup, whether you’re cooking at home or preparing a meal…
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…
Bushcraft is about learning how to use practical skills and make the most of what the outdoors provides. You might learn to light a fire, build a shelter, identify useful plants or make things from natural materials. But learning bushcraft also means learning when not to do something. Responsible bushcraft is about enjoying these skills…
A campsite doesn’t organise itself. Once you arrive, there is usually plenty to do before everyone can settle down and enjoy being there. Learning how to help prepare a campsite teaches children that camping is a shared job, and even small tasks can make a big difference. You don’t have to be the person in…
A good day bag isn’t about carrying everything you own. It’s about taking the things you are likely to need and knowing where they are when you need them. Learning to pack your own bag is a useful outdoor skill because it gives you a little more responsibility for your own adventure. You start to…
If someone injures their leg while you’re outdoors, getting them back to safety can become a real problem, particularly if you’re some distance from a road or other help. In a minor injury, a temporary walking aid can sometimes make moving around easier. If the injury could be a fracture or is otherwise serious, however,…
Making your own tent pegs is a simple campcraft skill that is surprisingly satisfying. You don’t need much equipment, and once you know what makes a good peg, you can make one to suit the ground and the shelter you’re putting up. A homemade wooden peg doesn’t need to look perfect. In fact, a roughly…
A fire-lighting kit doesn’t need to be complicated and it doesn’t need to have too much equipment. In fact, one of the best kits is small enough to keep in a pocket or a corner of your rucksack and contains a few different ways of getting a fire started rather than relying on one single…
