Saturday 19th May saw the Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit out and about on the hill and moors of Northumberland, getting some walking under their belts (or rather their rucksack waist belts) in preparation for this summer’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions.
Eight Explorer scouts, led by three leaders in two parties went walking in the Breamish Valley between Hartside and Ingram, walking just over 10 miles from Hartside to the top of Brough Law and back. Although walking separately in ‘Terrain One’ (for safety reasons), the two groups did walk together …

In preparation for Saturday’s day hike, and to get some practice for this year’s expeditions, the Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit spent Thursday evening planning the finer points of the day hike (final route, weather, group sizes etc), learning how to pitch the recently purchased Vango expedition tents and, just in case, learning how to use group shelters, which are used in emergency situations on the hills.
 
 
This is all part of the planning for Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions, the practice for which is in early June and with the actual …

A big thank you to two members of the Blaydon District Young Leaders Unit for all their help at the Blaydon District Beaver Sleepover last weekend, which was held at 1st Dipton H.Q.
Andrew (a member of Blaydon District’s Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit) and Rachael (a member of the Elvet Explorer Scout Unit in Durham City District) were both a great help – from preparing and helping with craft sessions, running bug hunt trails, building fires to helping tidy up amongst other things. They gave up their time despite being busy with …

At the meeting on Thursday 10th May 2012, members of the Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit were challenged to come up with a completely new game. It could be a team game, a game played as individuals, an intellectual or physical game, a game where players were ‘knocked out’ or one where everybody stayed in.
After a five-minute discussion a game was agreed, and when asked “What are the rules?” the answers was “… There are none!“. After a few minutes to understand the objectives of the game  (“to be the last …

On Wednesday 9th May Winlaton Beavers went for a walk in the Woods starting at the Thornley Woodlands Centre. 
They had great fun exploring, taking texture rubbings, finding woodland creatures carved into trees and logs, finding different leaves and also collecting as many fir cones as they could in a minute. It was also an opportunity to invest one of our new Beaver Scouts.

After completing all the required stages of the art badge , Chopwell cubs were allowed to go a little abstract. Armed only with paint , paper and a plastic straws , they created masterpieces on the paper … and the table , floor , themselves and any leader that got too close !