After two years of organising, planning, preparing, fundraising, risk assessing and writing what can only be described as a massive Event Plan, we finally made it!
From 7th to 16th August 2026, Blaydon and District Explorer Scouts (Phoenix Unit) and Network Members embarked on an unforgettable international Scouting adventure to Adelboden, Switzerland.
Our group of 48 people, including 25 Explorer Scouts, 14 Scout Network members and our team of adult volunteers, set off from 1st Ryton Scout Hut ready for ten days of adventure, friendship and new experiences.
Run in accordance with The Scout Association’s rules and guidance for international trips, Switzerland – Adelboden 2026 was the culmination of an enormous amount of work — but as we were about to discover, it was worth every bit of it.
Friday 7th August – And We’re Off!
After all the meetings, fundraising, forms, plans and preparations, departure day had finally arrived.
Bags were packed, everyone gathered at 1st Ryton Scout Hut and our big orange coach was loaded for the journey across Europe. Ahead of us was a long trip to the Swiss Alps and the start of an adventure we’d been talking about for two years.
With 48 members of the party safely aboard, Switzerland was finally becoming a reality.
Saturday 8th August – Welcome to Adelboden
After our journey across Europe, we arrived in Adelboden, our home for the week.
Surrounded by spectacular Alpine scenery, we settled into our accommodation, unpacked and had our first opportunity to explore the town.
After so much planning back home, there was something rather special about finally being able to look around and say: we’re actually here!
Sunday 9th August – Exploring on Foot
Our first full day gave everyone a chance to discover more of the beautiful area around Adelboden.
We headed out for a local walk, taking in some of the scenic trails and mountain views for which this part of Switzerland is famous.
The glorious weather that would accompany us for much of the trip had certainly arrived too. Switzerland was proving decidedly hot and sunny — perhaps rather more so than some of us had expected!
Monday 10th August – High Ropes and High Adrenaline!
Monday took the adventure level up considerably with a visit to Adventure Park Adelboden.
Our Explorers and Network members — joined by some brave adult volunteers — tackled the park’s low and high ropes activities.
There was plenty of excitement as members skimmed backwards and forwards across a gorge on zip wires, some of them very high above the ground. The longest stretched an impressive 320 metres.
If that wasn’t enough, the session also included a high-level assault course and a free-fall speed abseil.
It was a day for challenging yourself, trusting your equipment and your teammates, and perhaps discovering that you’re capable of rather more than you thought!
Tuesday 11th August – Swimming, Exploring and Swiss Culture
Tuesday was a recreational day, with time to enjoy the local outdoor swimming pool — something that became an increasingly popular way of cooling down during the hot Swiss weather!
We also had the opportunity to visit a local wood carver, adding a little traditional Swiss culture to our week of adventure.
The days weren’t only about organised excursions either. Time spent together at our accommodation, exploring Adelboden and enjoying quizzes, film nights and an evening of ten-pin bowling all became part of the experience.
Wednesday 12th August – Kandersteg and Oeschinensee
One of the highlights of any Scouting trip to Switzerland had to be our visit to the Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC).
Kandersteg brings Scouts together from countries around the world, and our Explorers and Network members enthusiastically joined in with one of international Scouting’s great traditions: trading neckers and badges with Scouts from across the globe.
It was a wonderful reminder that while our uniforms, languages and traditions may sometimes be different, we’re all part of the same worldwide Scouting family.
Our day also took us by gondola into the mountains to beautiful Oeschinensee, where members had the opportunity to swim in the spectacular Alpine lake.
And then there was the Rodelbahn.
The summer toboggan run provided the chance to hurtle back downhill rather more quickly than we’d gone up — and unsurprisingly proved to be another memorable part of the day!
Thursday 13th August – Interlaken
Thursday gave us another change of pace, with a recreational day including a visit to Interlaken.
Situated between Lakes Thun and Brienz and surrounded by mountains, it provided another opportunity to see a different side of Switzerland, explore and enjoy some free time together.
And with the temperatures remaining high, there was also another very welcome opportunity for a visit to the local swimming pool back in Adelboden.
Sometimes the simplest activities create just as many memories as the big ones!
Friday 14th August – The Swiss Beamish
Our final full day of sightseeing took us to Ballenberg, Switzerland’s open-air museum — or, as it quickly became known to us, the Swiss Beamish.
Ballenberg brings together historic buildings, traditional crafts and rural life from across Switzerland, giving us an opportunity to experience the country’s history and culture as well as its mountains and adventurous activities.
It was a fitting way to round off a week in which we’d managed to pack in adventure, culture, sightseeing, swimming and plenty of laughter.
Saturday 15th August – Auf Wiedersehen, Adelboden
All too soon, it was time to pack the bags, check the rooms, find the various possessions that had attempted to acquire Swiss residency during the week, and say goodbye to Adelboden.
We loaded the coach and began the long journey home.
We were leaving Switzerland with rather more than we had arrived with: swapped neckers and badges, photographs, stories, new friendships and a huge collection of shared memories.
Sunday 16th August – Home Again
After travelling back across Europe, our big orange bus finally returned us to 1st Ryton Scout Hut.
Forty-eight went away and forty-eight came home safely after a fantastic, fun-filled, exciting, hot and sunny international adventure.
And we’d achieved a lot along the way.
As well as everything on our programme, four of our Explorer Scouts were invested during the trip, making their Scout Promise in the rather special surroundings of Switzerland.
We also found time to celebrate a birthday while we were away — because apparently an international expedition isn’t sufficient reason to get out of having everyone mark your birthday!
There were, inevitably, a few memorable incidents along the way too: phones left on coaches or “lost” inside rucksacks, and even a hoodie and hat temporarily abandoned at the top of a gondola. Thankfully, everything — and everyone — eventually ended up where they belonged.
Two Years of Work – Ten Days of Memories
An international Scout trip on this scale doesn’t simply happen.
For two years, volunteers and young people planned, organised, fundraised and prepared. Our young people paddled, climbed and walked their way to Switzerland through sponsored fundraising activities, while countless hours behind the scenes went into ensuring that the trip could take place safely and successfully.
And so there are some very important thank-yous to make.
- Dave and Greg at Durham Scout County — Dave for his advice and support throughout the preparation of our Event Plan, and Greg for authorising it and ultimately allowing our adventure to go ahead.
- Iain and Sophie, who planned, organised and ran our sponsored fundraising efforts.
- Donna at Asda Metrocentre, who allowed us to pack bags and rattle buckets on an extraordinarily frequent basis! Fundraising is always more satisfying when you’ve worked for it, and developing that work ethic is all part of gaining #SkillsForLife.
- Paul, our District Treasurer, whose bookkeeping skills and advice enabled us to keep track of the finances throughout the project.
- Kit, Richard and Paul, our emergency home contacts. Thankfully their services weren’t required, but they nevertheless volunteered to be there should we have needed them.
- Sam at Moette Ltd, who provided our bespoke T-shirts, hoodies and beanie hats. The change to red hats turned out to be an unexpected bonus — we certainly stood out in a crowd!
- The team at Venture Abroad, who worked with us for the eighteen months leading up to the trip, supplying our travel, accommodation and a number of activities, as well as organising the delivery of our food supplies.
- All of our coach drivers from Hodgson Coaches, and particularly Chris and Lee, who drove us safely across Europe and stayed with us throughout our time in Switzerland. Narrow mountain roads, tiny bridges, roadworks, traffic lights and manoeuvres seemingly never designed with a large orange coach in mind were all dealt with brilliantly — and mostly on the “wrong” side of the road too! Their professionalism and skill were exceptional.
- Sian, Bethany, Daniel and Josh C, our younger District Adult Volunteers, for their organisational skills and for helping maintain law, order and safety, particularly while travelling. The experience will no doubt have further developed their own leadership skills. A special mention goes to Sian for organising much of our fundraising before the trip, while Josh’s help — particularly in the kitchen — was very much appreciated. Perhaps his Mum will even let him cook at home now!
- Steve and Amy, our ever-reliable in-house catering team. Once again, they did a fantastic job, producing a brilliant menu and superb food throughout the trip. We certainly wouldn’t have been anywhere near as well fed without them.
- Duncan, who had one of the less straightforward roles on the trip. Thank you for the attentive and expert First Aid response on the odd minor occasion when it was needed, as well as keeping a professional eye on the activities we undertook.
- Clive, a veteran of many a Scouting international trip, particularly to Switzerland. His advice, counsel and expert local knowledge proved invaluable.
And to all of our Adult Volunteers and Helpers, who gave up their own time and holidays from work, as well as paying their own way in full, thank you. An experience such as this simply couldn’t happen without that commitment.
And Finally… Our Young People
The biggest thank-you must go to the young people and young adults of Phoenix Explorer Scout Unit and Blaydon Scout Network.
Without you, Switzerland – Adelboden 2026 simply wouldn’t have happened.
You enthusiastically embraced everything that an international Scouting adventure had to offer. Whether walking through the Alps, flying across a gorge on a zip wire, swimming in a mountain lake, exploring Swiss towns, exchanging neckers with Scouts from another country or simply spending time together as a group, you threw yourselves into the experience.
Over the course of the trip, you demonstrated increasing maturity, trustworthiness, independence and commitment to Scouting.
Perhaps the greatest compliment came from our coach drivers, Chris and Lee, who described you as “the most respectful group of young people that have been on tour with them.”
That is something of which you should be enormously proud.
Once again, The Scout Association and Blaydon and District Scouts have delivered a first-class international experience for our young people.
Two years in the making.
Ten days away.
Forty-eight members.
Countless laughs.
And a lifetime of memories.
Switzerland – Adelboden 2026 was an absolute blast!
