Template:Courier-OCT-24-20a

EXPLORERS FACED TOUGH CHALLENGE ON EXPEDITION

Every three years Claygate’s Explorer Scout Unit takes on a challenging expedition abroad and this year visited Morocco. The group was made up of 33 Explorers, aged 14 to 18, and leaders, who signed up and went through pre-expedition training, including fitness, first aid skills and safety training.

They flew to Marrakesh, then travelled south to the Sahara, near Zagora, for a planned four days of camping and hiking in the desert with local Berbers. After an all-day drive they trekked two hours into the desert to the permanent Berber campsite, dealing with darkness, a sandstorm and tiredness. A heatwave increased average temperatures by up to 10 degrees and so hikes on foot or on camels, experiencing the vastness and beauty of the desert, were made in the early morning.

After a couple of days, the heatwave forced the group further north, to a compound with a swimming pool, to prepare for the mountain phase—but the Explorers still visited the local town, ate great food prepared by the Berbers and enjoyed starry nights sleeping outside.

The group then travelled north through the Atlas Mountains and the Toubkal valley for five days to climb Mount Toubkal—at 4,167 metres the highest mountain in the Atlas range. After a day exploring the area and acclimatising, they hiked up to the Nether Refuge at 3,100 metres, and the following day left early for the summit, an arduous hike in the dark and cold—but the views at the top were spectacular.

Eventually, back in Marrakesh, an afternoon was spent exploring the city’s souks. Everyone was pleased to get home, and despite the challenges many have described the expedition as “the best trip they have ever done”.

Scouting in Claygate is making a real difference to the lives of our young people with more than 300 members aged from six to 18. The 4th Beaver Colony (six to eight year olds) has enabled more young people to join at the grass roots level and enabled the Scouts to shorten its waiting list. Anyone who would like their child to be involved in scouting, please use the following link: https://www.claygatescouts.org/waiting_list.php.