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Description

Selection of bases to train Scouts and Explorers before going on significant hikes

Covering:
- emergency shelters and survival bags
- packing a daybag
- the value of a route card and a base contact
- visualising routes in 3D
- what if?

Groups of up to 6
Do a selection of bases as you see fit - allow 15-20 mins for each base

Resources

Depending on the bases you choose to run, some or all of the below kit will be needed
Maps/3D maps
Route cards - pre-filled
Compasses
Example emergency cards
Welfare kits (pack with tissues, opaque black dog poo bags, sanitary pads and tampons)
Lightweight trowel

Day bags - Young People to bring their own - email parents beforehand. Have a spare with you for demo purposes.
Day bags to contain - They need a raincoat and waterproof trousers, spare jumper, water bottle, empty packed lunch boxes, gloves, hat, scarf, rubble sack/waterproof bag. Also hand out one emergency bag each, and one emergency shelter for the group.

Instructions

Base 1 - Emergency Shelters, Emergency Bags and Back packing OUT IN THE GARDEN

Leaders to bring and make up an example 'day bag', as you would use on a hike. They need a raincoat and waterproof trousers, spare jumper, water bottle, empty packed lunch boxes, gloves, hat, scarf, rubble sack/waterproof bag, torch. Also hand out one emergency bag each, and one emergency shelter for the group. PACK THE WATERPROOFS RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM AND THE GROUP SHELTER AT THE TOP

1) Get a volunteer up and give them the bag (MORE IF YOU HAVE MORE BAGS MADE UP). Next tell the whole group they are on a hike, it's incredibly windy and they want to stop for lunch. What do they do?
- Get everyone into the emergency shelter. Once inside, chat about the benefits:
- morale, warmth, easier to hear each other, good for supporting first aid cases

2) Tell them they have a first aid case - what can they do?
- lay down an emergency bag / put the first aid case on it while being assessed, then it it to keep warm while waiting for rescue

3) Next, start spraying them with water - get the volunteers who have a dummy day bag to find their waterproof and get it on - flicking from a bucket is fine - not hosepipes

- lesson is about having your waterproofs and your drinks bottle in an easy to grab spot in your bag
- and about keeping everything else in your bag in a rubble sack
- talk about value of donning waterproof trousers *before* it's raining, as they can be a faff to get on later..


Base 2 - Reading route cards ONE END OF THE HALL
Bring pre-prepared route cards with estimated timings, and (if possible), a pre-agreed escape route. Bring a map of that area. (3D map if available).

The group are pretending to be the 'base crew', and a team has not arrived home as planned. The team were last seen at [choose a spot] at [choose a time]. Since that time the weather has been vile.

Discuss what you, as the base contact will do when it gets to the expected arrival time. How will you try to contact the team? When will you raise the alarm?

Use the route card to find where the team might be on the map if
a) they stayed on the planned route or
b) they took the planned escape route

Look at the additional information on the route card - does it help us decide what type of response to mount (i.e. do they have tents/shelters/spare clothing?)

Discuss the importance of being prepared, the role of mountain rescue, and why we always have leaders with first aid training on our hikes.

If extra time talk about mountain leader training.


Base 3 - Planning a route and discussing 'what if I lose my group'? MEETING ROOM

Needs a map, ideally 3D. Sit together and plan routes from any car park to any peak. This is not about filling in a route card, it's about getting familiar with reading features from a map and deciding if that's a safe place to walk. Have a 2D map with key available for reference

With younger / less experienced groups, start with some real basic Concepts you need to start a plan.
- How much time you have / where you want to go -> where you could start
- The point of starting at a carpark (Why..)
- Interesting destinations / types of walk vs rubbish ones
- Concept of scale and estimating distances roughly. How far could you walk in a day?
- The point of needing to follow footpaths or roads.
- Continue to below if time..

With older / more experienced Scouts ; start here
-Choose potential targets where there is a 'good route' and a 'terrible' route. Sit round the map and discuss the merits of each route, highlighting dangers, marshy ground, major roads etc. Try to cover as many major map features as you can.
-Get each person to plan at least part of a route (visually, by tracing a finger- not filling in a route card!), and also to estimate distances.
-Side-quests or potential lunch stops
-Discuss Naismith's rule if time - concept of allowing extra time for hills, not doing the maths.

Finally discuss:
- getting lost is exceptionally rare as groups stay together - always impressed how responsible you guys are on hikes.
- how to avoid being separated from the group (especially when hanging back to go behind a bush)
- what to do if you do end up losing your group (keep to the path, let others find you, ask for help from strangers
- key message is that if kids are lost, the response to help to find them is always tremendous.
- keep warm, don't panic, we'll get you.







***FOR ANOTHER TIME***

Base 4 - Group management and welfare DRAFT

Role of group leader in keeping everyone together - regroup at every decision spot
Layers/good clothing, keeping warm
How to do a poo in the woods - welfare kits and why everyone should carry one

Blisters and hotspot management - if it hurts or feels wrong - act right away, don't wait.
Tick removal
The power of positivity- if morale is dropping, talk about the highs, focus on the positives and moods will shift

[This base is shorter than the others, could do with being fleshed out with more content]

Base 5- CountrySide Code true and false game
https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/countryside-code-true-or-false/


Additional how to teach others the ^
https://www.scoutadventures.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-05/Hiking%20-%20Training%20plan_0.pdf


[This base is shorter than the others, could do with being fleshed out with more content]

Tags

• 7th Woking
• expedition training
• Hike training
• woking

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