The expedition began at Ardlui with a pleasant boat trip across Lough Lomond. The weather started off fairly pleasant but after an hour we had our first down pour. We were so glad to make camp that night and off load rucksacks for a few hours. We heard about the invasion of midges but it wasn’t too bad.

Day 2 was very sunny, unfortunately too warm for the long walk ahead. Happily lunch was beside a lake, which was rather welcoming to our tired and aching feet. Everyone seemed to be getting use to their heavy rucksacks, or else we weren’t listening to each other moan!!

Day 3 & 4 just seemed to blend into each other. Further into the hike the scenery became more rugged but in its own “highland way”, still picturesque. At the campsite on day 4 the midges were again out in force. Despite having midge nets, the little … flies still managed to get everywhere! Our bodies seemed to turn black in an instant. Lights out at 8 pm, or so we hoped. The midges weren’t the only annoying little things that night. A group of scouts from Luxembourg were also hiking the West Highland Way but (thankfully) in the opposite direction. I don’t think we could have coped another night with typical campfire songs blaring out until after 11 at night.

The venue for this year’s summer camp was the Meggernie Outdoor Activity Centre, the least well known of the three campsites owned by the Scout Association in Scotland, near the beautiful Bridge of Balgie, Glen Lyon, nestling deep in the heart of the rugged countryside of Highland Perthshire. Indeed, our arrival more than quadrupled the human population of the village, greatly outnumbered by dozens of huge scary highland coos which blocked the narrow perilous roads to the centre and snorted suspiciously at our minibus, the 3,500 noisy sheep which serenaded us before dawn each morning (but quickly dispersed in front of an advancing army of Cubs!), and the millions of blood-thirsty midges which hunted us mercilessly at dusk. After watching these hardened creatures crawl with contempt all over his roll-on Autan midge repellent one evening while others attacked his arms and legs, even Akela finally took the advice of a wise old shepherd and sprayed on ‘Escape’, a particularly obnoxious perfume from the Avon range! It may not have been that effective at keeping midges away, but Betty and Louise found that it at least kept Cub Scouts at bay! Activities during the week included a hike part of the way up Ben Lawers, swimming in the River Lyon (which was surprisingly warm due to the heat wave that ensured tremendous weather all week) and boulder hopping at the Falls of Dockhart. There was a memorable night-time hunt for florescent bugs that were supposed to glow in the dark but didn’t and were so well hidden by Betty that even she couldn’t find them!!! Five of the Cubs went fishing with Akela one evening on the north-side of Loch Lyon; as darkness descended, the only creatures biting were the midges, until at last Ross caught a small trout, about 7 inches long; Tommy the wonder Trout seemed to have been blessed with nine lives, frequently reviving before Ross finally dispatched him, and then announced to Akela , a complete novice when it comes to fishing, just as the gamekeeper arrived in a Land Rover to see how we were getting on that it was probably too small and that he thought that there were rules about returning small fish to the water! Thankfully, Akela had big pockets and managed to bluff his way and hide Tommy the Trout so that he avoided a fine and Ross enjoyed a tasty supper!

Some of the Cubs also had the opportunity to help the shepherds shear the sheep, and three of the seniors built a shelter in the forest beside the Centre and slept out overnight (well until 3.00am at which point Martin tossed in his sleep and brought the roof down on Adam and Colin submerging them in ferns, moss and bracken, and all three crept back sheepishly to the indoor dorm). There was a Highland Games competition with a local Pack from Aberfeldy, followed by a campfire, at which the local Leaders Donnie and Maggie taught our Cubs a few new songs including one about the Muffin Man and another about Postman Pat and a pink telephone which the traumatised Leaders are now trying to forget, as the Cubs sang it throughout the rest of the week and most of the way home! The evening ended with a rendition of ‘Flower of Scotland’; however, despite the Scots’ best attempts, Betty and David could not be persuaded to respond with a few lines of ‘O Danny Boy!!!’ (Perhaps that is something to be grateful for!!!)

Off-site activities included visits to Cruchan, an underground hydro-electric Power Station, a crystal mine, confectionery factory and to Sea-Life at Oban (the seals began wailing as soon as the Cubs arrived while the poor creatures in the touch pool are still recovering from concussion as a result of being repeatedly grabbed and dunked by dozens of eager little fingers!! , Akela’s wallet is also recovering as a result of the Cubs ‘Picking and Mixing’ more than they could afford in the gift shop later- the assistants wouldn’t let them put back the sweets they had handled!!!). We also visited Highland Mystery world, although the manager probably thought the Cubs were scarier than any of the exhibits and even the little Goblin was no match for our lot! Later, we went swimming at Lochaber Leisure Centre and had tea in Fort William; it was unfortunate that Ross decided to be sick in front of some German tourists just as we were leaving; a Cub throwing up at your feet as you stand in the door way reading the menu doesn’t exactly encourage you to venture inside!! There was also time for a visit to Inverary Fun-Fair and Inverary Old Jail House. Despite the Leaders’ best attempts we were unable to leave any of the Cubs at the Jail, though we did enjoy testing out the instruments of torture! By the end of the week we had amassed dozens of musical Scottish hats, tin whistles, wooden duck and owl whistles, and our minibus could attract foreign tourists just as well as any traditional Highland Piper perched on a lonely hill or road-side lay-by. Tired but contented we headed for Stranaer once more, taking in the Magnum Aquadome at Irvine en route. On board the HSS, we raided McDonalds and bombarded the Ulster Rugby Squad, who were also onboard, for autographs. Akela, after much persuasion, ‘I’m sorry sir, I don’t know your name, but Martin thinks you are famous and would like your autograph.’ Many of the Juniors completed camper and explorer badges and several ‘helped’ Betty in the kitchen to earn their cook and home help badges. The seniors had the opportunity once again this year to participate in ‘The Most Ancient and Noble Order of Gilnahirk MANOG’ challenge, for which Adam, Colin and Martin earned their coveted copper woggles. Congratulations to Colin also on winning the Cub of the Camp Shield and a big thank you from all the Cubs to our Beaver Leader, Betty and husband Billy who helped us during the week; we couldn’t have survived the week without them and their presence ensured that the crack was good and that the camp was a great success. (Start packing now Betty and I’ll hire a bigger bus next year!!)

Meggernie is a super venue for a Pack Holiday; recently refurbished, the Centre can easily accommodate 25-30 and there is an adjoining field for camping and games, as well as the forest and river nearby. The only drawback is the remote location, but this is more than compensated by the beautiful scenery and relaxing pace of life in the Highlands. Although the Centre has been used by Scouts and Ventures for several years, 30^th were the first Cub Pack to visit Meggernie and will be featuring on the Meggernie web-site, publicity leaflets and Scottish Scouting Bulletin this autumn. If anyone would like more information about the centre, please let me know.

David, CSL 30^th

East Belfast District Witch Hunt to Edinburgh (26-30 October 1995)