Scout Trek 2012 – Glensheskin Wood
When I arrived at the hall most of the scouts were already there and the patrol leaders were busy checking everyone’s backpacks. Pat and Chris arrived shortly afterwards and the patrol leaders loaded everybody into the cars and away we went to Glensheskin. Pat and Chris are the lead players in our hillwalking team and had briefed the patrol leaders prior to the trip. They were given a hike route in the hall and their task was to navigate their patrol around this 12km course using map and compass techniques. They also had to bring some food which they would cook up for lunch.
Kilworth forest covers an area of 1,784 ha's. It lies between the N8 to the east, Mitchelstown to the north, the Blackwater River to the south and the Cork and Waterford/Tipperary border to the west. The principle forest areas within Kilworth forest are Glensheskin, Graigue, Skeheen Upper, Curraghavoe, Whitebog, Toor and Ballinvoher. These areas are located just north of Kilworth village.
Challenge Day 2012
A large contingent of Fermoy scouts travelled to Mitchelstown recently to take part in the North Cork Scout County challenge day. This is an annual event which the Fermoy scouts really enjoy as they can meet up with all the other troops in the county. Fermoy fielded three teams this year and from the get go they were eager to compete. All three team’s performed the various tasks, challenges and quiz to the highest standard and the patrol leaders and the assistant patrol leaders are to be commended for the splendid job of leadership that was shown. It is very rewarding to see patrol leaders progress through the various stages of their leadership training and then observe as it it put into practice on the ground with their patrols.
CMC 2012
It was time …. Yes, that hike we do once a year to introduce the new scouts to hill walking. Four teams from Fermoy were entered in this year’s CMC. Grainne, Laura, Eoin and I had a team and each of us had a senior mentor. Basically the same stuff as other hikes but not as hard. Chris valiantly joined my team as our mentor because he is brave and fearless and we soon set off on our adventure into the Galty mountains.
Upon arrival at the start point we signed in and set off on our journey. It should be explained at this stage, to those who have not been out much that no two scouting events are ever the same even though you might be with the same people and in the same area. So with that thought in my mind I was eagerly waiting to see what would happen next. On we went and despite my team’s best efforts to escape we did as much map and compass work as we could along the way. To my surprise most of the scouts picked it up very fast and thought it was easy. Some even said they want to go on MPCs. Good luck with that. After a couple of minutes we met up with Sean at checkpoint one who directed us in the next point on our maps but not before asking me very difficult questions that I didn’t know the answer to….. wait, I did know them he he, sorry Sean.
