Camping for D of E Bronze Award help?

I am doing my duke of Edinburgh award.

I am only 14 and it is going to be this age range of kids camping for the award. (no adults they are on another campsite) So i was wondering what things are good to take and what things should we not take that we might etc etc.

Also what are some really easy foods to take we will only have a little stove.
The trip will take 2 days one night and we will have to walk 8 miles each day.

Thanks in advance this will be a really big help !!

SORRY, THIS IS A LONG REPLY…BE PREPARED!

I have worked and taught so many DofE courses its unreal. Well done for starting it and I hope you move onto the Gold eventually.

So many DofE students turn up unprepared so best advice is – be prepared! However, most still make it and have a cracking time so don’t worry too much. Your determination will get you through.

Kit…A good rucsac of course, approx 65lt should do the trick. If you can’t afford one, borrow one from friends but make sure it fits! The should straps should be wrapped over your shoulders with NO gaps! Most just need a little adjusting so play around.

Get a dry bag for lining it (if you can’t then two thick bin bags will suffice). Learn how to to do it up, squeezing air out of it, you’ll look cool if you have it and know how to use it. Put it in the bag and start packing.

Sleeping bag goes first – don’t roll it EVER, no matter what your parents say. We (instructors) always roll our eyes whenever we see you doing it. Just stuff the bag at the bottom of your rucsac and pack it down hard!

Next in: dry set of clothes (ie spare set), warm top, t shirt or thermal, underwear, trousers and socks. At the end of the day and once the tent is up and time for bed you’ll want to get into this stuff for sleep (unless its too hot). Whatever you do, do NOT be tempted to wear this second set of clothing “just because the other set is wet”. The stuff you wear on the walk is used during the day always.

Technically now, there’s not much else to put in the rucsac. Food will probably go next. You can buy these cool camping food bags from camping shops like Millets, Blacks or Cotswolds (best). So take your pick. They don’t weigh much and taste alright (I personally prefer the boil-in-the-bags). Try to work out exactly what you’ll need and pack ‘em away. For lunch and on the go, bring a bag made up of things like, chocolates, nuts, dried fruits and buiscuits and my favourite, jelly babies woo hoo! Keeps the energy levels high. Also, get yourself some hot chocolate sachets for drinks…don’t bother with tea or coffe unless you like it so just the sachets will do. Bring enough to supply you at least a drink in morning, lunch and night.

Pack it down in rucsac tightly.

If you are sharing cooking equipment (trangias?) then I would probably put the stove next (you can pack food stuffs inside the pans saving space).

Now, close the dry bag (squeezing the air out of it) or close the bin bags and tie a loose knot.

On top of this you can put your share in the tent (if you are doing this). I keep the poles on the outside of the rucsac usually stuffed down one side of the bag. If not then stuff them down the inside of the rucsac in between the dry bag and the rucsac. The tent itself now can be stuffed at the top of the rucsac pushing the edges down all the gaps and using up all available space. On top of this go your waterproof top and bottoms.

Get yourself a woolen hat or better still, a fleece hat and also some gloves (I prefer mittons as your fingers move freely and can keep themselves warm together). A scarf is fine too. Pack these wherever you want in the bag.

Head torch is possibly best kept in the top pocket of your rucsac along with other useful things like a pen knife, mess tin (you can go extra light by just eating out of the cooking pans), cup and spoon (don’t bother with fork and knife – pointless). If no room for mess tin or cup they can go anywhere you want.

Get a lock’n'lock box (ask your folks – cheap) and put some spare batteries, half a toilet roll, small tub of sun cream (high factor), lip balm, tooth brush and small tube of paste. Also a roll on deodorant and some soap (if you want — I don’t bother). A good thing to have is one of those small plastic bottle with alcohol wipe gel for cleaning your hands – very important to stick to hygiene. I also carry a tiny tub of Tiger Balm for itches from bites…oh yeh, bring some bug spray.

Water! Very important. At the very least, one litre. Any bottle will do…you can be fancy and get those camel packs (great but expensive) but personally I usually just use a Robinsons juice bottle…anything will do. Keep hydrated!!! Dyrolites are good to have in an emergency too (ask your folks).

You’ll be using a roll mat of course. If its one of the simple ones that just roll up then either….chop it down to three quarter length (literally take a pair of scissors to one end) and roll it up in a bin bag and place on one SIDE OF OF YOUR RUCSAC – please please please don’t have it horizontal on top or on the bottom of your bag…all students do that and we hate it!!!! Or roll it loosely and put in the rucsac first prior to everything else. Bash it out so it moulds to the shape of the bag and then put evertyhing in as normal.

Your clothes…avoid cotton – when wet it becomes heavy and saps heat. If you can afford it, stuff that dries qui

FAT kids life SUCKS! Childhood obesity cure

Comments are closed