Scout and Guide Heavyweight Camping Competition

For those of you who have never heard of this event before a few words of introduction:

The Heavyweight Camping Competition has been held in the Ware area since 1940. The competition is always held in the locality, usually in a farmer's field.

It is open to teams of Explorer Scouts, Scouts and Guides from Stanstead Abbotts in the South, to Buntingford in the North.

It is not a competition just for fat people. It is called the "Heavyweight" as this best describes the type of camping which takes place that is, patrol camping with all the gear that you think you will need.

What Should I Expect?

All teams arrive at the site before lunch on the Saturday morning. The patrols are registered and shown to their own spot, where they pitch tents, build gadgets, light fires and cook lunch.

After lunch, the competition really starts. The teams are able to demonstrate their skills during the afternoon on a variety of activities. Whilst these take place a team of judges will inspect your campsite and award points for all the good things they find.

In the evening, you will cook a very special meal, which will be tasted by another team of judges, who will award even more points. After dinner, we have an evening activity such as a wide game, or sports laid on.

After this exhausting day, you get to sleep in those tents that you pitched - let's hope you did it well!

On Sunday morning you cook your own breakfast and then we have inspection of your site. Often the Sunday activity is an arts or crafts project based on a team name that you will be given.

At lunchtime on Sunday, you start to pack away and tidy up ready for the presentations in the afternoon. Each team receives a certificate and the highest placed teams of Scouts and Guides receive trophies and medals.