Attendance
Scouters : S.M. R.K. Miller Bob); A.S.M. John H. Nisbet (QM) (Large Niz); A.S.M. J.S. McFarlane (Ian McF)
Fox Patrol: PL Ronald Lind, Second Michael Nisbet (Niz), Ian Paterson (Kipper), Alen Jeyes, Robin Crawford
Cuckoo Patrol: PL Albert Runcie (Oz), John Moore (Moori), Bobby McCallum, Rhiddian McKelvie, Billy Phillips (Wiffil)
Hippo Patrol: TL Alastair Cram (Al), Ronald Russell (Gorm), Michael Hodge (Hooji), Charles Davy (Chas), Raymond Berry
Summary
This was the first and only time that the troop had a summer camp at Arduaine. It also appears to be the first time that a mini bus was hired for the camp. The mini bus proved invaluable in transporting Scouts and equipment to and from the campsite and also made it possible to have a day visit into Oban which included a visit to the cinema. In addition, the mini bus was useful in taking the 'wee men' for drives when the weather was poor. The camp, in fact, experienced a particularly high percentage of bad weather with the 'wee men' having to be sent to their pits on several occasions. Reports on the camp were provided in the Troop Log, the Cuckoo Patrol Log and the Fox Patrol Log. There were three patrols in camp - Hippopotamus, Fox and Cuckoo; the Cuckoo patrol won the patrol championship in camp. 15 Scouts and 3 Scouters attended the camp.
The lead up
It took a long time to decide on Arduaine as the venue for summer camp. The Court of Honour’s discussion on the topic lasted several months, with various suggestions being made such as Inverness, Loch Ness, Mallaig, Aberdeen, North Berwick, Southend, Dunbar and even Ailsa Craig(!). The final decision to camp at Arduaine may have been taken in June following a visit to the prospective campsite by Bob Miller, John Nisbet and Ian McFarlane.
Day 1 Tuesday 1st August
On the 1st August 1961, Bob Miller drove the minibus from Greenock to Arduaine via the Erskine Ferry, Dumbarton, Alexandria, Loch Lomond, Arrochar, Inveraray and Lochgilphead, with 3 rest stops, including one just before the Rest and be Thankful and a lunch stop at Inveraray, It is thought that John Nisbet might also have been driving a car. Once at the campsite, the patrols chose their patrol sites and started setting up camp. The campsite was about a mile west of Kames Farm in a notch between a hillock and the slopes of Beinn Chaorach at Grid Reference 812113. It should be noted that the seating capacity in the minibus was only 12 including the driver, and so it is quite possible that the 'wee men' took the ferry to Ardrishaig and were ferried to the campsite from there.
Day 2 Wednesday 2nd August
Each morning at camp started with the patrols cooking their breakfast, followed by flagbreak, inspection and a Scouts Own. At the Scouts Own each morning, the Scouters and PLs took turns to give a talk on one of the Scout laws. As there were 10 such laws, that meant a different law was covered on each day of the camp. For the rest of Wednesday morning, the Cuckoo Patrol erected the main flagpole, the Hippo Patrol dug the ‘bog pit’, and the Fox Patrol carried gear up to the campsite and put up signs for visitors on how to get to the camp. There was free time in the afternoon, with some Scouts swimming and others walking to Arduaine to buy sweets and stuff. In the evening, the troop went up Beinn Chaorach (814’), and paddled in a lochain near the top. Bob cooked his customary dumpling for the evening campfire.
Day 3 Thursday 3rd August
It poured with rain all day and so the morning game ended up being shove ha’penny in the Scouters’ kitchen. In the afternoon, Bob Miller took the ‘wee men’ for a run in the minibus, while the Seconds and PLs did pioneering with John Nisbet, before braving a 3-mile round walk to some sawmills. In the evening, the ‘wee men’ went to their pits early and were served cocoa by Bob and the PLs later on.
Day 4 Friday 4th August
The weather was slightly better and so baseball was played in the morning. In the afternoon, the troop set off to visit Oban. However, when the minibus stopped at Arduaine to pick up supplies, Bob Millar met a Scouter from an English troop who were also camping in the area. It was revealed that a Scouting County Commissioner was expected to inspect the English troop's camp that day. This caused something of a panic in case the Commissioner should decide to visit the 70th site as well. Therefore, everyone immediately returned to the site to carry out a tidy up before setting off once more for Oban – arriving at 4pm. The Scouts were allowed to wander round the town, then went to the cinema to watch “The League of Gentlemen” starring Jack Hawkins. On the return journey, the Scouters stopped at Kilmelford to meet the minister, while the Scouts walked the 3-4 miles back to camp.
Day 5 Saturday 5th Aug
The weather was damp, but good enough to have anther game of baseball. The rest of the morning was spent making camp gadgets for the patrol kitchens. At midday, the ‘wee men’ tried out a blindfold rope trail. However, the rain then started and the ‘wee men’ went to pit where they were served lunch by the PLs and Seconds. Ian McFarlane arrived about 3pm and everyone set off for a swimming expedition in Loch Melford. However, Bob deemed the water and wind too cold, and so they explored a burn and found a deep pool to play around in. In the evening, firewood was collected, then there was a hike along the shore which involved a lot of paddling. Finally, there was a campfire where the troop practiced songs in preparation for a communal campfire to be held the following evening with the English troop and a troop from Doune, Perthshire.
Day 6 Sunday 6th August
Sunday witnessed the best weather of camp so far. In the morning, the troop walked to Kilmelford and met up with the Doune Scouts at a bridge (location not yet identified, but about a quarter of a mile from the church). From there, they paraded to Kilmelford Church. During the service, Alastair Cram gave one of the readings, while Bob Millar gave the other. The ‘wee men’ were transported back to camp by mini bus, while the rest walked part of the way. In the afternoon, parents clutching food parcels descended on the campsite. There was also some swimming. In evening, the troop visited the English Scouts camping nearby for the communal campfire and learnt several new songs such as the ‘animal fair’. After that, the Scouters and the three PLs went on a midnight hike of 10 miles, arriving back at the campsite at 5am.
Day 7 Monday 7th August 1961
Monday also proved to be a good day, weather wise. At flagbreak, a North American Indian style ceremony was carried out where ‘Chief Cannot-Sit-Down’ Bob Miller awarded ‘medals’ to Alastair Cram, Albert Runcie and Ronald Lind for completing the midnight hike. The PLs were deemed the ‘bravest braves’. Another game of baseball was then played, followed by a session of swimming in Loch Melfort - led by Ian McFarlane. In the afternoon, training activities were carried out such as mapping, signalling and pioneering, while other Scouts passed various tests associated with the 1st and 2nd Class Badges. A trail was also set up by Bob Miller and Robin Crawford to test observation and woodcraft signs. In the evening, the PLs set up a rope game for the Scouters, and there was a further session of training and testing. The evening finished off with a campfire where the new songs learnt the previous evening were sung again.
Day 8 Tuesday 8th August 1961
The poor weather returned today with heavy rain. As a result, shove ha’penny was chosen for the morning game. This followed a rather unique occasion when Raymond Berry was invested – perhaps the first 70th Scout to be invested at summer camp. For the rest of the morning, there was testwork, but Billy Phillips caught a service bus for Oban in order to visit a Dentist as he had toothache. In the afternoon, the dismal weather continued, so the ‘wee men’ went to pit and played cards. The afternoon was nearly over when a farm worker appeared to let the Scouters know that Billy Phillips had phoned up because he had mssed the last bus home from Oban and was setting off to walk back. As this would have involved a 20 mile hike, Ian McFarlane and Ronald Russell set off in the minibus and eventually picked up a ‘drookit Wiffil’ on the road south of Oban. They returned about 9pm. During the evening, troop leader Alastair Cram made doughnuts and these were served to the wee men in their pits, along with cocoa and cake. An early night was had by all.
Day 9 Wednesday 9th of August 1961
The heavy rain continued on Wednesday, which was probably apt as the Scout Law covered by Bob Millar at the Scouts Own was ‘A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties’. Due to the conditions, there was a sing song in the Scouters shelter in preparation for a communal campfire with the Perthshire Scouts the following evening. The ‘wee men’ then prepared the midday meal while the PLs and Scouters went for ‘stores’. In reality, they actually laid out a treasure trail for the ‘wee men’, which took place during the afternoon. The treasure was successfully retrieved and consumed. In the evening, there was a visit to the nearby seaweed factory, but some Scouts were more entertained at finding frogs and having frog races.
Day 10 Thursday 10th of August 1961
Thursday dawned with more rain, but it dried up sufficiently to have a game of baseball. The morning was then spent dismantling gadgets. A transporter bridge (aerial runway) was also built from the shore into the sea. There were no regulations on aerial runways in those days, and instead of building a seat, the Scouts chose a stick and put that over the rope, then hung on as they slid down. The correct choice of stick was essential. It had to be strong enough not to snap, but it probably had to be curved as well to minimize the chances of it sliding to one side such that a hand received friction burns. In the evening, the troop visited the Perthshire Scouts and discovered that they had been ‘washed out’ and were spending the night in a wooden shed. A sing song was held there without the campfire.
Day 11 Friday 11th August
Typically, the weather on the final day was beautiful. The final Scouts Own was held on the 10th Scout law, and then awards were made with the Coronation Cup for Best Camper going to Michael Nisbet. The Cuckoo Patrol ended up as patrol champions for the camp competition. The ‘wee men’ accompanied by John Nisbet were then driven to Ardrishaig where they caught the MV Lochfyne back to Gourock. The PLs and Seconds dismantled the shelters and tents etc. and the minibus was loaded up for departure. However, before setting off, Bob and Ian went off for one final swim in Loch Melfort. As the scribe for the troop log stated, “Ils sont en sus simples.”