Adventure and observation at Arderne Gardens

Outings are a lovely way to get a change of scenery, build a sense of community and to put the skills learnt in the Meerkat Den to good use in the great outdoors. They are also an important requirement for the bronze, silver and gold star advancement badges.

This term the 1st Claremont Den met at Arderne Gardens in Claremont to complete the sound observation activity for the Observer badge and to go on a treasure hunt for the Adventure badge. In a previous meeting the Meerkats had learnt about what a compass looks like and what it does, and practised the different points of the compass. They had drawn a direction finder with the points of the compass and the south face of Table Mountain in the North West.

The Meerkats had packed this and other essentials into a survival kit which they made sure to bring on this outing. In their burrows, the Meerkats set off on a treasure hunt using this direction finder, stopping at 8 points along the way to listen for and identify specific sounds (dogs barking, birds chirping, frogs clicking, etc.) At the last point they had to find the hidden treasure which was a beautifully painted rock made by Assistant Den Scouter Galago. The meeting ended with a picnic and a play on the lawns.

Karen Meyer, Assistant Den Scouter