On the 4th of May, twelve junior scouts from 1st Claremont embarked on an exhilarating hike to Hawequas. The troop, known for their strong performance in Upton, was eager to maintain their reputation. After a period of consecutive first-place finishes, they had narrowly missed the top spot the previous year, and came 2nd.
The day began with a gathering of the patrol leaders, who received their instructions. The scouts were tasked with collecting several pieces of paper and an egg, which they were to protect throughout the hike. While the task seemed straightforward, it proved challenging for some. Before the patrols could even begin, Axel’s egg met an unfortunate end.
As the hike commenced, with everyone now in possession of an intact egg, the scouts set off. It started with a riddle, you could only continue once you had the answer. Team A, or as I like to say, the A team, was at the front and while probably in the front 5 teams, Seth wanted to be first. I had to remind him that it wasn’t a race, and we were making good time, but of course that was not a good enough excuse. With loads of challenging bases, Upton stretched the scouts knowledge and was fun and adventurous. Luckily our map skills and geography were good, because we didn’t go on the wrong path like other patrols and ended up finishing twenty minutes before anyone else.
It seemed the scouters misjudged the juniors’ hiking abilities though, as they had to extend some base times and rush everyone off the mountain so we could end in time . The closing parade was filled with anticipation as the results were announced. Our troop performed exceptionally well, with the A team securing 2nd place (just one point shy of first!), the B team achieving 21st, and the C team finishing 43rd out of 63 teams! I wholeheartedly recommend Upton to all future junior scouts and wish I could relive the experience. It was truly amazing.
Saskia Berry
