get active - april/may 2013

APRIL/MAY 2013

Adventure

GET ON THE MOVE WITH PARKOUR PROS

URBAN ACROBATICS

CreateKEYHOLE GARDENS | ANIMAL TRACKING | WAINWRIGHT WALKS

AdventureSkills

14 On the right track Paul Kirtley shows you how to help your Scouts track animals in the wild

16 Rapid recipe Make this delicious, creamy chicken stew on camp

18 Walking the Wainwrights Steve Backhouse’s range of Lake District walks offers something for every section

20 Parkour: running free Your Scouts will love this high-energy activity

Skills

Games

In this issue, we show how Scouts can explore and engage with the world around them; whether that means making a positive impact in local communities or enjoying

adventures in the great outdoors.We show you how to get growing with keyhole

gardens on page 5, inspired by African communities. As 1st Banff Scouts discovered, it’s an excellent way to foster links within local neighbourhoods. A keyhole garden would make a great project for Scout Community Week, running from 3 to 9 June. Find out more at scouts.org.uk/communityweek.

We continue the community theme in our Games section on page 10 with eight activities to help Scouts find out more about where they live.

But we haven’t neglected nature in Get Active! Turn to the Adventure section on page 18 for Steve Backhouse’s feature on hillwalking in the Lake District. All sections can follow in the footsteps of famous fell-walker, Alfred Wainwright, thanks to Steve’s carefully selected summits.

Bushcraft expert Paul Kirtley returns with his guide to identifying animal tracks and signs on page 14. This teaches Scouts about different species and their habitats, as well as improving observation. As B-P himself said: ‘Noticing small details and remembering them is the most important point in the training of a Scout.’

Our founder would no doubt have been similarly approving of the ‘healthy mind, healthy body’ ethos of parkour, or freerunning. On page 20, Dan Edwardes outlines the basics, showing how the high-octane activity has both a mental and a physical dimension that has much to offer Scouts.

Regular features include Planning ahead, helping you plan your programme around upcoming faith and awareness days (page 8), and a Rapid recipe on page 16 – this time it’s a delicious campfire chicken stew, courtesy of illustrator extraordinaire Joly Braime. Enjoy the issue!

Welcome

scouts.org.uk/magazine GET ACTIVE! 3

5 Key to success Encourage your Scouts to build a keyhole garden for Scout Community Week

8 Plan for May/June 2013 Important dates for your Scouting diary

Create

Adventure

Matthew Jones, Editor

20

14

10 Community spirit Get your Group excited about where they live with these fun exercises

5

Get Active! Editors Lee Griffiths, Matthew Jones, Antonia Kanczula and Vicky MilnesContent Advisers Bianca Cole, Ashleigh Grimes, Sally Hilton, Jess Kelly, Michael Regan, Paulina Sekrecka and Rosie Storrar

With thanks to...Steve Backhouse, Susie Bijl, Joly Braime, Jemima Chillingworth, Louis Clay, Dan Edwardes, Paul Kirtley, Chris Melleney, Hassan Torossian and Kevin Yeates

The national magazine of The Scout Association ISSN 0036 – 9489© 2013 The Scout AssociationRegistered Charity Numbers: 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland)

Published by The Scout Association,Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QWTel: 0845 300 1818Fax: 020 8433 7103Email: [email protected]: scouts.org.uk/magazine

Please send all contributions to:[email protected] note that the views expressed by members and contributors in the magazine are not necessarily those of The Scout Association.

Badge focusHELP YOUR SCOUTS EARN THEIR BADGES

4 GET ACTIVE! April/May 2013

This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point.

We are proud to say Get Active! is PEFC certified. For more information go to pefc.co.uk. Promoting sustainable forest management.

PEFC/16-33-795

DON’T MISS OUT – GO ONLINE

scouts.org.uk/magazine

magazine.scouts.org.uk/this-issue

Activities can be adapted for different sections

!Beaver Global Challenge Award and Scout Community Challenge

Award A keyhole garden makes a great Scout Community Week project for all sections and can also help Beavers and Scouts work towards Challenge Awards.

"# Cub and Scout Naturalist Activity Badges Identifying

animal tracks and signs will help Scouts understand how animals behave in their natural habitats.

"$ Scout Guide and Explorer Community Activity Badges

Encourage Scouts to think about local areas to help them gain knowledge of their communities or to inspire a service project.

%Beaver and Cub World Faiths Activity Badges Faith days are

a great opportunity to explore other cultures and religions.

"% Hikes Away Staged Activity Badges The Lake District is

a favourite hillwalking and hiking destination for all sections.

Get Active! is produced by Immediate Media Branded Content, 9th Floor,Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BNEditor Alex DrewArt Editor James DanielProject Manager Ian OchiltreeDirector of Immediate Media Branded Content Julie WilliamsGroup Publishing Director Alfie LewisCover illustration Hassan Torossian

ADVERTISINGMedia Sales Manager Tom [email protected] Tel: 0117 314 8781

It is important to note the differing structures of UK Scouting in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, for ease of reading this supplement refers to all variations of ‘County’-level groupings simply as County.

You can read Get Active!, Scouting magazine, Instant Scouting and Roll of Honour online at scouts.org.uk/magazine.

110,004 average circulation of Scouting from 1 Jan–31 Dec 2012

© Immediate Media Branded Content. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue.

&$ Queen’s Scout Award Have your Explorers or members of

your Scout Network thought about taking up parkour? Pursue it to meet the physical activity challenge of the Queen’s Scout Award.

"'Scout Camp Cook Activity Badge Stockpile these rapid

recipes to ensure you always have menu options on camp.


CreateThrough the keyhole p5 | Planning ahead p8

Boost campfire camaraderie

with this incendiary solution

These innovative gardens make great community projects. One green-fingered Scout Group in Aberdeenshire decided to dig in and are now reaping the rewards Suitable for all sections

In many parts of Africa, keyhole gardens are a productive and sustainable way of growing food to feed families. The garden is named for its design, which – when viewed from above – looks like a keyhole. They are circular in shape, incorporating a cut-out wedge and a central ‘basket’ where compostable waste and water are deposited. The basket feeds the raised bed, providing moisture and nutrients for growing. Keyhole gardens are easy to maintain and as they are planned around a central compost area, they are also an effective way to recycle food waste. This also makes them ideal for areas where good soil is scarce, growing conditions are poor or space is limited. They are also a great way of introducing young people to principles such as recycling or reclaiming unwanted materials, composting and using waste water.

Getting green fingered 1st Banff Scouts in Aberdeenshire, Scotland got to grips with a keyhole garden project in the grounds of Banff Castle as part of a wider community initiative that also included a chicken and egg-sharing project. The Scouts used green cones, donated by Aberdeenshire Council, to form the core of their gardens. They also secured a small grant from Banff and District Community Safety Group, which enabled them to buy tools and a variety of young plants including herbs and vegetables.

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KEY TO SUCCESSKeyhole gardens are a

great way to introduce Scouts to gardening

TRIED AND TESTED‘Digging holes was hard work, but putting the cones in was good fun.’ Hamish, 14, Explorer

Create


Group Secretary Susie Bijl takes up the story: ‘We were keen to see positive and practical activities happening in our local area, so we were really enthusiastic about the idea of building African keyhole gardens with the staff at Banff Castle. However, in northern Scotland, where it is much colder and there are frequent strong winds, some of the African ideas had to be adapted slightly.

‘The hard work of digging the deep holes to put the cones in began in winter. The soil had to be prepared by digging it over and over. As the evenings grew longer we were able to do this during Scout meetings as well as on Saturdays. We are a small but enthusiastic Group with leaders and parents who are very willing to join in and get their hands dirty. It was great being outside, though the Scouts were often distracted by climbing trees and playing with the chickens.

‘The plastic cones work in a similar way to compost bins, but have to be dug about 50cm into the ground. They can take all kinds of food waste as, unlike a compost bin, the waste food is deposited deep into the soil where it heats up very quickly.

This 1st Ban! Scout loved

getting to grips with his

keyhole garden

The green cones act as a central

'basket' from which composted waste

and water feed the raised beds

‘Once the cones were dug in, we began planting around them. Herbs were planted first and we added green vegetables such as cabbages and lettuces over the summer. The harvest was shared out among the Scouts and their families.

‘The garden enabled the Scouts to see themselves as part of a larger community. It led to other events and activities too, giving our Group a positive and proactive profile. Many of them volunteered as stewards at the Banff Castle History Festival as a result.

‘Parents, family members and friends also became involved when different skills were needed. For example, a parent who is experienced in outdoor work helped out with hedge planting at the garden border.

‘The hardest aspect of the project was the time commitment. The main work could only be done during longer days, so over the autumn and winter it was hard to keep up momentum. We were also very reliant on our enthusiastic leaders and adult helpers. To maintain the garden it would be good to share it with another community group or the local school. This is the next step in the process and will help us maintain strong links within the community.’

TRIED AND TESTED‘I had a great time and enjoyed being busy outside with other Scouts.’ Jonathan, 12, Scout

Through the keyhole


CreateThrough the keyhole

A wide variety of

plants and foods

can be grown.

Eco-friendly, recycled or

reclaimed materials can be

used in construction.

Space-saving, as keyhole

gardens have a small footprint.

Easy to tend, with good access to

all areas of the raised bed – ideal

for people with reduced mobility.

Drought-tolerant and water-

efficient, due to constant

mulching and moisture from

the central basket.

More infoWhy not start your own keyhole garden for Scout Community Week in 2013? Check out scouts.org.uk/communityweek for resources, inspiration and other ways to get involved.

Key benefits

Scouts will learn all about responsible living, as well as enjoying the fruits (or vegetables) of their labours!

What can you grow?� Spinach� Lettuces and cabbages� Sunflowers� Courgettes� Tomatoes� Asparagus� Green beans� Squashes and pumpkins� Garden herbs

22 MAY

International Day for Biodiversity Aiming to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. EXPLORE this issue through the Climate Change game from POL.


Plan for May/June !"#$Highlight special anniversaries, faith events and national awareness days by incorporating them into your Scouting programme. Stay one step ahead with our May/June 2013 calendar.

7 MAY

World Asthma Day This annual event is organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma to improve global awareness and care. Find out more about asthma in Scouting in the Member Resources area of scouts.org.uk.

20–24 MAY

Walk to School Week Encourage parents to leave the car at home and walk to school or Scout meetings with their children. Highlight road safety and the benefits of walking to get the most out of the week.

6–12MAY

Deaf Awareness Week Promote understanding of the different types of deafness and methods of communication used by those who are deaf. TRY the Silent Flag Break activity from Programmes Online (POL).

21 MAY

World Day for Cultural Diversity This UN-recognised day promotes diversity issues, helping communities and cultures to live together in harmony. PLAY Human Dominoes from POL to celebrate our similarities and differences.

15MAY

Shavuot This two-day harvest festival for Jewish people also commemorates the revelation at Sinai. Work is not permitted and it’s customary to eat dairy foods. JOIN IN by making cheesecakes or cheese blintzes.

May

8 MAY

World Red Cross Red Crescent Day is celebrated today as it is the birthday of Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross. The day highlights the work and principles of the Movement. Play emergency bingo with your Scouts – download the resource at redcross.org.uk.

17 MAY

International Day Against Homophobia Today is a good day to stress that Scouting is an inclusive Movement, which is open to all. Find out more about LGBT life and matters at Member Resources.

19–25 MAY

National Epilepsy Week This year, the week aims to highlight the variations of the condition. Did you know, for instance, that there are more than 30 different types of seizures? Find out more at Member Resources.

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!"–#$JUNE

Refugee Week Celebrating the contributions that refugees have made to the UK, join the Simple Acts campaign at simpleacts.org.uk to help change perceptions of refugees.

!#JUNE

World Day Against Child Labour Aiming to prevent children being exploited as workers and soldiers. SIMULATE the working day of children in Kolkata by running the Paper Bag activity from POL.

$–% JUNE

Scout Community WeekGet your Group involved and spread the word about your Community Week project.

CreatePlanning ahead

!"#$


#%MAY

It's been 60 years since the summit of Everest was first reached by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Ask Scouts to CREATE a kit list for an Everest expedition. What training would be needed? Visit http://bit.ly/11wt3xl for ideas.

#&MAY

Wesak The most important of the Buddhist festivals, celebrating Buddha’s birthday with colour, joy and meditation. To MAKE mandalas, visit art-is-fun.com/how-to-draw-a-mandala.html.

! JUNE

International Children’s Day A day dedicated to improving the lives of children around the world. TRY the POL activity poverty poker, which explores assumptions about child poverty.

' JUNE

65th anniversary of the death of Louis Lumière, the pioneering French filmmaker. CREATE your own silent movie sketches or construct a simple zoetrope to show how moving pictures work.

" JUNE

50 years ago today… The Rolling Stones released their first single, a cover version of Chuck Berry’s song Come On. Did you know that guitarist Keith Richards is a former Scout?

!(–#) JUNE

Child Safety Week Raising awareness of the steps we can take to prevent child injuries and deaths. Review your Purple Card and the safety checklist for your role to make sure you are practising safe Scouting.

#%JUNE

400 years ago today… Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London burnt down. Your Scouts can build their own Globe by printing out paper models from papertoys.com/globe.htm.

June

!'JUNE

Father’s Day MAKE dads or loved ones a coupon book of promises and favours. What do your Scouts’ dads like to do best?

(JUNE

World Oceans Day This year, the day focuses on ocean conservation. DOWNLOAD an amazing infographic at globalpartnershipforoceans.org to find out just how important our oceans are.

GamesAreas of interest p10

1 Cityscape Suitable for Scouts+

In this activity Scouts create a city in order to help them understand the infrastructure needed to make a community work. You’ll need A1 flip chart paper, A5 paper and pens. Ask groups of Scouts to join four sheets together and draw a map of the city limits. Each group’s map should include several identical features like rivers and a coastline. The groups have to come up with the infrastructure; they’ll need to include housing, utilities, hospitals and schools, and areas for commerce, industry and leisure. Draw each item on pieces of A5 paper. Roads and other transport links can be drawn directly onto the map. They can now build their city. As they proceed, introduce other considerations. These could include a request from the RNLI to build a new lifeboat station, or hotels to attract tourists. Once the time is up, compare the maps. What differences are there and how did they come about? Ask the teams to explain their decisions.

Here are eight great games to help your

Scouts find out more about where they live

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

2 At the heart of it all Suitable for Explorers+

This exercise shows how Scouts can influence their communities. Begin by asking Scouts to identify services, organisations and groups in their community, writing them down on separate pieces of paper (eg a football club, a hospital, a park, a leisure centre). Each Scout takes a piece of paper. Ask them to sit in a circle and give one Scout a ball of wool. They must identify an area of the community to which they are linked, briefly explaining the link as they throw the ball of wool to that Scout, keeping hold of the end. That Scout repeats the process with another member of the circle. Keep it fast-paced, remembering to keep hold of the wool. There will soon be a web of connections. Then stand in the middle of the circle and pull one or two strings. This will demonstrate the impact that the group can have on many areas. Now try to come up with ideas of how to forge links with the areas that have been identified.


3 What am I wearing? Suitable for all sections

This game encourages Scouts to notice more about others, and by extension, other individuals and groups in their community. Scouts pair up and stand back-to-back. Ask them to think of five things that their partner is wearing. How observant are your Scouts?

4 Human Monopoly

Suitable for Scouts+ Create a local version of the Monopoly board based on your community and send supervised teams off to go ‘around the board’. Each team needs to prove that they have visited every location by taking a picture of it on a phone or digital camera. Before sending the teams out, be sure to specify a time to be back at a designated place and at the end of the game, award points for each place visited. This activity needs more time than your usual meeting, so works well as a Troop, Unit, District

or even County-wide competition. Be sure to conduct a risk assessment for this activity.

Depending on the size of your game, it may be necessary to enlist Network members or

other leaders to accompany and assist (or hinder!) the teams.

5 Postcode hunt Suitable for Cubs+

Download the resources for this activity from Programmes Online to teach your Scouts how they can use the Royal Mail postcode system to find addresses in your local area. Collect local newspapers and leaflets from local businesses. Give each team a map showing road names in the local area, and explain how postcodes work, using the resource sheet. The challenge is to find as many local postcodes as possible in the leaflets and other material before locating them on the map.

6 Leader search mission Suitable for Cubs+ (under supervision)

This challenge encourages Scouts to get to know local areas. In this scenario, one or more leaders have been kidnapped and only your Scouts can find them by following a trail of clues. The trail will take you to places of local interest. Scouts will arrive at your regular meeting place to find a missing leader and a ransom note. The note contains a clue to the location of the next clue or the location of objects that must be collected as a ransom. The clues direct the team(s) to visit local places that they may not usually visit, such as museums, historic buildings, mosques, churches or war memorials. Conduct a risk assessment for this activity – it may be necessary to enlist Network members or other leaders to accompany the teams.

CreateGamesAreas of interest


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e Survey ® with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. License

nted by TrackLogs Digital Mapping software. For more information see www.tracklogs.co.uk.


7 Local diversity Suitable for Explorers+

Explore the local area by challenging teams of Scouts to think of diverse locations in which to photograph themselves, using a digital camera or a camera phone. Think up unusual tasks for them to complete, such as photographing themselves in: the highest/lowest place, the lightest/darkest place, the driest/greenest place, the squarest/roundest place, the cheapest/most expensive place, the biggest/smallest place. Be really creative with your criteria and award extra points for clever and witty interpretations. Remember to stress safety; ensure the teams stick together and that the content of the photographs is appropriate.

8 Neighbourhood map Suitable for Cubs+

Make a colourful and practical map of the local area, marking places of interest and local amenities. Obtain a large-scale map of your area, or draw your own. Photo-enlarge it to about 350mm x 460mm and mount it on strong cardboard or plyboard. Identify sites of interest and useful locations on the map, such as museums,

libraries, petrol stations, Post Offices, places of worship, schools, medical centres, police stations and Scout meeting places. Photograph each place and paste around the edge of the map, drawing lines to show where they can be found. Include a plaque stating that it was made by your Scout Troop, including your contact details. Laminate the finished map and arrange for it to be displayed locally. It will promote your Group and will be a great tool for your community.

Games Areas of interest

Challenge your Scouts to photograph each other completing unusual tasks

Light up

SkillsAnimal trackers p14

Teach your Scouts how to spot signs of animals as you venture out into the wildSuitable for Cubs+

Telltale signs of wildlife are all around us if you know where and how to look. Spotting animal tracks and signs makes Scouts more observant and appreciative of the natural world. It’s easy to get involved by teaching them these common identifiers.

TOP TIP

Don’t confuse deer prints with

those of sheep and goats. All

have cloven feet but the hoof

shapes are different. Similarly,

fox prints look like those of

a dog, but have a distinct

diamond shape.

ON THE RIGHT TRACK

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Tracks or footprints These are the most obvious signs of animals. Wet mud is a great place to find prints. Look in muddy areas, and around the edges of puddles and pools, where you may find evidence of birds and small mammals. Areas of fine soil, sand or dust often hold tracks, but snow is probably the best medium for spotting prints. Even in urban areas you’re likely to find tracks of cats, dogs, hedgehogs, crows, pigeons, blackbirds and foxes.

Runs and racks These are the trails used by animals. Rabbits create runs through long grass and hedges, while deer will create trails called racks when crossing ditches.

Moist, muddy areas are perfect for spotting tracks


SkillsAnimal trackers

TOP TIP

Look for runs near obstacles,

such as fences and hedges,

walls, ditches and streams.

Keep an eye out for signs of

animals going under, over or

through them.

Feeding signs Knowing what different animals eat and when can help you identify feeding signs. Trimmed vegetation often signifies rabbits and deer. Deer only have front teeth in their lower jaw, whereas rabbits have both upper and lower incisors, which leave a cleaner cut. The height of the feeding sign above ground indicates the size of the animal. A browse line is the maximum height of vegetation that animals like deer can reach.

Nibbled nuts and seeds are signs of rodents and birds. Markings on the nuts and shells will help you identify what has been feeding on them. If you find immature nuts on the ground, look up – they show that feeding is going on up in the trees.

Many animals strip bark, including deer, hares, rabbits, voles and sheep. How high has the bark been stripped? This gives a clue as to the head height of the animal. Deer tend to strip bark vertically, whereas other animals nibble sideways. Look closely at any scoring left on the wood for impressions of teeth.

Excavations and disturbances are also common. Squirrels dig up nut caches, while badgers dig up roots

and excavate bee and wasp nests and anthills. Green woodpeckers also like anthills for the ants and pupae.

Animal remains The species of prey, as well as where and how it was killed and eaten, will indicate the predator. Damage to the carcass is also a good identifier. For instance, the way a fox eats a wood pigeon differs greatly to a kill made by a bird of prey.

Owls and other birds of prey regurgitate the parts of animals they cannot digest. This comes out as a pellet and is typically filled with fur and small bones.

Browse line


A bumblebee nest that has been excavated by a badger

Browse lines are a great indicator of the height (and type) of animal that has been feeding

An example of a well-defined deer trail through the woods

Skills

ACTIVITIESFor younger sections, why not integrate more nature-awareness into the programme with the following?

1 Split your section into supervised groups and head o! in di!erent directions, then meet up for a

show-and-tell session. Take resealable plastic bags to collect specimens. Good hygiene and hand-washing should be practised after handling specimens.

2 Create a nature table at your Scout HQ. Keep non-perishable items that you find throughout the

year and build up a collection. Encourage the Scouts to contribute items that they find in their own time.

3 Create a checklist of tracks and signs for each Scout to find throughout the year (like the

original I-Spy books). Help them tick things o! by running nature trails.

Droppings and discards The size, shape, consistency and location of droppings will give you a good idea of the species that left it. Fox droppings tend to be pointed at the end and broken into sections. They visibly contain bits of fur as well as other parts of their prey. Foxes also tend to defecate on raised mounds to mark territory.

Discards are the hair, fur, feathers and antlers that are left behind. For instance, when deer moult you’ll find big clumps of hair on the ground. Dropped antlers can also sometimes be found. You may notice that they have been nibbled by other animals; this is because the calcium they contain is nutritious.

Homes and sleeping areas At ground level you’ll find fox holes, rabbit warrens and badger setts. Smaller still, you may notice the hole of a mouse or vole, or even the entrance to a bumblebee nest. Look up tree trunks for nesting holes. Also look for birds’ nests and squirrel dreys.

TOP TIP

Learn about animal feeding

habits. For example grey

squirrels like to sit on

raised areas to watch their

surroundings, so you will often

find stripped cones on

or around tree stumps.


Animal trackers

AdventureTop treks p18 | Urban acrobatics p20

Alfred Wainwright was an ardent champion of the Lake District. His seven pictorial guides to the Lakeland Fells remain the definitive walking guides of the area. As well as detailed descriptions of each mountain and its various ascents, the books are works of art complete with hand-drawn maps and meticulous line drawings.

Unlike the Munros of Scotland, which have a minimum height of 3,000 feet, the Wainwright summits are a more eclectic mix. The list includes famous peaks such as Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and Blencathra, but also lesser-known and less demanding gems that are suitable for younger sections.

Walking the Wainwrights

Follow in these famous footsteps, urges Steve BackhouseSuitable for all sections

Today, many walkers have taken up the challenge of completing all 214 summits. The current record for the youngest completer is Sail Chapman who climbed his final mountain aged five years and three weeks. Several walkers have now completed multiple rounds, the record being a staggering 39 times.

About SteveSteve Backhouse is a leader from Penrith, Cumbria and works for walking specialists HF Holidays. He has climbed all 214 Wainwright summits.


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Wainwright's stunning sketches of the Lakeland Fells have inspired thousands over the decades

VIEW OUR MAPSDownload a free QR code app on your Smartphone and scan the codes below, or head to magazine.scouts.org.uk/getactive/walking- the-wainwrights/

Adventure

Best for Beavers Hallin FellDespite its modest height, Hallin Fell offers one of the Lake District’s best views. The straightforward walk to the summit takes 15–20 minutes from the old church at Martindale, or around 35 minutes from the steamer pier at Howtown, making it an ideal adventure for Beavers.Scouting level: Terrain zeroAlso try: Latrigg or Little Mell Fell

Best for Cubs Walla CragAnother lower summit with excellent views – this time over Derwent Water. The walk to the top is longer, but could incorporate a ride on the lake ferry and a visit to Ashness Bridge. The walk itself presents few difficulties, but take care with the sheer cliffs of the crag itself.Scouting level: Terrain zero Also try: Cat Bells or Rannerdale Knots

Best for Explorers and NetworkScafell PikeClimbing England’s highest peak is a great but strenuous challenge. A classic circuit is to ascend from Seathwaite to Sty Head then up the Corridor Route to the summit. Return via Esk Hause and Grains Gill.Scouting level: Terrain twoAlso try: Great Gable or Helvellyn

Best for Scouts Old Man of ConistonOne of the Lake District’s iconic mountains, with a steep but straightforward ascent. Start in Coniston village and take the tourist path past the Miner’s Bridge, or reduce the ascent by starting from the Walna Scar Road.Scouting level: Terrain twoAlso try: Causey Pike or Harrison Stickle

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If you’re after a more manageable challenge, here are a few suggestions

Walk this way


Top treks

This product includes mapping licensed from Ordnance Survey ® with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. License Number PU 100040361. This map was generated and printed by TrackLogs Digital Mapping software. For more information see www.tracklogs.co.uk.

Dan Edwardes explains exactly what parkour is and what benefits it can bring to your Scout GroupSuitable for Cubs+

Parkour, or freerunning, is the fastest-growing free sport in the world. Parkour videos regularly top YouTube most-watched charts, and it can be seen in almost every new Hollywood action movie and big-budget advertising campaign. It is now being taught all over the UK and is practised on the streets of every major city in the world. Yet despite this rapid rise to prominence over the years, many have still never heard of it. So what exactly is parkour?

Like a well-oiled machineParkour has been described as ‘the refinement of an individual’s body movement during the interaction with their environment as they progress through it’. In far simpler terms, it’s about using physical power and mental focus to navigate terrain with efficiency, grace and precision. It has a whole host of mind-body benefits and develops attributes such as balance, strength, dynamism, endurance, precision, spatial awareness and creativity.

Essential ethicsUnlike competitive activities, parkour encourages people to concentrate on and develop their own abilities. There isn’t a

Adventure Urban acrobatics

Flying through the air with the greatest of ease: parkour fosters

speed, grace and precision in its

participants


PARKOUR: RUNNING FREE

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right way to do it; there aren’t any rules that prescribe a certain way of moving or completing exercises. On the contrary, you’re encouraged to work at your own pace and move in ways that best suit your style. You can practise with friends or in groups, supporting one another to improve your technique. It’s not limited to specific locations; adapting your skills to explore new and varied terrains is one of parkour’s greatest challenges. And it requires no particular training environment or equipment beyond a good pair of trainers.

In encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself, parkour shares many parallels with Scouting’s ethos. A parkour practitioner is known as a traceur or traceuse – and over and above anything else, they aim to be self-reliant and physically capable; fit, strong and healthy; honest and sincere; disciplined; focused; creative and always useful and helpful to others. This ethical

AdventureUrban acrobatics


RKOUR:

(Above) Even the most ordinary

obstacles can provide exciting new

parkour challanges

You’re encouraged to work at your own pace and move in ways that best suit your style.

STAY SAFE

scouts.org.uk/a-z

core means parkour offers an extra dimension when compared to traditional sports.

Weighing up the risks Some consider parkour to be a high-risk, adrenaline-fuelled activity, which can be dangerous. However, when practised responsibly, parkour has many benefits, and not just on a physical level.

Excessive risk-taking is the opposite of what parkour stands for. Traceur Dan Jones says: ‘One of the most striking differences between parkour and other extreme sports is that it’s not just about physical skills, but also the improvement of mental and spiritual wellbeing.’

When we’re young, we naturally develop innate risk-management tools during play,

exploration and physical activity, which in turn help us become confident individuals. Parkour puts these tools firmly to the test, improves cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, balance and co-ordination.

In my time as an instructor, I’ve seen underachievers go on to become leading athletes. There is also plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that parkour can improve young people’s engagement in the community; we saw crime rates among 8 to 13-year-olds plummet in a London borough where we held a summer course.

TRIED AND TESTED‘Parkour has helped me to see my city in a different way, and improved my stamina, balance and strength.’ Lewis, 13, Scout

Adventure Urban acrobatics

With practice, Scouts can achieve amazing feats

About DanDan Edwardes is a founding member and Director of Parkour Generations. He has appeared in numerous media projects as a performer and choreographer for TV, movies, live shows and public displays.

Parkour Generations teaches parkour and freerunning, running weekly academy classes across the UK, delivering sessions in schools and for social inclusion programmes, and providing workshops and seminars around the world. Visit them online at parkourgenerations.com.


Parkour lends itself to any environment

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get active - april/may 2013

Documents

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awareness days page

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