This was our view when we woke up in the morning:

Beautiful, right? Our campsite was right next to the sea and we took full advantage of this with many visits down to the beach. On the second night, we had a BBQ on the beach as the sun was going down and it was a wonderful way to spend the evening – my personal favourite moment of the entire camp.

Here you can see BBQ master, Mr. William Brown, hard at work:

We really did get up to a whole load of different things during our week long summer camp, including:

Highlights were continuing the SCOGUI Go Ape tour of the country, surfing (definitely much harder than it looks) and walking around the beautiful Welsh countryside.

It was a super action packed camp so I’ll just leave you with some photos! There are also several videos that you can watch on our youtube channel.

A huge thank you to Mark and Megan for organising this year’s summer camp, and also, to everyone who attended and made it the wonderful week that it was!

Present: Daz, Sharon, Chappers, Cat, Steve, Charlie, Simon, Mike, Amy, Andy, Em, Barry, Haze, Antz, Jen, Kate & Tom

Saturday
We all met at the Union for 10am and set about packing the minibus roof rack with the aid of the Mountaineering Club tarpaulin. We managed to leave Loughborough by 11:30 and didn’t stop till we got to the Cambridge services where we had lunch in Burger King. We then continued our journey towards Ipswich and arrived at Hollowtrees campsite by mid afternoon. After we had pitched our tents people started making dinner whilst some of us went about using spare pallets to make a kitchen table and benches. After we’d finished the curry we headed off down to the estuary and walked along the beach until we had a good view of the Orwell Bridge. We then turned back as the sun set to meet everyone back at the campsite.

Sunday
Breakfast was being cooked by 9am and by late morning we were packed up and ready to head for Thetford Forest. After quite a long drive in the minibus we arrived and were keen to stretch our cramped legs in the forest. We walked to Grimes Grave Flint Mine where we stopped for lunch before looking round the visitors centre and then heading down into the cool dark mines to see the mysteries explained. Upon resurfacing into the temperatures above we didn’t have to wait long before Barry returned with the minibus and we made the return journey to the campsite. Dinner consisted of Spag Bog and after our food had settled we made use of the onsite assault course and climbing wall. As the evening drew in we started a campfire and proceeded to drink and sing into the night.

Monday
The morning activity consisted of a visit to the Sutton Hoo Saxon Burial Ground which we walked around and then checked out the visitor centre. We then had our picnic lunch on the hexagonal benches outside before heading off to visit a place called Woodbridge. There we wandered around the shops for a while (where some of us bought water pistols) before going to a mill for a milkshake. On our return to the campsite we made good use of the water pistols during a water fight before having dinner (Risotto). We spent the evening sat round the campfire again (although I spent a fair while up one of the nearby trees looking down on everyone unawares) and then crept into our tents in the early hours of the morning.

Tuesday
We awoke to find that it had been raining and after a late start we headed into Ipswich to see the town and do a little shopping. We had lunch in the park where Simon and Barry went about collecting chestnut shells for their little scheme and then split up to follow our own agendas. On our return to the campsite we had sausage and mash for dinner whilst all squeezed into the mess tent to avoid the rain. That evening we jumped on the minibus and headed for a pub in Ipswich to avoid the rain.

Wednesday
Once we’d made the necessary preparations we headed for the seaside. We set about digging a hole, with the aim of fitting all of scogui in it. Once we’d taken photos of our accomplishment we then set about filling in the hole with the chair persons past and present in it. Once there was nothing left but their heads to be seen we left them to struggle free as we changed our clothes and headed down the beach. We stopped on the Pier for a light refreshment and then headed back to the minibus to meet everyone. We dropped Charlie off at the station and then went to Tescos for some more shopping before returning to the campsite. Whilst everyone settle down to cook chilli for dinner I went for a meal with Amy and her dad (who was passing through the area) in a local pub.

Thursday
I awoke to the smell of eggy bread and after filling myself with much breakfast we jumped in the minibus with the intention of going to the Zoo. On arrival the majority decided it wasn’t worth the entry fee and we headed into Colchester where we had lunch in the park and then went into town to do some more random shopping. In the afternoon we went to the local water park where we shot down the water slides, bathed in the Jacuzzi and drifted round the lazy river. We then went back to the campsite to cook a concoction of bacon and pasta and blow up 100 balloons to fill Em, Chappers and Cats tent with. After a bit of tidying up we sat round our last campfire of the week and chatted over the weeks events and the plans for our

Friday
We awoke to the feeling of relief and sadness on our last day: Time to return to reality. We packed away all our belongings and then loaded the minibus up. The return journey wasn’t too bad and many people took a well deserved nap. Back in Loughborough we said our farewells and went our separate ways for the summer break. That was until the Oxford Rally, but that’s another story.

Another great summer camp with many a quote worth remembering

Written by Andy Brewer

Present: Andy B, Antz, Cat, Dr Tom, Hazel, Kate, Martin Whelan, Ali, Simon, Jaffa, Sarah Cooper, Tina & Caz

Saturday
I Left Home after the England v Denmark World Cup Match (we won!) and travelled down M4 and M5 to meet the rest of Scogui at the M5 J25-26 Service station. Then continued journey to campsite with Ali as my passenger. On arrival we had a coffee with Graham and his wife.

Put up our tents in the rain and mud, then had sausages for dinner.

Sunday
After a Cooked Breakfast some of us went to feed the farmers calves.

Late morning we walked to Hartland and met Ali, Cat and Helmet in the pub (they’d driven in the minibus) for drinks and to watch the Ireland v Spain Match. We sat in the Pub garden doing the Sunday Sports Sex God Quiz.

Some of us then returned to the campsite to collect firewood whilst Tina and I went for the alcohol. The others walked to Clovelly but only made it as far as the beach at the end of our farm.

Scogui surprise for dinner (Sausages with tomato sauce and mash) as the campfire wasn’t big enough for baked potatoes. This was due to the high wind and lack of wood, but we managed to do marshmallows.

Monday
Got up late and did very little all morning apart from empty the loo. We went to Torrington in the afternoon, visited a nice bakery (yummy choc fudge cake) and then the pub where we wrote our postcards. Got back to the campsite and played frisbee, later on we went to Hartland pub where we played cards until leaving time. When we came back to the campsite we had a campfire and found that Barry had arrived.

Tuesday
We went to Bude and made a Scogui bear shaped sand castle. Also went into town and got some fudge and other pressys to take home.

The afternoon was spent in Splash swimming pool. We messed around in the wave machine and water shoot before playing with a beach ball for a while.

Popped into Sainsbury’s for the weeks food shopping and then returned to the campsite where we went collecting fire wood with graham on his tractor. We returned with the firewood in time for dinner; Curry followed by Bananas and custard. We then finished the evening with a nice big campfire.

Wednesday
Tom + Caz decided to do their own thing, we did a walk from Hartland Point (where we stopped off for an ice cream) to Hartland Key and then spent the afternoon making a bivie shelter with Kate, Antz, Barry, Andy + Andy, whist the others continued on a longer walk.

During the evening much alcohol was consumed as we sat around the campfire and chatted over the remainder of our stay

Thursday
A day’s trip to Clovelly to see the cobbled streets and buy more clotted cream products. We had lunch down at the key and then a few of us went to explore a cave. After struggling back up the hill we stopped in the pub for a few drinks and to meet rest of Scogui, we then left Clovelly and returned to the campsite. A few went off to shop, the rest of us chatted and started to pack. As the sun set we went to Hartland key to watch it and then returned to Hartland pub for a few drinks and to celebrate Ali’s birthday.

Friday
Once everyone was up we began packing away the tents. We visited the farmers to give them a thank you prezzy and then finished loading the minibus before leaving the site.

My car broke down a few miles from the campsite and I ended up getting towed by Barry to the nearest garage to get my car fixed. Having missed the opportunity to say goodbye to the members of Scogui on the minibus Ali, Sarah and I said goodbye to Caz and Barry and continued the long journey home.

Another brilliant summer camp, with lots of great memories

Written by Andy Brewer

In attendance were: Graeme, Barry, Tina, Cat, Sarah, Helm?t, Andy, whilst the part timers were: Simon, Grizzle, Fran, Zoe, Dr Tom and Cat

Saturday We met up at the union at 11am and after packing drove to Chatham in Kent. I had the joy of driving for the first half of the journey and exposing everybody else to my wonderful taste in music. Cat drove the second half on the scary roads near London. We found the campsite reception easily and met Caz. The helpful man in the reception gave us a map and marked our campsite on it. We drove round for a bit giving Cat the opportunity to prove what a good driver she is, by missing the small children running wild whilst reversing up steep hills. Finally we found the site and set up camp. Barry Arrived with our food and set about cooking us vast quantities of sausages, a hobby he continued throughout the camp.

Sunday Sunday was spent cleaning the mess tent. I had a stinking cold and got out of it by deciding I was far too weak to do anything. Karen was also allowed time off as she had to revise for a viva. Sunday evening most of the small children had gone home, so we moved from our small slopey site to a larger flat one next to the toilet block.

Monday Karen left us to go and face her viva, the rest of us piled into the bus and trundled off to Margate. We built a giant sandcastle and stood on it until the sea washed it away and then we buried Barry in the sand as a penance for forcing us to eat too many sausages. Fran arrived replacing Karen.

Tuesday We resealed the mess tent in the boiling heat. Then spent the afternoon wandering around Rochester and it’s castle and cathedral whilst the tent dried. In the evening we tracked down our nearest pub and sat down outside for a pint. Then it started thundering and we gulped down our drinks in an attempt to get back to the site before the storm broke out. We didn’t quite make it, but the fitter souls amongst us ran back to the site and threw all the stuff we’d left kicking around the site into the mess tent. Helmet and Barry decided that maybe it was a good time to actually peg the tent mess tent down and braved the storm and the lightening to do the heroic thing. Possibly a little more heroic than they initially planned as the lightening came a bit too close for comfort at this point! After all that the tent leaked!

Wednesday We decided to spend the day at Chatham dockyard. This was cool. There were displays of old lifeboats and a ship and a submarine to look round. Graeme and I went to a demonstration on how rope was made. First they showed us using the old machines, then how it was made by hand. We found ourselves volunteered into helping with the demonstration, but it was worthwhile because we were given a short piece of rope to share for our efforts! By the time we reached the others they were all waiting for us (oops!). Several people went swimming in the evening, the rest of us bought some chips and found a dodgey pub to sit in until the others reappeared with red streaming eyes. The night was spent round the campfire relaxing and drinking. Only a few of us were left when suddenly the campfire exploded! All of us fell, or somehow scrambled over the log we were sat on whilst sparks and embers rained down around us. We gingerly doused it down and went to bed leaving it exploding quietly to itself now and again.

Thursday Ice-skating was the activity of the day. We were fortunate to have the ice rink almost completely to ourselves, the only other people there were two young lads. Andy was the first to fall over so it was declared that the first round should be on him. The two lads got a bit bored skating round and decided to try and terrorise our group (for some reason they didn’t pick on Barry). Their favourite trick was to skate in front of us and pretend to fall over, in the hope that we would try to avoid them and unbalance ourselves. Sarah and I were skating round when one of them tried this trick, we decided to continue straight towards him. He had to get out of our way and nearly fell over. We were victorious! Unfortunately we found his efforts so amusing we laughed all the way up to the top of the rink. Here we stopped and Sarah finally laughed so much she lost balance and took me out too (cheers mate!). The next time round the same lad pretended to fall and shouted “Whaaaaa” at us, but stayed at a safe distance this time. We shouted “RAHHHHH!” back and he finally realised we weren’t scared and went away. After all this excitement we went to the pub for lunch and laughed at the ornaments. Then trooped outside to watch some Morris dancers and Karen and Sarah joined in. We went back to the site for a campfire and hoped it wouldn’t explode.

Friday A few people left to go back to Loughborough with the mini bus. Other people went in cars to Sarah’s, then to Ali’s 21st birthday celebration. So the sad ending of summer camp was for many the start of more exciting adventures and fun…

Written by Tina Addington