Friday 3rd August

In no time at all it seems to me, we have arrived at the penultimate day of camp. Quite where the last two weeks have gone I'm not sure, but here we are one sleep away from home and a reunion with out baths and our beds.

Without doubt, yesterday was the worse day weather wise we have had on camp. It rained and it rained and it rained a bit more! The prospect of getting anything down dry seemed unlikely. The camp itself carried on as usual. Boys seem to mind the rain far less than us older chaps and they simply got on with things. Various sports activities took place in the morning and then the PLs council took over to run lunch an afternoon activity whilst I entertained the HQ to lunch.

This is a great occasion on camp when I get to thank the HQ for giving up their time, working so hard and, indeed, paying for the privilege to do so! We started with mozzarella, tomatoe and pesto salad, followed by steak and ale pie, roast potatoes, braised red cabbage and other various sundries and finished off with a selection of chocolate cheesecake, New York cheesecake or banoffee pie. Most of this was delivered to site by the Lorna Doone Hotel. A scrumptious feast and a fitting reward for all they had done.

After lunch the much anticipated 'Operation Gunge' took place. It was the closest event for years and finished with a game of sudden death Russian Roulete. The Troop won and chose poor old Charles Connor to be gunged. Quite what he had done to deserve such treatment is difficult to work out, but he took like the gentleman he is.

Into the evening and the weather was still poor so we put on a quiz in the marquee. £20 was made available for the winning team which encouraged some keen participation.

Amazingly this morning arrived with the sun shining and only a few clouds in the sky. Things looked good for the day ahead. However, after getting through the first the few hours and half way through taking some tents down ominous black clouds started to gather and sure enough the heavens opened. 'That's it,' I thought, but miraculously the clouds dispersed, the sun came out and we managed to get down everything we had planned to for today. Quite a relief as the forecast is grim for tomorrow.

As I type, the finals of the Horner Shield are underway, which will be followed by a wash in the river and final preparations for this evening sketches for our end of camp party. Some boys and leaders have left to attend the Olympics but down here in Horner we are determined to have one last good night before returning to our homes.