Thorrington Campsite
Summer Camp 2014
The Cubs went to Thorrington, near Colchester, for their summer camp at Thorrington Campsite at the end of July. It is a big wooded campsite set with mature trees and equiped with a n adventure course, go-karting, archery and a cimbing wall. It also has a rafting pond but it was dangerously clogged with weed when we were there.
Being close to the Roman provincial capital city of Camulodunum, modern day Colchester, the theme was the Romans, with all of the outfits, marching and chariots thrown in. As well as making chariots and hiking and swimming we got our campers badge by preparing, cooking and serving food, and of course living, under canvas.
We started by making some armour for ourselves - a Roman sword and a Roman shield each and we handed out a centurion helmet and this year's t-shirt which was of course in Roman red:
 Hardboard left wet under bricks takes on a curve We painted them (and ourselves) red |
 We stuck on some silvered card cut in a zigzag and a circle and tied some rope for a handle |
 Foam pipe lagging with a point, cut in half makes a fantastically safe sword |
 We used gaffer/duct/duck tape to make the handle at one end |
Having made our weaponry we had to undergo some training to make sure we knew how to handle our fearsome gifts from the gods:
 A fiercesome band of Roman warriors |
 Swords drawn, shields ready for battle |
 The famous Roman Tortoise |
 Impenetrable and yet armed to the teeth |
We had to go on a march, of course, proclaiming wildly and loudly to the whole of the campsite, whether they were listening or not
BEHOLD, THE LEGION OF THE MIGHTY 28th
We also made some chariots, following the instructions we wrote down after our Ancient Britons camp
 The axle is threaded rod which is cable-clipped to the underside of the precut MDF base |
 Some hardboard is nailed round. wheels bolted on and then the axle was cut down |
 Our completed chariots all lined up |
 The legionnary chariot of the MIGHTY 28th |
And then we raced them!
 Ben Hur had nothing on our chariot race |
 A charioteer in full flight |
We would have gone to the Roman baths but there weren't any left so we went to the nearby Brightlingsea Open Air Pool (on a rather grey day) and then we hiked back to our camp. At one point we stopped where there was an owl box and we managed to find some owl pellets which we opened to see the grizzly remains of shrew and vole bones and skulls.
 We hiked along the coastal defense dykes, through woodland and pasture, back to camp |
 Some parts of the hike were a tad overgrown |
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 What an owl pellet looks like when fresh This one was still soggy with owl spit! |
 Inside is the fur, feathers and bones Pointing out the vole skull! | |
We made a fire to boil up some water and even made some popcorn. Just place a billy over a fire with some butter or oil and some popping corn in it, covering the billy with tin foil if the lids, like ours, are loose, to keep the steam in.
 We made fires from scratch and boiled water as part of our Campers Badge |
 We had to find a way to support the billy over the fire Not all of them were as impressive (or successful) |
 Popcorn you made yourself, over a fire you made yourself, tastes amazing |
The food was, as ever, magnificent, provided by Sharon and Justine (with a little help from Denise) from their kitchen under canvas. We feasted like .. Romans:
A Roman feast, complete with Legion-sized banana split
 Legatus Legionis, Akela |
 Camp meeting with Praefectus Castrorum, Baloo |
We managed a myriad of adventurous activities, like archery and climbing, as well, but the abiding memory from this camp has to be the occasional glimpses of Roman armour lying about the place!
