Learn essential shelter and camping skills for Scouts and outdoor adventures, including campsite selection, campcraft, tents, tarp shelters, sleeping outdoors and staying warm and dry.
A tarp A-frame shelter is a classic and one of the simplest shelters you can build outdoors. It is a useful skill to learn because the same basic design works with very little equipment. With a tarp, some cordage and a few suitable pegs, you…
Putting up a tent is usually straightforward when the weather is calm, but strong wind can turn a simple job into a terrible battle. Poles blow around, fabric catches the wind like a sail and anything you put down seems to disappear across the campsite…
Nettles are probably not the first plant you’d choose when looking for something useful to make cord from. They sting, they grow almost everywhere and most people try to avoid brushing against them. They really don’t seem like much good for anything. Look a little…
Start With the Space You Actually Have One of the easiest ways to make a tent feel untidy is to treat every bit of floor space as storage. It might seem harmless when you first arrive, but once your rucksack, boots, clothing, food and sleeping…
A small tent can be surprisingly comfortable when you know how to use the space properly. The problem is that it doesn’t take much equipment, wet clothing or a badly organised rucksack to make the inside feel cramped. You don’t need a huge tent to…
Washing clothes is not usually the first thing people think about when planning a camping trip. But on a longer camp, expedition or family trip, clothes can quickly become muddy, sweaty or wet. The good news is that you do not need a washing machine…
Keeping food cold while camping can be surprisingly difficult. At home, you can simply put everything in the fridge. At camp, you may have a cool box, ice packs, frozen food and a warm day to deal with. The key is to start with cold…
Activity Overview Difficulty: BeginnerTime: 1-3 hours depending on activitiesLocation: Suitable woodland, campsite or outdoor training areaBest for: Scout leaders, Explorers and outdoor instructorsSkills: Survival skills, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, navigation, shelter building, fire safety and outdoor awareness The best survival activities for Scout leaders are simple,…
What Is Historical Campsite Construction? Historical campsite construction is the study and practical recreation of the shelters, camps and outdoor structures used by people in the past. Before modern tents, camping equipment and manufactured shelters were widely available, people often relied on locally available materials…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 1–2 hoursLocation: Suitable woodland or outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts, Explorers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Shelter building, pioneering, outdoor survival, site selection, environmental awareness, teamwork Knowing how to create a basic shelter is an important outdoor skill. A good shelter helps protect…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Suitable campsite or woodland camping areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Campcraft, survival skills, insulation, resourcefulness, outdoor safety Improvised ground insulation is a way of reducing heat loss between your body and the ground when you do not have enough…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Moderate–AdvancedTime: 60–120 minutesLocation: Campsites, activity fields and suitable outdoor training areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced Cubs with appropriate supervisionSkills: Pioneering, teamwork, communication, leadership, knots, lashings, planning and problem-solving Team pioneering involves working together to design and construct a structure…
