The first hike of 2014 took place last weekend with a visit to Slemish, it was a good excuse to stretch the legs on the walk / scramble with everyone reaching the summit, and most of the explorers and scouts choosing to go for a run. The weather stayed fine on the 150 meter climb.
The scouts visited Ballymoney leisure centre on Friday to start their staged swimming awards, everyone who attended completed level 1 with most completing level 2 as well. Our thanks go out to all at Ballymoney leisure centre for accommodating us.
The explorers decided it was time that they got their feet wet with a visit to Lisburn Leisure Pool, not much swimming was done but they all had fun playing on the slides and chutes, they finished off their evening with the traditional post swim fare of KFC.
Once again the chocolate challenge has raised its head. In patrols the scouts and explorers designed a chocolate bar which included coming up with ingredients, naming it, designing its wrapper and this year creating an advertising slogan.
Entrants were varied with the Maple Bar which main ingredient was Maple syrup, Cookie crumble which included chocolate chip cookies and popping candy and this year’s winner was designed by the explorers and promptly called HLD (Hard Lad Dave) this is the explorers we are talking about!! Ingredients included every kind of chocolate you could possibly imagine as well as the engine from a 1986 Vauxhall Cavalier!!!!
Then came the fun part where everyone got to make and taste their own creations with the majority of the ingredients having to be substituted for an edible version.
Next year we might even try marketing these chocolate delights to the unsuspecting public.
