Untamed Beauty Meets Action-Packed Adventure!
A handful of lucky Shropshire County Scouts from across the district ventured to Norway with us to make the most of crystal-clear waters and majestic mountains! And after hearing all about it from our team, we just had to get the good ol’ scoop from the group!
So, we sat down with Angie Walsaw, group leader and thrill seeker, to do just that!
Angie, who has been part of the Scouting world for years, was super excited to organise her first international trip. She talked us through the whole experience, from full-on fundraising camp outs to testing limits in a week of white-water rafting, high rope thrilling, euphoric exploration!
Take a look at what she had to say…
All About Being a Scout
Starting off simple! We always like to know what groups get out of being part of their community. It gives us a really great idea as to what groups look for when planning their next adventure!
According to Angie, being a Scout is all about coming together and giving something back! To take part in changing the world for the better is truly inspiring, and you can never have the same day twice when you surround yourself with those who enjoy skill-building and adventure!
It’s just being part of the community. It’s doing something. It’s giving back. It’s paving it forward for the next generation.
Angie described the way in which being part of the Scout community becomes a fun and rewarding way of life that you just can’t seem to shake!
We see a lot of the kids coming through from the age six, see them go on and come through the different age groups and develop. We recently had Remembrance Day and a parade, and we’d go there and lay wreaths, along with the Army, Navy, RAAF, TR and others.
My husband said, See that boy? That sailor, he was one of my Kobes. You get to see them go on to really develop into just amazing adults!
Why Norway?
Angie wanted a trip that was different, and this was her driving force for picking Norway.
For something a little different, we couldn’t have picked a better destination ourselves!
Nestled in the heart of the Norwegian countryside with the magnificent River Otra running right alongside it, it’s the perfect opportunity to switch off from daily life.
You can take advantage of the trees, rivers and mountain trails of the southern Setesdal valley as you enjoy a variety of water sports, high ropes courses, orienteering, climbing, abseiling and so much more!
And staying in charmingly traditional Norwegian Teepee Tents, called Lavos, can further add to the experience!
We were looking at all the different choices of destinations and really Norway stood out for being different, for being the sort of place where you wouldn’t ordinarily go on a family holiday perhaps.
It’s impossible to put all the exciting activities down on one itinerary, but boy did Shropshire Count Scouts make the most of Norway, with…
- Trekking
- Rock Climbing
- Abseiling
- Moose Safari
- Guided Canoe Trip
- Visit to Kristiansand
- Paddle-boarding
- Climbing Park
- White-water Rafting
- And plenty of time in nature!
And Angie’s favourite excursion? The high ropes course!
The high ropes course is the best I’ve ever done! It was really exhilarating, and we all just really loved it. It was the best, an absolute highlight of the week for me.
The kids, really pushed themselves! When we got back, it was lovely to get the messages from scout leaders and parents saying that they could see the difference in their youngsters, from having the experience.
Is there anything in particular you would recommend to groups going out on our adventure trips?
Angie recommended including the catering option – it allowed her group to focus on the fun stuff!
I would highly recommend having the catered option because it is such good value for money. It’s negligible. The difference in price between doing the catering yourself or have it provided represented such good value, it was an absolute no brainer for us.
We got the Vamoos app, which was fantastic because all the information we needed was stored there. The kids kept saying, What are we doing tomorrow? I’d get on my phone, I’d say, “Right, this is the plan!”, “This is what time you need to be there!” This is what you need to bring with you. It was just brilliant!
Why Venture Abroad?
Because they completely took the stress and headache away for me. Brilliant. That’s what we want to focus on. Having a good time!
I wasn’t struggling to find the answers to the questions I had, because I’d got someone who could sort it out for me. There was no need for me to worry. You were met at the airport as you got off the plane. We were guided every step of the way.
On to the Next Adventure!
Now that Angie has successfully ticked off her first international trip, she’s ready for the next!
When asked where she’d like to go next with us, she said Croatia!
From snorkelling in caves to stand up paddleboarding at night on lit up boards, from swinging through the trees on a high ropes course to day tripping to nearby Venice, she wouldn’t t fail to create more exciting and unforgettable memories, that’s for sure!
That’s a Wrap
And there we have it! Shropshire County Scout’s experience in a nutshell.
To experience something like this with your group, talk to our team!
