Five hardy Ventures travelled to Scouting HQ at Larch Hill to Bivvy overnight in the forest and live backwoods style for the weekend with other Ventures from around the Dublin and wider Leinster area on Saturday last.

The weather was very much in their favour and was mild enough to sleep out in a Bivvy (a temporary shelter). The Ventures set theirs up before a quick lunch and then onto some ice-breaker and team building games.

Between backwoods cooking, wood carving and firelighting exercises we even got to watch the Irish Rugby team's epic win which had everyone in good spirits before the BBQ.

For Backwoods cooking, the Ventures gave a demo to some of the beavers, that were also staying on the hill, in how to gut a fish and cook it over an open fire. While the poor Beavers were completely grossed out, the mackeral and apple (eaten with our own hand-carved chop sticks) tasted amazing! Also on the menu were scones - cooked on hot stones which had been heated in the open fire.

As part of the carving lesson, they learned knife safety and how to work with fixed blade knives and a spoon carving knife, they also carved some tent pegs.

The firelighting showed the ventures how to use a fire steele and how the different types of kindling (cotton wool balls, lint from tumble dryers, paper bark, dried moss and reed mace heads) are used to start a fire from scratch.

Needless to say campfire was a satisfying experience knowing it had been lit from scratch by themselves.

Sunset was something to behold as was the view of the city from Larch Hill - it was a beautifully clear night for star-gazing too.

Breakfast for some the follwing morning was also a backwoods affair or cooked over a portable stove.

While they may not have had a quality night's sleep they all went home satisfied and with plenty of new skills, new friends and new badges!

We can wait for the next event!