Genesis Explorer Unit entered a number of teams into the county marathon recently. The marathon event was based at Gradbach campsite in Derbyshire. Some of the campsite staff are also leaders at that unit and so dragged others from the campsite staff to make up the numbers either for logistical support or team members.
It was hard going that weekend but the end result was that Genesis picked up a lot of trophies. Well done to them and thank you to the campsite staff that helped out.
Until I get pics of the actual event, here are some taken a few weeks earlier when we went up there to provide walking/navigation training for Genesis. We also did some climbing whilst we were up there.
This is a picture of the dramatic sky seen over Gradbach one evening.
When we got home, the vans were covered in mud as the weekend had been somewhat wet. Also in generous supply was a similar coloured substance, courtesy of the local herds of cows.
Before we returned the vans to the school, we spent some time at the campsite cleanig them up. Emma volunteered to help.
posted 15/11/11
Sponsored Abseil.
Josh, son of Keith and Maggie - service crew members, volunteered to do a sponsored climb/abseil to raise money for facilities for the disabled at his school.
As we had planned a training day for our newer climbing instructors we had an ideal opportunity to combine the two events.
Here is a picture of him approaching the top of our climbing tower.
posted 15/11/11
Kingston Ridge Badges.
We now have a stock of badges for sale. It has taken a while to get ahead of this as supply of the badges has been a little erratic. The gentleman who makes the badges for us does a very nice job but as a one man band his lead time is sometimes a little extended. So, anyone that asked for badges but was kept waiting, please accept our apology.
If you want badges, please email either bookings@kingstonridgecampsite.co.uk or direct to our badge lady at ann.chil@yahoo.co.uk with details of your requirements.
posted 13/10/11
Picture of the Boss.
Back in 2007 we held a Centenary camp for the Basildon Groups. Amongst all of the activities on offer was the opportunity to contribute to a picture of BP. We had what is basically a giant wooden jigsaw puzzle made. BP's portrait was broken down into elements matching the size and shape of each puzzle part. Groups and individuals then painted each of these wooden panels copied from their part of the picture. At the end of the weekend, the picture was assembled and everyone was impressed by the result. Since then we have tried to find somewhere that this picture can be installed as a permanent display. However, owing to its size (approx 13' x 9') there are very few places that could accommodate it and none that were willing to give up the necessary space. Since then it has been languishing in a store at the campsite.
Recently, we approached BEAST and asked if they would fund a frame to support the picture and happily they argeed to do this. Over the last few weeks work has been proceeding on this and at last the picture is now on display. It has been positioned in the Main Field such that BP will gaze down on campers whilst they are gathered for flagbreak.
Picture added 15/11/11
Posted 13/10/11
New Campsite Committee Secretary.
After a long stint as our loyal and hardworking secretary, Sara, has decided to stand down. We would like to thank her for her hard work over the years. And thank you for all of the tea and cakes.
At the same time, we would like to welcome Simon as our new secretary.
Posted 13/10/11
PC Problems!
Hello readers. Back in the summer I upgraded my desktop browser the latest version and whilst in all other respects it is fine the downside is that it will no longer work with the website softare. The only way in at the moment is to use an old laptop. However, all my pics, file, docs etc are on the desktop. This is the prime reason for the lack of updates lately.
Be that as it may, I will rattle through and try to bring you up to date - pics will have to wait until I transfer them across.
posted 13/10/11
MAD Weekend.
Last weekend The Ridge played host to MAD once again. Several days of hard work were required to prepare for the crazy hordes that descend upon us for that weekend. Party tent city for security, food hall and first aid - not to mention the entertainment marquee. Lighting to be set up, water heating beefed up for the showers, pits to be pumped, grass to be cut. Etc etc. Our Service Crew were kept very busy setting up and helping out the MAD crew.
Whilst the weather was somewhat iffy going into the weekend, it brightened up and both Saturday and Sunday were fine with plenty of sunny spells.
The fancy dress party on Saturday night had a circus theme and the thought and effort put into the costumes was again impressive, with some interesting variations on the big cat theme as there were many strange tigers roaming around.
For a more detailed report, check out the MAD website. I will be posting pictures of the event as and when they become available.
Thanks to everyone that contributed to making MAD11 such a fantastical, funtastical event.
posted 13/7/11
More Changes to the Website.
I have updated the Virtual Tour to reflect the recent changes to the campsite. Also a few typos have been corrected and a bit of gentle massaging around the place to bring it all up to date.
There are still a couple of instances where I need to take new pictures but for the most part we are now up to date.
Comments and constructive criticism always welcome.
posted 13/6/11
Changes to website.
I have split the content of the old Facilities page into 3 new pages.
Camping Areas: that details the various fields and camping areas that are available to use.
Activities: that details the various activites that we are able to offer at Kingston Ridge.
Facilities: that details the infrastructure stuff like loos and showers etc.
This was done as the facilites page was getting somewhat long and cumbersome to search through. I hope that you find this new arrangement easier to use.
This process is not finished yet but I will get this done as soon as possible, time permitting!
Any comments will be welcome - either via the users comments page or email at bookings.
posted 12/6/11
Ladies Day 2011.
Last weekend saw the running of this years Ladies Day event. Despite the rather iffy weather forecast we had absolutely perfect weather and the event ran very successfully. We had the usual enthusiastic crowd all of whom thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
In due course, as they become available, I will post some pictures of the event - watch this space.
We would like to thank everyone that contributed to the organisation of the event and also to the people that came along on the day and made it so successful. All of the money raised is spent on improvements to the campsite or equipment purchases.
posted 9/6/11
Ist Braintree Scouts Crate Stacking
Last weekend we were visited by 1st Braintree Scouts and whilst with us they had a session crate stacking. During this session there were 3 very high stacks created but one individual - sorry but I have forgotten his name, get in touch and I will add it in here - created a stack 22 crates high, a new site record. The main problem getting it any higher was passing the crates up to him. Well done for a very entertaining session.
posted 6/5/11
Main Entrance
We are pleased to announce the work on the main entance has been completed and that it is now back in service.
Thank you to all concerned for the hard work and assistance with this project and to the paitience of the campsite users.
posted 6/5/11
Main Entrance
Work has started on the main entrance. The old bridge has been removed, the new drain pipe installed and the bridge has been partially re-instated. Completion is primarily dependant upon service crew availability but it should be completed very soon.
posted 27/4/11
Tree planting and Main Entrance.
We have once again received a quantity of trees and bushes from the Woodland Trust and we owe a tremendous thank you to them. The hedging plants have now been planted around our boundary fence and some of the trees have been planted. The remainder of the trees will be planted over the next week or two.
We hope to have the digger available to excavate the remains of the old main entrance bridge on Wednesday. Once that work has been done, it will not take long to complete preparations for the concrete for the new bridge. It will, of course, take a bit longer for the concrete to cure and be ready for use.
posted 4/4/11
Main Entrance.
We have had a delay to the start of this project. The digger was not available after all on the day that we had arranged. New date for start of work not yet known but we still expect to have the main gate back in service in time for the busy season.
posted 24/3/11
Master-at-Arms Competition, 7th May 2011.
To celebrate the opening of our new Archery and Shooting Ranges we are holding this competition. For those working towards their Master-at-Arms badges, this competition can count towards it.
It is open to Basildon Cubs, Scouts and Explorer Scouts. The competition includes both air rifle shooting and archery. Entrants have to do both activities.
The competition is free of charge as it is sponsored by BEAST.
Please note that all participants must book a place on this competition in advance. You cannot just turn up on the day and expect to enter then.
The appropriate parental permission forms must be completed in advance, the forms are available on our bookings page.
Please look on our Competition page for full details.
posted 15/3/11
Main Entrance.
Work is scheduled to start on the replacement of the main entrance bridge this coming weekend. We will have earth moving machines in to dig out the old bridge. We will then be able to replace the drainage pipe. Sometime during the week we will have a load of concrete delivered to form the new bridge. It will take a while for the concrete to cure but we expect to have the main entrance ready in time for the main camping season.
posted 15/3/11
Bookings for the 2011 season.
We have started taking bookings for this new season. We already have 3 weekends that are fully booked, see the list at the top of the bookings page. Whilst most dates are still available, if you are thinking of coming to Kingston Ridge, it might be prudent to make your booking early to avoid disappointment.
posted 17/2/11
Campsite Map.
We now have a map of the campsite showing the layout and location of activities, facilities, water and electric points. Please go to the facilities page to access the map. At the moment we only have a pdf version to download but in due course it will be shown on the page with the other pictures.
As soon as the weather improves we will take a new set of pictures to reflect the changes that have occurred over the last year or so and upload them to the relevant pages.
If you feel that we could add any further information to this website to assist in the process of selecting/booking the campsite please do let us know.
posted 17/2/11
Ladies Day 4th June 2011.
This is our annual Day at the Races with Ascot in mind. If you want more details please refer to our fundraising events page where you will find a link to the poster and the phone number for Colin who can provide you with tickets.
It is a great day out, we all have a lot of fun. All of the profit from the day is used to improve the facilities at the campsite so it is a worthwhile cause that you will be supporting.
So if you fancy a great day out in all of your finery, a flutter on the horses, a glass of champagne and a whole lot of fun then I suggest you call Colin as soon as possible.
Tickets are on sale now.
posted 14/2/11
The Stealth Mower.
The Americans have their stealth bomber that is capable of sneaking in undetected by radar. Well, we are proud to say that in our small way we can match that. Yes, we have a stealth mower equipped with a cloaking device that renders it totally invisible in operation. No one that has witnessed this equipment was prepared to believe how effective it is and knowing this we felt it only fair to provide a demonstration for you. Click here to download a short video clip (about 1MB) to see it in operation. You will notice that it takes a few moments for the cloaking device to become fully operational but you will agree that the mower has quite disappeared.
posted 10/2/11
Archery and Shooting Competition.
We are planning to hold a competition over the weekend of 7-8th May. This will be open to Cubs, Scouts and Explorer Scouts from Basildon.
Please note this date in your diary if you are interested in taking part. More details to follow.
posted 10/2/11
Booking System.
We have continued developing our booking system. Some more snags have been cleared from the new forms and so far it all seems to be working reasonably smoothly.
We have made these changes for a number of reasons but primarily to overcome some operational difficulties that we have experienced recently as the number of bookings at Kingston Ridge have significantly increased.
By making the form fully 'electronic' it is easier to pass information to the Duty Warden and to print out those sections that need to be made available for the Activity Instructors.
I have no doubt that we will encounter teething troubles but we are working hard to make sure that it works as smoothly as possible. If you do encounter difficulties, please email details of the problem to bookings@kingstonridgecampsite.co.uk.
We will be introducing, from this season, a Welcome Pack. This is primarily intended for 'out of town' campers to familiarise them with the campsite layout, facilities and our rules. We shall publish some of that pack on this website. At the moment, that pack is at and advanced stage of preparation but it is not yet ready to go.
As ever, we are open to comments and suggestions. Preferably helpful ones.
posted 8/2/11
Archery Range.
Work on the archery range has been progressing and is now almost complete. The new fence is now complete, the storage facility is almost complete and all that remains is to finish applying the preservative on the timber and put down some grass seed.
Watch this space for news of our proposed archery and shooting competition for Basildon Scouts.
posted 8/2/11
Main Entrance.
Work has started on the refurbishment of the main entrance. Until this is completed, access to the site is via the second entrance.
posted 26/1/11
New Booking Form.
Our new booking form has been posted onto the bookings page. Please note that there are still a few wrinkles to sort out but in the main it is working as we want it to. As the new season is approaching fast and we expect to receive bookings soon, we want to have the form available now - despite any shortcomings - as it is an integral part of our new booking system.
Thank you for your co-operation.
posted 18/1/11
Second Entrance.
Work on the second entrance has now been completed and it is back in service again. Work will commence on the main entrance in the very near future.
posted 18/1/11
New Booking Form and Procedures.
Our new booking form is almost ready for use, as soon as it is available it will be posted on the Bookings page. Until then the links to the old forms have been removed as we do not want those forms to be used any more.
Please note that the new booking system is something of a work in progress and there may be odd wrinkles that crop up despite testing and checking everything. Please bear with us. If you do come across any problems, please let us know about them.
posted 14/1/11
Second Entrance.
Work has progressed on the breaking out of the concrete and that is now, finally, completed. Work will begin soon with the installation of the new drain pipe and re-instatement of the bridge.
posted 14.1.11
Winter Mode at Kingston Ridge.
In preparation for the cold weather, the water system has been turned off and drained down to prevent frost damage. It will remain thus until around Easter. If you plan to book the Ridge between now and then, you should bring whatever water that you need with you.
posted 24/11/10
Entrance Repairs Continued.
Work has been progressing on breaking out the old bridge. The Wednesday Crew have done most of the work but on our last work day we had some fresh blood (Josh and Sally spent most of the day as Kango jockeys) to help out and the end is in sight. The most recent lump of concrete is seriously hard work and a couple of hours work with a Kango results in about a hat-full knocked off.
As soon as it is cleared we shall put the new drain pipe in place and the bridge can be re-instated. This means that this entrance should be back in action early next year.
posted 24/11/10
Site Entrance Repairs.
We have a problem with the second entrance to the site. The pipe underneath the bridge that carries the drainage water for the ditch has collapsed. As this is likely to cause flooding problems in the lane during the winter months we have decided that it would be best to dig out the entrance bridge and replace the pipe. This means that the second entrance will be out of service for some weeks - probably for the rest of the year. The picture shows Colin, Steve and Andy starting work breaking out the old concrete bridge. The temporary fencing is for the protection of passers by rather than campsite security.
Once that repair has been completed we will have to do the same job on the main entrance. In this case we will replace the drainage pipe simply because it is rather small and prone to blocking. The main problem with this entrance is simply that the wear and tear caused by usage necessitates surface repair. Our view is that it is better to do a proper job once than to patch it up now and have to redo the job later on.
We don't have a date for the start of work on the main entrance as yet. It will be between the finishing of the second entrance and the start of next years camping season.
posted 23/10/10
Wardens.
At this time we say farewell to Si as one of our wardens. A new job means very limited availability for warden duties. We will still be seeing him around the place helping at work days and other functions. Many thanks Si.
At the same time, we say hello to Steve. It was Steve that planted most of the trees and bushes donated by the woodland trust earlier this year, and it was he and Ann that have undertaken the lions share of irrigation duties to keep them healthy.
Watch this space, perhaps we will put up some mug shots so that you will know who we are.
posted 4/9/10
Change to booking arrangements.
Jo, our Booking Secretary, has had to stand down for a time due to personal reasons. Ron has taken over this function for the time being until Jo is able to take up the reins again. Please see the booking pages for Ron's contact details. The email address: bookings@kingstonridgecampsite.co.uk is still the one to use.
Jo, thanks for all of your hard work and we hope to have you back on board very soon.
posted 4/9/10
Development of Ranges.
Work continues apace on the shooting and archery ranges. Both are now in a usable condition though not yet finished. However, most of the heavy work has now been completed with thanks to Colin and his crew.
The archery range facilitates shooting at a range of 25m comfortably. It is designed to accommodate 4 archers shooting at 2 butts. New pics will be posted here soon.
The shooting range is similarly close to completion, currently the shooting base is virtually completed. The temporary target arrangement will soon be replaced with it's permanent configuration. We will also be able to provide facilities for shorter range shooting for cubs.
posted 4/9/10
MAD Weekend
This weekend just gone saw MAD 2010 take place at Kingston Ridge. It was the second time that we have hosted MAD and this time was just as much fun as the first. The weather was fantastic and our new and improved facilities were well received.
We were ready just in time for the mass arrival on Friday evening when some 250 Network bodies turned up. The weather was hot and sunny which meant that we could get on with uninterrupted fun.
For background info, check out the MAD website at http://mad.essexscouts.org.uk. In due course they will have pictures and all that stuff available. In the meantime, here are a few pictures that I took. I will add more as I get them.
On behalf of the Service Crew I would like to thank MAD organisers and attendees for a really good weekend. Very tiring but loads of fun.
The climbing tower in action. Note the clear blue sky behind - it was so hot on both days that many people were simply frazzled.
Note the new feature on the front of the tower.
Loads of stuff all going on at the same time.
It is a mean overhang but it can be done.
MAD lads making use of our new archery range.
Fencing in the Sports field. This was a very popular activity.
Lots of activities for people to take part in.
I was told the name of this activity but promptly forgot it. A game of tag, very popular in India I am told.
Mikey getting ready for a go on our new zip wire.
Mikey being helped up the ladder by Luke.
Please click here to see a short movie of the zip wire in action. About 1.3Mb download.
Geronimo - a leap to certain death and a really exciting ride down the wire.
Shooting and Archery Range Development.
Work has continued with the installation of the new fences around the re-arranged ranges. The posts and rails have been installed and we expect to have the fence boards installed sometime over the next few days.
Digging the holes for the fence posts has been hard work. Many of the holes were adjacent to trees with the result that roots were in the way and had to be cut away.
There is still a lot of work to do but we expect to have the ranges in a serviceable condition in time for our District Camp.
posted 6/5/10
New Zip Wire.
The new zip wire is now ready for service. It was tried out by a Group from Southend camping at Kingston Ridge last weekend.
We had several reasons for wanting to change the old setup. This was largely due to the difficulty we had with setting up and putting away. It took a lot of manpower and time. The new setup should be a lot quicker and easier.
From the users perspective, we have a permanent launch platform that is higher, bigger and more stable than the one we used before. The length of the run has been increased. All of this makes for a more exciting experience for the zipper.
As usual, pictures will be available in due course.
posted 6/5/10
Battle at Kinsgston Ridge Campsite.
Britannia Re-enactment Society recently held a practice weekend at our campsite. Dramatic battle scenes were witnessed on our Sports Field. However, we are pleased to advise that hardly anyone was killed.
posted 20/4/10
New Gates
The new gates at the second entrance to the campsite have now been installed.
Andy, Colin and Clive did the bulk of the work installing the new gates with some assistance from Dave the Explorer and myself.
Although to be brutally honest, I am not sure that they would have done so well without my expert advice and guidance.
Andy welding on the locking mechanism.
Colin and Clive closing the finished gates.
They just need to be painted. The gates, not Colin and Clive.
posted 20/4/10
2010 season preparations.
The refurbishment of the 'old' toilet block is almost completed. It has been cleaned up and repainted. New storage cupboards for cleaning materials etc have been built. Cables have been installed for electric hand dryers, shaver points and extractor fans. Now that the painting is finished, these items will be installed very soon.
A new gents urinal is planned for the 'new' toilet block. Similar to the existing arrangement.
Progress on the development of the ranges has been slower than hoped, primarily due to the soggy weather over the winter. We have contingency plans to enable the activities to continue whatever the state of progress with the development.
New chestnut paling fencing has been installed along the front boundary of the campsite and the new gates for the 2nd entrance have been delivered but not yet installed. So for the time being, the main entrance is the only functional entrance. Before the new gates are fitted we have to deal with the drainage pipe that the ditch flows through under the bridge to the 2nd entrance. It has partially collapsed.
Planting of trees and shrubs around the boundary continues with the plants kindly provided by the Woodland Trust. This work will be finished later this month as part of the activities at the campsite as a part of the St George's Day celebrations.
The new zip wire platform is installed, although the handrail and access facilities are not. The new anchor point for the wire is ready. So we still expect this facility to be ready in time for the camping season.
As soon as Spring is properly here, I will update all of the pictures of the campsite to reflect the improvements that we have made since last summer.
Don't forget that we have a users comments page for anyone that wishes to make any comments or suggestions for Kingston Ridge.
posted 7/4/10
New Developments Continued
A lot of work has continued despite the wet and cold weather.
The new platform, that will form the relocated start point for the mega zip wire, is virtually finished. It is planned that this will also be the start of the high wire treetop walk in due course. Like the climbing tower, this is a monster of a zip wire, not for the faint hearted! However, for those of a more nervous disposition, we have a mini zip wire so no-one need be left out of the zip wire experience.
Work progresses on the re-arrangement of the shooting ranges. We needed a longer range for the archery and the simplest way to achieve this was to swap the shooting and archery ranges over, but this still entails a lot of work. The undergrowth has been cleared to make space for the longer archery range and relocated waiting area.
All of the above should be ready for the new season.
The new area for the woodpile is ready for service, although the screening trees have not yet grown to the operational size.
Plans are well advanced for a nursery area for young trees prior to replanting around the site when big enough. Trees and shrubs have been ordered to be planted along the hedge lines to restore those hedges that have declined over recent years. This will improve both the appearance and security of the site.
Finally, as promised, here are some pictures of the new entrance track.
New Track from main gate into main field
New track from main gate into the family field
New track into family field
posted 4/1/10
New Developments.
During the last extended work weekend (Wednesday - Sunday for some of the crew) saw a lot of work being done.
The major project completed was to get the new track installed from the main gate around to the drive up from the second gate with extensions up to both the main and family field gates. We hired in a man with a digger to do most of the heavy work of digging out the track and then filling it with crushed concrete. Colin and Judith then spent a fair bit of time driving the roller backwards and forwards flattening it out. For some reason the roller seemed more effective when Colin was in the driving seat. Be that as it may, it is now possible to get onto the site without getting bogged down in wet weather. As a bonus, the spoil dug out from the track now forms a new 12' mountain that doubtless will prove popular with the users of the site.
Our site maintenance store was cleared out and refitted at long last. One of those jobs that has been on the list for years but never got done. We chucked out a pile of redundant and broken stuff, sorted out racks and shelves. Put up new storage facilities and installed a work bench and some lights. This should make the working conditions for the wardens a lot more comfortable.
The new activity equipment store is also very near to completion.
Work also started on the new platform for the repositioned zip wire start. This is quite a structure and when complete will provide a start point for the zip wire and also our planned high wire activity. The new ground anchor point for the zip wire was also installed. Over the coming weeks this will be progressed and we fully expect it to be ready for the 2010 season.
Refurbishment work on the 'old' toilet block continues, almost ready for a new coat of paint.
Summer Holidays at Kingston Ridge.
A small group of the Service Crew decided, for various reasons, to spend as much of the summer holidays as possible camping at Kingston Ridge. In fact we achieved what I believe to be the longest session of camping ever for the site. We had, if I got this right, 42 days of occupancy. My family and I, along with Clive, JC and Judith were there for most of that time with other members of the crew dropping in from time to time. In fact Clive is our most camped member this year having clocked up some 98 nights so far this year. He will probably hit 100 nights before the end of September.
One of the benefits of spending such a long time at the campsite was that we had time to get into tune with the place. Usually we go there for a specific purpose, attend to whatever it is we have to do and then leave again. So we were able to witness a young Robin growing up - he was so bold that he would hop around amongst our feet as we sat in the sunshine. We also saw the breeding pair of Green Woodpeckers bringing up their youngster.
Watching the night sky one evening, we noticed a faint object tracking across overhead. Enquiries with Russell, our tame Astronomer, proved this to be a satellite of some description. We were able to watch this and others on a number of occasions. There was also the oportunity to observe Jupiter in the southern sky and with a telescope or binoculars we could see the 4 major moons orbiting the planet. That was the first time that I have knowingly seen our astromonical next door neighbour but one. In the early morning we could also clearly see Venus in the East. It also became a bit of a competition as to who could see the most shooting stars - Steph won that one.
During the holidays we had visits from two groups (West Horndon and Stanford) you will have to excuse the hazy details here as I was working nights over that weekend.
A first for us was a sleepover for 1st Laindon Guides. The girls tried their hands at Archery and took advantage of our newly guide-qualified climbing instructors and spent a morning climbing and abseiling on our tower.
We also had a visit from a Scout Leader from Cumbria.
Whilst we had some rain - mostly at the beginning of the holiday, and some cold days - towards the end of the holiday. For the most part the weather was lovely. When the time came to pack up and leave - for all of us it was with an air of regret at having to leave.
posted 3/9/09
Picture Problems.
Please accept our apology if you have experienced difficulty with some of the pictures posted on the News and Facilities pages of this website in recent days.
This was, I believe, caused when we experienced a glitch during the publish process whilst updating the website. However, the problem appears to have been resolved now and all of the pictures displayed correctly when tested recently.
Thanks to all of my readers for your patience and understanding.
posted 17/7/09
Virtual Tour.
For those wanting to take a walk around the site without having to go to the trouble of going there, this page will enable them to do just that. Be warned that it includes a lot of pictures so if you have a slow internet connection you could be in for a hard time. However, for everyone else, I hope that it is informative and useful.
Remember that we have a users comments page for anyone who feels that they wish to make any observations or suggestions. We prefer good comments but if there are any problems or errors then we want to hear about those too.
Posted 30/6/09
MAD weekend.
Recently MAD weekend took place at Kingston Ridge. With some 260 campers on site engaging in some fairly manic activities along with some quality time chatting and chilling out, it was a fantastic weekend. The weather was somewhat iffy to start with on Friday but the rest of the weekend was great.
I will expand this report when I get a few minutes spare... Watch this space.
When I get hold of the pics and flicks taken over the weekend I will post some here, meantime follow this link to see the pictures posted on the Essex Scout Network website:
At our last workday the prime focus was to extend the security fencing past the shooting range which then allows us to complete the safety screen behind the targets. This extension is just to protect against stray shots and is to provide belt and braces protection. However, we feel that it is necessary to do this and we apologise to our regulars who found the range out of service on that day. We were able to offer archery by setting up a temporary range on the Sports Field.
Grass cutting and other general maintenance work also undertaken to keep the standard of appearance of the site at a high level.
Instructor Training
Climbing. Our climbing instructors have been undergoing extra training recently to enable them to upgrade their qualifications for the supervision of activities on the climbing tower. They have also received training to accommodate the requirements of the Guide Association. Therefore, we are delighted to announce that we have more instructors fully equipped to supervise all aspects of tower usage for the Scouts and also that they are now able to do the same for the Guides.
So come on girls, come and try our climbing tower!
Shooting. We have also undergone a training and assessment session for air rifle shooting and are happy to announce that we have significantly increased the number of shooting instructors that we have available to us. This will take some of the load off of our 'old' instructors.
posted 2/6/09
St Georges Day.
This year the St Georges day event and promise renewal for Basildon Scouts took place at Kingston Ridge Campsite. All sections marched to the site from gathering points in either Laindon or Basildon.
It was a lovely, warm sunny day. Perfect for the
occasion. After the ceremony our DC introduced the re-enactment society
who in turn gave a short talk on the history of St George and his
significance to the English and the sort of weapons and fight tactics
employed during his time. It was then the turn of the traditional dance
group to provide a demonstration of the dance that the kids would be
attempting later.
The kids were then invited to take part in the
various activities provided. The re-enactment group gave demonstrations
and let the kids try on various items of armour. The dance group took
group of kids and led them through the dance, there was the opportunity
to make helmets and shields, jousting techniques to practice, sword
fighting and lots more besides. Everyone had a really good time.
Please check our new pictures page for more pictures of the event.
Users Comments Page.
We have added a Users Comments page to this website. If you want to provide some feedback, say how wonderful the campsite and the service crew is or have a grumble about something, this is the place to do it. Very easy to use, just select the page and click on the 'sign our guestbook' link.
Virtual Tour.
Watch out for the virtual tour page. Via a series of pictures and related commentary, this will take you on a virtual tour of the Campsite. It is planned to show some of the flora and fauna to be found locally on this page.
New developments.
We have made some changes to the Adventure Playground. Last year the trees that supported the scramble net activity had to be felled and so we have moved that activity to another adjacent location. Currently it has a dare-devils only status but we will be adding and easy-peasy option.
Also moved is the mini-zip wire. This now fits in better with the general layout and is a little longer than previously.
New is a 6' scramble wall (about 1.8m). This is a vertical wall that you have to negotiate.
Also new is our wobbly bridge. Two spans of wobbly poles to cross. So far this seems to be a big hit with those that have tried it. A few finishing touches to these new items before they are fully ready but we expect that this will be attended to very soon.
See facilities page for pictures.
The shooting range has had a make-over. The old safety nets have been removed and a solid timber wall has been installed.
We have similar plans for the archery range but it will be a little while before that gets done. We had been promised a donation of timber that was to be used for this purpose but unfortunately that fell through.
The lower bridge across the ditch between the main and family fields is now virtually complete - it is usable.
The minor problem that developed with the generator last year has now been resolved.
Our grass cutter has been fitted with a tow bar and has been pressed into service as a tractor pulling the site trailer and that has made a lot of the heavy work a lot easier. You have no idea how hard it is shoving a wheelbarrow full of concrete up that slope.
Archery at Kingston Ridge
We now have a team of fully qualified archery instructors at Kingston Ridge. Whilst we have some very basic archery equipment available for use now, we expect to take delivery of some new equipment in the very near future. Watch this space.
Ladies Day 2009
Our Ladies day event is scheduled for the 6th of June this year.
The event will raise money for equipment and facilities at the campsite. It will be a lot of fun for all the family. The ticket price includes your evening meal and refreshments but please bring your own beer or wine.
To download a word document copy of the advertising flyer please click here and for the food order sheet please click here, meantime if you want to see how last years event worked, please click here for a short video of the occasion.
To order tickets or for any queries about the event, please call Colin on 07801 785 052.
Developments continued.
Work on the campsite continues despite the weather.
In the run-up to Christmas a lot of new trees were planted. Some to provide screening and some to create new hedges/boundaries.
Work on the lower bridge into the family field has been put on hold during the freezing weather but this will be completed in time for the 09 season.
What started as an exercise to create a bit of storage space expanded to create a new path between fields and ended up creating a new camping/activity area out of an overgrown area. We are quite excited by this as it will be (when we have finished) a great patrol/backwoods area. Picture available on facilities page.
We have a new storage container, donated by 9th Basildon. Now in its final position and work progresses with repairs to make it weather tight.
During the autumn we had the good fortune to receive a number of donations aligned with the opportunity to purchase a grass cutting machine. This means that we will now be able to cut the grass when we need it cut rather than when we could afford to have it cut, which was often the case in the not too recent past. This means that the quality of the camping areas will be improved this year.
Sword of the Kings
This was a night event extraveganza. A trilogy spread over 3 years, with the final installment last weekend, finishing at Kingston Ridge.
Please see the BEAST page for more details and pictures.
Developments at the Campsite.
Quite a lot has been going on since my last news posting. I will give you a quick summary now and will pop some pics in when I get them organised.
Our main gate has been replaced. We had a problem with the old gate in that it was difficult for larger vehicles to negotiate the tight turn at the entrance. The gates have been set back a little from the lane and are wider. This gives the bigger vehicles a better angle to get onto the site. We hope that we can complete the fence replacement program along our boundary with the lane very soon.
Still in progress is the replacement of the lower bridge across the ditch into the family field. This bridge suffered somewhat with delivery trucks crossing it and so we have completely removed the old bridge. The ditch has been excavated to be somewhat deeper to accommodate the new pipe to go under the bridge and most of the bridge foundation work has been excavated. The next big push on this will be our next workday.
Our new containers have been positioned in their final locations and have been pressed into service already. Some refurbishment and adaptation work is still to be completed.
The car park area at the second site entrance is now in a usable state.
A lot of this work has been made possible, with grateful thanks, due to several significant donations that we have received from various organisations.
Leaders Day - a chance for Leaders to use the equipment.
We have noticed that the Leaders never seem to get the chance to use the equipment and facilities when Scout Camps are in progress. So to remedy that we thought that we would have an open house for Leaders only (plus their families) so that they can have a go.
Last weekend we set up the climbing tower (and crate stacking), the shooting and archeryranges, the zip wire and backwoods cooking. Those Leaders that could arrived on Friday evening whilst the rest arrived on Saturday. Whilst we had a little rain on Saturday morning the rest of the day was really nice, sunny without being too hot.
To download a movie clip of the above activities click on the above links.
Climbing the tower.
Crate Stacking.
This was our highest stack at the weekend. Can you do better?
At the shooting range.
Preparing the BBQ.
Ladies Day - A day at the Races!
'Horses' at Kingston Ridge for our annual Ladies Day event. This is our version of the Ascot Races!
Given
the unfavourable weather that we have been experiencing lately we were
somewhat concerned that we would be washed out but fortune smiled upon
us and the day stayed dry and fine. We had a good crowd of people turn out for the day, all dressed to the nines in their finery.
We all had a really good time and we raised a fair bit of money towards the development of the campsite. With a few lucky individuals walking away with bulging pockets.
Basildon District Camp at Kingston Ridge.
Another great event with a lot of fun had by all. Well done to the organisers. As usual, the weather could have been better but despite the cool conditions is was mostly dry and did not stop us from doing any of the planned activities.
Here are a selection of pictures taken at the weekend. Click on the link for a full sized version of the picture if you want to see any of them in more detail.
Crawling under the scramble net.
Climbing over the wall.
Pioneering.
Using one of the pioneering projects.
Rope ladder crawl.
And finally, here is the BEAST chairman, Steve, hard at it after a long day.
4th Billericay aloft - investing at a high level.
Aerial Investitures - 4th Billericay Scout Group spent the Bank Holiday weekend with us and two of their Scouts were invested on our leap of faith platform at sunset on the climbing tower. This is becoming a very popular and exciting way to be invested.
We have a short movie clip of this investiture. HOWEVER, please note that I recorded this on my phone and held it at the wrong angle and the film transferred onto the pc sideways. I have not been able to find the means to flip it upright - if anyone has any bright ideas about how I might achieve this, please let me know. The file size is around 5.4Mb. Click here to view it.
Campers endure Arctic conditions.
Over the winter months we have been busy working on the site to prepare it for the coming season. It has been hard work, but we are now seeing the benefits.
We decided a while back that it might be fun - given the mild weather recently - to spend a long weekend to continue working on some of the bigger jobs and to have fun. Well, as you might have guessed, the weather changed and whilst we had a bit of fun, the work was somewhat hampered by the weather.
Here are a few pics taken during the weekend...
Our mid-winter camp at Easter
The climbing tower, stowed and covered in snow.
A view across the family field
Building an igloo
the igloo nearing completion
some of the service crew taking shelter in the crew kitchen
We all survived sleeping out during the coldest night of the year and the youngsters really enjoyed the snow whilst it lasted.
Centenery Camp - hundreds of children at Kingston Ridge.
Our most recent event was our Centenary Camp. The number of visitors to the site varied day by day but on our busiest day it was approaching 200.
We had Scouts from our local district there for the whole week, Cubs for 4 days and day visits from our Beavers.
Amongst the activities laid on for the youngsters was the use of the climbing tower, our zip wire, adventure playground, backwoods cooking and camping, 'it's a knockout', sailing and rafting and the craft tent. One of the star activities for the weekend was the giant jigsaw picture of BP. Every scout present had the opportunity to paint one 'piece' of the puzzle. At the end of the week it was assembled and left on display. A seriously impressive piece of artwork. Watch out for a picture soon.
Although the weather was not very kind to us it was mostly dry and we all had a great time. Well done to the organisers for a really good job.
International Camping Weekend at Kingston Ridge.
We recently had the enormous pleasure of hosting a party of Scouts from Czechoslovakia, Poland and Italy. They stayed at our site for a couple of days and have already booked for a longer stay in the future. Those of the crew that were able to camp with them had a great time. We will publish more details and photos in the near future.
The movie clip, filmed by our Clive, is of the
International Campfire and shows the Polish Scouts tradition of respect
for the campfire. Click here to see the movie. File size is 2.3Mb.
Another of Clive's movies - this is a brief glimpse of the Ankle Tap Dance. Click here to see the movie.
Click here to see Clive's movie of the 'manic watusi dance' as performed by our Canadian visitor.
Development of Kingston Ridge infrastructure and facilities.
Work
is progressing on the site infrastructure. The climbing tower is now
all but finished. It is now fully functional and has been deployed at
our recent Centenary camp. It has also had a boom added to facilitate
extra activities such as Jacob's ladder and rope ladder climbing. The
service crew have been trained and assessed in their role as climbing
instructors.
The new showers have been used for the first time,
albeit with temporary partitions. It is great to be able to have a hot
shower at the end of a long hard day.
Work progresses on the second toilet block. We are also considering the provision of a laundry cubicle.
County Marathon.
This is a picture of the dramatic sky seen over Gradbach one evening.
When we got home, the vans were covered in mud as the weekend had been somewhat wet. Also in generous supply was a similar coloured substance, courtesy of the local herds of cows.
Sponsored Abseil.
Picture of the Boss.
Ist Braintree Scouts Crate Stacking
Site Entrance Repairs.
The climbing tower in action. Note the clear blue sky behind - it was so hot on both days that many people were simply frazzled.
Note the new feature on the front of the tower.
Loads of stuff all going on at the same time.
It is a mean overhang but it can be done.
MAD lads making use of our new archery range.
Fencing in the Sports field. This was a very popular activity.
Lots of activities for people to take part in.
I was told the name of this activity but promptly forgot it. A game of tag, very popular in India I am told.
Mikey getting ready for a go on our new zip wire.
Mikey being helped up the ladder by Luke.
Geronimo - a leap to certain death and a really exciting ride down the wire.
Britannia Re-enactment Society recently held a practice weekend at our campsite. Dramatic battle scenes were witnessed on our Sports Field. However, we are pleased to advise that hardly anyone was killed.
The new gates at the second entrance to the campsite have now been installed.
Andy, Colin and Clive did the bulk of the work installing the new gates with some assistance from Dave the Explorer and myself.
Andy welding on the locking mechanism.
Colin and Clive closing the finished gates.
New Track from main gate into main field
New track from main gate into the family field
New track into family field
St Georges Day.
It was a lovely, warm sunny day. Perfect for the
occasion. After the ceremony our DC introduced the re-enactment society
who in turn gave a short talk on the history of St George and his
significance to the English and the sort of weapons and fight tactics
employed during his time. It was then the turn of the traditional dance
group to provide a demonstration of the dance that the kids would be
attempting later.
The kids were then invited to take part in the
various activities provided. The re-enactment group gave demonstrations
and let the kids try on various items of armour. The dance group took
group of kids and led them through the dance, there was the opportunity
to make helmets and shields, jousting techniques to practice, sword
fighting and lots more besides. Everyone had a really good time.
Aerial Investitures - 4th Billericay Scout Group spent the Bank Holiday weekend with us and two of their Scouts were invested on our leap of faith platform at sunset on the climbing tower. This is becoming a very popular and exciting way to be invested. 
Our mid-winter camp at Easter
The climbing tower, stowed and covered in snow.
A view across the family field
Building an igloo
the igloo nearing completion
some of the service crew taking shelter in the crew kitchen
