Trek SV Expedition 

This is the tale of the wild adventurers and their epic trip to Oxshoe pond.

It is Monday morning, two trekkies meet eight excited campers from senior village along with two willing councillors. Their first mission to pack their bags. Now this may sound like an easy feat but their aim is to pack as efficiently and minimally as possible. As a team they work together to decide how much food to take and other items. It does not take long and they are ready, bags on shoulders and looking like explorers who are about to take on the world. Off they go!

Arriving at their destination, ‘Oxshoe pond’ they unload their gear and it is time to hike 1.4miles to the lean to where they will be camping for the night. Through the forest they trudge, over rocks and up hills, all the while carrying their packs and looking like professional backpackers.

Finally they come to a clearing and see the lean to. The shelter overlooks a beautiful lake with big rocks near by. This may seem like the perfect time to rest but alas there is work to be done! The first task is to collect enough firewood to cook dinner with, see them through the evening and breakfast for the morning. Accompanied by  trekkies and councillors these explorers make their way through the forest where they work together to collect the wood.

The next mission – prepare dinner. At this point the whole camp are working as a team, some chop the veggies whilst others sort through wood, ready for the fire.

Dinner cooking begins, meat, sauce, veggies cheese and wraps, efficient and enjoyable. All the explorers eat their food and get ready to prepare their s’mores!

The night has arrived and the stars make their grand entrance, before bed the group make a small walk in the dark down to a wonderful spot they named ‘the peace rock’. On the rock they sit with the stars watching over them, it is peaceful and all that can be heard are the sounds of nature. A croaking frog, splashes on the water from the fish and the sound of the leaves rustling on the trees. Tired and ready to sleep they pile onto the lean to ready to dream wonderful dreams.

Good morning! Fire a blaze the group awake fresh faced and ready for the day. Water is boiled in a pan set on the fire and they use this to make their oatmeal and have a cup of hot chocolate. The mood is high and the day beautiful. Now is the perfect time to have a little learning session and with the ‘peace rock’ as their classroom, they learn the principles of ‘leave no trace’.

With their new knowledge in hand everybody works together to pack up camp, it looks spotless and the mission has been successful – no trace is left. Back to the van they travel!

This may seem like the end, but no, the adventure has not finished yet! The sun is shining and the day is hot, to end they all go for a swim in a local river. With smiles on faces the explorers enjoy a well deserved dip in the water.

Oxshoe pond has been a grand success, trekkies and councillors are happy, but what is more the spirit and positivity of the campers fill the air. These are the wild campers of the forest ready to embrace any adventure.