On the 250th anniversary of American independence Happy 250th birthday, America. It takes a certain confidence to declare independence from the world’s most powerful empire in 1776. It takes even more confidence to spend the next two and a half centuries explaining to everyone else why you were right. As someone with both British and…
In just a few weeks’ time, thousands of teenagers will be traveling to West Virginia in the USA to attend the World Scout Jamboree. They’ll be flying in groups of around 36 young people, with each group accompanied by four long-suffering and truly wonderful volunteer adult leaders. If you’re one of those teenagers, or one…
This summer, 45,000 Scouts from more than 100 countries will converge on West Virginia, USA for the World Scout Jamboree. I was recently asked to provide some suggestions for some UK Scouts for making the most from the experience. (I’ve had the privilege of attending a few Jamborees over the years.) Here’s my starter for…
I’m updating this post as the story plays out. Scroll down to see the latest developments… 31st July 2018 Dear Turkish Airlines, On the evening of the 30th July, your agents at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul refused to check me on to my return flight to the UK (Flight 1987). The reason they gave…
Looking at the news, I think it could safely be said that 2017 has been a troubled year globally. Trump. Terrorist attacks. The global refugee crisis. Plans (or lack of them) for Brexit. The growth of violent extremism. The threat of the use of nuclear weapons. Yet, my Facebook feed throughout the year has been…
Day 5 – Gilsland to Brampton A very gentle walk today to finish the week. The landscape became more and more gentle as I walked into Cumbria – farmland that has been cultivated for generations, rather than the barren moorland of the previous days. I hadn’t planned on visiting the ruined Lanercost Priory, but I’m…
Day 4 – Twice Brewed to Gilsland Today was the day when, 33 years ago, one of the wheels fell off the cart. One of the team, Shep, had to drop out because he was “wimping about looking unfit”. (I clearly wasn’t quite as caring as I should have been.) I continued in my log…
Humshaugh to Twice Brewed I started the day with a bit of a detour, thanks to my longstanding friend and co-mischief maker, Gwyn Mckenzie. Gwyn is the ADC General Duties for Hadrian District (though I can’t think of her as anything other than National Akela to the UK’s Cub Scouts back in the nineties.). She…
Day 2. A gentle amble from Corbridge to Humshaugh with a visit to Chesters camp. The road out of Corbridge up to Port Gate follows the old Roman road that led to Scotland – it is straight, but undulating as it works its way up the hill, providing false brows and the opportunity to be…
33 years ago, five teenage Scouts did their DofE Gold expedition following Hadrian’s Wall and then heading into the Cheviots. I’ve just been rereading the log book I wrote at the time. This week, walking alone, I will be retracing our steps along the wall (though I’ll be sleeping in comfortable B&Bs rather than in…
