1st Burghfield and Sulhamstead Scout Group

What it’s like

Weekly meet-ups where kids camp, hike, canoe and abseil their way from age four up to twenty-five.

This is a scout group in the proper sense: camping trips, hiking, swimming, cycling, canoeing and abseiling, rather than an hour of badge-colouring indoors. Younger members join at four and the group keeps them on into young adulthood at twenty-five, so a child who starts with Beavers can plausibly still be there as a Network member years later.

The activity list does a lot of the talking. Abseiling and canoeing aren't things every youth group offers, and they suggest a group that gets outdoors and takes on the harder logistics of kit and instructors rather than sticking to the church hall. That's the appeal, and also the catch if your child is nervous about heights or water. Ask which section they'd join and what a typical term looks like before committing.

There are party rooms on site, which points to some indoor space for meetings and celebrations alongside the outdoor programme. Sections are organised by age, so a four-year-old and a seventeen-year-old won't be doing the same session, and it's worth finding out which evening your child's age group meets before you turn up.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

4 to 25, with sections split by age

• The age range runs from four to twenty-five, covering several scout sections
• Abseiling and canoeing are on the programme, so ask about kit and any extra requirements for these
• Party rooms are available on site for indoor activities

Plan your visit

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