PEAK 90

July 28th 1990 saw Breadsall Scouts return to Chatsworth Park for 'Peak 90'. In charge this time were me and Robert Taylor and the scouts were, Johnny H, Richard B, Anthony F, Robert M, Matt S, Charlie B, Tim A, Nick V, James V, Ian G, Andy G, Mark E, Lee P and Daniel B. We were in the Litton sub-camp.

Friday 27th July 1990 - Down to the scout hut for 7pm. Packed with parents. Parents go when they have got a car full of kids. Mr Beavis takes a lot of gear. Mr McGuckin takes some scouts, Mr Taylor follows me up. I go at 7.30pm with Lisa and Katie. Start putting up the tents, we are very short of pegs. Get lots of apology from the ventures about them nicking my gear. The ventures have set up their camp but they volunteer to take the brown tent down. Get some pegs from the ventures and guides. Finish putting the tents up in the dark. Start on Flod's Pedigree, Lisa comes round. Get through the week's supply in the first night. Walk Lisa back at 2.30am. The scouts go to sleep for about 1am.

Saturday 28th - Nice day, the scouts get up for about 6am, I get up for 7am. Go down to the super market for 8am. Have bacon and egg sandwiches for breakfast. The 3rd Marshland scouts arrive and camp next to us. Johnny H, Nick and James V arrive. Send the scouts out exploring the site, they play a lot of football. Cook spag bol for tea, everyone likes it, we hear of a few complaints about the guides cooking. Send our scouts out to collect stamps, Tim fills his book, we have lots of guides round for a stamp. Have a chat with the Kings Lynn Scout leaders. Some of our scouts get caught by the Belper guides leader on the wrong campsite at 1am.

Sunday 29th - Visitors day, 30,000 cubs and brownies turn up. We make an assault course round our site, lots of them have a go over it. Get some of the Belper guides to come over and help make sandwiches. Make soup in a large billie. John Sibson and Shirley Pither turns up with the cubs. Give them dinner of soup with ham, cheese and jam sandwiches, crisps, apples and cake. Emma, from the shop and Barry Spalding turn up with the Beavers. Give them some lunch. The scouts have fish in bread crumbs with croquet potatoes. Flod's parents and grandparents, my parents, McGuckin's, Busman's, Fry's all turn up. Get given three walking tickets from Chesterfield guides. Pat and Edna make a party lunch. Stay up late with Flod, Lisa and some Pedigree till 2.30am.

Monday 30th - Get up early to send off the scouts on the activities. Lee, Johnny H and Beav go walking to Snake summit after much persuasion. Bunce goes rock climbing on his own to Stanage after a lot of talking. Matt S goes sailing, various others go BMX and go-carting. Walk over to the assault course with the scouts and Flod and see Lisa. Have a nice salad for tea because it is such a hot day.

Tuesday 31st - Very hot again, do a lot of sunbathing. The Kings Lynn scouts make a shower, very good. They are later banned. Visit the guides for a cup of tea and talk to Mrs Goodall for quite a while. Have another salad for tea. The super-market has run out of most salad things. Pete Kirkland turns up with some more beer about midnight. Big party in the scout cook tent, Matt L, Dolby, Katie, Andrea, Adjy, Lee, Bunce, Johnny H, Quince all turn up. Very noisy, sing a lot, till about 2.30am.

Wednesday 1st August - Get up early to send Matt S off walking and make him a packed lunch. Others do more on-site activities. Have some other parents turn up during the day. Emma turns up and helps me cook dinner, stays most of the afternoon. Mr Beavis comes up to see us. Go with the scouts down to Stage Coach 90 and then to the live Venture Group with Johnny H and Flod. A lot of scouts go Clay Pigeon shooting and air rifle. Stay up late with Johnny and Flod.

Thursday 2nd - Get most people to go down to the village green and do most of the activities. Go and watch the talent show up by the campfire site after the scout service. They have more goes on the assault course. Stew for tea. Leave Flod to do the washing up, drive down to the Devonshire Arms with Anna to fill up the beer containers. Get back just in time for the night hike. Do exactly the same route as last time. Back for midnight. Gee and Katie, Anna come round till late. In bed for 3am.

Friday 3rd - Get up early to send Matt S climbing and Lee and Nick V canoeing. Get Johnny H up to break the sub-camp flag with Angelina Carmella Castalucio. Tim A leaves at 9.30am to go on holiday. Other scouts do orienteering. After dinner we all go swimming in the river with the guides from Heanor, friends of Lee and Bunce, Rachael, Sally and Nicky. Cook pork chops for lunch with peas, carrots, potatoes, mint sauce and gravy. Mr and Mrs Hammond turn up to pick up Johnny, bring me a birthday card and a bottle of wine. Me and Flod drink it with our 2½ pork chops each. Lee goes and drops the main Peak 90 flag. A few people come round to the camp for my birthday. Send the scouts down to the closing ceremony. Go down to the venture disco for a while, heavy live band. Stay up late when we get back. Lee, Bunce and Flod sleep out.

Saturday 4th - Have a late breakfast at about 10am. Most people have gone by noon. Have burgers for lunch and then start taking down the tents. Carry it all over to the guide patch. Have the site inspected. Plan to play rounders but we have no time. Mr Beavis comes up and takes a lot of gear. Mr Ecob comes up to take Lee and Bunce. Wait till 4.35 for the Smiths to turn up, just about get it all in. In my car Flod, Lisa and Katie, all fast asleep. Get back and do a little un-packing. Go down to McDonalds for one hour and then up to the Coach.

The weather was very hot, the adjacent scout troop made a shower and it was very popular. The first picture below shows me. The next shows a bronzed, muscle bound 'God' who spoke German all day and confused the scouts greatly. Emma H was eventually talked into having a shower.

This is me and my blue hat, now five years old.

A most unusual picture, perhaps something to do with the sailors cap!