Enfield District Explorers recently took part in Gilwell 24 – an activity and challenge based event set over 24 long hours, where sleep was not on the timetable and half the challenge is just keeping going. This national Explorer Scout event is now in its third year, and over 1500 explorers from the UK (and some from Portugal) took part in the gruelling challenge. 

There were numerous activities provided to keep everyone going, including Mountain Boarding; Quad bikes; Simulators; Fairground rides; Assault Course; Raft Racing; Rifle and Archery; Climbing; Outdoor Quasar; Laser clay pigeon shooting; Sub-Aqua; Disco and much much more.

As well as all the activities there were a number of prestigious competitions, including an offsite marathon competition and the Gilwell Gauntlet Challenge.

The Gilwell Gauntlet Challenge is a series of 24 challenges during the night where the winners get the recognition of beating over 70 other units in a bizarre range of skills which are almost unusable anywhere else. And guess what?

Enfield Explorers came first in the Gauntlet Challenge Competition!

The team of eight explorers had to do things such as build sandcastles, walk on planks, climb ropes and throw frisbies. This is an amazing achievement and one that they should be very proud of winning – so well done!

Before the closing ceremony all explorers and leaders gathered to form the number ‘24’, and a helicopter flew over to take a photo of everyone from above. This can be seen on the website www.gilwell24.info

The event closed at 9am Sunday morning with a lot of exhausted people and our Enfield Explorers being presented with a special Gilwell oak-bowl and prizes by Graham Haddock the National Commissioner for Explorer Scouts.

Everyone had a brilliant time, met lots of new friends and can’t wait until next year’s event, which will be on the 07:07:07.

Mike Thurston

Parker Bowles Explorer Scout Leader