Scout Camp Memorial Cairn

Woggles at the ready as this place is a bit of a special one if you were ever a scout. Apart from mastering knots, getting lost on purpose in orienteering and earning badges for escorting every granny within a five-mile radius across a road, the annual Scout camp was the true highlight of the year!

And this Scout Camp Memorial Cairn near Fourstones, Hexham marks the exact spot that Robert Baden Powell held the first official scout camp in 1908.

Now for the Scout elite here, you may pull us up on this and say the Brownsea Island camp from 1907 was where scouting began, but that was more of a test run. The real deal came a year later right here at Carr Edge, when around thirty invested Scouts from across the country gathered for the Lookwide Camp. They had a lovely two week jolly from 22nd August to 4th September, although we heard the weather was a bit damp.

Now Big Bob Baden (as we like to call him) was a decorated British Army officer who made his name defending Mafeking during the Boer War, earning national fame before swapping military strategy for muddy boots and campfires.

Before all the camping and woggles kicked off, Baden-Powell wrote a book called Aids to Scouting back in 1899. It was meant for the army lads, teaching observation, tracking and survival, but teachers and youth leaders soon started using it with kids.

He then wrote a series of pamphlets more suited to young lads that were later collected into one volume called Scouting for Boys. It was meant to teach outdoor skills, teamwork and character, but it ended up sparking the entire Scout movement.

Baden Powell wanted to see if his ideas from Scouting for Boys would work in practice, so the lads spent their time here at Lookwide Camp hiking, cooking, learning woodcraft and testing out the new patrol system. The aim was all about teamwork, self-reliance and enjoying the outdoors. It was a roaring success and sparked a movement that spread round the world.

We found out that the Scout Camp Memorial Cairn itself was erected in 1929 and various plaques have been added to it including a centenary plaque in 2008. There is also a little bench with more plaques on to park yourself for a rest.

More than a century later, Scouting is still going strong, welcoming both lads and lasses to learn, explore and get muddy together. And funnily enough, it even inspired the birth of the Girl Guides, after a bunch of determined girls turned up at early Scout rallies and refused to be left out. Not bad going for an idea that started with a few tents in a Northumberland field.

Parking for this one is a bit of a nightmare and we couldn't find anywhere near the permissive paths to really ditch the car. Fortunately my glamorous assistant dropped me off at the gate and went and parked further afield. So you probs need to do something similar. If everyone in the car wants to go, then just tag team it as it's only a 500m walk to the cairn.

From the parking it's a straight route and if you see this gate you're on the right track and halfway there. Maybe less than a 10 min walk.

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