4 days in Crowborough, water everywhere and getting hopelessly lost. I couldn't imagine a better time.

Every 3-4 months or so, my school's Combined Cadet Force (CCF) holds camps where you get to stay for a few nights a undergo various military based activities. And somehow, out of any time in the entire year, the adults who run these things decided to book it on the most miserable 4 days we've had all year.

The training ground was essentially reduced to a muddy field by the rain, with properly solid ground few and far between. The campsite was a cross between a swamp and a forest with just random bodies of water everywhere. Just random 2m deep ponds randomnly scattered across the area. Every single hill we trudged up had a stream of rainwater flowing down it's side.

We were supposed to spend Thursday afternoon travelling between an entertaining carousel of activities ranging from section attacks to minesweeping. However, my scout hadn't really read a map before so we spent it stranded in the middle of random fields and woods desperate wandering about with a broken radio. Not the best start to camp. We had to be rescued in a bit of a humiliating pick up by minivan.

Friday went a bit more to plan, with our scout forming some kind of redemption arc. We successfully reached every stand and finished the day feeling really quite productive. Don't talk to me about how I slept though. That was a painful, freezing night in a tent that I'm not willing to relive for at least another 6 months.

Saturday and Sunday were spent finishing of a couple activities, cleaning rifles and readying all the equipment for our departure. There was an entertaining quiz on Saturday night and a long coach ride on Sunday morning.

Overall, I think I really enjoyed this CCF camp. I got to do a bunch of fun army-based activities, nearly freeze to death in a poorly made tent and be constantly wet all the way through. But hey, at least it builds character. I think.