Here’s how it works
On Friday evening Scouts are bused and checked into one of six sleep points. They make camp for the night, complete their plans for their hiking for the next two days, catch up on friends, and finally grab some sleep ready for the first day.
After making their own breakfast and breaking camp, each Patrol checks out of the Sleep Point and heads off to their first Activity Base for the day along the way to where they will sleep that night. Points are awarded for arriving at Activity Bases, and more points are awarded depending on how well the Patrol works together and achieves the objectives of each Base.
Patrols can leave their Sleep Point any time from 7.30am on the Saturday, the 28 Bases open at 8.00am, and visit as many Activity Bases as they can visit and fit in during the day. Each activity is designed to take about 20-25 minutes. Patrols need to arrive at the Saturday Sleep Point by 5.00pm so they can check in and make camp, prepare dinner, and review the days’ progress – all before it gets dark. The evening is free to either get some well earned sleep or make and meet up with more friends.
Sunday check out is also from 7.30am and bases open at 8.00am. There are plenty more activities to do as Patrols make their way to the Finish Point to arrive there by the Finish Time. The further away Bases start to close from 11.00am, and all Bases are close by 1.00pm. After the scores are computed, the top 12 Patrols are announced and awardes made, the top Patrol also gets their Winner’s Trophy all in time for the victorious bus ride home.
Gold Awards are given to the top 12 patrols, Silver Awards to the next 24 patrols, and Bronze Awards are awarded to every other patrol. All patrols are winners at Scout Hike!
Navigation
ScoutHike is not a simple walk around the forest! The event is based on Patrols navigating their way through the forest using a compass, a supplied map, a series of grid reference points indicating the Activity Bases they could visit, and Sleep Points.
Packs, Tents, and Menus
In their pack, Scouts carry everything from their sleeping bag, tent, clothes, etc to food. This means that the pack must be in good condition and suitable for lightweight hiking, and the contents as small and as light as possible. Checks are carried out to ensure that every Scout is not carrying more than 1/5th of their body weight – they need to look after their growing, impressionable backs! Water bottles are excluded from the weigh-in.
Menus need to be nutritious, using light weight or dried foods, so that each Scout in the Patrol gets to the Finish Point with enough energy to get on the bus for the trip home.
Leaders
Registered Leaders, helpers, Ventueres, and Rovers are welcome to come and take part in ScoutHike. Be warned: the ‘out’ in Scouting is on offer, you will get to meet lots of young people looking for something to do along their way, and sit in a tranquil location for just under 2 days! What else could you ask for?
Safety & Supervision
On Friday and Saturday nights, all scouts must stay and sleep at their designated Sleep Points. Each Sleep Point is under the direct supervision of experienced Scout Leaders at all times. There is no mixed gender sleeping – each tent must have either all boys or all girls sleeping in it.
All Sleep Points have:
- Plenty of water for everyone.
- Toilets and hand washing facilities.
- First Aid facilities.
- Fire drums for scouts to cook over.
- Leaders watching out for mischievous Scouts and behaviour not in keeping with the Scout Law and Promise.
- Leaders assigned to health and welfare matters such as hygiene, illness, injury and homesickness.
Each Sleep Point is in radio contact with ScoutHike Headquarters. All patrols are checked in and out of the Sleep Point and this information is then sent through to Headquarters.
Each patrol is also logged as they pass through an Activity Base. Their arrival and departure is recorded, as well as which activity base they are going to next. This information is collected regularly throughout the day and relayed to ScoutHike Headquarters where it is collated on a computer system. The computer system allows ScoutHike Management to know where a Patrol has been and help find the likely whereabouts of any Patrol or any Scout at a moment’s notice.
Who can Attend ScoutHike?
ScoutHike is open to every registered Scout in the Scout Section in NSW, and within the formal NSW Scout Section age range.
All Scouts must be in Patrols of at least 4, and all Leaders will be assigned to a Sleep Point. Most Leaders will also be assigned to an Activity Point during the day, returning to their Sleep Point for the evening meal and sleeping.
More Information
This web site is being updated as we approach ScoutHike each year. Come back and check it regularly for updates.
Your District Scout Leader or Scout Leader does not have the authority to change any of the ‘Rules’ of ScoutHike, but they are the appropriate people ‘to ask the question of’ if there are any questions not answered from the information already available. If still unsure of the answer, send us an email – the details are at the top of this page.