Camp Bear-Patrol

This was our first annual Bear-Patrol camping trip. A group of Patrolettes visited Hammonds Wood near Catsfield, East Sussex. We were there from Friday 24th June - Sunday 26th June 2011.


A very quirky place, not a campsite that is open to the public, it is a wood that Joc Hare bought and decided to rejuvinate. In return for free camping, Patrolettes helped Joc for a few hours on the Saturday and Sunday mornings with caring for the woods.


However that was where the Bear-Patrol twist came in, Patrolettes paid their £10 per night to camp and £10 towards the food that was laid on. Other Bear-Patrol members who couldn't attend were encouraged to sponsor 'Campers' to do the work in the wood.


Bear-Patrol were pleased their efforts raised £500 for the Sussex Beacon.


We stayed in our own tents, then cooked and ate in the main camp area.


See this article about Hammonds Woods that Bear-Patrol member Neil Jewitt wrote.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/oct/17/camping-free-working-holiday-east-sussex

Below is the table in the main camp area set up ready for lunch.

We had never had breakfast cooked on a flaming (literally) wheelbarrow!

These are the saplings grown by Joc for planting around the wood.

Patrolettes helped with weeding, remulching and putting new cages around existing saplings to help them on their way.

Plenty of mulch to shift................... a good half a dozen truck-loads!

You couldn't visit Hammonds Wood and not take a dip in the bath-tub nestling on a tree branch, running hot water and a fantastic woodland view.

In the evenings after a hearty meal at the long table in the main camp we moved down to the camping field where we sat around the camp fire laughing, enjoying the odd tipple and toasting marshmallows.

It was very satisfying to know that we were helping maintain something that could be there for hundreds of years.