Throughout the lifetime of the Group, many scout leaders stated that the Annual Camp was the highlight of the scouting year, and should not be missed. There were of course other camping opportunities, but the BIG event was the annual camp, usually held during school holidays. As of early 2023, images of and documentation about is mainly available only for land Scout camps. Click here for the latest PDF version of the list of camps from 1931 to 1978. You’ll also find a short article on Campfire songs at the end of this page.
Later on this page a few camps will be described in detail, but in the first instance a gallery of images from each camp is provided, along with lists of attendees from most camps. You will see quite a few gaps, particularly in the mid 1930’s and early 1950’s, also one or two images are of scouts elsewhere in that calendar year, and any contributions will be gratefully received. Click on any of the images to enable a full-screen slideshow.
Gallery of Campsites, 1931-1978
Click any of the images below to enable a full screen slideshow
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Attendee numbers at camps varied widely through the years, from the seventy or so who attended the 1943 camp at Newtyle, to the seventeen who attended the 1963 camp at Greenlaw. The gallery below shows, where available, the attendees at each camp, failing that a photograph or other document. In virtually all cases, the lists represent only Land Scouts. Click on any of the images to enable a full screen slideshow.
Gallery of Camp Attendees, 1947-1978
Note – navigation issues. If you are using a Microsoft PC, a recent glitch means that the only means of exiting the galleries is by pressing ‘ESC’ — Use the left and right arrow keys to move back and forward through the gallery
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Individual Camps
It is intended to select a few famous camps, and permit them a more substantial entry then the galleries shown above. The 1947 Loch Butterstone camp, the 1948 trip to France and Switzerland, the 1962 Stenton, 1968 Loch Ken expedition and 1973 Earlstoun Loch events are currently available Photos from others will be available in due course, and lists of attendees are available within this topic.
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The 1947 Loch Butterstone camp
The first major camp following the end of the war was much reported in the press and elsewhere. A fifty strong group set off on what was described as ‘Operation Exploration’. The troop took the express train to Dunkeld, and later in the week, visitors arrived by bus. The gallery shown below is a fascinating insight to camping, featuring extraordinary grocery orders, the rigours of Visitors day, and the wide variety of activities experienced during the twelve day camp. Letters of appreciation including one from Miss Hamilton, who concluded by saying “We all turned our backs very reluctantly upon the beautiful Loch Butterstone…”
Note – navigation issues. If you are using a Microsoft PC, a recent glitch means that the only means of exiting the galleries is by pressing ‘ESC’ — Use the left and right arrow keys to move back and forward through the gallery
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The 1948 France and Switzerland camp
For the first (and last time), the Group ventured overseas for its summer excursion, although another camp was held for those who didn’t make the trip. You’ll see from the gallery below that the attendees had an eclectic experience, including visits to Montmartre ‘entertainments’ in Paris – hopefully only the older Scouts. The cost, shown as £48, which equates to over £2,000 in todays value seems extraordinarily expensive – perhaps there were fund-raising events.
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1962, Ruchlaw Mains, Stenton, East Lothian
This extraordinarily well attended camp (38 in total including 30 scouts) enjoyed a splendid site just an hour from Tower Street. The camp log doesn’t reveal much about the general tenor of the camp, but frequent references to dinner menus demonstrate that we weren’t all that far beyond rationing. Saturday 21st July’s offering was ‘steaklets, potatoes and peas, followed by Instant Whip and Pineapple‘. The Humbie Cup was reluctantly conceded to the Scouters, and the Springboks won the camp competition. We sadly don’t have many photos to regale the account, but the following few can be seen as a full screen display by clicking any of them.
Note – navigation issues. If you are using a Microsoft PC, a recent glitch means that the only means of exiting the galleries is by pressing ‘ESC’ — Use the left and right arrow keys to move back and forward through the gallery
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1968, Ringour, Loch Ken, New Galloway
Nineteen sixty eight saw the first of several trips to the New Galloway area. The Camp Log reports a variety of accidents and incidents, including Andrew Rodger requiring stitches, Douglas Kent having his fingers shut in his MGY car boot, the unexpected appearance of a freight train on what was thought to be a defunct railway line, volunteer work in the forest (with Charlie Parly, and field (haystack construction), and the Scouters winning Horace. The patrols were named the Cows, the Yokels and the Horseshoes, and we had the pleasure of the company of Birger Andersen from Denmark, along with the entire Sea Scout troop, who were camped just to the North across a small burn.
The first image in the extensive gallery which follows shows G L McC and AA surveying the scene on an earlier reconnaissance trip. Quite why the latter is standing in the Loch is unclear.
Note – navigation issues. If you are using a Microsoft PC, a recent glitch means that the only means of exiting the galleries is by pressing ‘ESC’ — Use the left and right arrow keys to move back and forward through the gallery
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1973 Earlstoun Loch, New Galloway
The New Galloway area was once again selected, and twenty-nine souls set off in a variety of vehicles. The Camp Log provides a variety of stories, including a Church visit, Alan Wardrop’s stranding on a rock in the river, The Humbie Cup, The Scouters retaining the Horace trophy (but losing the canoe slalom) and a tribute to the ‘landlord’, Lt Colonel Forbes of Callendar, who subsequently wrote a letter extolling the perceived qualities of the troop and the camp.
The first image in the extensive gallery which follows shows the somewhat messy Camp Attendee page from the Camp Log.
Note – navigation issues. If you are using a Microsoft PC, a recent glitch means that the only means of exiting the galleries is by pressing ‘ESC’ — Use the left and right arrow keys to move back and forward through the gallery
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Campfire Songs
Not a great deal of information exists about this topic, but it is believed that Graham Henderson, guitar-player extraordinaire was important in ensuring the continuance of the genre. Indeed the Twelfth magazine of November 1973 noted “…the group in is now in good heart (and voice) due to the publication of a comprehensive songbook….Inputs from many individuals, but I might be excused for singling out Graham Henderson, who typed his solitary way, night and day, through well over a hundred stencils” The gallery below shows pages from the Campfire songbook, and if you want to hear a performance of the Editor’s favourite campfire song, click here.
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The Royal High School Club 