Gloucestershire Girl Guides have a bubbs hill bash!

THIS weekend, 160 girls from across Gloucestershire have taken part in an action-packed camping adventure at Cowley – the first of its kind.

The Guides (ages 10-14) from across the county came together for the challenge event at Girlguiding Gloucestershire’s Headquarters, Deer Park Activity Centre at Cowley just outside Cheltenham on May 16, 2015.

The event saw groups of four Guides working in teams to earn points on 22 different challenges to find out who was the winner of the first ever Bubbs Hill Bash.

Bubbs Hill is one part of the Guides’ site at Cowley.

Funnily enough, it’s a rather steep hill and the challenges were dotted all over the site.

Girlguiding has changed as the lives of girls change and so the activities reflected this, including traditional Guiding challenges like map reading and knotting but also modern challenges like:

• Tunnel maze

• Archery

• Memory challenge

• Water pipe challenge

• Danger UXB (moving an “unexploded bomb”!)

• Code breaking

• Giant chopsticks

• Blindfolded sandwich making

• Trampolining

• Wooden Skis – operated in teams of 4

• Blindfolded string trail

• Penalty shoot out

• Catapults

• Low ropes course

• Traverse wall

• Pistol shooting

The girls camped overnight (some for the first time ever) and enjoyed a campfire with singing before heading for their tents on Saturday night.

The winners were announced on Sunday morning: third place went to Laura Astle, Florence Graham, Isabella Vale & Charlie Lister from 1st Amberley Guides; second place went to Zoe Brown, Natasha Hart, Amelia Hancox & Katie Betteley from 1st Chipping Campden Guides: and first place: Hattie Taylor, Maddy Cross, Laura Medley & Ellie Webb from 1st Woodmancote Guides.

The girls said: "I liked the tunnels best because I got over my fear of the dark."

"My favourite challenge was the tunnels because they were scary and you don't know where you're going."

"We liked the water tube challenge because we all got a bit wet and it was a challenge."

"It was amazing! I enjoyed working in teams and going around on your own."

"Amazing, so much fun and I want to do it again."

Anne Anderson, the event’s organiser added: "The girls have really enjoyed the weekend, particularly being able to work in small groups to challenge themselves whilst having the freedom to travel round the site without a Leader in tow, choosing the challenges they wanted to take part in."

It’s the imagination and commitment of volunteers that makes events like this happen and around 80 individuals were involved in the weekend.

New volunteers are always welcome.

To find out how to join Girlguiding – the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK – go to girlguiding.org.uk, click Get Involved and Register your Interest.