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Kandersteg, Switzerland : 22nd to 31st July 2011

Outbound travel itinerary

Friday 22nd July

1530 hrs Coach arrives Linslade

1600 hrs Coach departs Linslade

1945 hrs UK time ferry departs Dover

2215 hrs French time ferry arrives Calais

2230 hrs Coach departs Calais

Next Day (Saturday)

0830 hrs Coach arrives Egerkingen – Breakfast stop

0930hrs Coach departs Egerkingen

1100 hrs Coach arrives Kandersteg

(Please note that these timings are approximate)

Day 1 (Saturday) – Scout Centre & Kandersteg

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1200 hrs Arrive at Kandersteg International Scout Centre.

1230 hrs Leaders Introduction to site. 

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Group organisation and familiarisation of site, including “Discovery Trail” – a great way to introduce the centre to your group.

1330 hrs Lunch.

1430 hrs Orientation walk into Kandersteg Village.

1630 hrs Swimming in open air pool in Kandersteg Village (including whirlpools, a diving pool, and water slide)

1800 hrs Dinner at camp

Day 2 (Sunday) – Lotschenpass/Sunnbuel/Gemmipass Day Hike   

0800 hrs In groups suited to age and ability we will either, take a relaxed hike into the Gasterntal valley following the upper reaches of the Kander River, or ascend to 1934m by cable car to explore the beautiful Sunnbuel valley / Spittalmatte plateau, and for the more able and adventurous onward to the Gemmipass at 2346m with views over Leukerbad.

1300 hrs Packed Lunch en route.
1630 hrs Return to KISC. Free time on the Campsite – many activities to choose from!

1830 hrs Dinner back at campsite

2000 hrs Light Trial – starts at Main Chalet

Day 3 (Monday) – Rafting on River Simme or River Aare

0900 hrs Rafting on River Simme (12yrs+) / River Aare

1330 hrs Lunch

1530 hrs Free time on the Campsite – many activities to choose from!

1800 hrs International BBQ at the main Chalet. A chance to meet Scouts from all around the world, swap badges, neckers etc
  

For Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday our party is split into 2 groups A & B, to take part in the following activities. It is necessary to split up as some activities are restricted by age and numbers.

Oeschinensee Lake

Visit to Oeschinensee Lake by chair lift from Kandersteg Village. Take a few high speed runs on the summer toboggan (Rodelbahn).
A 40-minute walk to the lake and then go for a bracing swim in the alpine lake.

Picnic lunch on the way. Descend back down to Kandersteg Village on foot and take in the stunning scenery. 

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Overnight Ueschinenhutte

1400 hrs start. Overnight trip to Ueschinen Hutte. This is an excellent opportunity for Scouts to experience a night in a high alpine hut (1890m). Younger groups gain height quickly using a cable car. The path then traverses into Ueschinen Valley with breathtaking views of the village and surrounding area. Once into the valley it’s a steady but easy climb to the Ueschinen hutte passing through traditional high alpine farms. Younger groups return to the camp centre the next morning on foot via a different route, while older more adventurous groups may hike further into the mountains returning to KISC later in the day.

Tuesday night is the “Race the World” event at KISC – an evening of sports and challenges against Scouts from all over the world. Wednesday night is the International Scout Disco at the Village Ice Rink – popular with the older Scouts and Explorers Thursday night is the KanderChallenge – an hour of team challenges around obstacles, physical, logical, mental and Scouting – run by the KISC camp staff.

Each of the overnight hike groups will probably want to visit the village swimming pool on their return

Day 7 (Friday) Kandersteg

0900 hrs Spend the day or half day hiking in the Kander Valley – visiting Kandersteg Village – shopping for souvenirs.

2000 hrs Last night meal out at Des Alpes – a local restaurant. Traditional cuisine. Incorporating “1st Linslade Scouts on Tour” Awards.

Day 8 (Saturday) Last day 🙁

0900 hours Morning Free

Return travel itinerary

1145 hrs Coach departs Kandersteg

1230 hrs Coach arrives Thun – free time for lunch and shopping

1630 hrs Coach departs Thun

1745 hrs Coach arrives Egerkingen – driver changeover and evening meal stop

1900 hrs Coach departs Egerkingen

Next Day (Sunday)

0540 hrs Coach arrives Calais

0640 hrs French time ferry departs Calais

0715 hrs UK time ferry arrives Dover

0730 hrs Coach departs Dover

1400 hrs Coach arrives Linslade

(Please note that these timings are approximate)

Note: There are plenty of activities available at KISC to fill time on the campsite – such as crate stacking, zip wire, sports afternoons, pioneering competitions, compass course, photo challenge, sauna, eco quiz and other eco activities, international I-Spy, patrol challenges, and generally talking to Scouts from other countries……

Some of these activities will involve you spending some of your pocket money, but most are free. There is also mini golf in the village if you can persuade a leader to walk there and back with you!  

We hope that Scouts will want to try and pass some of the awards that KISC have available, such as the High Adventure Award, International Friendship, Swiss Mini-adventure Award, K.I.S.Challenge, Eco Adventure Award. All the badges can be worn on your uniform and look rather cool when you get home! 

The alpine environment can sometimes be dangerous. You can start a hike in sunshine in the morning and by the afternoon it can be raining or even snowing. It is therefore essential that individuals and our entire group have the correct equipment. If you do not have what the KISC instructor considers to be suitable equipment to take part in one of their activities, then you will be unable to participate. If you are excluded due to lack of equipment, this could effect others in the group as we won’t be able to leave you behind on your own – someone will have to stay with you!

Be prepared!

The following items are essential requirements

• Hiking boots with ANKLE SUPPORT. Strong and comfortable. Don’t leave buying new boots until two weeks before we go! They need to be “worn” in. GET THEM NOW AND GET USING THEM!!

• Several pairs of good socks. Blisters and sore feet can be miserable. Get some good quality hiking socks from Millets or other outdoor shop. Avoid cotton – get synthetic or wool – look for Merino wool – these will wick away moisture from around your feet. Specialist socks are double lined with an inner and an outer, and seams will be well designed. Choose socks that fit well – and not so thick that they make your boots feel tight. A popular choice when wearing heavier boots, is to wear two layers – a thin inner sock or liner, and a thicker outer sock. The idea being the friction of each step of one surface moving against another will take place between the two layers of socks instead of next to your skin forming blisters. Those with lighter weight boots may prefer a single pair of double lined socks such as 1000 mile available from Millets

• Hard wearing trousers such as light cotton, or cargo trousers – NOT Jeans – denim soaks up water and becomes heavy, uncomfortable, and cold. I’m hoping that in August -shorts will be the order of the day!

• Warm clothing – best in several layers, including hat and gloves

• Waterproof jacket & trousers. These items are very important and should be good quality items – a “pack-a-mac” or “mac-in-a-sack” will not cut it in the Alps.

• Sun protection – sunglasses, lip salve, sun cream, a hat and neckerchief.

• A water bottle and a lightweight plastic box to put your sandwiches in (stops them getting squashed!)

• Rucksack – needs to be a least 25 litres capacity (large enough for a change of clothes, waterproofs and your lunch), with padded shoulder straps, and preferably a hip belt.

• Personal First aid kit

• Torch (small)

• Map, compass and whistle (group equipment but if you have a compass and a whistle – bring them)

• Money for emergencies

Tip: Always ask for “Discount for Scouts” wherever you shop for outdoor kit – it’s usually available. Millets in town will usually give 10%, and the Outdoor Shop in Stoney Stratford does too. They’ll probably want to see your group necker as proof of membership so take it with you.

Camping at Kandersteg, Switzerland – Summer 2011

Four years on from our last expedition, we have organised another trip to Switzerland. Our last trip was a resounding success and many lasting memories forged. Kandersteg International Scout Centre is set in the heart of the Swiss mountains, in the Bernese Alps.  

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The Bernese Oberland is the principle location of the scenic wonders of Switzerland, with the Jungfrau and Eiger mountains, the Rhone Glacier, Trummelbach Falls and Lake Thun to mention a few. Kandersteg is situated at the head of a valley, in particularly rugged and adventurous country that will ensure an exciting alpine experience.

Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) was founded in 1923 by Lord Baden-Powell and was his dream to provide a permanent international meeting place for Scouts from all over the world. KISC is renowned for its international atmosphere and a strong spirit of Scouting. In fact it is just like being at a mini world jamboree! There are many opportunities to interact with Scouts from other countries and joint activities are encouraged, with international cookery, camp fires, barbecues, sports and games. To help this along we are hoping to be twinned with another group from a different country attending at the same time, to organise a meal together, or a game, or even a joint hike during our stay.

The accommodation will be in ready erected tents on the main KISC campsite. We are using a company called Venture Abroad who specialise in youth group (mainly Scouts) trips such as this.

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Venture Abroad have their own area within the KISC camp-site, and provide all the tents, cooking equipment, marquees and even electricity for lighting and a fridge! We will generally be self catering, however meals can be booked at the main chalet canteen for those days when activities require an early start or late finish. We feel that the camping option gives more scope for evening activities, interacting with other nationalities, and gives us a firm base for the duration of the stay. It is also the cheaper option!

The dates for the trip are 22nd – 31st July 2011. This is 7 nights at Kandersteg International Scout Centre, with overnight coach travel at either end. Venture Abroad run a shuttle service through the summer holidays, and travel would be direct from Linslade. We have priced up doing the transport ourselves but can’t match the Venture Abroad fees. Their shuttle service, filling coaches on both inward and outward journeys must make the difference! We have also looked at the option of flying, but it is more expensive and doesn’t actually save much time. The outward journey leaves at approximately 1.30pm, with ferry from Dover to Calais, arriving in Switzerland about midday the next day. Coming home departure 1.00pm arrive home approximately 10.00am the next day.

Note that 22nd July 2011 is on Council’s web site as being the last day of school summer term, therefore it maybe necessary to request leaving early. We don’t expect this to be a problem on the last day of term, however we may have to delay departure by a couple of hours.For a detailed itinerary, go back to the Kandersteg 2011 menu on the left, and click “itinerary” or click here .

Have a look at the Kisc website for more information – click here .