Carradale Summer Camp

Summary of Summer Camp at Carradale (1934)

Attendance

Scouters:              GSM Sam Faulds (70th) for part of the time, ASM A.Ian Dunlop, ASM John B. Hardie.

Troop Leader:     TL  A. Colquhoun

70th PLs:               Alan Hardie and Duncan Black

70th Scouts:          Ian Blake and John Park.

Also camping:          Reverend A.R.R. Reid (for 1 week)

 

The location of the Carradale campsite in 1934 was on land owned by J. Paterson to the north of Carradale Point with magnificent views of Arran.There are two possible locations thatv fit the log book account, but the more likely  of these seems to be a site slightly inland from Port na Cuile. A detailed description of the campsite stated that the camp was situated on a hillock above some cottages and near a kippering shed and a coal shed. The owner of the kippery was a Mr.  Buchanan of Shore Cottage who gifted several dinners of kippers and herrings to the Scouts during the camp. Other supplies were purchased from Mr. J. Paterson who ran a shop as well as the farm. The water spring was 5 yards from the Flagstaff and the camp was about one mile from the pier.

 This was the first summer camp involving only 70th Scouts, although it is possible that Troop Leader A. Colhoun (or Colquhoun) was from another Scout Group.  The camp took place between the 14th and 30th July 1934. 
     The Scouts slept in the Bell tent while the leaders (identified as 'officers') slept in a Scoutmaster tent. Another Scoutmaster tent was used as a 'kitchen tent'. In later years, the Bell became the Scouters' tent. Ian Dunlop was in overall charge of the camp with John Hardie identified as the 'padre'. Cooking arrangements were communal with two Scouts per day acting as the cooks.
     The only information provided on the camp comes from the Troop Log and this was a retrospective summary written in 1935. As a result, details of the detailed day-to-day programme are lacking. However, the photographs and summary provided in the log book indicate that swimming took place on the "Silver Sands", south of Carradale, and also at a closer bathing site which is believed to have been at Port na Cuile . However, jellyfish were a bit of a problem at the latter site and several Scouts got stung during the camp.  Games of cricket also took place in which a local family called the Fergusons often joined in.  A Scouts Own was held on each of the two Sundays in camp, one of which was attended by 'visitors' - presumably parents.

    PLs Duncan Black and Alan Hardie hiked to Grogport some seven miles away and returned the next day. This might have been towards the 1st Class Badge. 

   The ferry "Davaar" was used to get to Carradale, while the ferry "Dalriada" was used for the return journey.
    The weather during the first week of the camp was 'moderate', but it was rather wet towards the end of camp.

    In 2026, an attempt was made to pinpoint the  location of the camp. Two possible sites were considered (one near Port Righ and the other near Port na Cuile)  However, both sites are now overgrown with rhododendron bushes which made it impossible to reproduce the photographs taken in 1934. However, evidence from Lachie Paterson of Carradale suggests that the more likely site was close to Port na Cuile.