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Old Skool Scout's Blog
avatar Description:
Old Skool Scouting = scouting inspired by the way it orginated a hundred years ago.
I will be camping on Vässarö, a Swedish scoutisland on the same date as the camp at Brownsea Island, as a quest to follow in the footsteps of the founder. I will be trying out some "Old Skool Scouting" techniques Baden Powell describes himself or surely would have loved.

Also check out the vlog on youtube.com/oldskoolscout

Untagged  11 Aug 2007 10:23 AM
Trees, Plants and Animals Spotted by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

I wanted to close my blog about my trip to Vässarö with a list off all the trees, plants and animals I determined. They are bound to be a lot more. I did however focus on the trees and plants I could use. I’m still a beginner so it took me a long time to look things up in my books and dubblecheck to be sure.

I would still like to

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thermic underwearnorgiemedicinal plantsknivesedible plants 11 Aug 2007 8:55 AM
Back Home by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

I'm back home now, for about 36 hours.

I woke up at six 'o clock un thursday to make it for the first ferry to the Swedish main island (Never tell the Swedish they are part of the "Continent" ... same reaction as the British ... hehe)

Since I was going back to civilisation I decided shower, shave and put on some relatively clean clothes. I had kinda forgotten how cold the "hot showers" were on Vässarö.

I also had breakfast in the dining

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scoutingreedrainwatermedicinal plantsedible plantscranberryblueberry 8 Aug 2007 7:11 PM
Expedition Ljusklubben by Old Skool Scout Comment (4)

N 60° 16' 0'' E 18° 42' 0''
60.26667 / 18.7

Yesterday at 15h I started of for my expedition to the small island of Ljusklubben north of the main island of Vässarö. I had a two person canoe at my diposal.

Ljusklubben is only about one kilometer long and half a kilometer wide. It's uninhabited.

The goal of my expedition was to scout the island for next year. Next year I want to have a small bushcraft camp with

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soapscoutingcarvingbirch leaf 6 Aug 2007 6:53 PM
The Spoon by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

I'm really starting to like my camp now. I'm getting used to crawl out of my hammock, go out to collect firewood, start a fire, cook porridge and make coffee each morning. The last two days the weather was really fine so after I did the dishes I could take a dip in the sea to get clean(er). Today I also experimented with birch leaf soap. It's a real tender soap and you smell rather nice afterwords. It's also real easy to make. You can watch my vlog to see how I did it: youtube

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spoon carving 5 Aug 2007 6:53 PM
I See You Have Played Knifey Spoony Before by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

Yesterday after lunch I collected a block at the eastern windshelter where I originally started off. They were the only ones I knew the be found on the island. I was pretty heavy carrying it to the other side of the island so I started kicking it like it was a football. I then decided that I would probably make my spoon at Program anyhow. It was ok then to leave my block there.

The first birch I set of to chop turned out to be rotten inside. I couldn't use it for carving. A lot of effort

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resinrainwaterjuniperhootchiefirebagcamp lifebirch bark 4 Aug 2007 10:51 AM
Settling In by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

I'm beginning to have the feeling I'm settling down now. After I wrote my blog, yesterday morning I spent some time at my camp. First thing I did was making it waterproof. Apparantly I got the angle wrong last night. However, that got me about 10 liters of fresh water! A good thing to have when surrounded only by seawater.

I then collected a big bunch of birchbark and twigs. Firemaking is going really fast now. I can make a fire now, big enough to make tea on, in less then five

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Norwegian Army sleeping baghootchiefreeze-dried foodbannock 3 Aug 2007 8:02 AM
Moving Camp by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

After I made the "eldpåse" I moved camp to the northern windshelter. The campdirector said it would be much more quiet up there.

I also lended a kettle. This way I don't have to clean my billy can each time I want to make coffee after porridge. A German volunteer working at Program also gave me some coffee powder. The coffee ration I packed is a bit too low. I was dying for some more.

When I arrived I first made supper: again the Hungarian Gulash, the second portion

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Untagged  2 Aug 2007 10:40 AM
Hammock A-OK by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

Yesterday i cooked my freeze-dried food for the first time. I did this on woodfire, using my billy can. The Hungarian Goulash tasted real good I must say. Immediately afterwords I made a bannock. I turned out real good. I did however forget to put in the raisins. I didn't actually need to bring those cause there are enough berries around.

After that I finally managed to get the hammock right, even the mosquito net.

I then visited program house to get some information. Martin

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SwedenScoutings Sunrisescoutinghammock 1 Aug 2007 9:13 AM
Scouting's Sunrise by Old Skool Scout Comment (1)

N 60° 15' 0'' E 18° 41' 0''
60.25 / 18.68333

Yesterday I left at 5 AM to make it to Vässarö, Sweden for the Scouting's Sunrise ceremony. It was a tiresome journey but I was in time to set up my camp before the official supper. The last bus to Vässarö I sat next to a very Old Skool Scout indeed. He had joined scouting 75 years ago and was more ore less responsible for the fact Vässarö was a scout island now. He had also undertaken some bushcraft activities with his scouts. He even introduced a "Vildmark

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scoutingjamboreeGilwell Park 30 Jul 2007 1:13 PM
In The Footsteps Of The Founder by Old Skool Scout Comment (0)

I just came back from the World Jamboree in Engeland. I stayed the night at Gilwell park, the first scout training ground. I even slept in the room opposite of the "Room of the Founder" There was a really interesting exposition about the first scoutcamp at Brownsea Island. The exposition included several scoutrelics!

Tomorrow I leave for Sweden, in time to join in the Sunrise activities Vässarö. Then my "personal Brownsea Island experience" will

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