Activities

Climbing:

Even climbing with the comparative ease and security of the climbing tower will give you an activity to remember. No previous experience is necessary as the activity staff will teach you all you need to know.

Mountain Skills:

Want to learn or test your expedition, navigation, hill-walking and mountain rescue skills? Whether you're a novice or have some experience in the hills then this is the activity for you. A day activity combining expedition and hiking, navigation skills, mountain rescue techniques and Tyrolean traverses in the hills and terrain above the campsite.

Mountain Hike:

A day climbing one (or more) of Scotland's famous Munro's (mountains over 3000 feet) to test your hill walking and endurance skills, and be rewarded with some fantastic views across the mountains and glens of Scotland. More adventurous hikes will be available for older/experienced Explorer Scouts to really appreciate Scotland’s mountainous environment.

Low Level Hike

A lower level, half day hike around the local area taking in some of the great trails and scenery around Blair Atholl, and finishing at some of the area's iconic natural attractions such as the Falls of Bruar and/or Killiecrankie, plus the opportunity to finish with an ice-cream!

Gorge Walking:

Fed up of being told by your parents "stay away from the river, you'll fall in".This one's for you. Buoyancy aid on, helmet on, now get IN the water! Scramble up the gorge on the Banvie Burn. You will get wet, but it's massive fun. Come dressed as you would for going swimming shoes / boots with ankle protection must be worn. If you wear glasses then it is advisable to tie them on!!.

Canyoning:

If you like adventure you will love canyoning! You will make your way down some of the rivers in the Blair Atholl area by jumping and sliding into the water. You will get wet, but it's massive fun. Come dressed as you would for going swimming, shoes / boots with ankle protection must be worn. If you wear glasses then it is advisable to tie them on!!

Mountain Biking:

They are not called Mountain Bikes for nothing! Off road cycling on the Blair Atholl Estate, seeing the things that other tours miss. Cycles are provided. It is sensible to carry a bottle of drinking water, particularly if the weather is warm. If it is wet you will get muddy!

Extreme Mountain Biking:

Do you want to get off site and really shred some trails? If that answer is yes, then you need to come with the bike team to Laggan Wolftrax. A full day of 20 miles worth of purpose-built mountain bike trails through the Laggan Forest not only is it adrenaline packed with some of Scotland’s most technical trails, but it has also got some pretty fantastic views of the Cairngorm Mountain Range too.

River Rescue:

Safer Crossing & Self Rescue are the main areas of focus here. You’ll learn the basics of how to interact with the river in a more controlled manner, helping you keep your cool should you ever find yourself in such a situation. Of course that means we need to put you in that situation! Fully kitted up with wetsuit, buoyancy aids & helmet you’ll be taught basic defensive swimming before being shot through a rapid or two. Blasting through the White Water, you’ll discover buoyancy aids ain’t so buoyant in bubbles! We’ll finish up by teaching some safer jumping techniques at “The Rock”

Rafting:

Mankind has for millennia sought different methods for traveling on water, test how good your lashings are with a mix of poles and barrels & other floaty bits & see what you can come up with before a brief play on the nearby water. Buoyancy aids provided if you are not too confident in the water, but be prepared to get wet. Choose your own design, just hope if floats! This is not fast paced whitewater rafting, but a perfect chill out with the opportunity for a wash!

Water Sports:

If you're interested in a little more time to learn, develop and refine your Kayaking and Canoeing skills, then the full-day water sports session is for you! Suitable for beginners to experienced paddlers, our coaches can teach you paddling techniques which will challenge you and improve your paddling skill set regardless of your current ability. Don't worry though, it's not 'all work and no play', you'll also spend some of the day playing games & having races in kayaks, canoes & on stand-up paddle boards.

Kayaking, Canoeing, & SUP:

Kayaking, Canoeing and Stand-up Paddle boarding are brilliant ways to get in touch with your water side. In single or double person boats - or on our GIANT stand-up paddle board - this activity will bring out your competitive side during races, games and challenges to show who has the skills, and who's willing to Risk it for a Biscuit! During this you may end up having an out-of-boat experience, so come prepared to really get to know the water!

Rookie Rangers:

Public access to the Atholl Estates is enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year. Assist the Blair Atholl Estate Ranger Service, enhance the access and enjoyment of these visitors by making bird and bat boxes or knocking into shape a local path by the river. Work on improvements to a designated 'site of special scientific interest'(SSSI) and at the same time learn from the local expert Rangers.

Atholl Experience:

Are you ready for the Experience of your life? Are you ready to make some noise? Are you ready for mud?! You will climb over or scramble under muddy and watery obstacles; you will run; you will scream and shout; you will laugh; you will shed tears of happiness and joy! You will experience an activity so unique that you will tell your grandchildren about it!

Great Blair Bake Off:

Enjoy cake?? Well this is the place for you! Come join us and challenge your skills baking sweet and savory foods! Working in teams of 4 you'll be presented with recipes, ingredients and a time limit. When your products are complete staff will assess and score your skills. You'll then be able to take your baking back to your sub-camp to enjoy!

Bushcraft:

This is absolutely at the core of worldwide scouting. Our Bushcraft Zone is set up in an area where you will learn, practice and refresh your bushcraft skills. You can try out new skills like paracord making, woggle making, new cooking ideas, enter our water boiling challenge, tinder making, rope making and lots more. Can you really build a fire? Have you ever tried a hammock? Come and give it a go. No animal preparation.

International Scout Games:

Come along to try some of the different activities played at our weekly meetings, and camps from around the world. Share with us the games you like to play most and learn some new ones to take home and try too! We will play a variety of modern and traditional games that don’t use as much equipment. A perfect opportunity to come along and get to know each other in a fun, interactive, chilled atmosphere.

Nature Walk:

Discover many of Scotland’s natural wonders, from the smallest flowers and insects to the largest trees and mammals native to this country. Enjoy a walk around the tracks and footpaths of the Blair Atholl Estate (uneven surfaces, strong footwear required).

Ready, Steady, Cook!:

Like eating? Enjoy a challenge? Here is one where you get the best of both worlds. Working in 4 teams of around 6, each group will get a bag of mixed ingredients. The challenge is to use these in combination, along with a well stocked larder, to produce a two-course meal that is both tasty and imaginative (although edible would be a good start)! One of the staff will taste all of the meals and decide the winning team, then you get to eat the food you have prepared. The time is limited, the ingredients are limited, the cooking facilities are limited, the only thing without limits is your imagination! Get your aprons on!!

KABoom!:

From making things super cold to making them go boom, this is the hands on, fun side of science. You’ll make rockets fly, shatter flowers like they are made of glass and find out what is meant by a “controlled explosion”. No previous science experience or knowledge necessary as we’ll do all the work and you can have all the fun.

Heart Start:

Knowing what to do when someone has a cardiac arrest is important. It could be someone you know or a complete stranger, but you can learn how to help make a difference to their chances of survival.

Our quick, fun and very practical course will teach to save lives by teaching you to recognize a heart attack and a cardiac arrest, help an unconscious person, perform CPR, and help someone choking.

Team Challenge:

Have you got what it takes to work together as a team? Participants will solve problems and challenges that involve them working as a team to be completed. These challenges will be the human knot, water challenge obstacle course, the impaired tent pitch, the farmer river challenge, and the minefield challenge. The second hour will focus on team sports of ultimate frisbee or handball with a twist!

Blair AKToR:

Question: Which is the most dramatic base at Blair Atholl? Answer: This one, the drama base! Join us on our grass carpet theatre for a fabulous blast of drama games, storytelling, laughter and fun. Let your imagination run loose at Blair-AKToR – Blair Atholl Kastle Theatricals of Repute – where you never need to apologise for being so fabulous. If you think there’s drama in the subcamps, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

iBuild:

A perfect activity for all abilities; whether you’re a budding carpenter or electrician, or you’ve never held a hammer or pair of pliers in your life. This activity is a double session of woodwork and electronics, where you will design and build a functioning portable speaker to take away! It will work with any device with a headphone socket such as iPod, iPhone, MP3 player, mobile phone, radio, CD player or handheld games!

Cultural Zone:

Come & join us in CULTURAL ZONE which encompasses a range of activity bases from previous Blair Atholl Jamborettes. On offer is a real mix of crafts, games and activities with a cultural connection from the countries represented at camp. Every day & session will be different. If you have something from your home country that you would like to share during one of the activity sessions then let us know, we are more than happy to make time.... Take the opportunity to come and chill out, socialize, to share and learn.

Crafts:

Tune into your creative side and come to Crafts, no physical effort required. Come and take the opportunity to sit and socialize whilst being creative. On offer are many different activities each table with a different theme, some of the crafts are Keyrings, Phone covers, String Art, Mosaic, Fun Neckies, paper craft and many more. Or why not come and make something for the disco or to celebrate Christmas on the 25th July with us. We have the materials and if you have the imagination, masterpieces can be created as well as a lot of fun.

Design & Build

Get your creative juices flowing as you work as part of a team to design and create solutions to a series of problems and challenges.

Go Global:

Want to change the world? Take part in our workshops, get informed and find out how you can make a difference! Think Global, Act Local!

Radio Blair

Ever wanted to know how a radio show is put together? Then join the Radio Blair team! From producing features for broadcast, to helping select the music playlist, from presenting news segments, to creating and editing ads and jingles; you could be involved in producing our Jamborette radio show. And the show will be broadcast in all the sub-camps and around Target Park!

Tùr na h-Alba/ Sense of Scotland:

Scotland un-packed! A light hearted exploration of Scotland's languages , culture, tales and traditions.

Sample some delicacies, learn the truth behind the myths and discover 'whau's like us? Gie few, and they're as deid'.

Photography

View the camp through a lens. Try your hand at action shots and get some hints and tips on how to take some photos that truly reflect Jamborette life.

Dungeons & Dragons:

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game where players have the opportunity to play as characters in an imaginary setting and create fantastic stories together. Together you will solve dilemmas, battle with monsters, explore imaginary worlds and discover hidden treasures. This is a game of creative freedom and cooperative storytelling, where the only limit to what you can do is your imagination.

Samba:

Are you ready to feel the rhythm of Blair Atholl and make some noise? Experience the incomparable energy of a samba groove with this new-to-Blair musical activity. We’ll form our own drumming circle and progress all the way from basic beats to full Batucada rhythms. Have a go at playing a variety of traditional samba drumming instruments including the Surdo, Repinique, Ganza, Caixa, and Tamborim.

Kastle Kurrants:

Are you someone who knows all the tea and loves to spill it? Are you a highly creative and articulate individual who could investigate and write articles with their own balanced and unique perspective? Are you someone who can capture life’s moments in a click? Then do we have the activity for you. We produce a daily kamp newspaper called Kastle Kurrents, where you could be reporting the news from our field. We have columns for our resident agony aunt, daily ‘horrorscopes’, silly surveys, on the spot challenges, gossip from the field, kamp fashions, reviews from all our activities, photographs and so much more. Don’t just read the news, create it!

Archery:

Robin Hood, well archery is the one for you. You will have all the instructions on how to shoot like a pro. We will have team competitions, Pop the balloons and other activities to try. We shoot at 10 m and try and get all the arrows.

Axe Throwing:

Axe Throwing is back this year which is paired with Archery. Throughout this session you will start off by practicing with metal “throwing angles” aiming for targets. As you get better and perfect your stance, you’ll get the chance to try throwing tomahawks. Let's see who is king or queen of axe throwing.

Martial Arts:

Ever wanted to be like Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris? Maybe you just want to feel a bit safer walking around town at night. Either way, we can teach you some excellent self-defense moves to give you that self-assurance, from punching and kicking to throwing your opponent to the ground. Come along and learn something new and why you are a force to be reckoned with!

Cirque de Blair:

Do you want to learn how to juggle or just a the clown why not try Cirque de Blair. We also have uni-cycles, and a slackline amongst others, so if you want to have a shot on any of these just come to our base for session.

Fishing:

Spend a half-day in peace and quiet, fishing at a remote pond in the hills above Blair Atholl. We have stocked the pond with over 100 trout so together with the ones left over from previous camps, there is a good chance of you catching your own supper!

Cheer & Dance:

Ever thought about flipping through the air or lifting someone above your head? That’s just two reasons to come and try out cheer and dance. We will be going through tumbling, jumps and stunting from cheerleading including lifting your peers into the air. Interested in learning classic Scottish dancing for a ceilidh or a laugh? We will be learning Scottish country and highland dancing as well so you’re ready to show off your dancing moves at the Blair Atholl ceilidh! We are ready for you to come along and learn some new skills and moves you can use forever!

Treasure Hunt:

Dave is sad because he can't remember what the code for his treasure chest is. Luckily he thought this might happen and left clues lying around the estate to help jog his memory. Can you help Dave track down the clues and re-unite him with his precious treasure?

Team Sports:

Try your hand at a range of sporting activities including Handball, Rounders, Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee and of course not forgetting Football and Rugby (with our own Blair Atholl twist thrown in). It's fun for everyone and going to be totally unmissable! So, if you think you are ready, for some FUN sports with a strong team emphasis, try Team Sports at Blair Atholl.

Lawn Bowling:

Want to try a traditional British Sport? This gentle game of skill and tactics is harder than it looks and surprisingly addictive. Do you have what it takes...?

Bubble Football:

Work as a team to score with a giant football whilst wearing an inflatable zorb. This requires, skill, teamwork and the ability to stay on your feet!

Crate Climbing:

Test your head for heights in out crate climbing challenge. How high can you stack them before they (and you) come tumbling down? You'll never know unless you give it a shot! Can you go higher than your friends... let's find out!

Blair Castle:

A visit, in uniform, to the castle. Scouts will form three or four parties, each of which will be taken round the Castle by guides from the Jamborette staff. Scouts get free entry to the castle to see the amazing collections of weapons and deer antlers, as well as the other fascinating attractions of this 13th Century Castle and ancestral home of the Duke of Atholl.

Pitlochry Visit:

An opportunity to sight-see and shop in this delightful Victorian town and popular holiday resort, which nestles in the Perthshire Highlands. Whether you are looking for that essential present or memento to take home with you, or you want to sample the delights of that great Scottish delicacy Fish n Chips and a can of Irn Bru - you will enjoy your trip.

...and SO MUCH MORE!

This is just a taste of what the Jamborette has to offer. Combine all of this with the face that you're not waiting in line, you're with Scouts from around the world, and you only have two weeks... there isn't enough time to fit all of these activities in!