Den 5 is organising our 2008 annual winter weekend in Kandersteg, a very traditional alpine resort in the Bernese Oberland, just over 2 hours drive from Geneva.  Pack 130 stays in the International Scout Centre’s Chalet - built on a site chosen personally by Baden-Powell.

We arrive on Friday night after school, in time for a light meal, and then settle into our dormitory accomodation – boys and dads room together in den order, and mums and sisters together.  You have a choice of bedsheets and blankets provided by the centre, or you can bring your own sleeping bags.

Dens will organise their own skiing and there are a number of special kandersteg badges that can also be attempted  on Saturday (and Suinday). We will have a Fondu together in the evening, and then a short pack meeting. Then we will either go sledging (if there is enough snow in the village) or we will build a campfire in the woods like we did last year (when there was hardly any snow at all). After the evening’s activities are finished (9.30 pm), we put the children in bed, and those adults that can still stand on their feet can join the "let’s break all the rules" party in the staff room.

Sunday morning, after an 8.30 am breakfast and cleanup, you can either ski another half/full day – perhaps in a neighbouring resort such as Adelboden – or you can set off back home.  This will be Den 5′s fourth and final trip, and we are looking forward to it. It is great fun and we have had 120-140 people sign up for each of the last 2 years.

Please join us! Fill out the attached booking form, and hand it back to your den leader with the cash payment by 7th December.

Adam Hartley.
Den 5.