Society Training Weekend 2024
Moor House Adventure Centre
March 29th - April 1st 2024
The 2024 society training weekend will be held at the Moor House Adventure Center, Houghton-le-Spring DH4 6QY
To get to the venue make your way to the A1(M) and take the A690 East towards Sunderland from junction 62. The venue is only about 1.5 miles from the A1(M) so getting there is very simple. Even the approach road is a dual carriageway. Take care on the final track into the venue as it's fairly narrow and has speed bumps (that are not obvious). NOTE - You cannot turn into the venue if approaching from the East (Sunderland end), but must go down to the A1 and go around the roundabout so that you come back up the A690 from the West (Durham end)
You can arrive from 12 noon on Good Friday and can stay till 5pm on Easter Monday.
Moor House Adventure Centre is a scout camp that used to be the Northern training centre for scout leaders. As such it has a large camping field, a second field for our combat training and other areas.
The following plan of the centre shows where everything is located.
The area outlined in red is the camping area. You can drive vehicles down the access road but DO NOT drive onto the grass. The area outlined in magenta/pink is hard-standing for caravans and campers. Please book in advance with Chrissy (treasurer[at]vikingsonline.org.uk) to ensure we have enough space.
After unloading cars are to be returned to the car park at the site entrance ; this will be full and you are likely to get boxed in. PLEASE USE YOUR VEHICLE OWNER ID CARDS so that people who are boxed in and wish to leave can find car owners to get them moved.
For the camping area : Please set up sensibly with tents 6ft apart in streets ; do not pitch in the middle of no-where in no discernible pattern. Do not leave great tracts of space between your tents. Whilst the area is large it will be full if we get a large turnout.
Toilets are in the service building which is at the top end of the camping field adjacent to the road. There are other toilets within the main building for use during the day.
Dogs are allowed on site. They must kept on leads and owners must clear up after them meticulously. We get special dispensation to have dogs on site and any breach may prevent our reuse of the venue in the future.
Note that the entire site is designated as a no smoking zone and a no vaping zone, anyone wishing to smoke or vape must leave the entire site ; ie. go out through the main gates ; there is a farm field turn in just about opposite the entrance to avoid standing around on the road.
The Stagger Inn bar will be in one of the white marquees in the green area. Training and testing areas are outlined in blue. If the weather is extremely inclement then we will have use of the near by Equestrian centre all weather arena for the Sunday. See the timetable for specific locations of different activities.
Timetable
Overall
Training - Saturday, Sunday & Monday (probably morning only)
9:00am - 10:00am Meetings 10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 11:15am - 11:30am Short Break 11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch Break 2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 3:15am - 3:30am Short Break 3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2
Specific Days
FRIDAY
8:00pm DARF pub quiz Main Hall
SATURDAY
9:00am - 10:00am Officer Meetings :-
• Combat meetings on training fields
• 9:30 am RAT meeting in dining room
• First Aiders training
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 :-
• Combat Training on training fields
• Missiles warm-up and training : all weapons
• 10:00 am LHE meeting at the Log Cabin
• 10:30 am LHE test surgeries at the Log Cabin
• LHE Skills Tests to follow surgeries at The Scout Fire Pit
• Crafts demos etc. in main Hall - details here [1]
• Acting session at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
• Youth Combat training 13->16 Years
11:15am - 11:30am Short Break
11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 :-
• Combat Training on training fields
• Missiles training: all weapons
• LHE Skills Tests - The Scout Fire Pit
• Kiddie Vike changes and ongoing training - meet at Main Hall
• Crafts demos etc. in main hall - details here [2]
• Acting session at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
• PA training session - Equipment Orientation - at The Log Cabin
1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch break
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 :-
• Combat Training. Larger scale fighting on training fields
• Missiles assessments: display archery & basic sling
• LHE Skills Tests at The Scout Fire Pit
• Crafts demos etc. in main hall - details here [3]
• Acting session at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
• Junior Missiles training. Some equipment available.
• Battle Captain session
• PA training session - at the battlefield
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2 :-
• Combat Competitions starting (going on till 5:30pm) on training fields
• Missiles assessments: combat archery & metal javelin; specialist sling training
• LHE History Tests at the Log Cabin - bring a pen and clipboard
• Crafts demos etc. in main hall - details here [4]
• Acting session at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
4:30pm - 5:30pm Kit checks and kit clinic - main hall
5:00pm - 6:00pm Combat - Alley Brawl - training field
6:30pm - 7:30pm ALTHING - main hall (lost property will be displayed during the Althing - if you have any please bring it to the hall)
to follow the Althing in the main hall....
Trix Randerson '"What did the Vikings ever do for us?"
Clothing change and the Scandinavian settlement of Britain'
SUNDAY
09:00am - 10:00am Meetings
• First Aiders training
• 9:15 am Missile trainers meeting (RTTM and MTO)
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 :-
• Combat testing. Larger scale fighting
• Missiles display training: all weapons
• LHE Surgeries (if required) at The Log Cabin
• LHE Skills Tests at The Scout Fire Pit
• Crafts demos etc. in main hall - details here [5]
• Acting testing at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
• Youth Combat Training 13->16 Years
11.00 am Easter Egg Hunt for children under 12 and their supervising bigger person, for pre booked people only.
11:15am - 11:30am Short Break
11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 :-
• Combat Testing. Larger scale fighting
• Missiles training: specialist archery, specialist sling & combat rubber javelin
• LHE Skills Tests at The Scout Fire Pit
• Crafts demos etc. in main hall - details here [6]
• Acting testing at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
12:30pm - 2:30pm Bring and Buy main hall (any unclaimed lost property will be sold in aid of DARF)
1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch break
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 :-
• Combat testing (if req.) .... or else more training
• Missiles assessments: specialist archery, specialist sling & combat rubber javelin
• Live blacksmithing demo by Hammer & Hound Forge - at the Smithooterie near the Log Cabin
• LHE History Tests at The Log Cabin - bring a pen and clipboard
• Crafts demos etc. in main hall - details here [7]
• Acting session at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2 :-
• Combat - Finish of combat competitions if req... finals
• Missiles users: more training or go have fun
• Live blacksmithing demo by Hammer & Hound Forge - at the Smithooterie near the Log Cabin
• LHE Team Debrief Meeting at The Log Cabin
• Crafts demos etc. in main hall - details here [8]
• Acting session at Marquee 1
• First Aiders training
5:00pm • Golden Javelin competition Missiles area
MONDAY