Getting ready for the bears

1:30pm Friday 11th May 2007

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BEWARE of the bears' is the message being drummed into the Misbourne Unit Explorers as they prepare for an epic adventure in Canada later this year.

A group of 23 Explorers and Network scouts, along with seven leaders, will spend three weeks camping as part of a trip to commemorate the centenary of scouting.

With an ever-present threat of bears lurking in Canadian camping grounds, the explorers are already getting into the habit of keeping a tidy campsite. Most importantly, they must keep food in bear-proof storage, away from the tents.

Rachael Callicott, 15, PR co-ordinator for Misbourne Unit Explorers, said: "It's not really a big concern so much as something to be pointed out, so we're all aware of what's happening.

"We obviously don't want anyone getting injured or anything, so we're making sure we all know what to do."

The group meets every fortnight in Great Missenden and went to Phasels Wood scout camp and activity centre in Hertfordshire in April to practice camping skills.

Miss Callicott said: "We practised sorting our food, and where we can store it - what we need to keep in cool boxes, and keeping the food away from the tents so it doesn't attract bears."

Many Canadian camping grounds operate a bare campsite' policy encouraging visitors to keep food secure to stop the many bears roaming the national parks from scavenging.

Rachael lives in Fairacres, Prestwood. She said: "We're flying into Calgary, then we're going to Banff, Cananaska, Golden and Johnson Canyon, in the national parks around the Rocky Mountains.

"We'll be doing white-water rafting, caving, horse-riding, climbing, canoeing, wild camping, hiking and much more, not forgetting the most important thing to many of the girls - shopping. You can do rock-climbing and kayaking over here, but it's not the same as it is in Canada."

The trip begins on July 18, when the Explorers take the seven-hour flight to Calgary.

Miss Callicott said: "The Explorers are all very excited to be going. I think we're even all looking forward to the plane trip, even though it's a long one."