Camp Gateways

Cambridge District Scout Archive

Camp gateways are a traditional Scout pioneering project, notionally to delineate the camp site entrance but with a strong function as a display of scouting skills.  In large camps they act to identify a site amongst many.   Most pioneering books give versions of gates. John Sweet, local Field Commissioner for Cambridgeshire, provided the basics of much pioneering in his ‘Scout Pioneering’, and some gates – the star of David gate, the up and over gate. He also gave the advice that the gate is the ‘cherry on the cake’ and is the last part of constructing a camp, not the first.

Cambridge Archives

References to camp gateways are few; maybe few gateways are especially memorable. 

1920’s -30’s 5th Cambridge , West Runton

1936 The 7th Cambridge made the arches for the various entrances to the County Rally at Ely.

1937 World Scout Jamboree Holland

1951 World Scout Jamboree Austria

1953    Sandringham Camp                700 Scouts from Cambridgeshire

            7^th Cambridge              Gateway representing the school crest

            26^th  Cambridge          Gateway from trek cart handle and a two tier table from the wheels

1957    International Jamboree Sutton Park Cambridge Camp had a cyclist atop the camp gate which pedalled furiously when the gate was opened.  It was known as ‘George’.  (From R. Summerfields’ album)

The shields of each District are visible.

JWR Archivist May 2019