A GROUP of 34 scouts, venture scouts and leaders from 1st Carleton Scout Group have returned from their travels to the Netherlands. Venture scout Edward Statham was one of the intrepid adventurers and shares his memories...

The coach journey to Baarn, 20 miles from Amsterdam, was long and uncomfortable and, on arrival, a relaxing swim was just the tonic.

The weather was scorching hot for the duration of the week and trips out included visits to Volendam and Markam, which are two traditional Dutch villages where a day was spent sampling the local flavour and shopping for souvenirs.

On day two there was a trip into Amsterdam, which was an unforgettable experience in a culture very different to our own. A visit to a theme park was arranged for day three. Walibiland is a relatively new theme park built on land reclaimed from the sea. It is set in delightful surroundings and combines white-knuckle thrill rides with rides for the whole family.

On day four there was a trip to Utrecht, a town about the same size as Blackpool with plenty of shops and the opportunity to explore the scenic canals by pedalo.

An excursion to Zaanse Schans - an open air museum with working windmills and the chance to see cheese and clog makers in action - was next on the list while the final day was spent sunbathing by the pool before embarking on the journey home.

A thoroughly enjoyable time was had by everyone on the trip and a similar excursion is planned for 2001.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.