Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Longmynd Adventure Camp

Longstanding readers will know that my favourite writer as a child was Malcolm Saville. His books are where my love of the Shropshire hills first came from.

The first of Saville's Lone Pine books was Mystery at Witchend. In his foreword he says:
"The country in which this story is set is real, but if you are ever lucky enough to explore it for yourself you will not find Witchend."
Up to a point Lord Saville.

If you do explore the Shropshire hills with an Ordnance Survey map and the maps you find on the endpapers of the Lone Pine books, you will soon discern that the real-life model for Witchend is a house called Priors Holt. Equally, you will discover that the Ingles Farm of the book is based on Hamperley Farm down the lane.

When making these discoveries you will probably also come across the Longmynd Adventure Camp - just the sort of establishment of which Malcolm Saville would have approved.

It has always been a bit of a mystery to me, but the Shropshire Star tells you all about it:
A south Shropshire adventure camp, set up 50 years ago, is enjoying its busiest years ever – but supporters fear the credit crunch could hamper plans to finish refurbishment work. 
The Longmynd Adventure Camp ... has had its busiest half-year ever. 
“It’s extremely heartening to see the camp being used by more groups of special needs children. Once our wheelchair path opens in early August we plan to welcome even more.” said president Don Rogers. 
A massive £36,000 fundraising drive has reached the half way total. but trustees still need to raise another £18,000 to complete the refurbishment of the camp’s mess hall.
The article goes on to give contact details, should you feel moved to donate to the camp.

3 comments:

crewegwyn said...

I went up onto the Long Mynd on Monday for the first time in my life. Fantastic.

But the road up was ... er ... interesting, and the road down worse!

Kim March said...

I'm the secretary of the Longmynd Adventure Camp. The veil of mystery can be lifted by visiitng www.longmyndcamp.org.uk. Over 500 children stay at the camp each year, many from urban, disadvantaged backgrounds that have never experienced the courtyside before. Perhaps we could set up a Malcolm Saville library at the Camp? Any offers?

Jonathan Calder said...

I suspect modern children would find Saville rather dated.

But I do have a box of swaps (not all about Shropshire) that you are welcome to...