Planning the Camp

We started off our planning by deciding to go to Rome (or as near as was practical) for our summer camp.  Our next step was to use the Internet to research suitable camp sites.  We did not find much help in Ireland - to the best of our knowledge no Irish troop has camped near Rome in recent times.  (Yep, sorry if we're wrong.  Contact me here & I'll be more than happy to add your experiences.)

We succeeded in finding two campsites.  Bracciano & B.P. Park.   Both of these are situated North of Rome.  Bracciano is some 30km from Rome & B.P. Park is about 50.  (Both very rough figures).  From what we discovered on the web, we reckoned that either or both might prove to be a successful camp location for us.

Earlier this year (1999), 3 of us travelled to Rome to see the sights & sites (sorry for the pathetic pun).  It was Rome like we had never dreamt of seeing it - under snow!!  This happens very rarely, and did add a rather comic element to our video of the sites where heat would be our worry!

We first visited Bracciano.  It resembled no Scout campsite that I've ever seen before.  Electric security gates barred our entry!  We found a phone number on the gate & rang this number.  Shortly after, Salvatore Volpe arrived to let us in (very amicably considering that we had arrived unannounced!).  Salvatore is a great guy - the kind of person that we should all aspire to be in Scouting.   WARNING - he has next to no English.  You really need someone with at least basic Italian to complete an Italian camp.

Salvatore showed us around - the place was magnificent.  Chalets with 12 bunks in each,  toilet facilities with toilet, sink & shower in each cubicle.   Campfire circles.  Telephones.  Parking.  While not excelling from a "supplied activities" perspective, Bracciano had the facilities needed.

For 'outside' groups such as ourselves, the woods next to the base is used for camping.

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