Campfire

The session is led by Beaudesert instructors around a safe, supervised open fire. The format is flexible and can include marshmallow toasting, group songs, storytelling, and informal games, or it can be adapted into a more reflective, quieter experience depending on what the group needs. It works for whole-cohort gatherings, and fire safety education is naturally embedded within the experience throughout. It can function as a standalone session or as a closing highlight for a residential programme.

There's something timeless about sitting around a fire together — and it delivers real programme value too. Residential visits including a campfire session count towards the Nights Away Staged Activity Badge for Scouts and Cubs, while the shared experience supports the Our Outdoors Challenge Award for Cubs on residential trips. Girlguiding members can earn the Land Adventure Badge through the outdoor, out-of-routine experience, and a residential stay can contribute to the DofE Gold Residential section. In school groups, campfire sits within the KS2–KS4 outdoor and adventurous activities requirement and is one of the most powerful tools for PSHE — building communication, active listening, confidence and a sense of belonging that you simply can't replicate in a classroom.

All fires are managed by Beaudesert staff in accordance with our site fire safety policy and established outdoor education best practice.

There is something genuinely powerful about gathering around a fire together. It creates space for conversation, reflection, and group cohesion that no indoor activity can replicate. For residential groups, the campfire is almost always the moment participants remember most fondly.