This year marks 100 years of World Thinking Day and we’re celebrating with a week long international take over! Faith, 1st Crieff Rangers, has written about her adventure to Switzerland and the Danish friends she made along the way. 

Our trip to Kandersteg in July 2024 started as our final challenge for the Guide Gold award, but it quickly became so much more. We went to the Kandersteg International Scout Centre expecting mountains, activities, and adventure and we got all of that, but the part we didn’t expect was the international friendships we made.

The week challenged us in all kinds of ways. White water rafting in freezing alpine water pushed us to work as a team. If 1 person stopped paddling, everyone felt it. Geocaching around the campsite tested our navigation skills and sometimes our patience with each other, and every activity stretched us physically, mentally, and socially.

Climbing Dündehorn was the toughest challenge. At around 1,900 metres, the steep uphill sections, rocky paths, and false summits made it much harder than it looked on paper. But reaching the top and looking out across the Alps gave a quiet sense of pride. We had not just talked about resilience, we had actually needed it.

Some of the most memorable moments weren’t about physical challenges at all. During entertainment hour we teamed up to overthrow the Pinkies, the Kandersteg staff, so we could hold a proper Scottish ceilidh. Dancing under the stars with our new Danish friends was full of laughter and music, and it reminded us how much stronger experiences feel when shared.

We also visited a traditional Swiss chalet near the centre and watched a local wood carver at work. It was quieter and slower than our adventure activities, but it gave us a chance to reflect, appreciate patience and skill, and soak in the alpine surroundings.

Receiving our Guide Gold awards at Our Chalet was unforgettable. After a week of challenges, meals shared, ceilidhs danced, and neckies swapped, the awards felt like a perfect celebration, not just of our achievements, but of the friendships we had built. Our WhatsApp group is still buzzing with photos and jokes. By the end of the week we were already planning our next adventure together and this year we are attending the Danish National Scout Jamboree later to visit them.

Travelling internationally to Kandersteg wasn’t just about pushing ourselves or reaching summits. It was about connection, trust, and shared experiences. The mountains tested us, but the friendships, especially the ones that started at camp and continue across borders, are what have truly lasted.