Practical information – summer camps

Important things to know when you are going to visit Houens Odde

Practical information

Arrival and departure

When you arrive at Houens Odde please proceed down the road towards the forest.

At Stensgården you will see a sign that says that motor vehicles are prohibited in the forest. This, however, does not apply to guests with a booking – which is you – so you may proceed down through the forest.

Follow the signs saying ‘Aktivitetscenter’, which is the Activity Centre. Your camp leader will greet you in the forest. If you arrive outside the normal arrival hours you have to register in the Idea Workshop at the Activity Center. Then you will be guided to you campsite.

Arrival is always on Saturdays from 14 o’clock.

Notice that gear and luggage can’t be brought all the way to your campsite in your own car or bus. Instead you have to load it on a tractor waggon for a short distance through the forest. The scouts must be prepared to carry their own luggage from the car park to your campsite.

Please note that a bus can’t drive all the way to the Activity Center. Make contact with the camp leader well before the camp begins and give an estimate on when you will arrive. The camp leader will greet you and make plans for your gear to be transported down into the forest on a tractor.

How to get to Houens Odde

Houens Odde International Scout Center is a peninsula in the Kolding Fjord, about 10 km from Kolding.

Our address is:

Houens Odde 14-20
DK-6000 Kolding

Public transportation

There are trains to Kolding from Germany and from all parts of Denmark.

The nearest airport is Billund and from there you can take the public busses to Kolding. Please consult rejseplanen.dk for bus services from Kolding Station on the day you arrive.

Hire a bus

You can also hire a bus for your transport from the bus company Egeskov Turistfart – http://www.egeskovturist.dk/ . Call the company or send an email to book a bus or ask about prices.

For small groups it may be cheaper to hire a taxi from Kolding to Houens Odde. Taxis are available for 4 or 8 persons.

Departure
Before leaving Houens Odde you have to clean your campsite and get the area checked by the camp leader. After his or her approval you can leave Houens Odde.

Departure is on Saturdays at 12 o’clock or earlier.

Activities

When signing up for a center camp you can choose three activities that your group wants to try during the camp.

You can read about the various activities at this website. There is a wide range from handicraft to climbing, sailing and nature games.

Read about the activities here.

Note that not all activities are offered every week. We want trained instructors in all activities and if the relevant competencies are not in the staff during the week you are attending, we may have to cancel an activity.

Joint activities

In a typical center week a palette of joint activities will be offered for all scout and guide groups.

It can be:

Opening and closing campfires
A whole or a half joint day with thematic activities
Night race for small scouts and guides
Night race for older scouts and guides
Leaders’ get together
Morning prayer
Daily flag ceremony

Participation is voluntary but the joint activities is a good way to get to know the other scout and guide groups in the camp.

Hikes and excursions

For groups who want to go hiking and explore the area around Houens Odde there are lots of interesting possibilities. Also the city of Kolding can be reached on a hike.

The idea workshop have suggestions for the target of the trip and they can also suggest a place to stay overnight in the area around Houens Odde.

Camp sites

During a center camp at Houens Odde scout and guide groups have their own camp sites, surrounded by forest, fjord and open fields. Often large groups have their own campsite while smaller groups may get to share a camp site with another group.

The campsites have fixed fireplaces and extra portable fireplaces can be added if there are more groups in the campsite. Due to protection of the area digging in the campsites is not allowed. Therefore all pioneering constructions must be made to stand on the ground and every group can borrow a barrel for waste water.

Pioneering poles are available in all campsites.

Firewood can be picked up at the Activity Center and is included in the participation fee.

Water posts with cold water are placed outside the toilet houses as well as in the forest. The water in these taps are fit for human consumption.

Cars must be parked in the parking lots and driving to the campsites is not allowed. Instead the camp staff can offer a tractor for transporting heavy luggage.

Important buildings

Mosehuset
Mosehuset (the Marsh House) serves as a creative workshop at Houens Odde. The house is stuffed with tools and materials for felting, leather work, wood carving, smithery and much more.

Mosehuset is situated between the Activity Center and the Gilwell Huts – follow the path from the gravel road.

The workshop
The workshop is the working area for the volunteer center workers – the Houmen. From the workshop groups in the camp can borrow a wheelbarrow for transporting firewood or you can borrow rope and other equipment.

The Nature and Environtment Lab
This is the home of all our activities and communication within the field of nature and environment. Some of the activities will be supervised by a Houman while others can be borrowed by the groups and taken out into the forest or back to the camp sites. All borrowed equipment must be returned in cleaned state to the Nature and Environment Lab.

Tutten
Tutten is one of the buildings at the Activity Center. It is furnished with tables and benches. During center camps Tutten serves as a sitting room for the camp participants.
In Tutten your scouts can collect mail from home and borrow a wide range of games. You can also charge cell phones here.
In Tutten you will also find the Idea Workshop and the Candy Shop.

Idea Workshop
The Idea Workshop plan joint activities and keeps track on which groups has which activities during the week. We have basic first aid ecuipment for smaller injuries and here you can also borrow activity materials, maps of Houens Odde and surroundings and other necessities.
If you have any questions regarding your stay, the Houmen in the Idea Workshop will be able to help you out.
The Candy Shop
The Candy Shop is open a few times during the day and stocks a selection of candy, ice cream and soft drinks.

The Staff House (Stabshuset)
This is the quarters for the staff and during the summer camps there is no acces for the participants.

Sleeping House and Family House (Sovehus & Familiehus)
This is where the staff sleeps, and this is off limits to summer camp participants.

Toilets and baths
At Houens Odde we have modern toilet- and bathing facilities.

Toilet houses
These are placed strategically around the forest so all camp sites have easy access. There are three in the forest surrounding the Activity Centre and one at the area at Stensgården. They are divided into a ladies and gentlemen’s rooms, there is also an easliy accessed toilet for visitors with disabilities and all the showers run hot water. Toilets and baths are free to use for all participants.
Mobile toilet units in the courtyard of the Activity Centre
There will be white, mobile toilet unitsin the courtyard at the Activity Centre during the summer camps. These are only for use of the staff.
If you are at an activity close to the Acitvity Centre you can use the toilet building by the fire wood sheds, which is right behind the Activity Centre.

The sailing bridge
Most of the sailing activities are run from the sailing bridge close to the Activity Center.
Due to safety issues you are only allowed to enter the sailing bridge when wearing a life vest. Swimming is not allowed from the sailing bridge.

Groceries and food storage

Places to shop groceries:

REMA 1000: 2,5 km – Drejensvej 2, 6000 Kolding

Lidl: 6,5 km — Sommerfuglevej 8, 6000 Kolding

Super Brugsen: 7,5 km – Centervej 5, 6000 Kolding

Netto: 6 km – Fynsvej 100, 6000 Kolding

Fakta: 7 km – Adelvej 63, 7000 Fredericia

The Candy Shop

During center camps a small candy shop is available at the Activity Center. You can buy candy, ice cream, soda and Houens Odde souveniers.

The candy shop is open twice a day, typically after lunch and after dinner.

Cold storage

We have cold storage facilities for each group where milk and other perishable food can be stored. Each group will get a shelf and the groups will take turns to keep the room clean.

A list will be put on the door, telling when your group is responsible for cleaning.

Renting camping materials

Houens Odde has a limited amount of tents and boxes of cooking equipment for rental.

If you want to rent some equipment then please note it while signing up for a camp. You can contact the center office for rental fees at houensodde@houensodde.dk.

Sorting your waste

Houens Odde International Scout Center is a SCENES-centre – a scout center with a special focus on the environment. Therefore we sort our waste.

By choosing our renovation company we have ensured that our garbage will not just be mixed afterwards.
At the first leaders’ meeting we will inform you about the waste system.

Digging in the campsites is not allowed – that is the reason why every group will get a barrel for waste wate instead of digging a hole for it.

Detailed information on waste fractions and sorting at Houens Odde – including download of our waste sorting guide, can be found here:

Information on waste sorting at Houens Odde

General rules

At Houens Odde International Scout Center we have a few but very important rules that we ask you to follow:

At Houens Odde Scout Center we are aware of nature conservation. We want our visitors to protect the vegetation, especially new plants, slopes and the bark of the trees. Don’t throw paper or other garbage.
Digging in the forest at Houens Odde is not allowed as the soil in the forest is vulnerable.
Think about your neighbours. We don’t want scouts or leaders to enter other campsites unless the leaders have made an appointment about it. Only walk on roads and paths.
All campsites and the forest must be kept quiet between 23 o’clock and 7 o’clock.
Driving with private cars must be limited and driving is only allowed on the road along the coast, not in the forest.
Parking is only allowed in the marked parking lots. Caravans and mobile homes are not allowed at the campsites in the forest.
Due to the wildlife in the forest dogs should not be brought to the camp – visiting dogs have to be kept on a leash.
Everybody has to wear a life vest during all kinds of activities on water and on the sailing bridge. Only swimming can take place without a life vest and can only take place at the rafting site.
Kidholmene is the two small islands in the fjord near Houens Odde and can only be visited from 15^th of July to 1^st of April (outside the breeding season for the birds living there). Not more than eight persons at a time may visit the islands and you may only go there when the center staff agrees.

Signing up and payment

Here you can sign up for Center Camp at Houens Odde International Scout Center. In May we will open the activity booking and you will receive an e-mail with a description and a link.

When the activity booking is open – remember to book activities for each unit or age group if they do not all want the same activities. When you have sent your booking by clicking “ok” you will receive a confirmation as an e-mail. You must sign up for activities before mid-June.

After sending your activity application you will receive an overview of your suggestions. We may not be able to fulfill all wishes for activity periods but we intend to make a week plan that satisfies all groups.

Payment
The fee is stated on the enrollment page. The fee covers the activities you participate in. However, if you join the joint dinner there will be an extra fee.

You will be required to pay your bill before you leave the center.

Do remember

For building your camp you have to bring rope, tents and other equipment for your troop and your patrols. It may be a good idea to bring some kind of cover for the campsite as there is not enough indoor space for all camp participants in case of rainy weather.

You can bring a grid for the fireplace and you should also bring cans for water.

There are quite a lot of mosquitos at Houens Odde so do remember mosquito repellant and some treatment if you get bitten anyway.

There are also ticks in the forest so do also remember tools to remove them.

Bring a first aid kit as well with band aid etc.

FAQ

Is there an outlet for electricity at the camp sites?

No, there is not electricity available at the camp sites. If you need to charge electrical devices, please contact the camp staff – they will help you find a socket.

When does the summer camps begin and end?

A summer camp week begins on a Saturday with arrivals after 2 PM and ends the following Saturday with the latest departure at 12 PM. Please consider this in your planning, since groups returning home need to make room for new arrivals.

Please note that the volunteer staff changes every camp week. This happens on saturdays. So if you chose to stay for a period that extends into a second camp week, you will experience a new group of volunteer centre staff.
As our staff are all volunteers, you may experince small variations in how things are done from week to week.

What is the fee for the activities?

All of our activities that takes place at Houens Odde are, as of a starting point, included in the camp fee.

We are, however, offering activities that takes place outside the centre where there is a participant’s fee, such as Funky Monkey Park in Kolding and similar activities.

There might also be a joint dinner concept during your summer camp where a dining fee will be charged. Your camp leader will inform you if such an activity has been planned for your camp, and you are at liberty not to participate.

Our hiking-concept offers the possibility of earning the badge “Kolding Adventures” which take place in the city of Kolding. Here you may be required to pay an admission fee to some of the attractions, public transportations and so on.