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Windy
Sayles
Whipsnade, Nr Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
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The
Windy Sayles Story
The Tree Cathederal Story
The Holiday Accomodation
The Camp Sites
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WINDY
SAYLES
is owned by the
DUNSTABLE DIVISION
of the Guide Association.
It is ideal for Pack Holidays and Guide Holidays and
is an ideal location for Guide Camps and Pack Holidays
Under Canvas.
The site is 5-10 minutes walk from Whipsnade Wild Animal
Park.
Click
for a map
Contact Details
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THE WINDY SAYLES STORY
The Blyth family, specifically
Edmund Blyth (who built the tree cathedral) gave the Dunstable
Division of the Guide Association half of the field now
known as Windy Sayles. The other half is on loan. This gift
was in memory of his mother and the work she had done in
the early days of Guiding. Mrs Blyth had been a pioneer
of guide camps and Guide trainings and set the first camp
training sessions for Guiders under the title ''Girl Guide
Officers Training Service''. She ran these trainings from
her home which was called Windy Sayles, hence the name of
our activity centre and from the Training Service initials
''GGOTS'' we get the Windy Sayles symbol of a goat.
One
of the conditions of this gift of land was the site facilities
would be used by members of the Guide Association only.
Another was that the Dunstable Division Guides would keep
the Tree Cathedral tidy. For many years Guides had working
parties pruning and cutting until the National Trust took
over the manual labour. The Guides, Brownies and Rainbows
still do litter clearing and general tidying up.
The
land was given to the division around 1967 and the main
building was opened on 19th September 1970 (Guide Diamond
Jubilee Year) by Lord Baden-Powell (grandson of our founder)
and his wife Lady Patience (who was the Guide Association
Chief Commissioner at the time).
The
dormitory section was added later and officially opened
in September 1982. Over the years the toilet block and
the Guiders room have been enlarged and the toilet facilities
added for campers.
The
Silver Fish award gained by Mrs Blyth is on display in
the Windy Sales Holiday House.
Three
of the trees in the middle of the Windy Sayles camp field
are in memory of the three friends whose death inspired
Edmund Blyth to create the Tree Cathedral. A fourth tree,
the blue cedar, was planted in 1981 by Henry Blyth in
memory of his father Edmund who died in 1969. Back
to the Top
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THE
STORY OF THE TREE CATHEDRAL
The Tree Cathedral was created by Edmond Blyth. Born in
1898 he served in the infantry in World War 1 and suffered
the loss of dear friends Arthur Bailey, John Bennett and
Francis Holland in 1918. In1925 he bought a pair of cottages
at Whipsnade and converted them to holiday homes for poor
London families as a memorial to his friends but he felt
that they deserved something more worthy in their memory.
In 1930, with
his wife, he visited the new Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool
and marvelled at the challenge of designing a cathedral.
Then, while driving home he stopped to watch the sunset
through a group of trees and marvelled at their beauty.
So the idea was born of making a cathedral of trees. It
was his wife who suggested chapels for each season.
In 1927 Mr
Blyth had bought Chapel Farm at Whipsnade next to the
National Trust area. In 1930 with the help of Albert Bransom
he began planting. The work was almost complete by 1939
but was then delayed until after the war. When work started
again assistance was given by Gerald Wallsam. He is commemorated
in Wallsam Way. Another dedicated assistant was William
Baldwin.
The only change
to the original plan has been the addition of the hornbeam
avenue from the car park. This in memory of Mr Blyth's
son Tom who managed the Tree Cathedral after his fathers's
death in 1969 until his own death in 1978 when the Tree
Cathedral was given to the National Trust. Back
to the Top
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Hall:
The
hall has a beamed ceiling and access to the field.
Equipped with folding tables and chairs.
Suitable for a day-room / dining room.
The main hall has hatch to the Kitchen.
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Dormitory:
Carpeted
Room to sleep 18.
Mattresses are provided.
Brownies are asked to bring a fitted sheet.
No food or drink is to be taken into this area.
Indoor shoes must be worn.
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Guiders
Room:
Carpeted
Fitted
with wardrobe and drawer.
2 double bunks.
Curtained washing facilities.
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Kitchen:
Fully
equipped.
Electric cooker
microwave oven
fridge / freezer
crockery
cutlery
etc
Hot and cold water supply.
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Washroom:
Toilets:
3
Showers: 1
Wash basins: 10
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Cleaning:
Brooms etc in the cupboard by the backdoor.
Telephone:
The phone is in the guiders room. Guiders are asked to
log all calls in the book provided and put the appropriate
payment in the tin.
First
Aid: A small box is in the kitchen for emergencies.
Guiders are asked to bring their own first aid box.
Campfire:
A campfire circle is available in the woods. This can
be used freely - liasing with campers if necessary.
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For more information or to make a booking please
telephone
The Booking Secretary on 01582 661769.
Back to the Top
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CAMP
SITE FACILITIES
Sites:
There
are 2 unequipped sites on one field, each to accommodate
approximately 30 campers.
Campers are asked to keep well up the field whenever possible
(to give people of the Holiday House privacy)
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Toilets:
2 flush toilets for daytime use and a separate one for gentlemen.
Water:
The tap is on the outer corner of the building, near the
toilets. The mains stopcock is in the toilet block in the
building.
Elsans:
The cesspit is clearly marked (near the water outside and
must be used by Adults Only, who are asked to ensure that
the drains are not obstructed and that the elsans are not
put under the drinking water tap for rinsing.
Telephone:
Campers are advised to take a mobile telephone. (if someone
is resident in the Holiday House there is a telephone in
the Guiders Room) Guiders are asked to log all outgoing
calls in the book provided and put the appropriate payment
in the tin.
Rubbish:
An incinerator is available in the woods. The residue from
the burned rubbish and unburnable rubbish should be put
in sacks, tied and placed in the wheelie bin at the side
of the garages. Rubbish must not be buried and no food is
to be left as the site has a large number of nocturnal animal
visitors.
The wheelie bin should be left on the corner by the Village
Hall for collection on Mondays
Cooking:
Altar fires are only to be used - no turfing is allowed.
Guiders need to bring their own equipment - but see the
note below on bricks.
Small hike fires may be lit with great attention to safety
in the woods on suitable bare areas as long as the fire
area is totally cleaned up afterwards.
Campfire:
A campfire circle is available in the woods. This can be
used freely - liasing with anyone staying in the Holiday
House if necessary.
Wood:
Wood may be gathered from the top of the site (as you stand
with your back to the building) and the left hand side.
(The woods on the right hand side are private) Brought in
wood is sometimes available but Guiders may like to bring
additional supplies. These should be left neatly if not
taken home again. Gadget wood and firewood must not be cut
from trees.
Bricks:
Some half bricks are available. They must be returned to
the container by the garages and not thrown in the woods
or left on the field.
Tent Pegs:
As the field is mechanically mown it is most important that
all pegs and gadget wood are retrieved when striking camp.
Cars:
Cars should be parked on the field near the pathway at the
end of the building. They must not be driven across the
field. Visitors may park in the Tree Cathedral car park.
Back to the Top |
For
more information or to make a booking please telephone
The Booking Secretary on 01582 661769.
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