- Kate travelled to Newby Bridge in Cumbria to train with fellow adult volunteers
- The Duchess regularly helps out at a Scout group in North Wales
- It's hoped the visit will encourage more young adults to get involved in Scouting
By David Wilkes
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If there was a badge for being effortlessly stylish, surely the Duchess of Cambridge would have earned it yesterday.
With her 60s tweed cap at a jaunty angle and a red, white and blue UK Scouts neckerchief, Kate even made a snowy camp in Cumbria look chic.
With her outfit completed by Le Chameau wellies and a green jacket which hid her baby bump, the 31-year-old Duchess braved the 1C cold to learn how to light a camp fire, then took off her fingerless mittens to cook unleavened bread on a stick
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Campfire's burning: The Duchess joked that her attempt at making a 'damper' from dough 'didn't look particularly edible' as she joined Scout volunteers today to hone her skills
Jovial: Kate laughs with the other volunteers as she looks the part in a red, white and blue neckerchief - which she knotted instead of tying with a woggle
Role model: The Scout Association hope their royal supporter will encourage other young adults to get involved in Scouting
Braving the cold: The Duchess of Cambridge during her visit to the Great Tower Scout Camp near Newby Bridge in Cumbria today where temperatures plummeted to minus five
Clearly enjoying herself, she giggled as she wrestled with the bread. And her verdict on the result? 'Oh, it's actually not bad, if you were really desperately hungry,' she laughed.
The Duchess became a volunteer with her local Cub Scouts pack in Anglesey, North Wales, last year.
She has some experience to call upon, enrolling at eight as a Brownie in the 1st St Andrew's pack in Pangbourne, Berkshire. Yesterday she joined other adult volunteers as they trained to work with Beaver and Cub Scouts at Great Tower Scout Camp, Cumbria. Simon Carter of the Scout Association said the organisation needs adult volunteers.
He said: 'The reason we value the Duchess's support so much is that she helps out when she can. She is very busy. We want to say to people: “You can come when you can and we will work around youâ€.'
One of the pack: Kate Middleton in the Brownies in September 1990 (right)
Getting stuck in: The Duchess plunged her hands into a doughy mixture of flour, water and sugar as she learned how to make a campfire treat for children
Success: The group managed to get a fire going despite the falling snow
'It's quite sugary': Kate wasn't convinced her cooking skills were up to scratch
The five month pregnant Duchess was undeterred by the conditions, plunging her hands into a doughy mixture of flour, water and sugar as she learned how to make 'dampers' or 'twists' - a campfire treat for children.
There were cheers and claps as the instructor, despite the wind and snow, managed to create a flame.
Kate, still wearing her sparkling wedding and engagement rings, then delved her hands into a squidgy mixture of flour, water, oil and sugar.
She kneaded the dough in a bowl for several minutes before they made elongated twists out of the pastry by rubbing blobs of the mixture between their hands.
After washing the dough mix off her hands Kate wrapped a twist of the messy mixture around a twig stripped of bark which was placed over the open fire ready to toast.
The show must go on: Kate didn't let the snow stop her visit although she did arrive via train rather than helicopter thanks to the conditions
Be prepared: Kate learnt the Scouts continue with their activities whatever the weather
The volunteers' efforts had mixed results, with the Duchess laughing and giggling with the others as some of the twisters dropped into the flames.
'I'm not sure if these are going to look particularly edible,' Kate laughed.
After several minutes toasting on the fire Kate pulled off a piece of the bread and, rather gingerly, popped it in her mouth.
'Oh, its actually not bad,' she told the group. 'It is quite sugary though.'
Becky Coates, 38, who helped the Duchess make 'twists' to toast on the fire said: 'It was great fun, she's lovely. You can tell she enjoys it and got stuck in, she was straight in there. She was just treated as one of us, scouting does that, it's an amazing atmosphere.'
Ms Coates, from the Sedgwick and Crosscrake Beavers in Kendal, added: 'She said, 'Maybe see you again in another scouting field'. She chuckled that it could not have been much colder. It shows you can do scouting in all weather. Not an awful lot can put us off.'Â
Down with the kids: After lunch, the Duchess met children from Scout and Cub groups who tried some tree climbing
Passing on her skills: Kate showed the children how to safely light a fire
After lunch with the volunteers it was time for the Duchess to teach her new-found skills to a group of children - as the snow got even thicker.
The adults were joined by around 30 youngsters, aged between eight and ten and from the Medlock Scout group in Manchester and other scouts and cubs from groups in Hawkshead and Holme in Cumbria.
Kate knelt in the snow to show them how to make fire from sparks using flints and cotton wool, cheering along after one youngster - after several attempts, managed to create a flame.
Later she viewed children practising climbing with ropes. The Duchess watched as Khiara Keating, aged eight, from the 465th Manchester Scout Group, struggled to climb up a tree.
Suitable attire: Five months pregnant Kate wore a khaki jacket with her trusty £300 Le Chameau wellington boots and favourite blue £29.99 Zara jeans
Keeping the snow off her famously bouncy locks: Her bakerboy style tweed hat is £49 from Really Wild Clothing
'I bet it feels a lot higher up there,' Kate said, before the youngster, 20 feet up, shouted down, 'I can't do it!'
The child was winched down and received a hug from the royal visitor for her efforts.
Connor Childs and Fatima Vukhari, both aged nine and from a scout group in Ardwick, Manchester, both learned about making fire with flint from the Duchess.
Fatima said: 'She showed us how to do it. It was hard because the snow was putting the sparks out. It was fun. She seemed like a princess, she looked pretty and had lovely hair.'
Fatima who gave the Duchess a brown teddy bear for her new baby added: 'Me and my friend got her a gift for her baby. She said it's really cute. We didn't do it pink or blue because they said it might be a girl or a boy.'
Delightful company: The other volunteers said Kate was 'lovely' and was treated just like everyone else
The Duchess was originally scheduled to come up to Cumbria by helicopter until the weather forecast was looked at, according to palace officials.
Instead she came by train from London this morning, arriving at nearby Oxenholme Station around midday.
Kate, said to be 'passionate' about volunteering, helps out occasionally at a Scout group close to her home in North Wales.
The Scout Association is hoping the visit by one of the country's most high-profile figures will encourage other young adults to get involved in Scouting.
More adult volunteers are needed for the 35,000 young people currently waiting to join the movement, which already has well over half a million members.
Simon Carter, assistant director of The Scout Association, said: 'The Duchess works with eight to 10-year-olds, she's learned how to do stuff when she goes to cubs on Wednesday evenings.
'The Queen is the Patron of the Scouts, last year when the Duchess committed to her charity work she didn't want to be just a figurehead, she wanted to do something meaningful. She's passionate about volunteering.
'The reason we value the Duchess' support is that even though she's very busy she helps out when she can.'
Sunday: The Duchess joined husband Prince William at a St Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, and laughed off getting her heel stuck in a grate, right
Tuesday: The royal couple visited children's charity Child Bereavement UK, in Saunderton, Buckinghamshire
Wednesday: The Duchess joined the Queen on a tour of Baker Street underground station to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Tube and delighted in being given a 'baby on board' badge to wear, right
Friday: Kate ended the week in Cumbria where she braved the snow to join Scout volunteers
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