Originally posted at scouts.org.uk
British Scouting Overseas share their experience seeing a total eclipse of the sun
For lots of young people, 12 August 2026 was a special chance to watch the moon move between the Sun and Earth, blocking most or all of the Sun’s light.
Here in Britain, we popped on our special safety glasses to see a partial eclipse just after 7pm last night.
Other countries – such as Spain and Portugal – were treated to a total eclipse, where the Sun’s light is completely blocked.
It was an exciting time for many British Scouts Overseas, who had a fantastic view from the BSO Southern Europe Eclipse Camp Jamborette in Soria, Spain.
About 150 British Scouts from countries such as Scotland, Spain and France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Montenegro came together in the village of Covaleda for eight days of adventure, eclipse-themed activities and, of course, the big event itself.
Graham Eden, Lead Volunteer for British Scouting Overseas (BSO) is at the camp until Friday 14 August and saw the total eclipse for himself.
He says: “We’re up in the mountains of Spain where the sky is so dark you can see sparkling constellations. We’ve been enjoying a whole week of activities from kayaking to high ropes and trail walking – everything you’d expect from an exciting Scout camp, but there’s a twist: we came for a very exciting solar experience.
“The total eclipse happened at about 8.30pm in Spain, and we watched it from a very special spot where the hills frame the landscape.
“From a fiesta-style start as the eclipse began to a hushed awe as the sky went dark, it's an experience we'll never forget.”
The adult volunteers have spent years planning this special Jamborette, where young people have taken part in lots of eclipse-themed STEM activities such as making a 1.5km solar system across the whole campsite.
“It’s more than just Scout adventures,” says Graham. “The young people have learnt all about the science of the solar eclipse thanks to one of our leaders, who’s an astronomer. They’ve also been building weather balloons and programming a Raspberry Pi computer to fly them.
“We were so excited for the main event. The young people got to see a total eclipse for quite possibly the first and only time in their lives,” he adds. “We spent a lot of time preparing, making sure everyone had the special glasses and knew how to use them.
“Phone cameras get damaged by the sun in an eclipse so we enjoyed the moment without any distractions – it was absolutely fantastic.”
The fun hasn’t ended just yet. On Thursday 13 August, young people will soak up the Spanish culture at a local village festival, and there’s plenty more activities to enjoy on Friday before everyone goes home.
If you saw the event at home in the UK, remember to share your pictures with us – we can’t wait to see them.
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