The troop was officially founded on November 7, 1990, as recorded in our first troop chronicle, and at the same time we joined the Czech Camping Union, where we are currently the oldest registered entity in Prague. Our history, however, goes back a bit further, as our origins date to the fall of 1988, when our leader, Pavel Ježek, was expelled from the Pionýr organization, and a few members left with him to found their own troop, “Bobříci.”
And why BOLTUKA, exactly? It’s quite simple: after November 1989, the Pionýr organization, the 189th Pionýr Group, was expelled from the school by the new principal and had to completely vacate the school premises—including all camping equipment—within a month. Unfortunately, only three units survived: “Lvíčata,” “Tuleni,” and “Kamzík.” If you add “Bobříci,” you get “BO-L-TU-KA.” At that time, the prison in Ruzyně helped us survive significantly, as we were able to store our camping equipment there throughout the year.
Over the following years, the “Lvíčata,” “Tuleňů,” and “Kamzík” troops disbanded, while the “Svišťů” troop remained active in our ranks for several years. Our ranks were also expanded by members of the 69th Girl Scout troop, which had ceased its regular activities, and since then, camps have also been held under our banner near Zvíkovské Podhradí.
In 1993, we moved our campsite from the Šluknov Hook to the Novohradské Mountains, and after two years of searching, we have been at the same location since 1995, near the village of Leopoldov. Here, we have gradually managed to build up a base where we can go even during the year, which was particularly valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2025, we celebrated the troop’s 35th anniversary as part of the Czech Camping Union (ČTU) with a festive gathering at the ČTU base on the Hadí River in Kocába, which included a ceremonial bonfire. It was a great honor for us to have with us the former chief of the Prague region, Pavel Prose, who accepted us into the union in the 1990s, and Irčan, who is among those who remember the founding of the ČTU in the 1960s.
Currently, we have more than 100 members, and for the first time, we have reached a point where we cannot accept every applicant. In 2026, we are organizing one 15-day summer camp near Zvíkovské Podhradí and two camps lasting 18 and 15 days in the Novohradské Mountains.