I've just returned from a long weekend of learning about bushraft. After putting up a tent in some beautiful woodland I saw a deer skinned with a knife and a boat being built from a sheet of plastic and some branches. There was a talk on hunting, starting with throwing sticks, spears, blow darts, using bones for needles and hooks. Also talks on wild herbs, on collection nutrients from wild plants, knife sharpening and other survival techniques.
Its wonderful to see so many people interested, and so many experts giving their time knowledge and experience. There were lots of men wearing their knives and camouflage gear, it would be easy to dismiss them as posers but in a woodland a knife is a useful tool and army cloths are designed to be hard wearing. Knowing were only a couple of meals away from disaster, its great to learn how relatively easy some survival techniques. If we lost power or water, how would we cope? Well some time spent on a course like this, and some useful equipment like a camping stove that will run on diesel or a water filter, would mean that we could survive for a time on what is around us.
Taster Courses in Bushcraft Skills
MASTERCLASS - Less is More - Jeremy Hastings
MASTERCLASS - Moving Silently in the Landscape - Chris Holland
MASTERCLASS - The Art of Tracking - Ian Maxwell
MASTERCLASS - Wild Food, nutritional values - Marcus Harrison
MASTERCLASS - Survival Arrow Making - Wayne Jones
WILD & MEDICINAL HERB WALK - Jackie Saul-Hunt
VEHICLE - your vehicle as a survival tool - Jason Ingamels
WATER - water procurement, filtering, disinfecting and sterilizing - Chris Smart
SIGNALLING & RESCUE- how to signal to the Rescue Services- John Hudson (RAF - S.E.R.E)
SURVIVAL SPEAR THROWERS AND DARTS - primitive technology - Andrew Packer
ONGOING CANOE CLINIC - Steve Yates and Chris Thompson
SHELTER FRAMES AND DESIGNS - Dave Watson
URBAN FORAGING- where to find your next meal in the concrete jungle - Marcus Harrison
BOW MAKING - Long & Flat Bow - Biviwacker (Paul Murtagh/Martin Gough)
IMPROVE YOUR TRACKING - using the phase method - Ian Maxwell
ASTRO-NAVIGATION - Bruce MacDonald
NATURAL CORDAGE - Dave Watson
NATIVE HUNTING TOOLS & METHODS - Patrick McGlinchey
KNIFE SHARPENING - Mike Jarmain
KNOW YOUR TREES- Chris Holland
PUMP DRILLS - for all sorts of use - Dave Watson
KNOW YOUR STEEL - knife 101 - Andrew Packer
FIELD ARCHERY - Wayne Jones
SLING BRAIDING - the art of sling making - Andrew Packer
PRIMITIVE AND MODERN SURVIVAL TRAPPING TECHNIQUES - Andrew Thomas Price
HAND DRILL FRICTION FIRE- Chris Holland
NATIVE FISHING TECHNIQUES - primitive - Patrick McGlinchey
SURVIVAL FISHING TECHNIQUES - modern - Tony Deacon
WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO! - identifying the vitamin rich edible wild plants - Marcus Harrison
TRAPS and TRIGGERS - Trevor Funnell
URBAN BUSHMAN - scavenging - Andrew Packer
HERB WALK AND TEA MAKING - Frances Wright
Demonstrations and Events
There will be various demonstrations given over the weekend at some of the trade stands including:
DEER CARCASE PREPARATION & USES - Piers Chandler
BUILDING A CLAY OVEN - Andrew Price
BUILDING A SWEAT LODGE - Woodland Ways
BUILDING A BASHA BOAT - Steve Yates
ROOSTER CARVING - Martin from the Bushcraft Tribe
BANNOCK BAKING COMPETITION - run by the Wilderness Gathering (with prize)
CONSTRUCTING & USING A PRIMITIVE FORGE - Dave Budd
OVER THE WHOLE WEEKEND
BOW AND HAND DRILL - Demonstrations Throughout the weekend - Dave Watson
STORY TELLING - around the communal fire on Friday night - Chris Holland
IRON AGE BLACKSMITH - Using the tools & techniques of the original masters of Iron - Dave Budd
BIRDING - Tales of the Tribe (Adults) - Jeremy Hastings
THE GREY RANGERS and other birding tales (kids) - Jeremy Hastings
HERB WALK AND TEA MAKING - Frances Wright
HERBAL OINTMENT MAKING - Frances Wright
HERBAL TINCTURE MAKING, COUGH SYRUP MAKING - Frances Wright
PREPARATION and TANNING of SKINS
THE ART OF MAKING PRIMITIVE WEAPONS - Biviwacker
STICK MAKING - Charles Hutcheon
GREEN WOODWORKING - Pete Ball
AXE SAFETY & SHARPENING - Demonsrations all weekend - Rowland Jones
TIMBER HITCH ARCHERY RANGE
AXE THROWING AREA
www.wildernessgathering.co.uk,
Some of the companies offering courses and equipment:
www.nomad-bushcraft.com,
www.bisonbushcraft.co.uk,
www.backwoodsurvival.co.uk,
www.bushgear.co.uk,
www.red-deer.co.uk,
www.survivalschool.co.uk,
www.footstepsofdiscovery.co.uk,
www.strikeforcesupplies.com,
www.wholeland.org.uk,
www.woodlandsurvivalcrafts.com,
www.unbeatentracks.com,
www.forestknights.co.uk,
www.cambriansurvival.co.uk,
www.biviwacker.co.uk,
www.davebudd.com iron age forge,
www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/ wild food school in Cornwall
Medical Herbalist Jackie Saull-Hunt 01424 871679
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