Northern Wilderness, your thoughts?

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Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,864
2,927
62
~Hemel Hempstead~
Well the first episode was pretty interesting but a bit 'light' if truth be told. Hopefully it'll improve as the series progresses.

What did you think of it?
 

Melonfish

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 8, 2009
2,460
1
Warrington, UK
aye liked it muchly, always loved the look of canada it really is a beautiful country.
also like the fact that ray is human sized, not one of these skinny types. make the rest of us feel normal ;)
 

Kerne

Maker
Dec 16, 2007
1,766
21
Gloucestershire
i enjoyed it loved his little tent with stove any idea what it is?

Enjoyed it too. Cracking locations. Beats Strictly Come Talent Factor into a cocked hat.

As for "lightweight", I think this may be more of a taster to draw in the audience - they're not all as nerdy as our good selves!
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,480
Stourton,UK
It was a beautifully shot programme. For once I am quite happy in the unique way the BBC is funded as you can certainly see the money goes to putting stuff on the screen. I was disappointed in the lack of bushcrafting, but then I think I'm/we are biased and the majority of viewers don't want too much. Great stuff, and he is still using his red brick fibre lined antler jobby too. Gotta be getting on for five years old now. Looks after his stuff that bloke.
 

rancid badger

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
It was okay as such but I would have to agree that it was a bit light weight. Very much 'bit of this bit of that' , a bit of a sampler, perhaps?

The main thing for me; is that it wasn't in Australia and it wasn't 'Wild Food' . :p

Stunning scenery.

Oh and I've no doubt, there'll be a few more pelican canoes, knocking about next spring:D

Not bad so far, much better than most of the crxp on TV at the moment;)


R.B.
 

Humpback

On a new journey
Dec 10, 2006
1,231
0
67
1/4 mile from Bramley End.
I enjoyed it immensely. Especially the canoeing and wildlife info. The Boreal forest has more relevance to me (from a bushcraft perspective) than other habitats as nice as Australia is for example.
Alan
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
Very well made and presented, a credit to Mr Mears.

The 'bushcraft' stuff has been done to death and I for one am happy he concentrated on his surroundings and history.
 

rancid badger

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
It was a beautifully shot programme. For once I am quite happy in the unique way the BBC is funded as you can certainly see the money goes to putting stuff on the screen. I was disappointed in the lack of bushcrafting, but then I think I'm/we are biased and the majority of viewers don't want too much. Great stuff, and he is still using his red brick fibre lined antler jobby too. Gotta be getting on for five years old now. Looks after his stuff that bloke.

Erm, I thought it was chock full, of 'bushcrafting':confused:

Once again; I suppose my idea of 'bushcrafting' differs from yours, which differs from someone else, which of course, differs again from the next one and so on ;)

I totally agree about the quality of the camera work.

cheers

R.B.
 

Siberianfury

Native
Jan 1, 1970
1,534
6
mendip hills, somerset
i was a bit dissapointed, i prefer it when he actualy demonstates bushcraft skills rather than just talking to people and duiscussing history. i appreicate why its important to him and other people but its of little interest to me.
i didnt even watch his "walkabout" series because it was far to light and dull.
imo his last great series was "bushcraft", i hope the rest of this series picks up and shows some skills.
the only true skill actualy shown was building a rudimentry shelter and a fire, and even then it didnt realy show you how he did it, it just cut from tinder to embers!

most of the programe was just him talking to people, about Tea, bark or squirrels.
I imagine many others will have a different veiw, but it seems to me, rays programes
are loosing their touch and lacking in information and content.

on the bright side, it was phenominaly shot and edited, as are all his shows.
some beautiful scenery and brilliant camera work.

ATB
Josh
 

atross

Nomad
Sep 22, 2006
380
0
44
London
I enjoyed it

Having red the book and seen Mr Mears present on it I was worried it was going to be a full on history lesson, there was enough bushy stuff and good cammera work to keep me amused for the full hour, even though i had to go sit in the spare room to watch the second half as the wife wanted to watch x factor
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,480
Stourton,UK
i was a bit dissapointed, i prefer it when he actualy demonstates bushcraft skills rather than just talking to people and duiscussing history. i appreicate why its important to him and other people but its of little interest to me.
i didnt even watch his "walkabout" series because it was far to light and dull.
imo his last great series was "bushcraft", i hope the rest of this series picks up and shows some skills.
the only true skill actualy shown was building a rudimentry shelter and a fire, and even then it didnt realy show you how he did it, it just cut from tinder to embers!


ATB
Josh

He has made more fires in his programmes that it would be a bore to repeat yet another session, his ppast programmes are full of almost every way of firelighting, shelter building etc. I don't think you will see much of his skills being shown in the rest of the series.
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,480
Stourton,UK
Erm, I thought it was chock full, of 'bushcrafting':confused:

Once again; I suppose my idea of 'bushcrafting' differs from yours, which differs from someone else, which of course, differs again from the next one and so on ;)
.

You are absolutely right RB, I should have put that it was light on demos of his bushcrafting skills which is what siberianfury was referring to also. It was full of bushcraft.
 

Siberianfury

Native
Jan 1, 1970
1,534
6
mendip hills, somerset
He has made more fires in his programmes that it would be a bore to repeat yet another session, his ppast programmes are full of almost every way of firelighting, shelter building etc. I don't think you will see much of his skills being shown in the rest of the series.
i agree it would be a repeat, but then again i watch Ray because of the skills, not for him taking to somone else. the show had some great shots, but it just didnt captivate me.
dont get me wrong though i enjoyed it, the show beats that x factor Rubbish hands down any day, i just prefered his previous programes as i have more intrest in content rather than filler.
 

Firebringer

Full Member
Jun 5, 2009
110
0
49
Scotland
I quite enjoyed it, nice mix of natural history, history and a little bit of bushcraft thrown in for the mix.

That said, I do wish at times though he would be a bit less overtly preachy about the whole 'noble savage skills' and 'value of the environment' stuff. At times he lays it on so thick I want to puke and it becomes counter productive.

I found that Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall went the same way. His early shows were interesting and skills based. Then he got quasi political and all preachy. I think RM shows a similar sort of slide at times.

Anyway I'm off to eat my £1 factory farmed chicken and see if there's any jobs going in strip mining.
 

gsfgaz

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 19, 2009
2,763
0
Hamilton... scotland
i liked the idea with the wee tent out in the snow with fire, it looked very cozy ... i thought it was a good programme...
 

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