Wales based survival TV experience.

[TeeDee]

For anyone interested - I saw this on Social Media and its a lot closer than going Stateside for Alone.





Do You Have What It Takes to Live Wild in the Welsh Wilderness?

Could you survive 100 days in the Welsh wilderness with nothing but the clothes on your back and your wits to keep you alive?

A local television producer is searching for 15 brave volunteers willing to take part in an ambitious new reality television experiment, which will see contestants dropped into a remote location somewhere in Wales and challenged to live completely off-grid for 100 days.

Participants will have to build their own shelters, find food, source drinking water and cope with whatever the notoriously unpredictable Welsh weather throws at them.

Producers say the location will be remote, rugged and deliberately chosen to test the limits of even the most experienced outdoor enthusiasts.

There will reportedly be no luxury accommodation, takeaway deliveries or trips to the local pub, with contestants expected to work together while also competing for a mystery prize at the end of the challenge.

“We want ordinary local people who genuinely believe they could survive in the wild,” said the producer. “Whether you’re an experienced bushcrafter or someone who simply thinks they could probably make it work, we want to hear from you.”

Applications are now open, but producers warn that anyone expecting a relaxing camping holiday should probably think again.

After all, 100 days is a long time when there’s nowhere to plug in your phone.

For an information/application pack.
Email - daiford@mail.com

 

[Crac]

*snip*
“We want ordinary local people ... *snip*

DAMMIT!!!

 

[Broch]

Practice catching sheep; they can be wily little devils

 

[slimshady]

Unlike the photo, I'm not thin, older than 30, losing hair, need glasses to tie a knot.
I also don't have a tik-tok account to be craving for the cameras.
I'll just have to go it alone.
The reward will be less than a million and more like a packet of choc biscuits.

Alex.

 

[FerlasDave]

I might give it a whirl… Better odds than the lotto!

 

[Herman30]

Are they allowed to hunt? If not, what is there for food in the welsh wilderness?

 

[Broch]

Are they allowed to hunt? If not, what is there for food in the welsh wilderness?

Actually quite a lot: plenty of edible plants including high calory tubers (but, also, some deadly look-alikes), on the coast plenty of shellfish, inland the rivers are full of signal crayfish (an invasive species), nuisance pheasant are everywhere and can be trapped quite easily, our damp woods and meadows have fungi in them all year, even the snails are edible.

A local person with foraging interest wouldn't have much difficulty in sustaining themselves depending on the exact location IMO. More problematic may be the resources for shelter, again, depending on location. Our 'wet cold' is more difficult to survive in than a lot of dry frozen environments. Whereas we have pockets of wilderness that contain some resources, we don't have the extensive areas of some parts of Europe and North America.

I must say, I do not welcome this concept, it will lead to loads more would-be urban survivalists trashing our woods and relatively small areas of 'wilderness' because they are sure they could do better than the participants or because the show makes it look easy/desirable/attractive ....

 

[C_Claycomb]

The bits of Wales that seemed like wilderness to me, where you could feel alone, were pretty barren places up on the high tops. Tussock grass, forestry mono-culture blocks. I used to visit a friend's cottage near Llanddewi-Brefi, up in the hills, and there was close to bugger all to eat or catch around there.

I am skeptical.

 

[Pattree]

As with other programmes like this: I’d be very interested to see the waivers signed by participants and the risk analysis done by the producers and anyone else with a duty of care.

I’d also like to see what the continuity people do with the raw footage they get and how much revision and “top up” takes are involved.

I am highly skeptical about most “Real life” series.

 

[Broch]

The bits of Wales that seemed like wilderness to me, where you could feel alone, were pretty barren places up on the high tops. Tussock grass, forestry mono-culture blocks. I used to visit a friend's cottage near Llanddewi-Brefi, up in the hills, and there was close to bugger all to eat or catch around there.

I am skeptical.

And long may people believe that
But - they are not going to use those kinds of area or the programme will be very short and very boring. In all honesty, I can't see this getting running.

 

[Falstaff]

Sounds like someone with no idea trying to cash in on the concept. Even with Broch's knowledge I don't think living off the land for long periods from a nil starting point is viable. There have been a number of attempts at doing this in the UK, all failed. 100 days is not survival, its longer term existence.
You need a sort of existence infrastructure, that takes time to build up and acquire - resources, local knowledge, time etc.

There are in fact a very few who already live like this full time, but have some man-made items like tents/pots etc. and live a sort of nomadic life fitting with the seasons.

"more would-be urban survivalists trashing our woods and relatively small areas of 'wilderness' because they are sure they could do better" Absolutely right. Anybody who knows what they are about wouldn't bother trying.

 

[TeeDee]

I can't help but feel some of these responses fall into the ' I like watching these progs but...NIMBY... '

 

[Broch]

I can't help but feel some of these responses fall into the ' I like watching these progs but...NIMBY... '

Not at all:

1) I don't usually watch these programmes
2) I really don't think our 'back yard' is big enough or suitable
3) Our 'back yard' is too easily accessed by our 70 million population
4) We don't have large predators that will put people off

The show itself isn't a problem, maybe if they could keep the location secret it would be alright, but that would be difficult in Wales. The problem is (IMO) how easy it is to access the same areas by every Tom, Dick, and Harry (for that read Tracy, Deborah, and Helen as well).

If it did show, I'd probably watch it, it could be a good laugh, especially with the local Young Farmers Club playing pranks

 

[Falstaff]

Not really, the UK is too small and environmentally sensitive for this type of thing.

Some of the programmes are so crap that I don't watch them. "Alone" is decent because of the huge land areas, extremely low/nil local population, and skills of the participants.

I am not interested in yet another wannabe programme, and participants who are motivated only by money, fame and ego. The packet of choccy biscuits is more attractive.

 

[Woody girl]

Yep, I agree with brock. I'd want to know the location and research it beforehand. Even in my area with basic bushcraft items I'd struggle. Lots of small woody areas moorland gorse heather and bilberries, a few nut bushes and wild raspberry, a few mushrooms here and there, pheasants deer and wild ponies, fish are no take, from the river, not a lot else. And it's a relatively lush area compared to realy wild Welsh areas.
Plus Wales is usualy very wet , so it would need to be coastal for me to even consider it. Preferably with a cave I could live in, not at sea level mind!

 

[TeeDee]

Not at all:

1) I don't usually watch these programmes
2) I really don't think our 'back yard' is big enough or suitable
3) Our 'back yard' is too easily accessed by our 70 million population
4) We don't have large predators that will put people off

The show itself isn't a problem, maybe if they could keep the location secret it would be alright, but that would be difficult in Wales. The problem is (IMO) how easy it is to access the same areas by every Tom, Dick, and Harry (for that read Tracy, Deborah, and Helen as well).

If it did show, I'd probably watch it, it could be a good laugh, especially with the local Young Farmers Club playing pranks

1) But you know what it is and usually is never - ok.

2) Maybe -but that IS a subjective view isn't it? Maybe you are right but there have been quite a few TV shows produced over the decades within the UK.

3) Agreed but this is good for your local economy and government , I imagine.

. Wales receives more than 67 million visits for tourism purposes each year-​

The £6 billion tourist industry can be broken down as follows:

• £3.4 billion spent on day trips to Wales by Brits
• £2 billion spent on overnight visits to Wales by Brits
• £0.5 billion spent by international visitors to Wales

4 ) The spray painted signs <angli domum eunt > can be quite threatening but agreed , no large predators.



Last bit- They managed to Castaway , Eden and keep it somewhat protected and remote from local interference- I just think it would useful for maybe reinvigorating some young TV watchers into bushcraft and have something to help the TV in our country with our own offering - maybe we could be pleasantly surprised as opposed to criticising others from further afield in foreign lands and have a start of 'our' own home spun TV show.

But opinions do differ.

 

[Foogs]

Call me a cynic, but I'm suspicious of the wording.

'Local television producer' Survival shows e.g. Alone, have gigantic budgets and production teams
'Mystery prize' Could well mean whatever we've got down the back of the sofa
'Could you survive 100 days for 1 million' Very specifically doesn't say what it's 1 million of.

But if you're just looking for an excuse to be outdoors for 100 days, crack on!

 

[Woody girl]

Mystery prize.. a packet of choc chip cookies? A full english brekkie? I guess after half starving yourself for a couple of weeks, that would be a great prize.
Don't see this riding myself, but you might get a few know nothing wanna be's taking it up. Imagine if we have another hot year and drought next summer. Those cooking fires are gonna be a problem. Even most of us wouldn't dare cook on an open fire in those conditions, so will they be allowed gas stoves? How are they gonna keep warm and dry if its wet all season? What time of year will it take place? I see so many opportunities for things to go bottoms up.
100 days is over 3 months. No knife or tarp, just what you stand up in? Tap outs galore after the first week. Nobody left after the first month. That's my prediction.
Castaway and Eden at least had tools and shelters. It was the infighting of the contestants that scuppered those shows. Im not interested in watching people fight over stuff. I stopped watching(when I had a tv) the bear grills series as it made me mad as hell watching them laze away, boss others about and generally behaving like idiots.
One thing i did notice.. it was generally (tho not always) the women who had the strongest mental abilities and got on with the jobs that needed doing most of the time.

Oooh, im in for it now on this largely male orientated site.. just rewatch and see if im wrong.

 

[Falstaff]

Nope, totally agree with Woody Girl - including about women. Look at all the older communities and tribes and who does most of the work....
Those team based shows are all based around eagerly watching the relationship breakdown drama's.

 

[Woody girl]

Nope, totally agree with Woody Girl - including about women. Look at all the older communities and tribes and who does most of the work....
Those team based shows are all based around eagerly watching the relationship breakdown drama's.

Thank you Tee Dee.
Women are used to organising a home and getting on with the "housework" so have more inbuilt ability to see what needs doing, organise, and get on with what ever needs to be done.
Men are needed (?) For the hard graft. I remember one episode where some of the chaps went out to try and catch a pig. They came back at dusk empty handed. The women went out, and came back with it slung on a pole between them in daylight.
Yes there was a lot of squeeling... and not just from the pig! But they did it.