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I was at some point a qualified pilot, taught to fly from A to B via waypoints with map, compass, watch, eyeball Mk1 and a set of chinagraphs. I could do mid-route corrections for ground speed, correct for wind drift, set up diversions on the way etc. My navigation was by all account excellent...

A 'softshell' jacket in a medium weight 100% merino loden fabric, with elbow, hood and shoulder reinforcements in L24 Ventile. I must admit that I shamelessly copied Varusteleka's one, as an overall design / idea. Not doing this commercially in any way and this is just for me and family. I have...

100% Merino Loden henley shirt. Made it a little tighter than my usual loose fits, kept the seams well away from spots that see straps' pressure and rubbing, and tried an 'overlocked' look that keeps the seams flat and out of the way at the neck and shoulders. It is tucked in and used as a layer...

For mushrooms, I started out by reading this book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mushrooms-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-1/dp/0747589321 The general sections of course, not the whole thing, as most of it is about specific species. However, it provides all methodology for getting a positive ID on most UK...

Makes perfect sense! I just read a bit more about it, and it turns out the Russians procured the Fisher space pen for their space program from 1969 onwards Anyway, my wife is a geologist and apparently they all have a thing for kit that writes anywhere in field conditions. They all use the...

The Fisher space pen is pretty good, it works underwater, upside/down, in zero gravity, in vacuum, whatever, any conditions. The Americans developed it for use in their space program. A bit pricey, probably 30-40 quid, but it will work in the wet. The Russians used a pencil. It works in the...

Fantastic, exactly like the kind of stuff I am making. But I can't work out how to do the seams properly to cover the stretch. I seem to have bought Loden that's quite stretchy, which I didn't expect at all, to the point I am thinking of trying an overlocker. What GSM are you using, and where...

Perfect, you'll manage ventile no bother at all! My advice is to copy something you like, or make a 'dry run' garment in ca. 200-250gsm cotton canvas and tweak your pattern as ventile is too pricey for scrapping. Otherwise it is pretty easy to work with, and the weave is so tight that you don't...

Dipped will likely have a slightly conical shape rather than a uniform diameter. The optimal wick size of a candle is that which produces a molten wax pool diameter just a slither under the diameter of the candle; this balances exactly between the points of dripping and leaving a wall of solid...

Dale, may I ask, what diameter are the candles, and where do you buy the moulds from? I have an old folding swiss army lantern, and the candles it came with are ca. 20mm and much harder and slow-burning than the ones I can buy (which just melt and drip all over, as it gets pretty warm inside...

Hello Robert and welcome to the forum. I am very new here too, but I probably know all the rules for the outdoors in Scotland due to work and my living location! Ask away if you need anything.

One word; Opinel. Once I got my first one and given that most 'other' tasks can be done with a hatchet, I never again spent money on any fixed blade 'bushcraft' knife. My Fallknivens are all living in the bottom of a box under the stairs.

Oh, and salted anchovies! Those get used in pasta, pizza, or just on their own on tapas.

We eat loads year-round. In the fishing season we have lots of brown trout, usually a large oversupply (I own fishing rights on a loch that's totally packed with them) which in the past I tried canning; it turned into a mushy gloop that smelled vile while canning and even more vile on opening...

I would not bother with silver, as it attracts VAT and you lose a fair chunk on every selling cycle, plus CGT on any gains. I think that, in the long term, gold always seems to be a winner. Limited supplies, like platinum it has some industrial applications, and it has always been a safe haven...

That is the very definition of heaven :D I am more partial to a double-fermented belgian style ale though, for winter! A few tens of bottles of which are currently conditioning near the bacon.

Yes, old-style 150yo farm building, they all came with massive basement rooms like that. Access from the inside of the house, down the stairs. A constant temperature almost throughout the year and very little humidity. Pity it's at the in-laws' in the continent

The best is home-made. Because you can make it any way you like, and you control what's in it. I always go for sweet dry-cured, plenty of sea salt and demerara sugar along with ground coffee, ground fennel seeds and black pepper, few days with draining the fluids and topping up salt & sugar till...

Hi John, I want to make more stuff in Loden (boiled wool, like the army blankets), but made a bit of a mess. Do you cover that in any book?

I've paddled past many times, but never visited! I have two little ones now, so I am sure there will be a lot of interest from them next time we are over!