2020 plans

[Broch]

Well, this time of year in 2019 we were all saying what we were going to do in 2019. I said my plans were:

1) attend the Winter Bushmoot - a first for me
2) I have two canoe treks planned, one local the other in Scotland
3) a weekend deer tracking in local woods to determine presence and species
4) a backback in Snowdonia (while I still can - at least, I think I can!)
5) continue the UK coast overland trek - at least 4 weeks, maybe 6
6) leathercraft, wittling, stick dressing, spoon carving, knife making, axe refurbishment, greenwood furniture making ......
6) and, of course, as many nights as possible in our wood whilst we continue the biodiversity survey

So what did I get done?

1) I got to the winter moot and then even managed the first week of the summer moot and enjoyed both. If you've not been, give it a go.
2) I got both canoe treks in; one down the Vyrnwy and the second 4 days down the Spey - learnt my kneeling days may be over
3) spent the weekend tracking Muntjac only to prove to a reasonable level of certainty that there are none in the local woods contrary to some reports.
4) Never managed to backpack as my companion damaged a knee
5) Never got out on our coast trek because my wife had to go in for an op. followed by a lengthy recovery period when we had planned to go
6) got a bit of the woodland craft stuff done but not nearly enough - bigger projects took over
7) and, to be honest, disappointed with how much time I spent in our wood but it's not going anywhere!

In all, I'm fairly happy but could do better. I've not planned 2020 yet, apart from the coast trek, but I need to because other people are filling my diary faster than I'd like.

How did you all get on? and what plans have you got for 2020?

 

[woodsorrel]

My 2019 goals were:

1. Do a camping trip in the Tahoe National Forest to track American Black Bear
2. Visit Yosemite National Park to hike to Sentinel Dome and to Ostrander Lake
3. Spend a week in the arctic to observe polar bear and arctic fox
4. Do at least one ultraviolet hike
5. Learn more about owls

I feel lucky I was able to do all of them.

My 2020 goals are:

1. Recover from a serious injury I suffered while hiking in November
2. Snowshoe (and possibly snow camp) in the Sierra
3. Do at least two wilderness backpack trips
4. Take at least one bird ID class
5. Hike the Sierra Buttes Trail

I set my "bushcraft goals" using a technique described in this article:

What's Your Bushcraft Goal?

I find it helps me set realistic, achievable goals.

Happy New Year!

- Woodsorrel

 

[Woody girl]

That's a lot of good info on that site woodsorrel well worth a look see.
I set myself a few goals last year and managed most of them, but my fybromyalga and arthritis can set me back easily. It can be frustrating at times.
I've already been thwarted this year on my first very easy goal which was to have a brew up on the first day of the month by my local river. Had a fybromyalga flare up and couldn't do it. I tried but just could not get there. But I will do it before the end of the month I swear!!!
Goals for this year are to learn about birch sap collection and soap making from someone I've met who makes all sorts of things from birch sap.

Learn more about mushrooms .

Also costal foraging. Maybe do a course in this somewhere.

Get out on my bike as much as I can.

Get more people locally interested in foraging and try organising some foraging walks.

Get back into a canoe and try to do an overnight canoe camp.

I have many things like love to do but I think that I'm going to have to accept they may not happen... like see the northern lights from an arctic perspective.
Travel to Canada to see my cousins I've never met.... and don't know where they are.

See wolves and bears in their natural environment.

Etc etc etc.


Not realistic goals but I might just carve another spoon instead
Oh and I want to make a bushcraft kit out of completely recycled products. Including clothing . I started doing this last autumn so I hope it will be finished by the summer.

 

[Laurentius]

Plant up my allotment, decorate my bedroom, bathroom and kitchen (well I did make a start and I have all the paint so it will get done), unblock the River Sowe. (you can be sure the Council won't) and just survive another year I suppose.

I have lots of bushcrafty things that I plan to be doing but none of them particularly far from home.

 

[John Fenna]

2020
Winter Moot
Summer Moot
New job - which includes Bushcraft instructing
Monthly Bushy meets with the lads - when not at Moots - when new skills might be addressed when not cutting firewood....
Summer weekends - teaching bushcraft as usual
Some foraging work
Some selling crafts
not much time for anything else....

 

[Billy-o]

Nothing new this time ... fish more, get better at speaking Mandarin, finish some publications, sail more now that our eldest can crew, sleep more .. always remember 'don't do today what you can put off til tomorrow'.

 

[Paul_B]

I don't do new year resolutions as I'm certain to break them. My only goal is to get through whatever life throws at me for another year.

I'm young enough and settled enough to not suffer much so I should manage that little goal.

However if pushed I'll be trying for another job this year. Again! Not bushcraft but if I get a better job money becomes less of an issue and hopefully I could afford luxuries like bushcraft related classes. Thinking of green wood working classes. There's a local company running them and one class gets you making those wood clamping horse thingies. (Not with it today as recovering and first day back at work).

 

[Barney Rubble]

Looking back on 2019, the plans that I posted on here last January were:

This year will comprise of more of the same for me:

• For the third year running, I'll aim to camp out at least once a month.
• Practice/refine my whittling skills and produce a set of kitchen utensils
• Undertake some more long distance hikes and wild camps. Need to complete the North Downs Way
• Camp out in one of our National Parks - Dartmoor
• Continue to volunteer with my local woodland trust
• Continue to practice bushcraft skills - particular focus on Tree/Plant ID and fire lighting
• Post more regularly on my blog and diversify the content from the same old trip reports that I usually publish.

Well I achieved quite a few of those things. I was able to get out at least once a month, every month. I spent a lot of time on those camps (or in my shed) practicing skills such as whittling, fire lighting and refining my knowledge of trees and plants. I also managed to keep my blog updated and volunteer with the local woodland trust.

And as for this year, well it's more of the same:

• Continue with my monthly camping trips.
• Work more closely with my local woodland trust
• I'd still also like to get out on a decent hiking trip, either on a long distance trail or in some high country.
• Keep working on the blog and continue to refine my writing style. More recently, I've also started to compliment it with some videos. In a strange way, my blog is pushing me to practice new skills and try new experiences as I want to produce more diverse posts that aren't just about my camping trips. To that end, I'm hoping to put some blog posts up on camp cookery as well as a greater focus on basic campcraft and woodcraft.
• Practice bow-drill. I had some success with this last year and need to keep on it.
• Build on my personal fitness and mental wellbeing - we always talk about tools and kit on this forum, but the biggest tool in your box is of course yourself!

I'm sure there'll be lots more going on. My wife and I have also taken on an allotment so we're busy getting that organised and are hoping to live 'the good life' this year!