Are cheap courses any good?

[Adi007]

What truly is staggering is that humans have to now become so urbanized that we need to go on courses to be given a glimpse into skills that only a few generations ago were "standard". The speed with which we've lost these core skills is frightening and really does go to show how civilizations can abandon their roots and change. I look at the western world as it is and see clearly how the Egyptians could have forgotten how and why the pyramids were build in a few hundred years.

Add to this the now almost obscene commercialisation of the outdoors in one way or another (partly driven by people who have no real interest in the outdoors or nature - many of which "discovered" the outdoors in a book - but instead are driven by the almighty £) - I'm amazed as to how the outdoors can be packaged and sold to people. Very sad.

 

[Ginja]

Hi - you can book a course with the Breakaway Survival School, Hereford, for around £100 for a weekend (Friday night to midday Sunday).

http://www.breakawaysurvival.co.uk

I know I keep harping on about this school (!), but I found it great value for money and more to the point, very useful (at a basic kinda level). You'll be taught orienteering, shelter-building (group shelter using a tarp), some basic plantlore, cooking and preparing wild foods, river crossing, fire-making, some basic trapping, and plenty of walking! Breakfast provided; instructor is one of the best I've encountered - chap called Mick Tyler, ex-SAS - great personality, dead friendly (no boot-camp bravado!), knows his onions (which kinda goes without saying ...).

Highly recommended.

But then I am a Herefordian ... and quite possibly biased!

G

 

[Zacary]

You married to him Ginja? :rolmao:

I had looked at this school but it sounds too much like military survival school from back home. To my mind bushcraft, as you guys call it, should be about living with in natures environs and not making tarp shelters or route marches I dont think Woodlore would be like that.

Although there does seem to be a lot of course for your money I dont think it would be my (great brit phrase coming up) cup of tea!

 

[tomtom]

i have done some courses with Wild Wise and found them to be excelent... really strongly recomend!! im not really sure what you would define as cheap.. but they are less expensive than some i have seen!

 

[Ginja]

Hey Zac - nah, no marital ties to Mick Tyler! (or any other kind for that matter). Just think it's a very under-publicised school ... the very first of its kind in the UK, or so I believe (am happy to stand corrected).

Yes, it is kind of military, but only in the sense that Mick is ex-SAS - he's certainly no sergeant major, and I've never seen him wearing DPMs - he looks more like a farmer than anything else (though would probably string me up for saying that!).

Just thought I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a happy medium between 'spoon-carving' bushcraft and 'boot-strapping' survival (sorry for stereotypes there, just emphasising a point!).

And don't judge it by the website ... it ain't the best piece of internet wizardry by far!!

G

 

[Great Pebble]

He's certainly been around a while... Never been there but I can remember it being around in the '80's.

 

[Adi007]

Yep, he's one of the originals, along with DSASS that was in Dartmoor (now long gone I believe). I think Ginja has him pegged quite well as being in the middle, between the spoon carvers and the survivalists.

 

[Gary]

DSASS wasnt that the survival aids school?

 

[Adi007]

DSASS wasnt that the survival aids school?

Don't think so ... they were in Dartmoor but I could be wrong - it was a LOOOOOOONG time ago!

 

[sargey]

no, the Dartmoor Survival And Safety School used to run various survival courses, and a few annual wargames too! guys could pitch up, and spend the weekend/week running around in camo firing blanks ):

i was under the impression the head honchos were ex marines....

cheers, and.

 

[Great Pebble]

Ahhhh.... CATOS.



Mek!