Bushcraft Beginner

[Hydon]

Hello Bushcraftuk

My 9 year old son has been asking to go 'wild camping' for a while now and so I've come here to try and find out how to get started. He wants to spend a night in the local woods in a shelter, forage for food and water and cook on a fire that we light by rubbing sticks together. I've suggested that we start small and work up to his goal in stages!

I love being outside in nature and having spent a good few hours at bushcraft uk getting an idea of what it's is all about, I'm starting to think I've been missing out on something really special. The 'leave no trace' principle really resonates for me, along with the whole self-sufficient/ self-reliant and minimalist aspects.

If some kind person out there isn't fed up with beginners like me turning up and asking daft questions, I would really appreciate some links or advice on how to get started as cheaply and safely as possible - mainly what is the minimum equipment needed for a not-too-uncomfortable night in the woods for my son and me.

Thanks,
Hydon

 

[Ogri the trog]

Hydon, welcome aboard, you are in good company here.
There is no set curriculum of achievements or targets to attain, but your son appears to have some goals in mind.

Feel free to start wherever you think you can achieve without needing to spend a wad of cash just to pander to someone else's idea of what you "ought" to be doing.

Cooking over an open fire should be relatively straightforward, but when foraging for food and water, do plenty of research to ensure you can identify anything you intend to eat - it might take years to become proficient.

Similarly, fire by friction is viewed as a "milestone" activity, but many lessons on fire-craft can be learnt by using other ignition methods.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[John Fenna]

Hello and welcome!

 

[ozzy1977]

Hello and welcome.

 

[atlatlman]

Welcome to the club.

 

[Tomcoles]

When I became interested in bushcraft I looked on YouTube. There's some rubbish but mostly very good informative videos that will point out what you will need.

There are some basics that you makes life easier.
I brought kit because I thought it was good gear. Then I ended up buying the same things again once I learnt I had brought crap the first time round. Some thing you can get away with some you can't.

A knive is one of the most important bits of kit as it helps you achieve most tasks. I have a cheep knife but it's very good for the cash it's a bushlore condor. But a mora is probably the best known bullet proof knife there is. Have a look and research before you buy as this is just my opinion. You can spend hundreds of pounds.

You need the ability to carry water. There are some great military containers that are cheep.

You will need to cook in some thing a mess tin is a cheep and good option. A Swedish army trangia cook set is superb and cheep.

You will need shelter. A tent would be good if you have your young lad with you. But you could sleep under a tarp.

You will need some thing to sleep on and in an inflatable matt and sleeping bag do a lot of reasech on this topic


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mesquite]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[cranmere]

Can you do a couple of dry runs in the garden first? Practice things like cooking, for example, make sure that whatever stove you use works properly, or that you/your son can light a fire or a fire stove reliably.

Food - I would take some basics to which anything you forage could be added to make sure you don't go hungry. Summer is a great time for finding all sorts of salad vegetables so a big bowl of leaves added to something pre-prepared would be both tasty and encouraging.

 

[tom.moran]

welcome to the forum, where are you located? maybe there are some local members that could lend you some kit to try out to a) make sure your son doesnt decide on the first night he hates it and b) try before you buy. if your anywhere near me ill happily lend you a few bits

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hi Hydon, welcome and enjoy.

 

[Dreadhead]

welcome aboard

 

[Big Stu 12]

Hello and welcome to BCUK

 

[Hydon]

Thanks for the warm welcome and sound advice.

We'll start with just trying to light a fire with a lighter and cook some food that we take along with us in an old pot from the kitchen, or maybe I'll try and persuade my wife to let us have a fire pit in the garden first. We can try and build a shelter, but won't attempt to sleep in it until we are a bit more practiced at it.

We are more likely to enjoy it if we take small steps and set ourselves up to succeed, and I'll need a bit of time to do some research here and on Youtube.

I'm quite tempted by the Bushmoot. It sounds like a great opportunity to learn the basics and we've got some time off work booked in early August and no plans as yet.

Thanks to everyone for the pointers - more than enough to get me started.

I'm in Surrey by the way.

 

[Baelfore]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

were currently getting our 6 year old nephew into the outdoors and one of the things we cooked starting of with were bread twists. Basically just flour water and a wee bit of sugar mixed into a dough, wrapped/twisted around a green wood stick, you can add other stuff like hone, raisins, cinnamon.

also with regards to the fire pit, you could pick up a tesco BBQ bucket for about a tenner and use it as a fire pit. handy for the back garden and a fair bit cheaper (if smaller.)

this thread has a few good ideas from members on stuff to do with kids:http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116199
hope this helps,

Ste

 

[Ogri the trog]

I'm quite tempted by the Bushmoot. It sounds like a great opportunity to learn the basics and we've got some time off work booked in early August and no plans as yet.

I doubt you would find a better introduction to the world of Bushcraft, and you will be able to immerse yourselves as deeply as you want with many like-minded folk on a very similar journey.

See you there
Ogri the trog

 

[treadlightly]

Sounds like you are adopting the sensible approach - easy does it, take things gradually, step by step, don't be in a rush to learn too many new skills at once. The Bushmoot would be an excellent introduction for you and your son.

 

[Perrari]

Hi & welcome to the forum.