Ah! The evening was a blur, perhaps I did, Budweiser and bananas have that effect on me.
Bushcraft course prices??
- Thread starter gunslinger
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Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Ah! The evening was a blur, perhaps I did, Budweiser and bananas have that effect on me.
Neil I appreciate your honesty and it was your choice to post an answer on this thread.
As to my position that is not part of this discussion and as such is my personal business.
I you feel this is unreasonable the may I remind you that no one made you post your situation and I certainly will not be posting mine.
However you will see that I have already posted the info that I have in the past been working 7 days a week and I can assure you it was long hours.
I too have worked with the kind of youngsters that most would prefer locked up,so I am not sure what your point is.
No I havent done a course and I am a firm believer that there is always something you can learn so I may well do.
I have obviously touched a raw nerve here with several of you,but this thread has come about due to a conversation I had with someone on another forum,who told me they would love to do a course, but they couldnt afford it.
There also seem to be a few others with the same question,and who also thought that prices are a touch high.
Wilderness gathering is on my regular itinerary along with several others ,perhaps I will see you there.
I fail to see how this thread has not been useful as it has given us all the opportunity to voice our opinions on this subject,surely thats what debate is about.
I fail to see how this is stirring up trouble for anyone,as you have all justifed your charges and people who were concerned about the level of prices have been able to ask the questions. What is the problem.
I think you protest too much.
If I was banned for an honest debate (before 40 posts) as you say, then that would not say much for this forum ,would it. I dont believe that will happen unless I post religious fanatisism or maybe too many zombie threads.
I wish you well.
ATVB
GS
gunslinger said:
Mate, you keep bringing your personal circumstances and experiences into the debate, so you are making it part of the discussion. Not trying to have a go, but if you don't want to discuss your position, it makes more sense to not bring it up.
I can't afford to go on Bushcrafty courses but I wish I could. But let's face it, it's not solely an experience to look back on, it's an investment. You go, you learn, you have a good time and then you can go out on your own, or to moots and gatherings and be a little more comfortable and have a little more fun. I think that makes it well worth the money. There are also a lot of people who live in cities and the like, and instead of finding a decent piece of woodland to camp in, and facing the concerns of carrying an axe and knives on a train/bus (or whatever . .), and then face the risk of not being able to actually pull off anything they've read in a book/online, they'd rather just pay someone else to borrow their land, borrow their tools and keep forever their knowledge. Personally, I'd consider it a fair trade even if they didn't have to cover tax and insurance. Just my thoughts . .
Cheers,
Pete
If it all seems too expensive - and I am sure that, for some, it must be, regardless of the value for money - then try volunteering. I picked up a lot of my basic knowledge years ago when I started to help out on DofE and suchlike. It's slower but puts you in contact with all sorts of people who are more than willing to share their expertise freely.
robin wood
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Ah! The evening was a blur, perhaps I did, Budweiser and bananas have that effect on me.
I don't know what you two are on but it's very entertaining.
Actually you will find that some schools (including ours) accept volunteers to help with the running of courses. Usually you pay for your first course and then can volunteer to assist on the same type of course in the future. It may seen like you would be repeating things but actually most volunteers find they learn new things by helping out and it can lead instructing work if you volunteer for long enough!
Brilliant idea.
I will mention this to the chap on the other forum ,it may well be a solution for them.
Thanks for that thought.
GS
Ps. to clear up one vital point.
I have no intention of taking up bushcraft as a business or a living.
For me its about survival in situations outside of the norm and not so much a hobby.
If I have upset anyone on this thread then I apologise unreservedly.
ATVB
GS
mate, you haven't upset me at all, I thought the thread was very productive at letting the public know the costs and work behind the prices, I've actually looked at your idea of dropping prices for our winter programme, very valid mate, well done
Rhoda, your spot on here, its a brilliant way of getting team members to very high skill standard, 'home grown' if you like, I've had guys with me now for about 7/8 years from this route and they're top drawer, good luck with the new venture, looks great mate
as an adjunct to the volounteering thing...
bushcraft is an incredibly wide field. bushcraft skills can be had outside of the more obvious bushcraft schools. check out your local wildlife trust type organisation. they'll often be offering guided bat, badger and other nature watches. some green woodworking classes. and the chance to learn woodland management skills as part of their land management policies. some of these activities can be free, some cost less than a tenner, some a bit more.
engage rant mode: sadly, you almost certainly won't be able to use your own tools even though they'll be in better shape than the charitie's tools. health and safety again!
have a root around for your local canal restoration charity organisations or whatever, conservation activies of all sorts can get you in contact with people with old world nature and bushcraft skills. as many of the folks on here will attest, you've got to see someone like our jack in action with a billhook to appreciate just how much can be done with one.
most of my "bushcrafting" is conducted on day hikes. bushcraft is where you find it. unless you're a BC snob!
cheers, and.
bushcraft is an incredibly wide field. bushcraft skills can be had outside of the more obvious bushcraft schools. check out your local wildlife trust type organisation. they'll often be offering guided bat, badger and other nature watches. some green woodworking classes. and the chance to learn woodland management skills as part of their land management policies. some of these activities can be free, some cost less than a tenner, some a bit more.
engage rant mode: sadly, you almost certainly won't be able to use your own tools even though they'll be in better shape than the charitie's tools. health and safety again!have a root around for your local canal restoration charity organisations or whatever, conservation activies of all sorts can get you in contact with people with old world nature and bushcraft skills. as many of the folks on here will attest, you've got to see someone like our jack in action with a billhook to appreciate just how much can be done with one.
most of my "bushcrafting" is conducted on day hikes.
bushcraft is where you find it. unless you're a BC snob!cheers, and.
i went on a weeks course with a very well known company - it was lets say well over 500 quid for the week i thought that was extremely steep but then thought well im going to get some really top instruction here , you know you get what you pay for and all that.
it was an appalling course badly run too many people on the course. felt so cheated was put off bushcraft one instructor was very rude and un helpful.
i didn't learn anything much than i already knew and i just didn't enjoy the course at all.
i learn t 2 knots i never knew which have proved really useful but that's a hell of a price to pay for two knots.
it wouldn't of been so bad if the course was actually enjoyable.
i think at half the cost of that course i would of still be disappointed at what i got out of it.
conversely i went to one of bushcraft uk bush moots and learnt more in 2 days than i had the whole week on the course was inspired and around really good people who were giving there time for free
it was an appalling course badly run too many people on the course. felt so cheated was put off bushcraft one instructor was very rude and un helpful.
i didn't learn anything much than i already knew and i just didn't enjoy the course at all.
i learn t 2 knots i never knew which have proved really useful but that's a hell of a price to pay for two knots.
it wouldn't of been so bad if the course was actually enjoyable.
i think at half the cost of that course i would of still be disappointed at what i got out of it.
conversely i went to one of bushcraft uk bush moots and learnt more in 2 days than i had the whole week on the course was inspired and around really good people who were giving there time for free
robin wood
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
That's sad William but it is good to see that that bad experience does appear to be the minority, maybe I should go on a bushcraft course myself. As Wicca pointed out in post 36 "Also, paying a lot doesnt get rid of the monkeys. Some monkeys are really good at bull****ing people" Everyone can have a bad day and the dynamics of the group have a lot to do with how much fun it is, it does sound like generaly folk have fun and learn lots which is not bad.
that's a shame, was this company local to you? or shouldn't i ask?
cheers ,and.
will pm you the name of the company
ive noticed that they no longer have the intructor who was rude working for them now but they have kept two who were very good - but the course still fell far short of expectations
current prices seem to range from about 160-300+ quid. all seems very reasonable to me. the intangibles are the state of the location, the biodiversity, the state and type of equipment being used. obviously some specialist courses like axe workshops, where people keep the kit afterwards, are going to be slightly more.
for me personally, i would much prefer to have my course in a bit of pristine broadleaf woodland, with quiet canvas tarps or chutes. rather than in a dark commercial conifer plantation with battered blue poly tarps permanently strung up crackling with the slightest breeze. giving the place an air of an abandoned traveller campsite.
i know of one school up north where they go round with fine tine rakes between courses to scrape up all the wood shavings, that way the next course have a cleaner more pristine site to come in to. some would say that's a rubbish idea, i've never been there, but it makes sense to me.
it's a bit like the difference between battery hens, or free range hens.
cheers, and.
Its supply and demand in the end.
The instructors would not do it as a business if the return monetary and pyschological did not pay for the time and emotional input required or the bills for that matter.
The customers wouldn't enroll if the course was considered too expensive.
Some instructors have a cache which the can exploit by way of a premium. Good luck to them.
In the past I've been on courses because I could afford it. Now my industry is in recession and I haven't got the disposable income I previously had and I won't be able too despite wanting to learn more.
(I should also like to learn to fly but realise it will always be too expensive for my wallet)
Good luck to those that have put their necks on the line in setting up businesses to teach bushcraft. I hope their supply and demand equation continues to put bread on the table.
Alan
The instructors would not do it as a business if the return monetary and pyschological did not pay for the time and emotional input required or the bills for that matter.
The customers wouldn't enroll if the course was considered too expensive.
Some instructors have a cache which the can exploit by way of a premium. Good luck to them.
In the past I've been on courses because I could afford it. Now my industry is in recession and I haven't got the disposable income I previously had and I won't be able too despite wanting to learn more.
(I should also like to learn to fly but realise it will always be too expensive for my wallet)
Good luck to those that have put their necks on the line in setting up businesses to teach bushcraft. I hope their supply and demand equation continues to put bread on the table.
Alan
There is one issue I have with the courses, which I feel cannot justify the markup and that is regulation
I once paid a few hundred quid to get a PADI open water. If a person persues the PADI courses then it is a qualification recognised by international diving standards all over the world and although different to british diving, the british standard BESAC or something knows where you stand on their level.
If one completes a bushcraft course, or even several, how is this provable as a qualification either nationally or internationally? Can I do several courses with some small company, lets make one up and call it `woodways` and then go to woodsmoke or woodlore and say "look ive done ten courses with these guys" it cost me thousands. are they still going to say "well this is useless we don't know what you know" Or is there an accredited standard to test you agaisnt?
lets face it ALL other outdoor persuits have this.
I once paid a few hundred quid to get a PADI open water. If a person persues the PADI courses then it is a qualification recognised by international diving standards all over the world and although different to british diving, the british standard BESAC or something knows where you stand on their level.
If one completes a bushcraft course, or even several, how is this provable as a qualification either nationally or internationally? Can I do several courses with some small company, lets make one up and call it `woodways` and then go to woodsmoke or woodlore and say "look ive done ten courses with these guys" it cost me thousands. are they still going to say "well this is useless we don't know what you know" Or is there an accredited standard to test you agaisnt?
lets face it ALL other outdoor persuits have this.
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