Hi,
I wrote this bushcraft guide for a piece of coursework and thought it might have some helpful hints for some of the people here
Before setting off:
When you set off on a trip you always need to set yourself in the right state of mind; open your senses, be aware of changes to the plan and try to think forward to anticipate problems that may arise. Simple things like trying to spot the road sign before anyone else helps you to get used to spotting something that could be a hazard or a help.
You should double check directions, any tickets that you may need, weather conditions, and leave plenty of time if you will be using public transport.
Kit:
You will need
Some form of shelter, this could be a tent or a bivvy-bag (a waterproof bag which can be used to sleep in) but most people prefer to use a lightweight tarpaulin which can be set up in many different ways to suit your needs.
You will need something to sleep on, in the tropics where you need to sleep off of the ground because of hazards such as snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies, a hammock is preferred but in Britain a simple camping mat will suffice.
Eating utensils such as a spoon, fork and knife will be needed along with a bowl or plate and some kind of camp cooker with pots if a fire is not suitable.
Water carriers are needed, strong plastic army bottles are the preferred carry here, but you may also like to take a large collapsible water carrier depending of the length of trip. Water purifiers are also necessities as you cannot be sure that water from rivers and lakes are safe.
Food - this can vary from simple boil in the bag meals to tinned and fresh food. What must be remembered though is that you need not live on army rations in the wild; you can cook anything you can cook at home, and nature often provides the ingredients.
A good sturdy knife, axe and saw are also necessities for carving wood and collecting firewood.
Clothing:
Your choice of clothing will vary according to climate and local weather reports. Clothing for a temperate climate will usually consist of a thermal under layer, a windproof layer and a waterproof outer layer.
Boots must be sturdy, but waterproof boots are not essential if you are using waterproof socks.
Finding your site:
When you arrive at your chosen area you will want to look for the most suitable site for your base. It should be on flat, well drained ground, have plenty of trees that can be used to set up your tarpaulin and/or hammock and be close to sources of water and firewood.
You must also make sure you have permission from the land-owner to use the site.
Setting up camp:
It is often preferred to have your sleeping area and your communal area separate. You will also want to have your toilet set downhill and downstream of the main camp so that your drinking water is not polluted.
An ex-military parachute can be set up to provide a large covered area which can be used to cook in and socialising when camping in a large group.
Firelighting:
Only a small fire is needed unless it is for heating a group of more than ten.
There are many ways to light a fire from the simple match to friction firelighting and flint-and-steel. Whichever method you are using you must make sure that the components are dry and you have suitable tinder ready at hand.
Tinder is used to take a spark or ember and produce a flame.
Tinders that can be found in the UK are: Amadou (fungus that has been specially prepared to hold an ember), charred cloth, pine resin, dandelion down, thistle down, dry grass, bark from the birch tree, dry dead gorse, pine needles and feathersticks (straight, split wood that is shaved to produce thin curls which ignite readily).
Once you have produced a flame from tinder, you will then need kindling -small pieces of wood used to keep the flames going. Pine makes the best kindling, especially when it is full of resin but any long matchstick-thin twigs that have been caught in branches of other trees that then air-dry in the wind will do.
You will need two large handfuls of the twigs which it best put over the alight tinder in a cross. Once the matchstick-thin twigs have caught, move on to pencil-thick twigs, then gradually add bundles of thicker sticks until you are burning the size of wood required. If it has been raining and you cannot find any dry thin twigs then the best option is to split down wood which is often dry in the middle and use four or five feathersticks to start your fire.
Of course, you must only light a fire if you have the landowners permission and if you can mange the fire safely.
Foraging:
Foraging for wild food can be a wonderful experience, not in the least because you get to cook and eat your rewards.
Some plants that are commonly seen as weeds can be used for food. Dandelions for example, the young leaves can be added to salads and the roots can be roasted and ground to make coffee-substitute. Blackberry leaves can be used to make tea and goosegrass a plant that children love to play with because is sticks to your clothing- can be eaten after being plunged in boiling water.
One of the most sought-after plants by U.K. foragers is burdock; it is easily recognisable at about two-feet tall which large heart shaped leaves. The root can be chopped up to use in stews, or roasted in the ashes of a fire. It is full of starchy carbohydrates which are perfect for giving energy in the bush.
A lot of fungi which grow in the U.K. are edible, including Chanterelle which is often served fried along side an English breakfast, and the giant puffball which is easily recognisable because of its size and football-like shape which can be sliced and fried like steak.
Because there a lot of poisonous fungi it is important to go on a good fungi identification course and buy a well-known field guide.
Meat is an important part of the wilderness diet as your muscles need plenty of protein to recover from the work done during the day. Fish are easy to catch but you could always try your hand at trapping small game such as squirrels, or even hunting rabbit with an air rifle or hunting slingshot.
However, it is very important to be aware of legal aspects such as protected species and poaching.
As always, if you wish to forage for wild foods or to hunt you must get permission from the landowner.
Before you leave.
Clearing up is one of the most important things you can do at the end of your stay.
Be sure to clear away any ashes left by your fire and spread them by hand to ensure that all the embers have burnt out.
A good thing about using a lightweight tarpaulin is it leaves little or no trace; it doesnt damage trees or kill the plants beneath it like a tent does.
Always take any rubbish back home with you, and use a light stick to brush the ground where you are been staying. The best rule to follow is make it look like no one has even set foot there.
Hope you enjoyed the read,
Asa
I wrote this bushcraft guide for a piece of coursework and thought it might have some helpful hints for some of the people here
Asa Samuel
A Bushcraft guide.
A Bushcraft guide.
Before setting off:
When you set off on a trip you always need to set yourself in the right state of mind; open your senses, be aware of changes to the plan and try to think forward to anticipate problems that may arise. Simple things like trying to spot the road sign before anyone else helps you to get used to spotting something that could be a hazard or a help.
You should double check directions, any tickets that you may need, weather conditions, and leave plenty of time if you will be using public transport.
Kit:
You will need
Some form of shelter, this could be a tent or a bivvy-bag (a waterproof bag which can be used to sleep in) but most people prefer to use a lightweight tarpaulin which can be set up in many different ways to suit your needs.
You will need something to sleep on, in the tropics where you need to sleep off of the ground because of hazards such as snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies, a hammock is preferred but in Britain a simple camping mat will suffice.
Eating utensils such as a spoon, fork and knife will be needed along with a bowl or plate and some kind of camp cooker with pots if a fire is not suitable.
Water carriers are needed, strong plastic army bottles are the preferred carry here, but you may also like to take a large collapsible water carrier depending of the length of trip. Water purifiers are also necessities as you cannot be sure that water from rivers and lakes are safe.
Food - this can vary from simple boil in the bag meals to tinned and fresh food. What must be remembered though is that you need not live on army rations in the wild; you can cook anything you can cook at home, and nature often provides the ingredients.
A good sturdy knife, axe and saw are also necessities for carving wood and collecting firewood.
Clothing:
Your choice of clothing will vary according to climate and local weather reports. Clothing for a temperate climate will usually consist of a thermal under layer, a windproof layer and a waterproof outer layer.
Boots must be sturdy, but waterproof boots are not essential if you are using waterproof socks.
Finding your site:
When you arrive at your chosen area you will want to look for the most suitable site for your base. It should be on flat, well drained ground, have plenty of trees that can be used to set up your tarpaulin and/or hammock and be close to sources of water and firewood.
You must also make sure you have permission from the land-owner to use the site.
Setting up camp:
It is often preferred to have your sleeping area and your communal area separate. You will also want to have your toilet set downhill and downstream of the main camp so that your drinking water is not polluted.
An ex-military parachute can be set up to provide a large covered area which can be used to cook in and socialising when camping in a large group.
Firelighting:
Only a small fire is needed unless it is for heating a group of more than ten.
There are many ways to light a fire from the simple match to friction firelighting and flint-and-steel. Whichever method you are using you must make sure that the components are dry and you have suitable tinder ready at hand.
Tinder is used to take a spark or ember and produce a flame.
Tinders that can be found in the UK are: Amadou (fungus that has been specially prepared to hold an ember), charred cloth, pine resin, dandelion down, thistle down, dry grass, bark from the birch tree, dry dead gorse, pine needles and feathersticks (straight, split wood that is shaved to produce thin curls which ignite readily).
Once you have produced a flame from tinder, you will then need kindling -small pieces of wood used to keep the flames going. Pine makes the best kindling, especially when it is full of resin but any long matchstick-thin twigs that have been caught in branches of other trees that then air-dry in the wind will do.
You will need two large handfuls of the twigs which it best put over the alight tinder in a cross. Once the matchstick-thin twigs have caught, move on to pencil-thick twigs, then gradually add bundles of thicker sticks until you are burning the size of wood required. If it has been raining and you cannot find any dry thin twigs then the best option is to split down wood which is often dry in the middle and use four or five feathersticks to start your fire.
Of course, you must only light a fire if you have the landowners permission and if you can mange the fire safely.
Foraging:
Foraging for wild food can be a wonderful experience, not in the least because you get to cook and eat your rewards.
Some plants that are commonly seen as weeds can be used for food. Dandelions for example, the young leaves can be added to salads and the roots can be roasted and ground to make coffee-substitute. Blackberry leaves can be used to make tea and goosegrass a plant that children love to play with because is sticks to your clothing- can be eaten after being plunged in boiling water.
One of the most sought-after plants by U.K. foragers is burdock; it is easily recognisable at about two-feet tall which large heart shaped leaves. The root can be chopped up to use in stews, or roasted in the ashes of a fire. It is full of starchy carbohydrates which are perfect for giving energy in the bush.
A lot of fungi which grow in the U.K. are edible, including Chanterelle which is often served fried along side an English breakfast, and the giant puffball which is easily recognisable because of its size and football-like shape which can be sliced and fried like steak.
Because there a lot of poisonous fungi it is important to go on a good fungi identification course and buy a well-known field guide.
Meat is an important part of the wilderness diet as your muscles need plenty of protein to recover from the work done during the day. Fish are easy to catch but you could always try your hand at trapping small game such as squirrels, or even hunting rabbit with an air rifle or hunting slingshot.
However, it is very important to be aware of legal aspects such as protected species and poaching.
As always, if you wish to forage for wild foods or to hunt you must get permission from the landowner.
Before you leave.
Clearing up is one of the most important things you can do at the end of your stay.
Be sure to clear away any ashes left by your fire and spread them by hand to ensure that all the embers have burnt out.
A good thing about using a lightweight tarpaulin is it leaves little or no trace; it doesnt damage trees or kill the plants beneath it like a tent does.
Always take any rubbish back home with you, and use a light stick to brush the ground where you are been staying. The best rule to follow is make it look like no one has even set foot there.
Hope you enjoyed the read,
Asa
