I suppose I could leave the axe. I was just thinking about splitting wood, but nevermind. As for the knives thats an error I meant to put knife lol. I dont have a problem with going up a day early to set up the tent and get the basics together then bring up other things such as tools etc.
Going out for the first time...
- Thread starter tyrcian
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Generally a sharp pointed folder and a scandi or bushcraft knife that you can batton with, will manage almost everything you'll need. A small forest axe or the like is awfully useful too, but I must admit I get as much use out of my little folding saw a I do from an axe these days.
I like my Swiss army stove too, burns anything small, boils a mug of water in minutes packs down small and weighs about 250g. If you have the makings of hot water you don't really need to cook; cous cous, smash, soup, readybrek are all quick and easy and lightweight to carry as well as being good carbs.
Best advice for the first trips out, keep it simple.
Hope it's a good jaunt.
Cheers,
Toddy
I like my Swiss army stove too, burns anything small, boils a mug of water in minutes packs down small and weighs about 250g. If you have the makings of hot water you don't really need to cook; cous cous, smash, soup, readybrek are all quick and easy and lightweight to carry as well as being good carbs.
Best advice for the first trips out, keep it simple.
Hope it's a good jaunt.
Cheers,
Toddy
Nessmuk advocated a small folder as well as a fixed blade knife a hundred years ago, and plenty of folk do carry both.
I'd very much agree with the earlier comments about water. It is not just the bacterial contaminants you nees to worry about.
You can split wood with a fixed blade knife and improvised baton. Most of the time that's what I do, and I leave the axe at home.
Newspaper is not great tinder. It does not burn as hot or as long as birch bark, and often burns incompletely, leaving bits behind to blow away. If you can, take some birch bark with you. From live trees, only take the naturally peeling thin layers off the very surface.
I'd very much agree with the earlier comments about water. It is not just the bacterial contaminants you nees to worry about.
You can split wood with a fixed blade knife and improvised baton. Most of the time that's what I do, and I leave the axe at home.
Newspaper is not great tinder. It does not burn as hot or as long as birch bark, and often burns incompletely, leaving bits behind to blow away. If you can, take some birch bark with you. From live trees, only take the naturally peeling thin layers off the very surface.
Tyrcian,
Okay list of things to do:
1) Make fire without lighter of matches
2) Fashion a pot holder to hang over the fire - try to make it height adjustable so you don't burn everything
3) Carve a spoon
4) Make a shelter bed under a tarp (must be well insulated and preferably raised from the ground)
5) Make some sweet bannock for breakfast and cook it
6) Take a copy of "food for free" and see what you can find. Be careful of anything that may be poisonous (e.g. fungi or hemlock which looks like cow parsley). Don't cook it - take its picture and clever people here will confirm identification.
7) Build a chair to sit on with a flat seat (you'll have to split some logs for this)
8) Dig a clean proper latrine - without a spade (carve a digging stick)
9) Identify 5 different animal sites and tracks
10) Boil water - without using a pan
Then publish photos so we can all envy your "quiet time"
Does that help in getting started on a "to do" list?
Red
Okay list of things to do:
1) Make fire without lighter of matches
2) Fashion a pot holder to hang over the fire - try to make it height adjustable so you don't burn everything
3) Carve a spoon
4) Make a shelter bed under a tarp (must be well insulated and preferably raised from the ground)
5) Make some sweet bannock for breakfast and cook it
6) Take a copy of "food for free" and see what you can find. Be careful of anything that may be poisonous (e.g. fungi or hemlock which looks like cow parsley). Don't cook it - take its picture and clever people here will confirm identification.
7) Build a chair to sit on with a flat seat (you'll have to split some logs for this)
8) Dig a clean proper latrine - without a spade (carve a digging stick)
9) Identify 5 different animal sites and tracks
10) Boil water - without using a pan
Then publish photos so we can all envy your "quiet time"
Does that help in getting started on a "to do" list?
Red
..as for tasks, I would keep it simple. In a recent "dress rehearsal", I practiced the really basic things e.g. -
finding a good spot (more difficult than you think);
pitching up (in my case tarp and hammock); and making your site comfortable
practicing fire prep (not necessarily fire starting, but at least selecting and gathering wood);
practicing making basic utensils (billy stand and support - even though I didn't use it on the ocassion)
actually cooking (ya gotta eat)
setting up sleep arrangments (I'd do that prior to actually sleeping - to iron out any problems that would be difficult to solve in the dark)
thinking through contingency plan (what if your tent set light - what would you do?)
try your hand at a simple spoon or eating utensil, and actually use it.
These are simple tasks. Too many and you'll exhaust yourself and get put off. The most imprtant thing is to relax and enjoy yourself!!
finding a good spot (more difficult than you think);
pitching up (in my case tarp and hammock); and making your site comfortable
practicing fire prep (not necessarily fire starting, but at least selecting and gathering wood);
practicing making basic utensils (billy stand and support - even though I didn't use it on the ocassion)
actually cooking (ya gotta eat)
setting up sleep arrangments (I'd do that prior to actually sleeping - to iron out any problems that would be difficult to solve in the dark)
thinking through contingency plan (what if your tent set light - what would you do?)
try your hand at a simple spoon or eating utensil, and actually use it.
These are simple tasks. Too many and you'll exhaust yourself and get put off. The most imprtant thing is to relax and enjoy yourself!!
I'd agree with Pablo. No need to go out of your way to fill your time up. Give yourself plenty of time to experiment with tarps/shelters and get yourself nice and comfortable. Get used to just sitting still and getting to know the sounds and smells of the woodland. Get used to moving around in the dark (without a torch). Take a star map and (if it's a clear night), learn some stars and constellations.
Have fun!
Have fun!
I hate to sound like a bit of a kill joy but no one seems to have mentioned the fact that our young explorer is about to trespass on private land. This is of course illegal. I do not know if setting a fire etc would be classed as criminal damage.
My main concern ,however, is that if he was challenged by the owner then he could end up giving all bushcrafters a bad name. It could prejudice the use of the woods (and possibly other land) in the future. The owner could well be keen on such use of the woodland if asked but not after someone has trespassed! There is also a presumption here that tyrcian can be 'like a ghost' and leave little or no trace - what if does leave a lot of sign and the owner discovers it and then locks the place down.
Perhaps I'm just being a bit of a fuddy duddy about this but I feel that it is important not to just help yourself to a bit of woodland that you think is neglected just because you can and you think that you are going to do no harm. It could be someone's pride and joy and they would be mortified if someone just helped themselves. There may be very specific reasons why the wood appears negelected - for example a rare breeding species of plant or bird. How would you feel if someone decided to live in that old shed at the bottom of the garden for a weekend just because it looked a bit disused.
Sorry if I'm ranting and hopefully I haven't offended anyone.
Thanks for the time.
Joff
My main concern ,however, is that if he was challenged by the owner then he could end up giving all bushcrafters a bad name. It could prejudice the use of the woods (and possibly other land) in the future. The owner could well be keen on such use of the woodland if asked but not after someone has trespassed! There is also a presumption here that tyrcian can be 'like a ghost' and leave little or no trace - what if does leave a lot of sign and the owner discovers it and then locks the place down.
Perhaps I'm just being a bit of a fuddy duddy about this but I feel that it is important not to just help yourself to a bit of woodland that you think is neglected just because you can and you think that you are going to do no harm. It could be someone's pride and joy and they would be mortified if someone just helped themselves. There may be very specific reasons why the wood appears negelected - for example a rare breeding species of plant or bird. How would you feel if someone decided to live in that old shed at the bottom of the garden for a weekend just because it looked a bit disused.
Sorry if I'm ranting and hopefully I haven't offended anyone.
Thanks for the time.
Joff
Make sure not to camp under large trees particularly beech. joff to be fair to tyrcian he sound like the sort of person whose going to leave the area as undisturbed as possible.
Are these the woods you mean Tyrcian?
http://www.destinationteesvalley.co.uk/activities/tour_guisborough_woods
https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk...BEA652B1116A4E8E80256F54002EF9C7?OpenDocument
If so, they don't sound as though they are uncared for
Is it maybe not worth your while trying to get to one of the meet ups near you? The range of activities covered at these can be tremendously varied and at the same time the atmosphere is conducive to quietly picking up masses of info.
Cheers,
Toddy
http://www.destinationteesvalley.co.uk/activities/tour_guisborough_woods
https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk...BEA652B1116A4E8E80256F54002EF9C7?OpenDocument
If so, they don't sound as though they are uncared for
Is it maybe not worth your while trying to get to one of the meet ups near you? The range of activities covered at these can be tremendously varied and at the same time the atmosphere is conducive to quietly picking up masses of info.
Cheers,
Toddy
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Naruska said:
Hey Marko...it might be nice and dry in Finland but it rains like you wouldn't beleive over here...mostly when I go out overnight! lol
Being a prepared sort of chap I check the forecast before I go out and if it says it might rain then I take my brollie...it goes in one ice axe clip on my day pack and my axe goes in the other.....many have giggled but they usually stop when it starts raining
Sorry...off topic somewhat! Have a great trip and take everything you can carry, you'll only miss it if you don't
who said that Bam.
Ill try my best to do no harm, just footprints
Also they are very well cared for its just all the decent places to actually set up a tent have been taken and are littered and vandalised by chavs trying to use and axe But the woods are basically all on a hill. They manage well enough near the woodland centre though
Toddy said:Are these the woods you mean Tyrcian?
http://www.destinationteesvalley.co.uk/activities/tour_guisborough_woods
https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk...BEA652B1116A4E8E80256F54002EF9C7?OpenDocument
If so, they don't sound as though they are uncared for
Is it maybe not worth your while trying to get to one of the meet ups near you? The range of activities covered at these can be tremendously varied and at the same time the atmosphere is conducive to quietly picking up masses of info.
Cheers,
Toddy
Also they are very well cared for its just all the decent places to actually set up a tent have been taken and are littered and vandalised by chavs trying to use and axe
But the woods are basically all on a hill. They manage well enough near the woodland centre though
I thought the same - that tyrcian wouldn't be allowed to just wander onto land and set up camp without permission, even if the site is then left in good condition.Joff said:
Can anyone clear this confusion up for me please...?Wenie said:I thought the same - that tyrcian wouldn't be allowed to just wander onto land and set up camp without permission, even if the site is then left in good condition.
In civilised countries such as Sweden, Norway and Scotland you can - with few common sense exceptions- do exactly that.
In England he would be committing a civil offence, not a criminal one (providing there is no criminal damage or armed or aggravated trespass). In theory the landowner could sue in the civil court, but would have to prove damage.
Have you got a rucksack of some description? (Aldi are doing a reasonably ok one for £19 or you can pick up a good PLCE one from evil bay). As a general rule you should be able to carry all of year gear on yer back and take it in a single trip. Or you could put everything in plastic bags and carry it all in a shopping trolly hobo stylie.......
