Learning the ways of UK Bushcraft
- Thread starter Mhearadh.macleod
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Thats why I'm wearing gloves....
We were up against the Rugby club...Unsurprisingly we didn't exactly do well.
But we were the fiercest looking team.
We were up against the Rugby club...Unsurprisingly we didn't exactly do well.
But we were the fiercest looking team.
Sounds like you've had a realy tough time of life, but you are still young, given time support and care, you could live a wonderful life giving your skills to help society and be a real boon to others if you gave yourself a chance.
Hiding away realy isn't the answer, but I know tengu a bit, and she too has a passion for what she is interested in, and I think she too felt she was never going to find her rightful place for a long time. I can see she has found it now, after a long search, and I'm so happy for her. I know you could do it too if you can find the right place and people.
You are different, but that is what makes you unique and special.... like tengu!
One always feels that the grass is greener elsewhere, but often, when you get there, it's not as green as you imagined.
Land in Scotland is owned by a minority of rich hunting shooting lairds, and has been in families for centuries, so they won't be selling a patch of it off to you, or anyone else come to that.
Look into renting crofts. Crofting might suit you, but its not an easy life, and you will need to provide a profitability plan. Competition is fierce though.
If you are lucky, and it suits , it may be possible to buy, but you will probably have to bid.
I'm not sure of the system there. Our Scottish members could advise better than me on that I'm sure.
I fear for you if you come with your present ideas. As others have said, it's a hard place to live in winter without proper shelter, are you training in wet cold conditions? We do not get the dry cold here at all.
I spent a bit of time in Sweden in a log cabin at -20 and was more comfortable than in bricks and mortar in southern UK, let alone scotland!
Listen to what the people say who live work and play in Scotland.
Give some thought to being there and not liking it,... where do you go from there?
You are only young, and I'm sure feel that you need to do this, I'm old enough to be your grandma! So are others here. Listen to the words of wisdom. They are not to "put you off" but to make you think and question your plans deeply rather than run on emotional ideas.
Hiding away realy isn't the answer, but I know tengu a bit, and she too has a passion for what she is interested in, and I think she too felt she was never going to find her rightful place for a long time. I can see she has found it now, after a long search, and I'm so happy for her. I know you could do it too if you can find the right place and people.
You are different, but that is what makes you unique and special.... like tengu!
One always feels that the grass is greener elsewhere, but often, when you get there, it's not as green as you imagined.
Land in Scotland is owned by a minority of rich hunting shooting lairds, and has been in families for centuries, so they won't be selling a patch of it off to you, or anyone else come to that.
Look into renting crofts. Crofting might suit you, but its not an easy life, and you will need to provide a profitability plan. Competition is fierce though.
If you are lucky, and it suits , it may be possible to buy, but you will probably have to bid.
I'm not sure of the system there. Our Scottish members could advise better than me on that I'm sure.
I fear for you if you come with your present ideas. As others have said, it's a hard place to live in winter without proper shelter, are you training in wet cold conditions? We do not get the dry cold here at all.
I spent a bit of time in Sweden in a log cabin at -20 and was more comfortable than in bricks and mortar in southern UK, let alone scotland!
Listen to what the people say who live work and play in Scotland.
Give some thought to being there and not liking it,... where do you go from there?
You are only young, and I'm sure feel that you need to do this, I'm old enough to be your grandma! So are others here. Listen to the words of wisdom. They are not to "put you off" but to make you think and question your plans deeply rather than run on emotional ideas.
Even if you manage to buy a few acres, you won't be able to do whatever you want on it. Land use is highly regulated.
If you do wish to eke out a partial living from the land though, buying a croft could be a solution. They don't usually have a lot of land but they're often very isolated & not that expensive & the lifestyle, though harsh, could be what you're looking for.
I'm wondering if you have ever built a Scottish round house on your own, and lived in it.
I think you would struggle, can you do dry stone walling? Thatching? Where are your materials coming from? Can you afford to fight for planning permission.?
As has been said, this is a small island, expensive and overcrowded.
The reason people don't live in the less populated areas is because its not a place to live any sort of life.
You can't just build a cabin and live in it, where you want even if you own your own land, or most of us would have done it!
I fear you are dreaming of a life here, you could do better in your own country, with more space and freedom than here in the UK, and will be disappointed.
But, if you are prepared to come, and live a remote Scottish lifestyle without the ideas of a 14th century farmer and a roundhouse, you could have a good life. But you will find that remote communities need to pull together to survive. Solo is asking for disaster.
Please think hard before you decide.
I've had many dreams, but few have ever gotten realised without help from others in some way or another.
That's why people live in community, rather than alone. Especially in the lifestyle you plan.
Dreams are often vastly different from reality. Take that from a dreamer who is older, and wiser!
I think you would struggle, can you do dry stone walling? Thatching? Where are your materials coming from? Can you afford to fight for planning permission.?
As has been said, this is a small island, expensive and overcrowded.
The reason people don't live in the less populated areas is because its not a place to live any sort of life.
You can't just build a cabin and live in it, where you want even if you own your own land, or most of us would have done it!
I fear you are dreaming of a life here, you could do better in your own country, with more space and freedom than here in the UK, and will be disappointed.
But, if you are prepared to come, and live a remote Scottish lifestyle without the ideas of a 14th century farmer and a roundhouse, you could have a good life. But you will find that remote communities need to pull together to survive. Solo is asking for disaster.
Please think hard before you decide.
I've had many dreams, but few have ever gotten realised without help from others in some way or another.
That's why people live in community, rather than alone. Especially in the lifestyle you plan.
Dreams are often vastly different from reality. Take that from a dreamer who is older, and wiser!
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@Mhearadh.macleod ,
Thank you for sharing more about your thoughts, motivation and background. It might have been good to have included a little more of that in your opening post, and less about your areas of confusion and questions. That kind of background information really helps people understand what level of answer to give on subsequent questions. Questions about what knife to carry is very superficial compared to wanting to live an isolated life via 14C farming.
It sounds like you have been working towards skills that make what you want to do more doable than I had thought. We get quite a few folk joining the forum, usually teens or 20s, who are caught up in romantic ideas of bushcraft and wild living.
Anyway, it sounds as if you would do well with finding good topographical maps of Scotland. Have you heard of our Ordanance Survey maps? They have a website, and while not bad, the free maps online are not as good as their paper/paid maps.
explore.osmaps.com
When you get here, Bing Maps has a layer for the true OS maps, but I do not think it works if you are outside the UK.
Speaking of getting here, it seems to me that there is no need to make too many decisions or plans at this point in time. You have a job lined up, and it would be prudent (maybe even enjoyable
) to spend some time spying out the lie of the land once you are in country. Take some time to travel around some, maybe spend a year travelling over the different areas in Scotland and learning about the options for making your dreams work. The internet is great, but its still not a complete substitute for being in a place and talking to people who know the area.
All the best
Chris
Thank you for sharing more about your thoughts, motivation and background. It might have been good to have included a little more of that in your opening post, and less about your areas of confusion and questions. That kind of background information really helps people understand what level of answer to give on subsequent questions. Questions about what knife to carry is very superficial compared to wanting to live an isolated life via 14C farming.
It sounds like you have been working towards skills that make what you want to do more doable than I had thought. We get quite a few folk joining the forum, usually teens or 20s, who are caught up in romantic ideas of bushcraft and wild living.
Anyway, it sounds as if you would do well with finding good topographical maps of Scotland. Have you heard of our Ordanance Survey maps? They have a website, and while not bad, the free maps online are not as good as their paper/paid maps.
Detailed maps & routes to explore across the UK | OS Maps
Discover millions of routes to walk, run & cycle; or plot your own with Ordnance Survey mapping and route planner tools on web and app. Try it for free.
When you get here, Bing Maps has a layer for the true OS maps, but I do not think it works if you are outside the UK.
Speaking of getting here, it seems to me that there is no need to make too many decisions or plans at this point in time. You have a job lined up, and it would be prudent (maybe even enjoyable
) to spend some time spying out the lie of the land once you are in country. Take some time to travel around some, maybe spend a year travelling over the different areas in Scotland and learning about the options for making your dreams work. The internet is great, but its still not a complete substitute for being in a place and talking to people who know the area.All the best
Chris
Just a note on a small detail that is often overlooked when talking about outdoor life: keeping body temp in normal range takes a quite large amount of energy in cool climate and if outright cold still more. Easily double the normal indoor life. That means double amount food.
#1 son took part in a test on energy expenditure while serving. The researchers had a problem, the guys where using more energy than the measuring devices could handle, that meant over 7000 cals a day. Apparently that was enough though that their allocated amount of food was increased. It was also noted that at that expenditure rate they really could not eat enough to cover it.
So doing coastal gathering in cold water does require relatively huge amount of food to keep one moving.
#1 son took part in a test on energy expenditure while serving. The researchers had a problem, the guys where using more energy than the measuring devices could handle, that meant over 7000 cals a day. Apparently that was enough though that their allocated amount of food was increased. It was also noted that at that expenditure rate they really could not eat enough to cover it.
So doing coastal gathering in cold water does require relatively huge amount of food to keep one moving.
Please don't do as others who've come here have done and see the advice that people are offering as trying to just put you off. It does sound like you've studied plenty but the one thing that you can't study is the fact that it's almost impossible to master every skill or get strong enough to be able to do the jobs that require more than one person and there will be jobs that require it. There's a saying that "even Ray Mears would die alone " Scotland is a lovely country but also the weather will fight you at every step and also as has been mentioned you'll not be able to just build whatever structure you want without planning permission.
And you get to drink Irn Bru,and eat deep fried Mars bars,whats not to like,good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Just to chime in, but please don’t make the mistake of believing that instructor status is a shortcut to experience and expertise. I hold a fair few instructor competencies in both Military and Civilian spheres, the courses are simply vehicles to ensure that you are able to teach others theory and technique. It does not make you an expert. So please don’t let accreditation lead you to believe that you are an expert. Over confidence can be a killer.
Good luck! I think you are going to need to work very hard to make this a reality. I think you’re underestimating just how densely populated the UK is. You will not disappear into the wilderness here, someone will notice you, especially if you are trying to live off the land.
Good luck! I think you are going to need to work very hard to make this a reality. I think you’re underestimating just how densely populated the UK is. You will not disappear into the wilderness here, someone will notice you, especially if you are trying to live off the land.
Mhearadh, I'd be interested in your thoughts now after what you've been told about the realities of Scotland. I know you will need some time to think about it and process it all, but please come back to us and keep talking to us. We'd be more than pleased to help you .
There is bound to be a happy medium where you can live out your dreams even if it's part time. I think the idea of getting involved in living history or re, enactment , once you get here, would help you understand better and tailor your ideas to something that suits, and you may even find something that suits you better than a lonelylife in a strange country, which would only make you retreat further.
life is a precious gift, and you have to make the most of it. Society has always had its problems and niggles, running away from them never works successfully, it usualy ends badly.
People, " run away, " in many ways, drink, drugs, etc, etc, the list is endless.
We would not want that for anyone.
It would be good to see you connect and live a good life, rather than hide yourself away and attempt to live unrealistic dreams.
I'll keep you in my thoughts, and prayers, and hope you will make a good decision, and a better and more informed plan for living in Scotland.
There is bound to be a happy medium where you can live out your dreams even if it's part time. I think the idea of getting involved in living history or re, enactment , once you get here, would help you understand better and tailor your ideas to something that suits, and you may even find something that suits you better than a lonelylife in a strange country, which would only make you retreat further.
life is a precious gift, and you have to make the most of it. Society has always had its problems and niggles, running away from them never works successfully, it usualy ends badly.
People, " run away, " in many ways, drink, drugs, etc, etc, the list is endless.
We would not want that for anyone.
It would be good to see you connect and live a good life, rather than hide yourself away and attempt to live unrealistic dreams.
I'll keep you in my thoughts, and prayers, and hope you will make a good decision, and a better and more informed plan for living in Scotland.
We are good practical supportive people here; please be patient with us.
People cant exactly vanish here...folk are curious, if nothing else. (If you are an immigrant and vanish...what might that mean?) If they see a light in a remote building, they will knock on the door; maybe they are lost?
(Reminds me of the account of the guy who lived next to a Holy Well on a LDP; folk knocked on his door asking for a glass of water...)
Maybe they can in the US, you have a different mindset. But not here.
And my Experience in Scotland is that they are very friendly involved people and you need to respond in like.
Even if you dont want to interact. (I take my username from a hermit! But I started out very reserved...I have changed a bit in the years I have been here as folk will attest).
Can I point out the dictomy between IT and the 14th century?? Which is the `real` you?
Were you forced into IT because of Aspergers??
People cant exactly vanish here...folk are curious, if nothing else. (If you are an immigrant and vanish...what might that mean?) If they see a light in a remote building, they will knock on the door; maybe they are lost?
(Reminds me of the account of the guy who lived next to a Holy Well on a LDP; folk knocked on his door asking for a glass of water...)
Maybe they can in the US, you have a different mindset. But not here.
And my Experience in Scotland is that they are very friendly involved people and you need to respond in like.
Even if you dont want to interact. (I take my username from a hermit! But I started out very reserved...I have changed a bit in the years I have been here as folk will attest).
Can I point out the dictomy between IT and the 14th century?? Which is the `real` you?
Were you forced into IT because of Aspergers??
I disagree with some of the comments and warnings in this thread; we all have different experiences and views which, although may bring chaos to your decision making, provides good alternative viewpoints to consider. Most people need community; some don't.
There are plenty of people living alone and enjoying relatively independent lives on quite small holdings around here; some out of choice, some the result of circumstances. However, they are using 'jobbing income', state pension or other social benefits to pay for their minimal purchase requirements.
If you have good software skills, you can freelance from home for reasonable income on part-time. You would obviously need electricity (could be off-grid) and an internet connection to do that but that may be a compromise worth the cost.
If you find a smallholding (croft or otherwise) that your savings can buy, you will need to prioritise weatherproofing, the heat source, and water - but you know that. I think it would be extremely difficult to live entirely off your own produce even if supplemented with foraged food, so you will need to buy or barter and that will mean a limited amount of social interaction. Consequently, your place will have to be within a half winter's day walk from some kind of store.
On top of all that, you need a long term plan for when you need support. Whereas I understand the desire to end one's days in peace and not connected to tubes in a hospital, you don't want to die of a broken leg that prevents you getting food and water - so a way of getting help when needed is a sound contingency.
There are a few well documented examples of men and women living similar lives to the one you describe in the UK but it's always old age that forces them into the community.
Come over, don't burn any bridges unnecessarily, get to know the country, and see what opportunity there is. Reading your posts, I don't think there's any likelihood of anything said on here that will put you off trying, so good luck
There are plenty of people living alone and enjoying relatively independent lives on quite small holdings around here; some out of choice, some the result of circumstances. However, they are using 'jobbing income', state pension or other social benefits to pay for their minimal purchase requirements.
If you have good software skills, you can freelance from home for reasonable income on part-time. You would obviously need electricity (could be off-grid) and an internet connection to do that but that may be a compromise worth the cost.
If you find a smallholding (croft or otherwise) that your savings can buy, you will need to prioritise weatherproofing, the heat source, and water - but you know that. I think it would be extremely difficult to live entirely off your own produce even if supplemented with foraged food, so you will need to buy or barter and that will mean a limited amount of social interaction. Consequently, your place will have to be within a half winter's day walk from some kind of store.
On top of all that, you need a long term plan for when you need support. Whereas I understand the desire to end one's days in peace and not connected to tubes in a hospital, you don't want to die of a broken leg that prevents you getting food and water - so a way of getting help when needed is a sound contingency.
There are a few well documented examples of men and women living similar lives to the one you describe in the UK but it's always old age that forces them into the community.
Come over, don't burn any bridges unnecessarily, get to know the country, and see what opportunity there is. Reading your posts, I don't think there's any likelihood of anything said on here that will put you off trying, so good luck
In this country the average Churchgoer will be three times your age, can you fit into such a venue?
Some Young folk have religion....But it is probably not Xtianity....
(We have beautiful churches (And synagogues, and mosques and temples...) and we work very hard to keep them up, I know I am one of them...but we are very secular these days).
Some Young folk have religion....But it is probably not Xtianity....
(We have beautiful churches (And synagogues, and mosques and temples...) and we work very hard to keep them up, I know I am one of them...but we are very secular these days).
Obviously not, but by the same token you will have to be both very circumspect and very lucky to find a location where a local doesn't know you're there.
There are a few things you need to know about Scotland.
We are a SMALL country. Nowhere is more than around 40 miles from the sea.
All of this SMALL country is owned by someone. Pheasants and grouse are owned by someone. The fish are owned by someone. The crops are owned by someone. The deer are owned by someone. Most other birds and animals are protected by law.
Most landowners want to keep it and are not going to sell it to you.
To buy a LOT of land you will need to buy a large estate, these are managed commercial lands, not wildernesses, that cost a lot - many millions. And you cannot stop the rest of us from using them too.
To build and farm, especially to build, you will need planning permission, building warrants and a great deal of other paperwork. If you do so without planning permission your buildings will be torn down and you could go to prison.
It is irrelevant whether or not you "see yourself" as American, as a matter of fact you are and have no legal right to live here, you can only come as a tourist, anything else will require you to obtain a UK working visa and for that you will need a job and reach the income barrier. Jobs like that and living out of human contact in the wilderness are not compatible aims. Scotland has no immigration laws for you to familiarise yourself with because Scotland is still part of the UK and immigration is not a devolved matter. The very right wing Conservatives are in control of immigration and are very hostile to immigration.
Very few people in Scotland speak Gaelic, and most of them are in the Western Isles and their Gaelic varies considerably from island to island. Only a small percentage ever did speak Gaelic, most Scots spoke, and still speak, surprise, surprise, Scots.
Also Scotland is increasingly a non religious country, with many churches closed or sold as dwellings. The only Mass you could attend is at an RC church and there were never many of those to begin with here and very few indeed in the remote areas - I think there might be only one in the entire Highlands, and that's in Inverness.
I live in the Cairngorms, in what most British people would think of as a remote area, I have a few acres of garden, and a wonderful view across the hills. But I also have a glen full of neighbours, farms, a couple of small villages a few miles away, and all the forests around me are commercial plantations. There is no "wilderness" here, and if we heard a visitor had gone into the hills and not returned, Mountain Rescue teams would be mobilised to search for them, putting them at risk.
Don't get me wrong, you would be welcomed by most Scots but we are a practical people above all else, and impractical goals do not attract silence.
I think the OP has headed for the hills.
I must have scared them off with my villainous face and rough crew.
And there was me trying to be friendly.
I must have scared them off with my villainous face and rough crew.
And there was me trying to be friendly.
My DIL walked the Bibbulmun trail (OZ). OK not in the UK but what surprised her and on the telling, us, was folk ‘lived’ on this trail. Some for nearly a decade! A ‘lifestyle’ choice. Perhaps the Beeb could do a half hour slot on these folk.
I would imagine a nomadic lifestyle in Scotland could be done but in a camper van or some such.
You can live as a nomad in Europe on the waterways or on the tarmac but you need £’s to do this.
Visit. Experience. Write about your trails and tribulations and you may become a best-seller.
I wish you well.
S
I would imagine a nomadic lifestyle in Scotland could be done but in a camper van or some such.
You can live as a nomad in Europe on the waterways or on the tarmac but you need £’s to do this.
Visit. Experience. Write about your trails and tribulations and you may become a best-seller.
I wish you well.
S
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