Living

[woodowl]

Having spent some time reading the contents a number of Bushcraft sites, I find myself wondering what it is really all about? I am back at home after six weeks walking and living as, I feel, life should be. Is this a site for weekend campers? I have seen many postings of "how to catch a fish, skin a rabbit" etc but are these skills not way of life and taken as given?Or am I at the wrong site? Off walking again next Tuesday to see the Autumn in beautiful Scotland.

 

[mountainm]

It's a site that doesn't pigeonhole people's habits but celebrates the diversity of opportunities and experiences we all have - be that weekend campers or full time explorers. We all have something to share and something to learn.

 

[robin wood]

"I am back at home after six weeks walking and living as, I feel, life should be."

Well if that is life as it should be then you should go live it. I don't know what you were doing but was it sustainable long term? Would you still enjoy it if you did it for 3 years? When I was 18 my best mates dad sold up and bought a boat in the Bahamas, dived for fish for his dinner every day moored somewhere new to sleep every night. I thought it sounded like paradise but 10 years later he was back living in a flat in Kings Lynn.

Bushcraft can let us reconnect with the world around us and some of it can be brought in to enrich our daily lives, I for one enjoy the 21st century and feel privileged to be able to take the best from the stone age, the iron age and the information age to build a balanced life.

 

[shaggystu]

It's a site that doesn't pigeonhole people's habits but celebrates the diversity of opportunities and experiences we all have - be that weekend campers or full time explorers. We all have something to share and something to learn.

a combination of a hard day, red wine, and the late hour has stripped me of any vague pretence of elequence. thanks for saying what i was thinking

 

[woodowl]

Fair call but is all the other stuff bushcraft? I can see your point and think its good to get every one all booked up and so on, but is cooking a shop caught fish on a gas grill in a country carpark really such a chalenge? My first job was as a pool attendant and part of my job was to teach children to swim. They gave a badge for swimimg 5 meters. I wonder sometimes how many of those kids might have fallen out of a boat and thought "hey I'm ok I have a badge" then 100 meters from land.............!!!!!!!!

 

[woodowl]

Robin, I had a strange look from the young lady in St Fagans today when I asked " is that one of Robin Woods Bowls?" the big round house was closed though!!! If we want to learn what has all but been lost then it must be all or nothing?

 

[mountainm]

They gave a badge for swimimg 5 meters. I wonder sometimes how many of those kids might have fallen out of a boat and thought "hey I'm ok I have a badge" then 100 meters from land.............!!!!!!!!

The purpose of the 5m badge is to motivate the child to keep going.
Why does everything have to be a challenge?

 

[woodowl]

not everything has to be but you miss my point.

 

[mountainm]

not everything has to be but you miss my point.

Apparently so... Which point?

 

[robin wood]

Fair call but is all the other stuff bushcraft? I can see your point and think its good to get every one all booked up and so on, but is cooking a shop caught fish on a gas grill in a country carpark really such a chalenge? My first job was as a pool attendant and part of my job was to teach children to swim. They gave a badge for swimimg 5 meters. I wonder sometimes how many of those kids might have fallen out of a boat and thought "hey I'm ok I have a badge" then 100 meters from land.............!!!!!!!!

Well if the point is "if it doesn't help you survive in the harshest environment there's no point" I would disagree. I thoroughly enjoyed as a teenager working my way through Richard Mabey's "food for free". It taught me a lot about my local environment, helped me connect with it on a deeper level, and also made me realise that it's a lot easier buying your food from a farmer. I gained huge respect for "primitive" cultures that lived off the land but I also realised that we are privileged to be able to live any life we choose. You want to be a pirate? go smuggle drugs in the Caribbean, you want to be a hunter gatherer? there are places on this earth where you can go and do that but not the UK. And don't expect to have internet access and healthcare.

 

[mountainm]

Please tell me we aren't going down the tired old path of bushcraft v survival....

 

[woodowl]

I as for as little as I can from your world. I go back and see my sisters family when I can (I am on their PC now) and I, once in a while talk to a bank, again for my sistres sake. And it can and is being done in the UK I know I do it.

 

[robin wood]

Robin, I had a strange look from the young lady in St Fagans today when I asked " is that one of Robin Woods Bowls?" the big round house was closed though!!! If we want to learn what has all but been lost then it must be all or nothing?

I don't think I have done St Fagans any bowls in the past though I do have a bunch of Iron Age replica bowls half made for them at the moment. I was very tempted to go down there today for the carpenters fellowship Frame event which is always great. This year the folk from Neeman tools are there http://www.neemantools.com/en/gallery/bearded-eye-broad-axe I would drive a long way to handle an axe of that quality but sadly have been playing too much so have to work all weekend.

 

[mountainm]

I as for as little as I can from your world. I go back and see my sisters family when I can (I am on their PC now) and I, once in a while talk to a bank, again for my sistres sake. And it can and is being done in the UK I know I do it.

Good for you. Meanwhile I have to keep a roof over my kids heads which demands I work at least 9 to 5:30 every week day. So even if it was possible to be a hunter gatherer in the UK, whilst staying above the law. It wouldn't keep my kids warm, healthy or educated.

Weekend camper and proud.

 

[robin wood]

And it can and is being done in the UK I know I do it.

Brilliant good for you. Do all you can to record what you are up to so that if/when you return to the 21st century you can share your experiences and what you have learned.

 

[woodowl]

The young lady had a look at a clipboard an said it was your work. It was the new house that has been brought from Penbroroke, very nice building too.

 

[British Red]

I as for as little as I can from your world. .........I am on their PC now.

<guffaw>

If you can't see the contradiction there.......

 

[Retired Member southey]

I dint think you'd have much time for bird watching if you are having to live from the land for prolonged with out any kind of outside support such as taking from farmed stocks, could you give us a break down of your diet over a couple of days, how far do you travel, what areas are you doing this in? Sounds great.do you use any metal kit what clothes are you using? Modern materials or skins?

 

[woodowl]

you are more than welcome to spend a few days with me if you doubt me.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Nope unable too do that, but thank you, I'm just asking for a few gems of info chap, not poking, jut asking