local woods

[Archiemoses]

hello there all this is my first post here on the forums. Ive recently got into bushcraft but have thought ray mears is a legend for at least a couple of years. So ive got me self a lovely tora 740 training knife and will be purchasing an axe sometime soon, however dont think ill buy a gransfers as bit to steap for time being.
Anyway got all kitted up today and headed off to some woods with me dog ofcourse. I had a look at the os map so had a rough idea of where i needed to go and how far. However i never made it as the old boy, dog, is a bit old now and not so well so we had to abort mission. I was already bit nackered me self. I think ill drive to some woods near Canterbury instead and try out me bushcraft skills there.
I was looking forward to trying to make bramble cordage, nettle cordage abd perhaps eat some nettles and try the old fire plough and get some more good wood for making spears.
Well there you go bit of a random thread i know but for a bit of crowd participation im going to ask you all how close are you to woods?, Do you drive?, Walk? how big are the woods?
There hope this thread is of some interest to you

 

[Nagual]

The place I normally go camping is about 45 miles from me! It's in my old stomping ground as I don't have a scoobie of where to go around here. Even there, it takes a good 3 hour hike if going cross country or a 15 min drive followed by a 1 1/2 hour walk up the forestry road. Once there it's so worth it, no noise, no pollution, no people Just lots of outside deer, eagles and bleedin midges of course..

Cheers, Nag.

 

[T1tch]

Hi Archiemoses

My nearest woods are only a couple of miles away, but my fave spot for a bimble is a good 12 miles or so meaning I drive - but well worth the journey: 900 years old and a good size, full of wildife and alsorts of bushcrafty kinds of things.

 

[Wallenstein]

We're quite well off for woods - got two or three lovely 30-40 acre woodlands in the town.

Only problem is that one is a top site for dogging, so have to be a bit careful what time you choose to go there!

For camping out we use the local scout site just outside Coventry, about 4-5 miles away.

 

[Archiemoses]

hoho o Dogging! o dear o me lucky we dont have any of that round here! or maybe its unlucky? anyway cheers for replys so far i was worried i wouldnt get any. The woods within walking distance of me are very small and id probably get chased round and hunted by the local gamekeepers. However the one thats a twenty minute drive is a far big bigger, however i think it may be frewuented by lots of dog walkers which could get a bit annoying when im imagining myself lost in the wilderness runnig out of supplies, nasty wound from a savage wild boar and then and old lady walks through the scene with her jack russel terrier, lovely day isnt it love!

 

[Ogri the trog]

Welcome aboard Archiemoses,
I hope your dog recovers soon.
Getting out in the woods is always great fun, but you don't have to travell far to practice a few skills. I practice my fire lighting in the garden, despite being surrounded by countryside. The Fire Plough is a little ambitious if you don't have any friction fire experience but good luck all the same. We don't have any nettles yet either, but you can practice the method with all sorts of materials.

All the best

Ogri the trog

 

[cakey]

We're quite well off for woods - got two or three lovely 30-40 acre woodlands in the town.

Only problem is that one is a top site for dogging, so have to be a bit careful what time you choose to go there!

For camping out we use the local scout site just outside Coventry, about 4-5 miles away.

lmao, watching the fauna in your area has a whole new meaning i guess, personally i have a small 300yr old cottage tucked away in some woodland and go there on a weekends 15 mile drive and then tranquilaty not much noise, lots to see the cottage has no water, no electric, no gas, no gererator either just get thrown straight back to the 18th centuary.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

going on about the woods in relation to your house were i live. fortunatly all i have to do is climb me back fence and am in a contry park full of wood land and lakes.

 

[bushcraftbob]

I have to travel about 12 miles or so to go for a decent ramble in the woods. There is a tiny copse about 5 minutes from my house which is good to practise bits in, and as above the old back garden is a good place to practise, and not far from the comforts of tv and sofa for when it gets a bit cold

 

[Bernie Garland]

I must confess i'm lucky, no more than a ten minute walk.

Bernie

 

[Toddy]

It's a messy, straggly bit of woodland along a burn and there are factories popping up over the other side, but I step striaght out my lane gate and under the hawthorns and I'm there Better yet, if you follow those straggly woods they eventually join up with bigger woods, and river systems
It all starts somewhere, usually at the back door

cheers,
Toddy

 

[shep]

It depends how woody I want.
Out the back of work is a small unmanaged bit of mixed woodland where I go for a bimble/track in my breaks. I've even slung my hammock there from time to time.

For 'proper' woods, I need to drive for a good 30mins into the countryside and even then we're not exactly talking wilderness. I really need to get out of the South.

 

[memoryweaver]

The piece of woods next to where I work is quite small -- a 20 minute brisk walk round the perimeter -- and frequented by many dog walkers -- but, even here, I've found a small area that's off the paths and private enough for a bit of whittling, or just some quiet contemplation.

Usually an hour or so's walk from somewhere will take you to fairly quiet parts -- I'd say any public footpath, on a weekday, more than 2 miles from a settlement is going to be pretty much deserted. Even quite 'touristy' places are pretty much deserted on weekdays --- It's great if you can take a day off when the weather's fine.

Unfortunately woods are few and far between now, and ones that are open to the public tend to be full of people (although early mornings in the summer are not only quiet but quite quite beautiful)

Sometimes I'm just after solitude, and you know you're really alone when on quiet paths through huge fields, and can see all around your for a couple of miles.

It never ceases to amaze me just how far from their cars people won't venture -- I think 90% of people won't go more than 20 minutes walk from the car.

--
Marcus

 

[Kristien]

This weekend i am walking 2 miles to get to the edge of the Wyre forest, then probably another 2-3miles further into the forest.

 

[GreenmanBushcraft]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I won't go into details of woods as I use so many but few are within walking range.

Enjoy the forum

Kris

 

[bingobadgo]

I live a five minute drive from some woods but its mainly a conifer plantation. The nearest "proper" broad-leaved wood is about 15 mins away.

 

[John Fenna]

I have woods opposite my house - but cannot use them for nights out, woods down a quiet lane that go for miles and have a glorious waterfall in them and woods at the top of our village (5 min walk up a lane) that I can do anything in - a Pity they are small and by a road....