Just returned from the Fundamentals bushcraft weekend with www.naturescraft.co.uk in Wiltshire run by Andy Noble (Known as andyn on Bushcraft UK forums). Being new to the whole bushcraft thing I was a little apprehensive but glad I went on the course since met some great people on the course with me and the instructors like Andy, Mike,Paul, and young Kieran where excellent and down to earth and didnt make you feel you where under pressure to do anything you didnt want to but would help you to achieve the lesson being taught. Even when I was sure I had defective birch bark on the fire lighting lesson a few words on encouragement and a point in the right direction from Paul and Andy got me sparking away with the firesteel. I also went back to basics with lighting a fire with flint and steel which I had seen in many programs but never achieved myself until I went on the course although do admit to giving up on the bow drill technique since personally I just couldnt get that to work for me. On the Friday night Mike took a few of us Badger watching which was amazing seeing these wild animals snuffling about and playing just a few metres away from us. Saturday was the main day and had us building shelters, testing our senses in the woods, knife work, game prep,and many other things. On the Sunday we did tracking and plant recognition and shown how to make cordage which is a skill I plan to put to good use when I do living history shows.
So to sum up if your looking to go on a Bushcraft course I would highly recommend going on one of the Natures Craft courses since I found you take a lot for granted in the modern world and going back to basics makes you stop and think how we used to live and how much simpler it was. The course was full of fun things to learn not only about the environment we where in but also about your own personal senses and learning more respect for the woodland environment.
So to sum up if your looking to go on a Bushcraft course I would highly recommend going on one of the Natures Craft courses since I found you take a lot for granted in the modern world and going back to basics makes you stop and think how we used to live and how much simpler it was. The course was full of fun things to learn not only about the environment we where in but also about your own personal senses and learning more respect for the woodland environment.
and glad it turned out to be a great weekend.
