Norfolk and Norwich Group
- Thread starter RAPPLEBY2000
- Start date
I think we need to try and organize a get together(overnighter?)sometime...Got some new toys i wanna try out!
Uh-oh.He's using the big letters again...
ah, but it always works my friend, always! 4 posts in 20 mins!It's sort of out of the question for me at the mo because of work + sumer hols(family), but I agree a meet-up would be good. I've been on a few short walks with my wife and kids but nothing really bushcrafty.
Looking forward to it mate, looks like it'll be tipping it down though!
I was getting my shelter ready for my upcoming demo's and had a good practice today when it got stormy.
it involves 3 issue army tarps, 4 upright poles and 2 crossbars (not very portable though the poles are steel). i had the whole thing set up on my front lawn, which Globetrotter will know is "open" (no fence and next to a road) 2 kids on a paper round asked nicely and stood under my tarps for a few minutes until it calmed a little.
Has anyone read this yet?
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/cont...ews&itemid=NOED27%20Jul 2009 14:02:12:353
hopefully they get permission,
I wonder if they are bcuk members?
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/cont...ews&itemid=NOED27%20Jul 2009 14:02:12:353
hopefully they get permission,
I wonder if they are bcuk members?
I think they need to re-think the name even though the SAS stands for:
"SAS (Swardeston Adventure Survival)"
I hate to use stereotypes but...
"SAS" rather suggests people dressed in camo, balaclavas, guns, secret missions, big guys carrying bergens around, etc etc
Hmmm
, guns, shooting range, flares... I wouldn't want that next door in a sleepy rural village shame about the inclusion of "Guns and flares" (though i understand the appeal), otherwise it looks good, I wish them well!
I would be surprised if they haven't come across BCUK, they may even be part of our group, there are alot of people I'm yet to meet. I keep coming across Bushcraft instructors in the area. good luck to them! It's not exactly a growing business at the moment!
The Swardestone group were at this years Norfolk show with a stall demonstrating firelighting with batterys and wire wool.They also had a display of Webbing and a ratpack.I was hovering when i was asked if it was anything i was into?Did i watch Bear grylls that sort of thing?I replied 'do you swing through the jungle and drink monkey pee then?'
Dont think i endered myself too much.....
They do the whole military experience by the looks of their website.
Dont think i endered myself too much.....
They do the whole military experience by the looks of their website.
Hi had a great day, info and pics later.
I had a quick look at the SAS website
http://www.sas-go.co.uk/
best to make your own mind up,
If you go to the "course menu" you'll figure out what the locals don't like.
I had a quick look at the SAS website
http://www.sas-go.co.uk/
best to make your own mind up,
If you go to the "course menu" you'll figure out what the locals don't like.
I also saw them at the Norfolk show, got talking and I ended up going over to Swardsden for a look round, it has a lot of potential but the name, I think we all feel the same there, my biggest impression is they are playing a game not running a bussiness.
It's funny really, back in the early/mid 80's there seemed to be quite alot of courses like that one springs to mind D.S.A.S (Dartmoor survival and Safety school) which was run by ex Royal Marines, It mostly catered for the "survivalist" i.e. survival in the wild but it had a few other courses like "Escape and Evasion", "Sniper training" etc etc..
but courses like that sort of went out of fashion for a few reasons:
The cold war ended (so a life having to survive a nuclear holocaust or hoards of Russian Spetznaz troops became unlikely).
Michael Ryan happened and a film called "Rambo" where a ex forces guy tries to "survive in the local woods but ends up going on a gun rampage through the local town!
for years the word "Survival" meant "Rambo/Michael Ryan" to alot of people , Survival as a hobby or lifestyle became a no no!
untill Ray mears came along and called survival "bushcraft" many of the previous "Survivalists" didn't have a hobby!
I think even the word "survival" still has a long way to go before it's considered safe.
but courses like that sort of went out of fashion for a few reasons:
The cold war ended (so a life having to survive a nuclear holocaust or hoards of Russian Spetznaz troops became unlikely).
Michael Ryan happened and a film called "Rambo" where a ex forces guy tries to "survive in the local woods but ends up going on a gun rampage through the local town!
for years the word "Survival" meant "Rambo/Michael Ryan" to alot of people , Survival as a hobby or lifestyle became a no no!
untill Ray mears came along and called survival "bushcraft" many of the previous "Survivalists" didn't have a hobby!
I think even the word "survival" still has a long way to go before it's considered safe.
Hi Photo's of my demo last Wednesday (thanks to Globetrotter:You_Rock_)
It all went very well, fairly easy crowds no nutters and I managed about 15-20 bow drill demo's (phew!)
The first Kidzone at Heartsese park
Happiness is friendly punters!
Demonstrating the good ol' Firesteel! (note the big metal Health and saefty) fire box
A selection of my hand made wooden tools and cordage
My RAF/USAF survival kit display
(note: pictures of astronauts doing survival training!)
It all went very well, fairly easy crowds no nutters and I managed about 15-20 bow drill demo's (phew!)
The first Kidzone at Heartsese park
Happiness is friendly punters!
Demonstrating the good ol' Firesteel! (note the big metal Health and saefty) fire box
A selection of my hand made wooden tools and cordage
My RAF/USAF survival kit display
(note: pictures of astronauts doing survival training!)
You know when i start quoting Roy Orbison songs things are getting bad!
wow this thread really is like flogging a dead horse!
You know when i start quoting Roy Orbison songs things are getting bad!
wow this thread really is like flogging a dead horse!
I didn't see any dead horses in your pictures.
Nice set up Rappleby, did you get much interest?
You thought that you were out on your own(sha-la-la-la.La-la-la-la)
Youre not alone anymore...(more Roy Orbison..)
Good pics mate.How many people offered you lighters?
Youre not alone anymore...(more Roy Orbison..)
Good pics mate.How many people offered you lighters?
Hi 2nd demo done, 3rd this wed.
actually it's all going pretty well, no lighters thrown (i keep a broken one next to me)
loads of interest, sort of half and half split [parents and kids) even some kids that came to both demos came back with a Bowdrill they'd made! i guess the biggest group watching has been around 20-30 people.
most of the time its around 5-10 people, it's a roll on roll off thing so by the time i've shown all i have there'll be a few people that haven't seen all of it and want to see the fire trick!
thing they like almost as much as the bowdrill fire is stripping nettles with my bare hands and eating a raw leaf! (no it doesn't hurt or sting!)
It's quite a good reality check on my skills, I've found I needed a longer bow and thinner drills (both are easier) and if you pre drill the starting holes they seem to "bed-in" quicker.
I've found that Nettles taken from shaded woodland can be stripped more easily and taste nicer, i had some from the side of pilling park! very stingy and very yuk!
I managed to get some char cloth burning from a flint and steel! (which i was very dubious about thanks again goes to Snufkin for making the steel.
thanks to Damascus and Lord lurcher for some of the Survival kit on display!
and the biggest thanks go to Globetrotter for supporting me for most of my first demo
this weeks Kidzone (and my demo) will be at Norwich's waterloo park 11-4 pm as mentioned before if you are around come and say hello!
actually it's all going pretty well, no lighters thrown (i keep a broken one next to me)
loads of interest, sort of half and half split [parents and kids) even some kids that came to both demos came back with a Bowdrill they'd made! i guess the biggest group watching has been around 20-30 people.
most of the time its around 5-10 people, it's a roll on roll off thing so by the time i've shown all i have there'll be a few people that haven't seen all of it and want to see the fire trick!
thing they like almost as much as the bowdrill fire is stripping nettles with my bare hands and eating a raw leaf! (no it doesn't hurt or sting!)
It's quite a good reality check on my skills, I've found I needed a longer bow and thinner drills (both are easier) and if you pre drill the starting holes they seem to "bed-in" quicker.
I've found that Nettles taken from shaded woodland can be stripped more easily and taste nicer, i had some from the side of pilling park! very stingy and very yuk!
I managed to get some char cloth burning from a flint and steel! (which i was very dubious about thanks again goes to Snufkin for making the steel.
thanks to Damascus and Lord lurcher for some of the Survival kit on display!
and the biggest thanks go to Globetrotter for supporting me for most of my first demo
this weeks Kidzone (and my demo) will be at Norwich's waterloo park 11-4 pm as mentioned before if you are around come and say hello!
well, that's about it for me, a whole week has passed and no one seems interested in even mild friendly banterSimilar threads
