North Meet **** Logistics **** Read me!

[Wayland]

Ok a new thread to bring together some important information for people attending.

The site is Fisherground in Eskdale. OS map OL6 ( English Lakes SW sheet ) Roughly NY154003


The site fees are:

Adults: £4.00 Children: £2.00 Vehicles: £2.00 Gazebos: £2.00 ?

We will be paying our own individual fees. If aditional fees are required for group working areas, donations will be sought.

The site is as booked as we can get it. We will not have exclusive use of the site but they know we're coming and they know theres about 45 of us.


The dates we have discussed are 28th October to 31st October (The site closes after this date and we all need to be off site by 11.00am Monday.)


Bear in mind I have not been able to see this site, I am working on recommendations and conversation with the owners.

Debbie and I will be on site from Thursday evening, look for the Red Vito van and either a tarp or a white canvas tent.


Fisherground is a family site and they have a strict rule about noise after 10.30pm.

This does not mean we all have to be in bed but it does mean conversation around the campfire does have to be quiet .

It is possible, though unlikely, that we will be alone on the site at this time of year in which case this rule may be relaxed slightly.

Also things have changed since the website was produced. The farmer who owns the adjacent woodland is no longer happy for people to forage over his land.

Although we may not be able to forage for much firewood the site aparently sells good sized bags of logs for about £3.50 The local garage sells logs too as does a local "woodsman"

Chainsaws are not allowed on site and all firewood must be cut to a reasonable size before burning.

The site has a small amount of woodland of it's own, access to the river and the fells behind the site are public access.


The area that may be suitable for hammocks is descibed as a bit scruffy with loose rocks and gravel about, but we should be able to camp fairly nearby.

Available hammock space sounds limited so it would be wise to have a "Plan B"

We cannot create any fresh campfires, only use existing ones which should not be a problem.


Scruff is organizing a group cook up for one evening. If you want to partake you should PM him and let him know if you have any dietary requirements ASAP

The latest list of people coming as posted by Scruff is:

Wayland + 1
Goose
Graham S
led + 1
bloodline
outdoorcode
Razorstrop
Eric Methven
Bumblebee
JimH
scruff + 2
morch + 2
Grooveski
Scout
redcollective
Scally
running bare + 1
Big Geordie
big lizard
bike thing
Spoony + 1
gaz_miggy + 1
JoshG + 2
Emberglow
peds8045
twelveboar + 3
bilko
Halo
Hammy
wanderingstar + 1

shaggystu +1
Simon waites?


45 confirmed, 3 maybe's

There are some useful reviews of Fisherground on a site found by Stevec here

Well worth reading.

We will be out of contact from Wednesday onwards. Apparently, like much of the Lake District, there is absolutely no mobile phone signal on the site.

In emergencies the nearest hospital which has an A & E dept. is in Whitehaven. The clinic in Cockermouth does not have a casulaty dept or Xray etc.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Right then, seems most people want to focus on spoon carving and leathercraft - sheath making to be precise. That's what I'll cover then. I'll not bother with the pole lathe at this meet. Less wood for me to carry and it leaves more room for firewood.

I've been to Le Prevo leathers and bought two sides of veggie tanned leather so there'll be plenty to go around. I'll supply the equipment and elastoplasts (seriously! you wrap a couple of plasters round the knuckle joints of your index fingers so you can pull the thread really tight without it cutting into your skin.) The costs for the sheaths (a sheath with firesteel holder) will work out at seven quid each. That just covers my costs for the leather. The beeswax, thread, dye and polish are on me.

I'll also be bringing a wallaper table to use as a barter/swap table so if you want to sell anything bushcrafty or for camping, bring it along.

For those making sheaths, you'll find it more comfortable if you can sit down to do the stitching so bring something to sit on (folding camp chairs are good) otherwise you can stand at the worktable.
Eric

 

[led]

Thanks Eric for putting so much energy and time into preparing the workshops etc, it's very much appreciated. Fingers crossed for the weather everyone!

 

[outdoorcode]

Thats brilliant Eric, very much appreciated :You_Rock_

 

[Razorstrop]

I'll cover friction fire lighting with the bow drill.
I only have one kit so it will be 1-2-1, as long as it takes to get you a coal and a flame
the charge?? 10p to cover materials lol
no really its free, if anyone wants to pay donate it to Tony for the upkeep of the forums


Also I cant stress enough that there wont be enough wood for nearly 50 people to forage so bring what you can or buy what you can :aargh4:

wishing his life away until next weekend
Garry

 

[Wayland]

I can do fire lighting with flint and steel + something about bone / antler working if anyone is interested.

I'll probably have my leatherworking tools with me as well.

 

[Emberglow]

Can help with cooking if anyone wants a hand

 

[Eric_Methven]

I've just had a look at the map. I can't get away from Durham until after lunch. This would mean arriving after dark. There's no way I'm bringing the van fully laden over the Wrynose and Hardnot passes (burned a clutch out once doing that) so I'll be coming right round the long way from the north. So, I might as well set away from here at around 4.00am on Saturday and should be at the site by breakfast time.

That means I don't rush trying to get through Friday afternoon traffic in the Lakes and can get the workshop set up straight away as soon as I arrive. So, don't worry if you don't see me on Friday night. I'll definitely be there early Saturday and I'll stay till last light on Sunday so we can get a full days work in on both days.

If any of you want to try more than one thing, and work yourself out a timetable of sorts I can tell you that a sheath will take from between one and two hours to make and a spoon can be done in an hour or so, so there'll be plenty opportunity to knapp flint or become an acomplished pyromaniac.

Edit: Nearly forgot. I'll also be covering making leather thonging and making round braid from the thong. I managed to get three thong cutters from Le Prevo and these will be for sale to anyone who gets hooked.

Eric

 

[Graham_S]

if my stuff from brisa turns up in time, and if i can get time off, i'll be handleing a knife.
if not and i'm there, i'll do a spot of archery, chemical firelighting, flint&steel, sharpening, that sort of thing.

 

[Bumblebee]

And I'll bring my spyderco ceramic bench stones + profile sticks

 

[led]

There's a map of where the meet is here.

 

[Wayland]

I've just had a look at the map. I can't get away from Durham until after lunch. This would mean arriving after dark. There's no way I'm bringing the van fully laden over the Wrynose and Hardnot passes (burned a clutch out once doing that) so I'll be coming right round the long way from the north. So, I might as well set away from here at around 4.00am on Saturday and should be at the site by breakfast time.

Eric

Eric. Just a point I noticed on one of the reviews that the site is closed after 11pm, part of their no noise rule apparently

They say you can walk onto the site but they want no vehicle movements late at night.

For Graham and others I'm afraid archery is not allowed on site either.

( I'm beginning to wish we had been able to find another site.) :sad6:

 

[Razorstrop]

I have drove onto the site at 12.30am before now and no one complained, so I think thats to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Plus we are coming as a group of 40+ people for 2/3 nights at £6.00 a night as an average, thats at least £500 of business that they would'nt normally have at this time of year,so am sure they will be 'understanding'.

Can understand about the archery though, after all it is a public site.

Not too badly phased yet
Garry

 

[Wayland]

Plus we are coming as a group of 40+ people for 2/3 nights at £6.00 a night as an average, thats at least £500 of business that they wouldn't normally have at this time of year,so am sure they will be 'understanding'.

So far, on the occasions I have rung them I have detected very little in the way of flexibility or "understanding". What I get is "The rules are..."

Now while I understand their point of view, I am terribly worried they are just not going to understand us at all....

I think one topic of discussion for the weekend may be where else we do this sort of thing in future. For something in the region of £250 per night I'm sure we ought to be able to find somewhere more "Bushcrafty"

 

[Razorstrop]

I agree with what you say about the next venue Wayland as its not 100% Bushcraft friendly in the way other venues appear to have been.
However all I can say as reassurance is that when I was last up there were quite a few bodies doing a little bushcraft and the site owners showed alot of interest, so all is not lost. Plus on a personal basis, for me the meet is definitely about the people, putting faces to names and having a good old getting to know people who like/do what I do and a bit of learning for free
If it all goes badly wrong and the owners are difficult, then like you say at least we can plan something bigger and better for the future.

Ready to make the best of whatever we end up with
Garry

 

[sparks]

im with razorstrop
it will be a good weekend (bushcraft is about doing the best with what you have)

 

[Goose]

It is something we can discuss around the real campfire, to compare places we know and work out a regular meet up.

 

[Wayland]

Thanks for the support guys, It's the first time i've tried to organize something like this so I suppose I'm a bit anxious that everything is OK for everyone.

 

[running bare]

hi all , firstly a big thank you to everyone for organising and sharing skills and supplying materials. :You_Rock_ . Its my first meet and im truly looking forward to the experience.I agree with big lizard and razorstrop its our meet so lets not let minor details marr it

tom

 

[morch]

You got 150% support from me Wayland, like others have already said, its the gettin together and sharing info n stuff thats important. I'm sure the venue will be fine