Northern Wilderness, your thoughts?

[DavidJT]

I agree with Bob and Rik above. The programme was absolutely full of Bushcraft. Really beautiful and inspiring.
I think as RM is getting older, and his career is moving on he's becoming more of an elder statesman or spokes person for the environment. I think he's very concious to make wieghtier, more cosidered programmes, and so distance himself from the antics of BG and the rest.
I don't expect him to make films just about skills in the future, they are only a small part of the bigger issue he wants to put across. Instead I think he'll go on to make more great programmes like this one, and maybe become almost a David Attenborough type figure.
Not sure what BG will be doing, still jumpIng off water falls when he's 50 or 60?

 

[Adze]

youtube is full of persons doing it too

I got the distinct impression the lack of demonstration was quite deliberate - the only shelter he built was made using completely dead wood and he went to pains to mention "I haven't even taken any branches down to build this..." (or words to that effect)

Is he trying to ameliorate some of the damage done by other "survive in spite of your environment" shows by giving us a "minimum impact, survive with and because of your environment" show?

As rik says - youtube is crammed with people demonstrating every firelighting, deforestation, wild food gathering, carving and fishing technique under the sun, which seems quite a recent phenomenon to me.

Nice one Ray, I reckon.

 

[Kerne]

I got the distinct impression the lack of demonstration was quite deliberate - the only shelter he built was made using completely dead wood and he went to pains to mention "I haven't even taken any branches down to build this..." (or words to that effect)

Is he trying to ameliorate some of the damage done by other "survive in spite of your environment" shows by giving us a "minimum impact, survive with and because of your environment" show?

As rik says - youtube is crammed with people demonstrating every firelighting, deforestation, wild food gathering, carving and fishing technique under the sun, which seems quite a recent phenomenon to me.

Nice one Ray, I reckon.

Interesting observation and I think I go along with it. If he did all the "old" stuff again he'd be accused of recycling past shows. Like the woman who bit the birch bark said: "There's nothing to be afraid of in the forest."

 

[Fizzlebang]

A great show clearly balanced to appeal to couch potatoes as well as those of us who appreciate the outdoors a little.
Ray has a fantastic charm about the way he explains what he is upto and I thinks its great how he has guests on the show who are clearly passionate about what they do.
Loved the mushroom drying for the squirrel!

 

[Atellus]

Yes, loved the mushroom moment as well! But I didn't like the way he handled the natural history aspects of the programme. I thought it was far to light weight and brief which was demonstrated by his discussion of the beaver lodge and the lifestyle of beavers. Someone above suggested he could become the David Attenborough of Bushcraft and the history of exploration, but his somewhat thin descriptions of the wildlife demonstrated that he definately isn't a David Attenborough of natural history (yes, who is? But you get the point). Sounded like he'd just read a short section of text on beavers and was parroting it, leaving out a lot of information that I already knew and expected him to at least touch on, information that wouldn't overwhelm the viewer but would add greatly to the depth of that segment.

Contrast this with the discussion by David Henry when they were at the squirrel mound. Henry did a much better job throughout of bringing depth to his comments.

Now, it sounds like I'm panning the whole programme but I'm not. I agree that this programme represents a change of direction towards the lifestyle, anthropological and historical aspects of the subject (rather than how to carve spoons and light fires), and I also agree that this programme was just a teaser to hook as wide an audience as possible. I've read the first chapter of the accompanying book and found it was rather sketchy and light weight as well, in all the same ways I've implied above.

I think the inclusion of David Henry was intentional as it seemed to be his job in this programme to provide the expert commentary that Ray usually provides. This time, however, Ray took a step back from the role of expert presenter and became just a presenter, a window through which to view others and their expertise instead.

I further agree that we've seen enough hours of demonstration on how to apply specific techniques in survival situations. Been there, done that, the DVDs and books are readily available as are the repeats on the various cable documentary channels. It will be good to see a broader (or in it's own way, deeper) look at the history and development of bushcraft and in particular, I look forward to seeing more about the history of exploration. That really is a fascinating subject and I'm surprised that the BBC, which makes all kinds of niche documentaries, is reported as having been so hesitant to approach this subject.

If my assumptions and expectations about the premise of this series are correct, I think I'll appreciate programme two much more.

 

[Nigel]

A very good programme really enjoyed it, plenty of useful bushcraft info.

 

[leon-1]

I enjoyed the program.

It has got a certain amount of history included in it and for those that don't enjoy history they should think that mankind would be nothing if they had not learnt the lessons that history teaches us.

Bushcraft is after all the learning of historical skills as much as anything else. We seek to emulate the skills practiced by the trappers, voyageurs and indigenous peoples practiced throughout history.

There is nothing really wrong with looking into the ethos of the people that practiced those skills and that in it's own right could be looked at as a lesson in Bushcraft.

Well each to their own.

 

[5.10leader]

Initially I was a little disappointed; not what I was expecting I guess. However, I did record the programme and, having rewatched it, found it really very good. Shows the value of not having preconceived ideas.

I do fully agree with other correspondents that, with many of the basics have already been covered in earlier series, the last thing most members want, I'm sure, is another lesson in firelighting.

Look forward to the rest of the series.

 

[PJMCBear]

Exactly what I expected, and a little bit more. Well done Mr Mears and the BBC. That's what I buy my TV license for.

 

[TinkyPete]

I really liked the program to, it show an enviornment in its true glory and not just at one time of the year which for alot of programs is a new approach. RM is a good presenter of knowledge but he still shows people what can be acheived, I know alot of people who would not dare to be out in tempretues of -30 in a tent with only a fire. Unfortunately in my job i've been out in the same tempretures without a fire With the BBC they want a wide audience to see this and they know natural history will do this but to have it also concerning bushcraft and about unknown explores i think will be very interesting maybe a new film or too may come out of it? a lot differnet than the old film about Rogers Rangers called Northwest Passage (1940) and staring Spencer Tracy although that is still a classic.

Yes he is showing us alot of history but sometimes its the best way to learn, people of the past survived in these areas without alot of the technology we have now, and lived so why cann't we?

It was beautifully shot and the camera man really showed it off well. I love Canada and have spent a fair bit of time over there unfortunately not it that area but others and i must say its one of my favourite places in the world. You can see what a delicate but harsh place it can be.

I look forward to the rest of the series and look forward to reading the book. (note to self to put on the christmas list )

 

[Lordyosch]

thought it was pretty good stuff. I don't expect there'll be much in the way of in depth instruction, think that'd be a turn-off for a lot of people.


Jay

 

[susi]

Well there's only so many times you can watch someone carve tent pegs, or make fire with a flint a steel. I like Ray's direction, which isn't totally new for him. I like the way he takes you to places you may never have visited, how he includes some obscure facts about the locals, etc. I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of the series, and living abroad this takes plenty of effort to actually watch it But it's worth it, most definitely!! Well done Ray!

 

[BorderReiver]

Exactly what I expected, and a little bit more. Well done Mr Mears and the BBC. That's what I buy my TV license for.

If the rest of the programs were that good I'd buy a licence too.

 

[Tye Possum]

So how would I go about watching this? No stations here that I'm aware of show Ray Mears shows anymore. Kinda funny how it's a show about the Canadian wilderness yet I can't even watch it here in Canada...

 

[hog]

Reckon we will be getting some history thrown in tonight though.

 

[rik_uk3]

So how would I go about watching this? No stations here that I'm aware of show Ray Mears shows anymore. Kinda funny how it's a show about the Canadian wilderness yet I can't even watch it here in Canada...

The first episode was on bit torrent sites within a couple of hours of broadcast

http://www.torrentreactor.net/torre...-S01E01-WS-PDTV-XviD-FTP-h33t-Keyman30-(2009)

 

[Mesquite]

Well the second episode was better, stunning autumn colours and the birch bark canoes were good to see.

It's growing on me

 

[Forest fella]

Yeah I liked the look of his Small Axe/Tomahawk,anyone know where I can get one.

 

[Shewie]

Loving the photography again, I presume they've got Alan Duxbury behind the camera still.

Fascinating series.

 

[John Fenna]

Loving it all!
And I am not a big RM fan!