Ok, apologies for the delay. I moved into an estate cottage over the weekend which has no internet for the moment and now I am in Dorset on a research trip.
(Its lovely by the way, not bushcrafty at all but very plush glamping. I have never seen a set up with so many facilities, lights turn on as you walk along the paths, electrics, Wi-Fi and flush toilets with each yurt - very clever but a bit too high tech for our site I think.)
Anyway to reply to your questions / queries.
Platypus - I am sorry I didn't make my self clearer. I was trying to gauge what people wanted and obviously did not get the basic info across first.
The uniqueness of the site refers to the fact that it is the only privately owned area of this size managed by grazing / browsing as a wildlife habitat. This has resulted in habitats that do not exist anywhere else in the South of England. This has had great results for wildlife, for example, the estate is now home to approximately 2% of the Nightingale population while they are in the Country. It is basically a huge experiment to see what would happen to the British countryside if it was left to go wild. The process has been monitored and surveyed to see the changes to the habitat, from soil to canopy, year on year since the cessation of farming there.
The education aspect would be more related to the rewilding project rather than teaching bushcraft skills. Tours, courses and accommodation, in the form of a campsite, shepherds huts and bell tents, will be on offer to facilitate this. They will focus on the seasonal features of the estate, Nightingales singing in the early Summer, Purple Emperor Butterflies displaying in mid Summer and the Fallow deer rut in Autumn as well as the other year round wildlife opportunities bird watching, badger watching etc.
That is not really the reason I posted on here. I saw an opportunity for small groups to use the estate for bushcraft type activities, not courses as such as there are plenty out there already but somewhere to put it into practice.
If I was able to offer a deal for four people something along these lines would there be enough interest for me to set it up?
Saturday
10am - Meet for coffee and introduction
10.30 - Tour of the estate, explanation of the project and chance to photograph animals
12.30 - Arrive at camping area where you will be provided ingredient's for lunch. You would then be free to do whatever bushcraft activities you choose for the afternoon, light fire, cook lunch, set up tarps, bivvy's etc. A certain amount of green wood could be harvested for individual tasks, whittling spoon making etc or a group task (to be arranged in advance) bender building or whatever. Other options could be a wildlife walk, foraging, a bit of tracking, catapults making etc to be arranged in advance.
17.30 - Dinner ingredients provided possibly rabbits with a demonstration of wild game preparation. The rest of evening spent round the fire with a few drinks
Sunday
7.30 - Breakfast ingredients provided. Cook and eat breakfast, tidy site
9.00 - Activity of your choice by prior arrangement ferreting if in season, canoeing, foraging more bushcraft time etc
12.30 - Packed lunch during activity
15.30 - Back to barn for coffee and good byes
Would you be willing to pay £150 per person for this experience? If not what would you be willing to pay and how many of you would genuinely be interested?
Please bear in mind I have just made this up off the top of my head and I am sure it will need a few tweeks so don't all jump down my throat! There could be other activities and the whole thing could be adjusted to suit what the group would like to do by arrangement. Please also be aware that I have a Boss who makes the decisions and at this stage I am just gauging interest so nothing is set in stone.