Hi folks,i thought i would share some pics of last weekends camp out. Myself and Craigm9 spent a couple of scorching days out in the woods,we planned on doing some primitive skills ie fish hooks,cordage etc etc.
Anyway heres a few pics
I arrived at camp at about 3ish,i went for a wander before setting up my tarp,then collected fire wood,and made a pot stand for our billies.
Craig got to the site at 7ish,it was so hot we didn't bother lighting the fire until nearer 10 o'clock.
I lit the fire using the bowdrill.
Craig getting settled for a night round the campfire
A shot of our camp.
We were of to bed rather early,well when i say early in-fact the sun had started to rise,i think we turned in at 3.30am
So after a couple of hours of shut eye we were up for a breakfast of bacon,croissants and crusader mugs of tea.Craig successfully lit the fire using his firesteel to throw sparks on feather sticks that we made.
After breakfast we spent a couple of hours collecting and prepping firewood to last us for the rest of Saturday and on into Sunday.Once that was out off the way we started to have a go at some hands on skills,we started with rendering some nettles that i had collected at the back end of last year,to turn into cordage.Next we had a go at primitive fish hooks,abrading bone for barbs then splitting Spruce roots for lashings.I also took Craig on a plant walk to help with his ID-ing in the glorious sunshine.
By the time we had got that done it was time for our evening meal and a few tins of beer,it was a lot cooler than the previous night so i put a couple of stones next to the fire to heat up,we turned in a little earlier than before,1 o'clock this time,i trotted off to bed with my hot stone bed warmer and went out like a light.
I awoke at 8.30,and got the fire lit again with feather sticks and steel,after a big mug of tea we were back making stuff again.Craig started a Birch arrow shaft while i got on with boiling up some Willow bark that I'd collected the week before.
Craig first scrapped off the outer bark of the Birch,and then used the fire to heat up the shaft so as to straighten it,next he started to smooth it down.
Craig abrading the arrow shaft using a sandstone pebble,to make it smooth.
Next he started to abrade an arrow head out of slate,meanwhile the Willow bark was ready to come off the fire.
Willow bark cooling down after being boiled in a lye solution for about 1 hour 30 mins.
Well time had started to catch up with us, it was 3pm and Craig had to be back up the road for 4 so it was a mad dash to get everything packed up and into the cars,so that left us with some unfinished work,but i'm sure we will get it all finished next time.
Some raw materials and on going works.
Well i'm now back home nursing the dozen or so Midge bites and sun burnt head and arms,but that being said it was a great weekend with great company.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers Stuart.
Anyway heres a few pics
I arrived at camp at about 3ish,i went for a wander before setting up my tarp,then collected fire wood,and made a pot stand for our billies.
Craig got to the site at 7ish,it was so hot we didn't bother lighting the fire until nearer 10 o'clock.
I lit the fire using the bowdrill.
Craig getting settled for a night round the campfire
A shot of our camp.
We were of to bed rather early,well when i say early in-fact the sun had started to rise,i think we turned in at 3.30am
So after a couple of hours of shut eye we were up for a breakfast of bacon,croissants and crusader mugs of tea.Craig successfully lit the fire using his firesteel to throw sparks on feather sticks that we made.
After breakfast we spent a couple of hours collecting and prepping firewood to last us for the rest of Saturday and on into Sunday.Once that was out off the way we started to have a go at some hands on skills,we started with rendering some nettles that i had collected at the back end of last year,to turn into cordage.Next we had a go at primitive fish hooks,abrading bone for barbs then splitting Spruce roots for lashings.I also took Craig on a plant walk to help with his ID-ing in the glorious sunshine.
By the time we had got that done it was time for our evening meal and a few tins of beer,it was a lot cooler than the previous night so i put a couple of stones next to the fire to heat up,we turned in a little earlier than before,1 o'clock this time,i trotted off to bed with my hot stone bed warmer and went out like a light.
I awoke at 8.30,and got the fire lit again with feather sticks and steel,after a big mug of tea we were back making stuff again.Craig started a Birch arrow shaft while i got on with boiling up some Willow bark that I'd collected the week before.
Craig first scrapped off the outer bark of the Birch,and then used the fire to heat up the shaft so as to straighten it,next he started to smooth it down.
Craig abrading the arrow shaft using a sandstone pebble,to make it smooth.
Next he started to abrade an arrow head out of slate,meanwhile the Willow bark was ready to come off the fire.
Willow bark cooling down after being boiled in a lye solution for about 1 hour 30 mins.
Well time had started to catch up with us, it was 3pm and Craig had to be back up the road for 4 so it was a mad dash to get everything packed up and into the cars,so that left us with some unfinished work,but i'm sure we will get it all finished next time.
Some raw materials and on going works.
Well i'm now back home nursing the dozen or so Midge bites and sun burnt head and arms,but that being said it was a great weekend with great company.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers Stuart.
