Trying to start bushcraft

[Lucyc]

Hi - I'm pretty new to bushcraft, and I want to start! I've been looking at the Woodsmoke junior woodlander course as a starting point (unfortunately I have to wait a year to be 18, so most courses aren't available to me) but I really want to bring a friend, which is my problem, as most girls obviously aren't interested in this sort of thing, and the only one that is says it's too expensive so she can't go! Grr..

So basically, that's my situation. I don't know whether to attempt to try and convince my friend the other way, since the cost is a pretty immovable thing and it seems pretty impossible, so it seems like my only option left is to try and learn by myself. I have experience sleeping in woodland under tarps from CCF field days, but that's about it. I really want to do a course to start myself up, but since that doesn't seem available ( ) (and I don't want to go by myself), I think I'll have to. Just wondering if you guys have any advice and stuff! I thought I'd start with bow drilling and stuff like that. The thing is, I don't quite see how I can learn to make natural shelters and learn about survival properly and stuff without a teacher.

Thanks, Lucy

 

[Toddy]

Hello Lucy and welcome to BcUK.

I don't live near to you to offer help but there are others on the forum who may do so.
We do have meet ups and they are a very good way to make contact with others, socialise, and learn a tremendous variety of skills and ideas.

I know it's not widely apparant but there are a lot of females interested in this kind of stuff so even if your girlfriends aren't prepared to get very involved you needn't feel unwelcome or excluded.

The Schools and their courses are very much worth while attending, and one at least does an all female course.

Meanwhile there's an awful lot of information available; read, ask, walkabout, practice

cheers,
Toddy

 

[spamel]

You don't have to try and learn bushcraft, you have joined a site full of information and people who are willing to pass on their knowledge freely. There's pretty much nothing you cannot achieve now.

I won't get into the kit thing, but some simple skill sets would be a great start. Bow drill is reasonably difficult to get to grips with, but the reward at the end lifts you up no end. If you get it quickly, you'll be delighted, if it takes a bit longer the end result will still have you grinning like an imbecile!

I really don't know where you should start off, maybe a trip to the library would be a good start and see if you can get Ray Mears' Outdoor Survival Handbook on loan as it breaks the year down by seasons with different skills and projects to try. Now is a good time to start as you will have the first plants shooting up soon, some of which are edible and quite tasty and birch sap will be ready for tapping and drinking in a few months.

If you get stuck, just ask on here. That goes for most things as there will be somebody here that will be able to answer just about any question on any subject. Good luck, try to get along to one of your local moots and I hope you can get some of your friends involved too as there is no better way to spend your time than being outdoors.

 

[British Red]

Hi Lucy,

I personally wouldn't advise you to "talk your friend into it". Anyone not convinced will rpobably have a good moan when they get there.

As the guys say, there will be meets round your way with some luck. I also agree with Spam about the bow drill - a great skill to master, but far from the place to start! How about a (real) flint and steel? Have you ever had a go at that?

Start with a good book and list down the skills you would like to learn. I've never done a course being a grumpy old hermit, but I've developed some rudimetary skills along the way I think.

Don't be frightened to ask for advice on any skill tht you would like to learn. One of us will probably know how to do it and can offer photos etc.

Welcome by the way

Red

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

You may be lucky and have an active scout troop nearby doing all the stuff you want.

Nick

 

[spamel]

I also have never done a course. Never felt the need as I know how to sleep outdoors. I know how to manage a fire reasonably well. I can cook OK on a fire. I have learnt some of the skills from books and others from like minded folk that I have met on meets, mostly drinking skills! I'm pretty happy with figuring things out for myself.

Maybe I have worded that wrong and it looks like I don't appreciate the schools at all. That isn't true, I think they are an excellent resource for those that can afford it and need taking through the skills to become competent to look after themselves in the great outdoors. My Dad and my service with the Army taught me most of that, the rest is self taught or I've learned from here and meets.

Don't forget the articles tab on the site, there is loads to learn in there.

 

[C_Claycomb]

When I "officially" got into bushcraft, I did so by attending the Fundamental course run by Woodlore. Before that I had never camped out at all, even in a tent, beyone a few nights on the back lawn.

For me the course was a good way to start. I needed to get to grips with the mechanics of living outdoors, many of which are the same whether you are camping in a tent and cooking with a stove, or sleeping under a tarp and using a fire. There were some other guys on the course that had had a lot of experience camping, but hadn't spent as much time learning about the plants and environment. They found the outdoor living bit easier, but had to work harder to remember plants and all the craft skills we were getting shown.

Camping out and bushcraft aren't really the same thing. You can learn a tremendous amount of bushcraft without spending the night in the woods.

If you are able to absorb information by reading, try to get hold of some books. I found the Ray Mears book Bushcraft: An Inspirational Guide to Surviving the Wilderness very good, particularly because of the pictures, and Mors Kochanski's Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival good because of the words. There are plenty of others. Also, have a look at the download section on this site:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads...downloads.html
and in the articles area.

Many things can be tried on a day trip. Cordage, knots, plant identification (very important), and woodland awareness. How are you at tree identification? If you can identify trees all sorts of other things become easier, food, firecraft, tools, animal behaviour, cordage, and camp selection come to mind.

If you want to learn about survival, the best book that I can suggest is http://www.bushcraftuk.com/reviews/b...-survival.html It has very little to do with making shelters and trapping food and ties in very well with Stuart's thread about A Good Cup of Tea.

Bow drill and natural shelters will be difficult to pick up by yourself. If you want to be thorough, in order for you to make the bowdrill work, you need to have some skill with cutting tools, be able to identify the correct woods (or at least, the best in your area), and be able to find and know how to treat natural tinder. There is little purpose in trying to learn to use the bowdrill if you don't have at least those other skills since it is those that will provide you with the fire set should you need to use it.

If there is a moot this year, it would be worth your while to come. It has been held for the last few years at Merthyr Mawr, near Bridgend, South Wales, not a million miles from you. Lots of people teach stuff and while there is a fee for camping, it is on par with most campsites, and you get all the instruction thrown it!

Finally, Mod hat on If anyone approaches you and suggests that they can take you out and teach you some bushcraft, be discerning, even if they are a member here. Sorry I was a student in Bath when Melanie Hall was in the news and such things tend to stick in one's memory.

 

[Aragorn]

i've got to agree with spam, i'me pretty new to the game myself and have never beeen on a course, but i have been on a few meets now and had the privaledge to meet some great people, and hopefully long time friends, i don't think there is any part of bushcraft that somebody on here couldn't advice you well in, from wild food to shelters to knives, i think you would enjoy the course and proberbly get a lot from it, personally i prefer to pester guys at the meets for info and spend the money on better kit.

 

[spamel]

Finally, Mod hat on If anyone approaches you and suggests that they can take you out and teach you some bushcraft, be discerning, even if they are a member here. Sorry I was a student in Bath when Melanie Hall was in the news and such things tend to stick in one's memory.

That would be a good reason for you to try and take a friend long.

 

[leantoo]

i started my life in the craft in the middle 80s, first weekends out were with my best m8 and still best buddy, we kipped under a army poncho with a small fire, and i do recall on my first outing i didnt open the can of beans but i still put it on the fire..i didnt know ...and i do recall there was an allmighty bang and there we are covered head to toe in heinz,s beans...laughing dripping in juice, oh the joy of learning,
ive never done a survival course but ive read allmost every book on the subject and watched every programm ever made on the subject, i just really loved this life and went out with friends but more often on my own and tryed and tryed and tryed, many times it failed but theres that one time when it works and u are so happy with yourself, its like snow on xmass day, but irl tell u this , u will fail while learning BUT once u dont fail thats it , cus it stays with you and the second time is a doddle,,
my advise would be go out there and try, u cant go wrong with courses but if your in to it your half way there and you can learn these skills with your own mind and dont have to pay to learn, my biggest fear was being alone in the dark, werewolves etc ..watched too many horror films as a kid, but i overcome it and now love being alone in the woods, go with a friend go alone ,but go u must, its only ourselfs that stops us doing things, [ITS ALL IN THE MIND]

 

[spamel]

There are many noises that will startle you in the woods at night, just remember that your own imagination is the thing that will injure you as you blunder off into the woods screaming and poke your eyes out on some sharp pointy branches!

 

[leantoo]

u aint wrong there, still there can be places that just dont seem right after dark, could be my over active imagination, but if i wake up in the middle of a forest at night cus my dogs growling it does up the heart rate, only happened twice in my life, very unplesant i wouldnt class myself as a wimp, just found it a hard thing to deal with at the time,
still the only thing out there thats harmfull is man. or so they say,,, and
cant say i ever got grief of a squirrel.

 

[Biddlesby]

Yup, don't think any of my friends are into bushcraft either. Sometimes it has to be a solo mission until you manage to find a willing victim / friend!

Pretty much everything in the dark was there in the daytime, think of it in light (well, except the animals, but they'll be pretty scared of you). Slowly expand your comfort zone until you are where you want to be.

If you like bushcraft go for it, and don't be lazy about going about it like i was (and still am).

 

[Greg]

I paid a bundle for a course when I left the Army and still to this day wish I hadn't bothered.
The course was good and all but I found that I pretty much new everything they were teaching just from reading books, being in the army and going out with my Father as a kid.
This site wasn't up and running then but since I became a member here, I have learn't stuff that I previously didn't know about. I've been on a few meets and the guys were very approachable and I was able to learn all sorts including Bow drill & Traditional flint and steel fire starting, I also learnt the art of Hammocking which isn't as easy as you think!
I was lucky in that I met John Fenna on the course I attended and he has been alot of help to me since with various bushy type projects.
So welcome to the site, unless you feel it absolutely necessary don't spend your money on a course just yet, learn the basics and a bit more from the people on here, (who by the way are the most helpful and friendly I have ever come across so you feel free to ask loads of questions), get yourself some good books on the subject, attend a few of the meets and then in the future if you feel you need to you can then go on a more advanced course.
Just my opinions please take them as such.

 

[Lucyc]

Wow thank you all for your replies. I do have a friend who's interested, it was just the expense of the course she was worried about, but I think if we didn't do a course she wouldn't be bothered anyway!
My problem is that being a girl, I can't really camp out in woodland by myself Although actually my friend would be willing to camp with me, and I could just learn all the other stuff by myself and then inspire her with my knowledge.. I have a plan!
Ok so I need books, and the information off of here. I'm pretty appalling at tree identification, I don't suppose there's a book for that too? I can only identify like, an oak, a horse chestnut and an elder..And a stinging nettle.

So now I suppose the question is: what are the best books out there? I want all the information! (What can I say, I have a thirst for knowledge.. except when it comes to school). Tree identification included! I could probably actually use my mum for tree identification since she knows everything about plants ever (except their uses to bushcraft), but I'm a moody teenager and don't speak to her, so there we go..

 

[spamel]

Tap uinto that knowledge! How do you think the aborigines learnt their skills? They hand the knowledge down. It seems a waste to shun information just because you can. You never know, your Mum might get interested in it too, then you'll have somebody legally old enough to buy your booze!

So, you know what a stinging nettle looks like. Good, because right there you have a plant with a number of uses. You can use the fresh young tops to make nettle beer or use the leaves fried like a spinach for eating and it does taste fantastic. I agrre with Ray on that one! You can dry the leaves as a tobacco substitute, boil the leaves and then reduce the fluid to make a shampoo, and the stems can be crushed and split to make a cordage. So right away you have opened up a number of projects that use one plant, are simple and bushcraft related

Oak is great for making a good hot bed of embers for cooking over, horse chestnut leaves can be used to wash your hands before you start cooking by crunching them up and rubbing with a bit of water to produce a soap and elder flowers and berries are edible. You can also use the elder to create an ember by using the hand drill method, good luck with it though as I haven't had success yet!

So with a few plants and trees you have already made your life a bit more comfortable. Easy isn't it!

 

[Greg]

OK then,

Books:
Ray Mears - Essential Bushcraft http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-B...bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1200781223&sr=8-2

and The Outdoor Survival Handbook http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-Sur...bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1200781257&sr=8-3

Mors Kochanski - Bushcraft http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bushcraft-O..._sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1200781185&sr=8-1

Lofty Wiseman - The SAS Survival Handbook is a all time great http://www.amazon.co.uk/SAS-Surviva..._sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1200781501&sr=8-2

Richard Maybey - Food for free http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-C..._sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1200781300&sr=8-2

Tree Identification - there are quite few but I have this one which is pretty good.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated...bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1200781344&sr=8-7

That should just about do for starters, although I'm sure you'll get some more suggestions from other members.
Listen to Spam, he is a veritable fountain of knowledge!

 

[spamel]

I'd go along with those. They are a good choice. Of all of them, I'd choose The Outdoor Survival Handbook, simply because it is broken down ointo seasons with tasks and skills specific to the time of year.

Try them out in the library first and if they don't have it, ask them if they can order it in.

 

[British Red]

Lucy,

If you want a safe choice ,look into the Collins series of books - go for the larger ones (not the Gems) - they do a Tree Identification, Plants, Animals, Insects - all sorts. I have many and they are all good. Surprising often how parents and older relatives are willing to chip in for books (particularly reference books).

A decent deigital camera (with macro mode) is something worth getting too. It slips in a pocket and when you find something interesting you take a picture (or many pictures if you are like me ). Then when you get home work out what it is. Then next time curse yourself for forgetting what it is But it sticks after a while and the camera is lighter than half a library!

Don;t be too worried about going out on your own - clearly be safe and vigilant but not so afraid that it impacts on your enjoyment. My young daughter (who is about your age) often says she feels safer in the woods than the streets. I think theres a lot of truth in that (although I don't go near many streets) - nutters go where there lots of people to prey upon - they don't hang around untrodden footpaths on the remote chance a lone girl might happen by (The Big Bad Wolf excepted )

Be careful but get out there and do it - if I can help or advise in any way - just say the word

Red

 

[reddy]

I was about eighteen when I really wanted to start getting into bushcraft and a lot of what you said is very similar to what my situation was too.

I personally have never been on a course so I can't comment - some people swear by them, some don't. It may be an idea to practice a little bit of bushcraft to see if you enjoy it before paying out that dosh!

I learnt by myself. I made loads of 'mistakes' but failure is another step to success Finaly acheiving something you've failed at before is a delicious experience

When I started I would devour a book on the subject from my library, make a note of the recommended books in the bibliography and then request them. Most of the time they would have the book in stock somewhere in the catchment area. You can renew books as long as you want to as long as no one else reqests them btw !

Whenever I could I went out and practised - this could be making a notebook of plants/trees and leaves and trying to id them, beachcombing - incl again trying to id things, and studying water - looking for fish.

I progressed from there, slowly buying things when I could afford to (like a rod & licence!), and in a lot of cases not needing to buy things that I thought I needed.



Safety wise, go with people you trust. Anyone who you don't really know well, who tries to pressure you into going with them fishing/ bushcrafting and starts getting a bit mad or piles on a guilt trip about you "not trusting them" generally run a flippin mile from them. In my experience (of being a girl who's into bushcraft) a genuine person will respect your wishes and not pressurize you. ALWAYS trust and act on your own instincts.

I usually bushcraft on my own and love it, again use your instincts, if a place makes you uncomfortable then leave. I'm 30ish now and I still try & tell someone where I'm going and what time I'll be back!

You've come to the right site btw, I've learnt quickly that this place is a goldmine of info and friendly too


Bush craft is a huge subject - what skills do you reckon you'd like to learn at the moment?