W.E.I.S.S courses
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I've been on the WEISS course. It's tough, challengeing but very rewarding. I'm not going to give you a review and no one will as it will give the game away. But it is well put put together by Preben, Gary and JP. Well worth doing.
http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/ap/myAlbums.do?albumId=39271.1596.1162064783804.1
http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/ap/myAlbums.do?albumId=39271.1596.1162064783804.1
Ok...so i was right on reading between the lines the course has some unexpecteds and pranks...after reading that he sank his own boat for realism i thought something might be happening!
So what about fitness, previous experience etc...??
Your best bet is to email Gary at Bearclaw Bushcraft. Some experience is needed and you do need to be in good working orderGo for it, you will not regret it I can promise you that much.
Thanks Martin, only thing is i went via Nordic Bushcraft and they advertise it at £565 and Bearclaw at £720....
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
There's a little more info about the course on the Bearclaw bloggsite but as Martin says none of us students will say much about it...
http://bearclawsbushcraft.blogspot.com/
Cheers,
Bam.
http://bearclawsbushcraft.blogspot.com/
Cheers,
Bam.
Thank you chaps, very intreaguing!
Would you recommend the Vildmark as a precursor? or is it much the samo?
Have emailed Gary as suggested,
Would you recommend the Vildmark as a precursor? or is it much the samo?
Have emailed Gary as suggested,
The alternative option is to arrange your place on a W.E.I.S.S. course directly with the instructor Preben Mortensen in Sweden.
His company 'Nordmarkens kanot & Turist Center' has a website with all the contact details you need: www.nordkanot.se
a google translated version of the website is here
the translated 'survival information page' is here
and the 2007 pricelist is here
The W.E.I.S.S courses are the fourth item down on the price list, at 112 Euros (£75.50) a day, which appears cheaper than booking through companies in the UK.
I'm certain you'll have a spectacular experience and learn a great deal, dont worry about language problems, Preben and his staff speak excellent English.
hope this helps, have a good one
His company 'Nordmarkens kanot & Turist Center' has a website with all the contact details you need: www.nordkanot.se
a google translated version of the website is here
the translated 'survival information page' is here
and the 2007 pricelist is here
The W.E.I.S.S courses are the fourth item down on the price list, at 112 Euros (£75.50) a day, which appears cheaper than booking through companies in the UK.
I'm certain you'll have a spectacular experience and learn a great deal, dont worry about language problems, Preben and his staff speak excellent English.
hope this helps, have a good one
It's a pity that such translations are so vague and lack the detail to enable a viable assessment of the experience to be made. It would also appear that when prices are shown as "starting from", it's best to find out a bit more about the course content and input from lecturers before deciding on what value is being given.
From my own point of view, it's difficult to believe that the kind of input we received from Preben and the instructors would be at the minimum cost level shown, given that they were active for around 12 hours each day, let alone additional discreet supervision. Rather than makijng judgements from a distance or from translations which lack detail, it might be more productive to talk to the organisers or to any of the 17 participants who faced the challenge recently....I'm sure any would be happy to tell you how they were stretched and if it was worthwhile for them.
For me, the location is stunning and the opportunity to learn from Preben was not to be missed.....he's up there at the top of his profession and has lived much of what we consider to be our pastime for real in a challenging environment. He has real status in his community and doesn't need to do anything via the internet. If anyone does get the chance to meet him, enjoy it as he's getting no younger...
From my own point of view, it's difficult to believe that the kind of input we received from Preben and the instructors would be at the minimum cost level shown, given that they were active for around 12 hours each day, let alone additional discreet supervision. Rather than makijng judgements from a distance or from translations which lack detail, it might be more productive to talk to the organisers or to any of the 17 participants who faced the challenge recently....I'm sure any would be happy to tell you how they were stretched and if it was worthwhile for them.
For me, the location is stunning and the opportunity to learn from Preben was not to be missed.....he's up there at the top of his profession and has lived much of what we consider to be our pastime for real in a challenging environment. He has real status in his community and doesn't need to do anything via the internet. If anyone does get the chance to meet him, enjoy it as he's getting no younger...
I have looked up the word that didnt translate via google in this line:
Rundumpaket = 'The whole package"
probably best to ring or E-mail Preben via the details on his website and ask for more information
Rundumpaket = 'The whole package"
probably best to ring or E-mail Preben via the details on his website and ask for more information
Nice post Falcon, in total agreement. The course stretches you both physically and mentally, an experience I shall treasure.
The countryside itself is beautiful, unspoilt, untamed, we drank straight from the lake, there was a pair of Ospreys nesting just off shore, a beaver lodge a couple of miles down the coast, sign of moose, (I didnt see any but others did), we came across 2 deer kills, just bones and hair which we think was linx. Its an amazing place, I will go back.
Stephen
edit saw the comment about Vildmark, chalk and cheese mate, do the Vildmark, to brush up skills, and to get your head in the right place, it will need to be.
The countryside itself is beautiful, unspoilt, untamed, we drank straight from the lake, there was a pair of Ospreys nesting just off shore, a beaver lodge a couple of miles down the coast, sign of moose, (I didnt see any but others did), we came across 2 deer kills, just bones and hair which we think was linx. Its an amazing place, I will go back.
Stephen
edit saw the comment about Vildmark, chalk and cheese mate, do the Vildmark, to brush up skills, and to get your head in the right place, it will need to be.
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Stuart without wanting to get into an arguement with you I really think it'd be better if you left answers to people that have done the course and know what they are talking about rather than googling up answers that are only half right....it really doesn't help.
The WEISS course that you are looking at on Preben's site is a 10 day course, the one we have just done covers everything that one does but is compacted into 7 very hard and tiring days in order that students don't have to take too much time off work, this is why the prices are different. Also, not all of Preben's instructors do speak english and I can tell you from personal experience that not all the locals or hospital staff do either, if you wish to do the non-Bearclaw one then you'd better make sure you speak either Swedish or German pretty well.
One of the things you are taught on the course is not to pretend to know everything and to actually go and find things out for yourself rather than half heartedly googling up answers.
As I say, no offece Stuart, maybe you should have a bash at the course next year and see what you find out about yourself.
Cheers,
Bam.
andyn
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Stuart,
I think you are wrong there tbh mate. I don't know for sure as I havent been on the WEISS course myself or spoken to Preben to clarify. But from reading the site and between the lines a little it obvious he doesn't list course dates, so is unlikely to run the course for a single person. So it looks like you wouldn't be able to book the WEISS directly anyway and would need to do it as a company/group.
I'd have thought that therefore booking through Bearclaw or Nordic bushcraft are the best options available as you'd also have excellent support from the guys that run these companies too.
end of the day it sounds like a great course and experiance whoever it is though, and anyone that passes it has well and truely earnt it.
I think you are wrong there tbh mate. I don't know for sure as I havent been on the WEISS course myself or spoken to Preben to clarify. But from reading the site and between the lines a little it obvious he doesn't list course dates, so is unlikely to run the course for a single person. So it looks like you wouldn't be able to book the WEISS directly anyway and would need to do it as a company/group.
I'd have thought that therefore booking through Bearclaw or Nordic bushcraft are the best options available as you'd also have excellent support from the guys that run these companies too.
end of the day it sounds like a great course and experiance whoever it is though, and anyone that passes it has well and truely earnt it.
No need to get so touchy Bam, we know your loyalties lay with Bearclaw, But what exactly did I say that was inaccurate?
All I suggested was that an alternative to attending a W.E.I.S.S course Via a 'middle man' company in the UK might be to contact the owner of W.E.I.S.S in Sweden (preben) directly and ask him about the arrangements yourself.
Not sure that paragraph makes sense Bam, are you saying its more expensive to book a W.E.I.S.S course via a middle man in the uk because it is a shorter duration than when booked directly?? I can’t see how that helps your argument.
I would have thought that it was more expensive because you have to cover the wages and flights of the bearclaw instructors in addition to the normal W.E.I.S.S costs and still leave enough for a healthy profit for the bearclaw company, which is as you would expect with any business.
No not ALL of prebens staff speak English, but many of them do, and Prebens English is excellent. Neither of the Bear claws British instructors speak Swedish so how does there presence assist in any language problems that you couldn’t solve for yourself?
it would appear that the argument is Mute anyway, since contacting Preben (who is very helpful and speaks great English) have discovered that there appears to be in place some contracted agreement between bear claw and W.E.I.S.S by which all citizens of English speaking countries are forced book though Bear claw in the UK
seems you just cant avoid those costly middlemen eh!
All I suggested was that an alternative to attending a W.E.I.S.S course Via a 'middle man' company in the UK might be to contact the owner of W.E.I.S.S in Sweden (preben) directly and ask him about the arrangements yourself.
Not sure that paragraph makes sense Bam, are you saying its more expensive to book a W.E.I.S.S course via a middle man in the uk because it is a shorter duration than when booked directly?? I can’t see how that helps your argument.
I would have thought that it was more expensive because you have to cover the wages and flights of the bearclaw instructors in addition to the normal W.E.I.S.S costs and still leave enough for a healthy profit for the bearclaw company, which is as you would expect with any business.
No not ALL of prebens staff speak English, but many of them do, and Prebens English is excellent. Neither of the Bear claws British instructors speak Swedish so how does there presence assist in any language problems that you couldn’t solve for yourself?
it would appear that the argument is Mute anyway, since contacting Preben (who is very helpful and speaks great English) have discovered that there appears to be in place some contracted agreement between bear claw and W.E.I.S.S by which all citizens of English speaking countries are forced book though Bear claw in the UK
seems you just cant avoid those costly middlemen eh!
I doubt very mich that anyone from bearclaw just stands around counting money for the week... I suspect very much that they add value to the experience and provide useful insight in carrying the knowledge from Sweden to the UK... As an example: As good as he might be, I doubt Preben knows a thing about which plants found in Sweden might be found over here.
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
As I say Stuart, having not done the course you don't know about just what was cramed into those 7 days over and above what Preben usually has in store for students and as I'm not giving the game away to ruin it for furture students either so you'll just have to take my word for it.
You were wrong in that you said "The alternative option is to arrange your place on a W.E.I.S.S. course", firstly because it needs to be a group of you and secondly because all UK WEISS applications have to come through Bearclaw anyway.
What you also fail to understand is that Preben has been running this course for 47 years and in that time only approx. 317 worldwide have passed the course, it is not a course any Joe Public off the streets is capable of going on and completing (although I'm sure there might be the odd one or two about that might be up to it), therefore you need to have some sort of previous experience and Preben trusts Bearclaw to vet it's UK pupils or train them to the required standard before the course starts.
I really get the feeling you're quite keen to see if you measure up as you've done all this background checking so I really urge you to make a booking and go and see for yourself. I understand you wouldn't want to bother Bearclaw with your application so why not place your booking through Johan at Nordic Bushcraft (I'm sure you've got enough autographs from courses you've aquired to prove you've reached the required standard that Preben expects ) and then maybe you'd be good enough to put a review in the BCUK mag of your experiences so others can see what it's all about too.
Cheers,
Bam.
You were wrong in that you said "The alternative option is to arrange your place on a W.E.I.S.S. course", firstly because it needs to be a group of you and secondly because all UK WEISS applications have to come through Bearclaw anyway.
What you also fail to understand is that Preben has been running this course for 47 years and in that time only approx. 317 worldwide have passed the course, it is not a course any Joe Public off the streets is capable of going on and completing (although I'm sure there might be the odd one or two about that might be up to it), therefore you need to have some sort of previous experience and Preben trusts Bearclaw to vet it's UK pupils or train them to the required standard before the course starts.
I really get the feeling you're quite keen to see if you measure up as you've done all this background checking so I really urge you to make a booking and go and see for yourself. I understand you wouldn't want to bother Bearclaw with your application so why not place your booking through Johan at Nordic Bushcraft (I'm sure you've got enough autographs from courses you've aquired to prove you've reached the required standard that Preben expects
) and then maybe you'd be good enough to put a review in the BCUK mag of your experiences so others can see what it's all about too. Cheers,
Bam.
Squidders...You're not far off the truth there.....they were all either lecturing, coaching or challenging us around the clock with a bit of discrete surveillance thrown in.....it was a challenging working course and NOT a campfire jolly. I felt there was a high quality input from all quarters.....no-one will be able to challenge the professionalism of the course or the effort put in by the managers.
There are times when I struggle to understand why it's necessary to try to discredit a course like this from such a distance,, I believe that most reasonable people only wish to share their good times with those who want to listen for positive reasons. Hell will freeze over before I urge anyone to consider attending a course which I found to be lacking or with which I was dissatisfied. The vast majority of outdoor people I've met at Moots, Meetups and Gatherings over the last 4 years seem to be discerning people who will read, listen and consider....but then go away and act of their own volition....ignoring what they consider to be poor advice and comment as appropriate
There are times when I struggle to understand why it's necessary to try to discredit a course like this from such a distance,,
I believe that most reasonable people only wish to share their good times with those who want to listen for positive reasons. Hell will freeze over before I urge anyone to consider attending a course which I found to be lacking or with which I was dissatisfied. The vast majority of outdoor people I've met at Moots, Meetups and Gatherings over the last 4 years seem to be discerning people who will read, listen and consider....but then go away and act of their own volition....ignoring what they consider to be poor advice and comment as appropriate
Very true, I've no doubt that they actively contribute a great deal to the course, you cant have to many instructors, the higher the instructor to student ratio the better.
My point was aimed at the feeble argument that a language barrier existed that prevented people signing up for a W.E.I.S.S course themselves.
My original post simply recommended that people contact the W.E.I.S.S school directly and find out for themselves whether they could arrange there own courses.
There is nothing wrong with 'middle men' in this sort of business scenario, after all a travel agent is simply a middle man between the traveller and the airlines. But some people who have the time and inclination will prefer to make all the arrangements themselves directly and save themselves some money.
In fact, I think the only thing that stands to harm the reputation of such organisations is their near fanatical 'Fans' who wade into any discussion of organising your trip without the inclusion of there favourite school for an argument.
If you would prefer that someone else take care of the logistics and organisation for a small fee then by all means use such a company, nothing wrong with that at all. But there is also nothing wrong with suggesting the possibility that people might be able to organise things themselves.
For every fan of a bushcraft school there are fans of competitors schools all to eager to stick their oar in and stir.
I'm not accusing anyone of anything but further discussion isn't really going to help answer the questions posed.
If Bearclaw is the school that Preben has chosen to book through in the UK I am almost certain there is a good reason... I would worry that booking directly for such a "serious" course for the uninitiated could lead to trouble at best of a lot of wasted money but at worst serious injury.
I doubt Preben has the facility to vet applicants from the UK that a UK school would have.
There are a load of reasons why a UK based school has advantages over going direct, I would say more than the arguments against.
Cheers,
Joe
I'm not accusing anyone of anything but further discussion isn't really going to help answer the questions posed.
If Bearclaw is the school that Preben has chosen to book through in the UK I am almost certain there is a good reason... I would worry that booking directly for such a "serious" course for the uninitiated could lead to trouble at best of a lot of wasted money but at worst serious injury.
I doubt Preben has the facility to vet applicants from the UK that a UK school would have.
There are a load of reasons why a UK based school has advantages over going direct, I would say more than the arguments against.
Cheers,
Joe
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