After meeting Stu and Chris at the Compasses Pub at midday, we made our way up to the woods, the weather was bright and sunny. When we had set up our tarps, we started on the group shelter and fire to get a brew on. Later in the afternoon we were joined by Kev, Mike, Toby and Sean. Later we cooked dinner round the fire and sat back and had a good chat and a few brews. I had decided to use a semi pyramid tarp set up, with a polish sleep mat and two wool blankets. The polish sleep mat was very comfortable but in the night I got a bit cold as the two wool blankets were not quite enough. Luckily, I had brought a back up lightweight sleeping bag. I woke around 6am on the Saturday and got the fire going to start breakfast, eggs bacon and beans. After breakfast, we started to coppice some young ash trees to use to build a semi permanent shelter. Sean got busy de-barking the felled trees using a draw knife as the rest of us were felling and snedding the trees. Toby also made a model of the structure we are aiming for. Russell, John and James arrived in the afternoon and pitched in to help. Later that afternoon we showed off different types of stoves, and did some spoon carving. Russell made some char cloth, and we we practiced a bit of flint and steel fire lighting, James also started his first spoon. Stu prepped the group meal, Venison and guinness stew with herby dumplings. After dinner we sat around the fire and chatted until it was time to retire, I was woken sunday morning at 5:30am by the bird scarers going off. So I laid in bed for a while and listened to the woodpeckers and other bird song, and watched the sun come up. Then I got up and got the fire going for breakfast, I made bannock with raisins and pineapple, very nice. After we had packed up, James left for his 30 mile bike ride back to Ipswich. The rest of us went for a bimble around the farm to look at some other woods for possible use. We had great weather, cold nights and warm sunny days.
It was a great weekend with lots to do, and lots done. Some good skills shared, and a great bunch of guys.
Unfortunately I forgot to bring a camera, but there will be some great pics on the Suffolk Bushcraft Group March Meeting Friday 7th to Sunday 9th March 2014
It was a great weekend with lots to do, and lots done. Some good skills shared, and a great bunch of guys.
Unfortunately I forgot to bring a camera, but there will be some great pics on the Suffolk Bushcraft Group March Meeting Friday 7th to Sunday 9th March 2014
