What draws you to the woods?

[John Fenna]

I go to the woods to calm my soul .. in various ways the woods help me relax on all levels.
As to the Spiritual aspect - I find no other place allows such a deep Spiritual connection to the Universal Energy.
On a side note, I find that the "disturbed" folk I work with, those with anger issues, learning disabilities etc, all become calmer and more relaxed in the woods.

 

[Robmc]

The woods appears to be a massive place of retreat then, somewhere to switch off and recharge. This makes sense nowadays. We are continuously bombarded from outside pressure to 'consume'. Shop, buy and die...and don't forget, Christmas is just round the corner!

The woods don't pressure us like this, and they are dependable. No updates required, no new model, no compatibility issues, just always the same ready to welcome us at anytime.

Our tools and fashions may change, but the woods just smile.

Excellent!

 

[cbr6fs]

I know the title mentioned woods specifically, but the first post asked "What draws you to nature" so i'll give a slightly different viewpoint as i'm not really a fan of staying in woods.
They tend to be dark, damp, cold and you can't see anything much further than a few meters.

Much prefer open areas, but especially mountains.

There is very few things in life that fill me with as much joy and awe as zipping open my tent in the morning to a awe inspiring view from the top of a mountain.
To the point where i'm like a kid the night before in that i can't get to sleep because of the anticipation of the views in the morning.

I just seem drawn towards mountains, if i'm in any place for long then i'll have to get as high up any mountains i see, it's bordering on OCD.
Just drives me crazy that i can see it while travelling round day to day but i've not seen the view from the top.

 

[Countryman]

Simple. Sleep. I'm a stress magnet, I sleep badly and live my life on the edge of exhaustion.

A few days living in tune with the primal me, getting back in synch with sunrise and sunset, away from artificial light and stimulation (TV, constant phone and Internet, work) does wonders for me.

I'm a deeply spiritual person and believe we are spiritual creatures by design but that doesn't come into it here. I'm convinced we now live lives that are so far removed from our nature that it interferes with us on a physical and emotional well-being level. Most of the time we are distracted by the worldly and we have no time to consider the spiritual.

The fact so many people find getting back to nature a spiritual experience is probably because so much of the day to day clutter is cleared away.

Feel comfortable chatting looking into a fire? We have as a species been doing that for thousands of years where as TV, well maybe all our lives but it takes more than a generation to rewrite our inherited disposition.


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[Laurentius]

Much prefer open areas, but especially mountains.

There is very few things in life that fill me with as much joy and awe as zipping open my tent in the morning to a awe inspiring view from the top of a mountain.
To the point where i'm like a kid the night before in that i can't get to sleep because of the anticipation of the views in the morning.

I just seem drawn towards mountains, if i'm in any place for long then i'll have to get as high up any mountains i see, it's bordering on OCD.
Just drives me crazy that i can see it while travelling round day to day but i've not seen the view from the top.

I am drawn toward mountains too, but given as there are no mountains in Warwickshire, that is why you will more often find me in the woods. Woodland can be found within half an hours walk (albeit not the kind to find solitude, full of dog walkers) but the mountains involve a couple of hundred miles drive.

 

[cbr6fs]

I am drawn toward mountains too, but given as there are no mountains in Warwickshire, that is why you will more often find me in the woods. Woodland can be found within half an hours walk (albeit not the kind to find solitude, full of dog walkers) but the mountains involve a couple of hundred miles drive.

It's not a bad conciliation prize though mate is it, a night or even a few hours spent doing what you love in a environment you love.

Gotta be better than sitting in front of the TV all night

 

[James Higgins]

I must confess, I too lean on the side of being high up in the hills if given the choice, but it's a close one!

The reason I used the term 'woods' specifically was that this being a forum about all things bushcraft, I thought it more appropriate. You can't really practise bushcraft up in the hills, unless there is a wood of course.

I perhaps should've headed the topic..what draws you out into nature?

 

[cbr6fs]

I must confess, I too lean on the side of being high up in the hills if given the choice, but it's a close one!

The reason I used the term 'woods' specifically was that this being a forum about all things bushcraft, I thought it more appropriate. You can't really practise bushcraft up in the hills, unless there is a wood of course.

I perhaps should've headed the topic..what draws you out into nature?

We've got a extremely good cross section of outdoors folk on here James, Planting crops, foraging, hiking, canoeing, over landing (4x4), hunting, there's even a recent trip report with a member riding horses to their camp.

So i think that the term "Bushcrafting" is a bit limiting, it's certainly the draw and the philosophy behind the forum but it doesn't even begin to cover the variety of activities that members here do to enjoy the outdoors.

Besides there is hardly 6 months goes by that someone doesn't ask "what is bushcrafting" 3 years here and i still have no idea

For me personally it's rare i camp anywhere but on or around a mountain and i don't have a "crafting" molecule in my entire body, i cant remember the last time i had a real fire while being out, even then i would have used a lighter and fire starters.
I hate wool with a passion (a couple of Merino products aside) and i don't own a cowboy/rangers hat and rarely take a knife out with me hiking, ohhhh and i don't own an axe anymore.

There is still a wealth of knowledge and information here though even for folks like me that don't really fit into the bushcraft type label.

So don't feel bad or feel you have to talk about only bushcraft type stuff.

 

[James Higgins]

We've got a extremely good cross section of outdoors folk on here James, Planting crops, foraging, hiking, canoeing, over landing (4x4), hunting, there's even a recent trip report with a member riding horses to their camp.

So i think that the term "Bushcrafting" is a bit limiting

Haha, that's quite a cross section! I am new here so I didn't realize that. Perhaps a forum name change...Lovers of Nature? lol, just kidding

 

[pteron]

Fabulous thread - reminds me to take the old dog out for a long walk in the woods today. We won't cover much ground, he's old enough that we have to stop and 'look a mile' every 5 mins or so, but he does love being in the woods with me.