Woodlore Camp Craft 2008

[Surrey Yeoman]

I'm off to Sussex for the Woodlore Camp Craft course 31st August to 5th September.

Anyone else on the forum going to the same course?

Anyone done it and got any comments? Don't tell me all about it, but any handy hints would be appreciated!

 

[Pantalaimon]

Have fun!

 

[mick miller]

Not done the Camp Craft (although its on the list), but went through the Fundemental last month and it was superb.

I'll second the 'have fun' by simply saying...have fun!

 

[sandbender]

Anyone done it and got any comments? Don't tell me all about it, but any handy hints would be appreciated!

I was on the Camp Craft the week before we met on the 'starvation' course in Perthshire

They will have the complete Gransfors range there, so make the most of your time there and play with them all

The kit list suggests bringing a tent, however on the first night they gave us tarps to sleep under and from that night onwards I don't think anyone bothered sleeping anywhere else.

Have fun

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

Hi Sandbender - nice to talk as it were!

Thanks again for collating the photographs of the Journeyman.

Interestingly the Woodlore kit list for the camp craft course no longer mentions bringing a tent or tarp at all, just a bivi bag and sleeping bag. Methinks I shall take my USMC 3M x 3M tarp with me anyway; the aussie hootchies Woodlore use are just too darned small!

I'm certainly planning to have fun! I did on the Fundamental and the Journeyman, despite the Journeyman's calorie deficit; well I needed to lose some weight anyway!

 

[sandbender]

Thanks again for collating the photographs of the Journeyman.

No worries, I'm surprised that Woodlore don't offer a picture 'collating' service, people attend bushcraft schools, have a ball and then go home with almost no photographs of themselves! As far as I'm aware only Woodsmoke employ a course photographer to ensure everyone has a decent set of photos to take home.

When all the attendee's are sitting together bring the topic up, maybe there will be someone willing to collect together all the photos and get copies away to everyone. If that does happen make sure people set the clocks in their camera's, that way all the images will flow together and 'tell the story' of your week.

Interestingly the Woodlore kit list for the camp craft course no longer mentions bringing a tent or tarp at all, just a bivi bag and sleeping bag. Methinks I shall take my USMC 3M x 3M tarp with me anyway; the aussie hootchies Woodlore use are just too darned small!

Yes I think Paul is putting his stamp on things, no more of that namby-pamby tent nonsense

They may insist on your using their tarp, without giving too much away, they have you 'modify' and add to the basic hootchie set up through the week, so by Friday your so comfortable you'll not want to go home

despite the Journeyman's calorie deficit; well I needed to lose some weight anyway!

It didn't take long to put it back on again though did it?



PS

Etchingham is a one horse town and the horse is dead, don't arrive early there's nothing to do.

 

[Adrian]

No worries, I'm surprised that Woodlore don't offer a picture 'collating' service, people attend bushcraft schools, have a ball and then go home with almost no photographs of themselves! As far as I'm aware only Woodsmoke employ a course photographer to ensure everyone has a decent set of photos to take home.

When all the attendee's are sitting together bring the topic up, maybe there will be someone willing to collect together all the photos and get copies away to everyone. If that does happen make sure people set the clocks in their camera's, that way all the images will flow together and 'tell the story' of your week.



Yes I think Paul is putting his stamp on things, no more of that namby-pamby tent nonsense

They may insist on your using their tarp, without giving too much away, they have you 'modify' and add to the basic hootchie set up through the week, so by Friday your so comfortable you'll not want to go home



It didn't take long to put it back on again though did it?



PS

Etchingham is a one horse town and the horse is dead, don't arrive early there's nothing to do.

I was on the same course as Sandbender, and he's right - no point in bringing your own Tarp unless you fancy having it as a security blanket Use theirs - you'll see why when you get there. I did bring a tent - a nice new Hilleberg that I was looking forward to trying out - didn't get out of the bag
You'll have a great time - probably a good idea to bring some sweets - I find Jelly Babies somehow hit the spot
Etchingham isn't that bad, its just quiet, very very very quiet)

 

[sandbender]

Etchingham isn't that bad, its just quiet, very very very quiet)

This is a local shop for local people!

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

Thanks for the tip guys - I suppose if I don't take my tarp it'll mean I can take more food!

 

[jameshs]

Hi Surrey Yeoman (and sandbender - a journeyman reunion!)

Just done the camp craft - great experience - you should enjoy it

NO need to take your own tarp

Take some decent food - I took proper food - everyone else was rehydrating unidentifiable 'stuff' - there is enough time to feed yourself properly and use the camp fire or your own cooker (which is completely unnecessary if you don't have one as there is always a camp fire in the parachute.

This is a 'course' rather than the pain we went through on the Journeyman - so you are camp based - which has a different kind of luxury - while the days are action packed you are not schlepping stuff all over the place.

I had a great time - took several stoves I wanted to experiment with and had a chance to try them out (will do a review later) as well as trying out several bread recipes ....... not that it is a cooking course

no risk of loosing too much weight - though I did drop a kilo over the week and was stuffing myself! (baked bread every day!!)

Have a good time! - great instructors by the way.

James

 

[sandbender]

Hi James

rather than the pain we went through on the Journeyman

shudder...

The campcraft is a much more relaxed affair than either the 'Fundamental' or 'Journeyman', and to echo James's suggestion, take real food, none of that dehydrated stuff.

trying out several bread recipes

Post some please!

 

[StJon]

I've also done the camp craft course and had a great time. Comprehensive sharpening lessons, safe use of sharps and lots of thing to make. Make use of the shower first thing in the morning before everyone else or early evening, the water in the pipe will be warm through solar gain ; ) There were two hospital runs though, one guy nearly cut his nipple off with a hook knife and I was bit by an unidentifiable creature, so hospital for check up.
have a great story about Ray but thats for round the camp fire...
This is the time to leave only footprints and take only photographs, memories, the tools your supplied, the lessons learned, the stuff you make...
Take some spends as the open a wee shop on the last day, though they wouldn't sell me a pink Woodlore t-shirt
jon

 

[jameshs]

Hi James
Post some please!

I will do when I work out how to post pictures

but it is basically a banock - but without the animal fat

half brown flour, half white flour, baking powder (which has baking soda and cream of tartar) to the manufacturer's instructions (from memory 4 tsp per 240gms) plus some salt.

I dry mix this and take it in a tupperware with a 1tbs measuring spoon

When I want a small loaf I measure out 5 tbs, do a small well with the tbs and fill it with cooking oil, add water and mix lightly - adding rasins if it is breakfast. Mix to a slightly dry consistency and transfer it into an oven - made from the tray of a 12cm billy in a 14cm billy held off the bottom and sides with a bent coat hanger (when I have worked out how to post photos I will). bung oon the fire - and approx 30 mins later a nice little loaf of bread.

I tried the milk poweder version and did not like it!!! .... does not taste like bread

I cooked this 5 times last week - only burnt it once and by the end was able just to slip the whole loaf out and chomp away - became a bit of a ritual.


James

 

[sandbender]

"I cooked this 5 times last week - only burnt it once and by the end was able just to slip the whole loaf out and chomp away - became a bit of a ritual"

Thanks for that,

There you go Surrey Yeoman, fresh bread each morning

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

Thanks for the shower tip StJon!

Hi James,

Nice to know you're still "keeping the faith."

Thanks for the tips. I may well give the bread thing a go!

As for posting photo's there's a few threads on how to do it.

I don't have a fancy photohost website, I just upload them to the BCUK gallery and use that to host them for posting in the forums. Then it's

That should do the trick, but bear in mind that the BCUK gallery doesn't like photo's that are too big in terms of file size.

Cheers,

Dave