WOODLORE FUNDAMENTAL COURSE

[SCOMAN]

I've been thinking about booking the above course but I wonder if it's all its cracked up to be and is it worth the cost, travel. What are the trainers like? Do they publish their CV so as to appreciate their skill level? Any advice and guidance would be appreciated. I've read course reviews on the Woodlore site but they're hardly going to publish a bad review are they?

 

[crosslandkelly]

Have a look here.
http://bushcraftuk.com/community/index.php?threads/woodlore-fundamental-bushcraft.32529/

 

[Mesquite]

I've done the fundamental.

I found the instructors are extremely knowledgeable and go through extensive training within Woodlore to help develop those skills.

If you go on it you;ll have a good time

 

[Limaed]

I did it about 15 years ago, although Ray doesn't teach on the course I’ve no doubt he sets the syllabus and carries our assurance on his instructors after all it’s his reputation. That said many other schools offer a virtually identical package and these maybe at less cost and closer to you? I really enjoyed the course and all the published objectives were met, the site was also a very nice private estate.

 

[General Lee Speaking]

I'm booked on the Lochside Fundamental course with Woodlore in late September 2018 and I will report back after. I did a similar course with Woodsmoke in the Lake District 10 years ago and that was great and opened up a world that had been alien to me growing up. I've been away from bushcraft for some time and I see doing this course as a way to rekindle my love of bushcraft in a different part of the world (and season) to the previous cousre. If I spent a week abroad for a holiday I would spend more than the £650 it would cost for this course so I have no problem justifying it, but I understand how others could see it as expensive. I will be getting 15 hours a day tuition for a week so I don't think it's bad value at all.

 

[JonathanD]

It’s been nearly 20 years since I did the Woodlore courses. I highly recommend anyone who has the chance to do them. It’s a solid base for a lifetime of learning. I can’t speak for how they are now compared to then as Ray did the majority of the tutoring, but I can’t imagine him letting standards slip in any way.

 

[Tony]

My opinion is that it's unlikely you will be disappointed going to do the course at Woodlore. I Know that when Ray used to run it himself a long time ago it was harder and busier than it is now, or even when I did mine about 18 years ago which was run by Ben McNutt who went on to form Woodsmoke in the Lakes, an excellent Bushcraft school that you also might want to consider.

If it's the sort of course that you want to do then go for it, if you're not too worried about it being woodlore then there're other options. The instructors will be good, the quality of what you learn will be good, the food will be good, but you'll never really know about the instructors etc until you've met them.

I think I'm right that those attending the course are pretty much sworn to secrecy, so there's not going to be a huge amount of info on the course floating about

 

[C_Claycomb]

I didn't think that the Fundamental Course was meant to be secret. When I did mine in 2003 down in Ashdowne I don't remember any such thing. There were no reviews on-line, so when I finished the course I wrote up my experiences for here and British Blades. No Woodlore lightening bolt fell on me. It was a good course. I learned a lot. Juha Rankinen was our main instructor. Woodlore has had a lot of good instructors over the years and I expect that whoever is teaching the course now will be equally as good.

I did a 3000 word review including kit comments (remember I was a rank beginner at the time) and a 3000 word day by day journal of what we did. I can no longer find my review on-line (hey, 14 years and something digital has been forgotten!) but I am happy to mail it to you if you want, for what it is worth.

 

[Tony]

Yeah, back then Chris there was no asking people to be quiet about the courses, it started coming in after we were quite established and I think social media was on the rise... I've had quite a few people tell me they're asked to not talk about the course.

I have your article Chris I just don't have images for it so I've not reposted it up on the front end here, you still got pictures?

 

[JonathanD]

Our own Southey is now a long standing member of the Woodlore family. He’s a cracking chappy. Bit mad of course.

 

[SCOMAN]

I didn't think that the Fundamental Course was meant to be secret. When I did mine in 2003 down in Ashdowne I don't remember any such thing. There were no reviews on-line, so when I finished the course I wrote up my experiences for here and British Blades. No Woodlore lightening bolt fell on me. It was a good course. I learned a lot. Juha Rankinen was our main instructor. Woodlore has had a lot of good instructors over the years and I expect that whoever is teaching the course now will be equally as good.

I did a 3000 word review including kit comments (remember I was a rank beginner at the time) and a 3000 word day by day journal of what we did. I can no longer find my review on-line (hey, 14 years and something digital has been forgotten!) but I am happy to mail it to you if you want, for what it is worth.

I'd love to see it if you have it available chum, I'll PM you my email if that's easier.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Email sent.

I can't find any electronic photos from my course. It pre-dated me having a digital camera. Might have some negatives I can scan, but will have to wait till I see my parents next, they have all the old photo boxes, and the neg-scanner....and I have to remember to go digging for them.

 

[juliojordio1983]

I'm curious, why would people nowadays be asked not to talk about the course? isn't word of mouth the best form of advertising?

 

[Mesquite]

I'm curious, why would people nowadays be asked not to talk about the course? isn't word of mouth the best form of advertising?

It's more about not talking about the content of the course rather than about the course as a whole.

Knowing about the content can take away some of the anticipation

 

[JonathanD]

It's more about not talking about the content of the course rather than about the course as a whole.

Knowing about the content can take away some of the anticipation

And it’s a testament to how good the courses are and the loyalty earned by Woodlores customers, that even now, there is scant information about their courses online.