NORDMARKEN CANOE UK - WEISS

The Grey .......... a movie review!!

2012-01-31T07:58:00.000Z

This weeekend I went to see a excellent movie, The Grey.

OK so it's not strictly a bushcraft item but it is outdoorsy, and if it inspires someone to venture forth and embrace the nature is that a bad thing?

In essence while appearing a "bushcrafty" type film this is not really one however. The story is about a group of plane crash survivors who are stalked by a pack of Wolves in the snowy realms of the arctic. The behaviour of the wolves is debatable from a natural prespective and the survivors make, IMO, many text book survival mistakes so dont go thinking of it as a trainging manual either.

The sceneic views are stunning and if you like the arctic you'll enjoy it for the cold climate alone!

I havent, however, seen a film for a long time which made me stop and think like this one did, not just about the skills or content and story but theres something deeper and a little haunting about it. I cant really put my finger on it but this film has left me a little disturbed, haunted by a resonance I am still trying to work out.

Its a great film and well worth a view, dont expect a happy ending but sometimes lifes like that - I will definately be seeing it a second time and recommend it.

http://www.thegreythemovie.com/

Winter WEISS is a go-go

2012-01-25T22:47:00.001Z

The snows have come to Arjang - winter WEISS in March is ready, and we are closing the book to bookings very soon so anyone still thinking of coming contact us ASAP as your chance will soon be gone!

And if the snow isnt enough .......... could these beauties tempt you??

A sad story -

2012-01-22T09:14:00.003Z

http://www.perthshireadvertiser.co.uk/perthshire-news/local-news-perthshire/perthshire/2012/01/20/mystery-bothy-body-identified-73103-30159241/

Proof if it were needed bushcraft and survival skills should never be taken at face value.

A further to this story .........

http://www.perthshireadvertiser.co.uk/perthshire-news/local-news-perthshire/perthshire/2012/01/20/highlands-survival-a-tall-order-say-experts-73103-30159242/

One blanket and a frosty weekend

2012-01-15T17:12:00.000Z

After a recent debate on a online group I pointed that in the old days when bushcraft was less commercial and a bit more about skills and being a part of nature the ideal was to learn the skills to allow you to go out into the nature equipped with only a blanket and a billy can.

Well this got me thinking - I wondered how many so called bushcrafters and even more so some so called instructors or experts have actually done it - actually gone out for a period of time with only a blanket and a billy (and a cutting tool of course)??

I first had the pleasure of this in 1998/9 when I attended the Ray Mears Journeyman course in Dunkeld - a wet September in Scotland taught us well! Later while an assistant with Ray I often went walk about for the odd weekend to keep my hand in.

But then time and laziness, soft living and kit over pendance tricked me into forgeting the ideal I so long sought to obtain!! Well this weekend I decided to revisit the basics, the beginnings and good back to nature, go native.

23 years have pasted since those days so the experience was going to be interesting, can I middled man weather the weather a younger man can?? Could I even remember the basic "tricks of the trade" to make a night under a blanket possible?

The answer is yes, for this weekend I went down to the Ashdown forest area and spent a cracking weekend with my old friend Tomo on a lovely peice of private land and there armed with Billy and Blanket I set about revisiting memory lane.

I DIDNT WANT TO BUILD A SHELTER - it wasnt going to rain the sky was clear and the stars were bright and the temperature was dropping as low as a frosty -6c ..........in hind sight a shelter with a good fire reflector would have been better - but we cant always have everything can we!

So I built myself a frame of logs held in place with pegs and then a bed of braken and leaf little 18 plus inches deep to be my bed. I also prepared enough wood for the fire as the basic principal of the sleep system was that the fire was my main source of heat!

Well the fire was blazing and the bed was toasty ........ I drifted off into a cozy sleep ..........until 2 and half hours later the fire started to die down. Awoken by the creeping chill I restoked the fire and slept once more - this of course is common and became the routine for the night.

I made a few mistakes of course - rusty skills are like that. First I should have put my bed on the down wind side of the fire so the breeze would push more heat my way. Secondly I barely had enough wood to last the night. Thirdly, and not one I have come across before, I removed the fire side log of the bed in the early hours this made the heat of the fire much more appreciable and there was nothing between the flames and myself.

Moral of the story is yes a middle age man can survive temperatures down to minus 6c with only a blanket for cover - but you need to get out there and do it as learning from your mistakes while its safe to do so (I had A SAFETY TENT AND SLEEPING BAG SET UP JUST IN CASE) is far better than making those same mistakes when possibly your life or th elife or your loved ones might depend on it ..........as with all bushcraft skills practice not kit makes perfect!!

Swedish Army Jeep coat

2012-01-15T16:23:00.000Z

Swedish Army Jeep coat.

A few years ago I was given this jacket by a friend who no longer wanted it and after a little use put it int he loft and forgot about it.

However with the coming cold weather I wanted a parka to wear and while routing around found the Swedish army jeep coat - and boy am I glad I did.

The coats quite a heavy peice of kit but its worth its weight in gold in cold weather!! The design is simple enough with buttons down the front, reversed buttons for the last two holes at the bottom - button and tag adjusted cuffs and two bulgy lower pockets. The liner is of a heavy pile, similar to the helly hanson field jacket, which can be buttoned into the parka or as below worn on its own thanks to crafty little fabric loops that allow the liner buttons to be used.

The outer jackets material is a heavy cotton and not disimilar to that of the Snow smock, which is commonly dyed by folks, and its totally windproof as far as I can see and the outer jacket worn on its own makes a excellent field jacket in its own right.

The jackets available on line for around £25 and to be honest I think its worth ever penny and more. I will certainly be wearing mine more often and if not worn it will definately be in my sack ready for the next cold night!

Swiss Army alpenflage poncho/cape

2012-01-15T14:20:00.000Z

As a bushcrafter we are not immune to wet weather, indeed sometimes the best time to be out in the woods is in bad weather as its a time when we can get the woods to ourselves as the other "Fair weather" woodsmen stay at home and admire their shiney new gear!

But to venture forth in a wet world we need to have a good waterproof system of clothing - but as most conventional waterproof clothing is synthetic its of very limited use around the camp fire - especially as these jackets cost more than the average weekly wage these days!

So whats the answer? Wax cotton - nahhhhh - again way to expensive and not breathable in the slightest.

How about a poncho - cheap so while synthetic "expendable".

Late last year I came across the SWISS army poncho and instantly liked it - its very similar to the old british rain cape/gas cape and is made from a tough robust rubberised nylon. The cape has closable slights for arms - a press studded closure up the front AND a hunched back allowing it to be worn over a back pack!

Perfect - like all poncho's it is also a little more versatile as it'll double up as a tarp, a floation device etc etc.

Alpenflage isnt a common camoflage so even if you wore this at a festival you'd look the part ............ I really like the design, weight and applications of this simple yet effective peice of kit!!

update Sourdough

2012-01-03T10:35:00.000Z

Tried a different way of cooking the sourdough today and had better results. For starters I used strong white flour as opposed to plain flour, this meant my flour had a strong gluten base.

Secondly, I cooked it slightly differently - cooking for 20 minutes with the oven on full heat and then for a further 20 minutes at gas mark 6 - this made the crust thinner but kept it crunchy - lastly I didnt take the bread out the oven for about 10 minutes after I turned it off so allowed it to cool a little slower (my thinking there is to try to recreated a fired bread oven effect)

Well - I am now very happy with the results and will continue to do this - next I need to see if I can do it in the field!!

New Year - new skill ........... SOURDOUGH.

2012-01-02T09:21:00.000Z

For years now I've been making Bannocks, which are basically flour, salt, baking powder and water. They are easy to make in the field and both tasty and filling but the fly in the butter milk is the need for baking powder to be used as the rising agent. Or more to the point almost anywhere in the world we can obtain salt and flour as these are staples, but baking powder may not be as readily available so what alternative??

Baking powder certainly wasnt easily avialable for the early settlers in America or the gold rush pioneers who scratched the Alaskan soil seeking pay dirt. For these people a replacement or maybe a predecessor to baking powder or yeast was SOURDOUGH starter sometimes called Wild Yeast.

As I say I've made Bannocks for years, tried various recipes from tne standard mix and including everything from beer bread to banana bread, so for the new year I decided to give Sourdough a try.

Starter. The trick with sourdough is the starter, this is essential and easy to make taking only time!! Start your starter with 1 cup of flour and one cup of water, mix together and set it aside for 8 hours. Add another cup of flour and water and leave for 8 hours. Finally add another cup of flour and water mix and set aside over night.

Come morning your mix will or should be a bubbly mass with a seperated layer of murky looking water on the surface. If it is excellent thats what we want.

Now to make our dough ............

We'll use what I call the 2'n'6 recipe, this is 2 cups of starter, 2 cups of water and 6 cups of flour .......... oh and a teaspoon of Salt!!

So add two cups of starter to a mixing bowl (and make sure once you do you feed your original starter in the starter container with one or two cups of flour and water to ensure you have starter for next time) then add the rest of the ingredients and mix - you dont need to knead it and mess around just stir it all together and once you have a doughy lump put the bowl aside (cover it) in a warm place for 8 or more hours .......... this will allow the dough to prove and double in size!!

Next morning ..........or the evening - preheat your oven and the cooking pot at max (500 degrees) for about twenty minutes. Flour a work top and your hands - pour/scrape out your dough and then fold it over itself from each corner, this is all the kneading you do. Now swiftly place the dough into your cooking pot and replace lid.

Cook this for 20 minutes then remove the lid and cook for a further 20 minutes or until done.

Final loaf should be solid on the outside, with a good stiff crush and bubbly/airey on the inside.

Enjoy!!

To my mind, thus far, my sourdough reminds me of crumpets which is really nice and I throughly recommend you try it for yourself. Sourdough may not replace Bannocks for the bushcrafter due to the time constraints but for a long term camp with limits supplies they are a great alternative.

Twas the weekend before Christmas

2011-12-24T13:48:00.000Z

And all through the woods nothing was moving except two strange old dudes .......... But the point of this post isnt to tell a tale of adventure its merely to point out,

1, The strangeness of the weather were having at the moment - and I dont like it!

2, To wish all our readers and friends a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a bushcrafty NEW YEAR!

Another idea for the winter WEISS emergency pack

2011-12-13T20:45:00.003Z

Great video from a excellent Swedish school and some good ideas for the winter WEISS emergency pack ..............

Norwegian army Rucksack

2011-12-05T16:55:00.000Z

Another item in the back to basics theme. This is a classic outdoorsman sack and my very first rucksack was very similar to this, I got it as a christmas present when I was 15 years old and loved it.

In hind sight it now reminds me of a FROST River Nessmuk but where the Frost River costs hundreds of pounds this tough as old boots sack cost me less than a tenner ............and I love it!!

Vermes: The wastebucket of the natural world ................

2011-11-26T15:43:00.000Z

Found this interesting little article on mumblage international - some interesting points raised here particularly the ones about authors suffering "diarrhea of the hand" after all in recent years I cant think of a new manual that is in anyway unique, well thought out or encompassing skills the author can truely say he or she is totally familiar with 100% .............

ENJOY

Vermes: The Wastebucket of the Natural World
A Column by Leif Fredrickson

By Leif Fredrickson

Mors Kochanski, author of the Canadian bestseller Northern Bushcraft, once told me that survival writing is plagued by a “diarrhea of the hand.” The symptoms are not pretty: writers indiscriminately swallow chunks of half-masticated information, pass it quickly through their system, and shoot it undigested from their fingertips into books.

The prognosis, however, is not too bad: possible widespread acclaim.

Ray Mears, though largely unknown in America, is a celebrity in Britain. He is the host of the BBC produced TV series World of Survival and is the author of several survival books. His latest book (with a forward by Ewan McGregor) is The Essential Bushcraft, a more portable version of Mears’ much larger Bushcraft: An Inspirational Guide to Surviving in the Wilderness.

The Essential Bushcraft shares more than a name with Kochanski’s book—Mears borrows prodigiously, and without acknowledgement, from Northern Bushcraft and some of Kochanski’s other pamphlets. And indeed if Mears simply copied solid information out of older books his own would at least be trustworthy. But—call the doctor!—Mears has the terrible affliction Kochanski describes, and the result is the standard survival-writing hodgepodge of useful and dubious information that is confusing and potentially dangerous to the amateur.

According to some reviewers, and the author himself, Mears is an expert outdoorsman. “Ray Mears is a bushman first and foremost,” writes a reviewer from GQ, “and really can survive in any extreme environment. I can’t think of a better companion to have in a crisis.” The doughy Englishman does have some good meat on his bones, but it is clear from his book that he is inexperienced in at least one environment: the northern woods.

Mears writes that felling trees is not common in the bush, and evidently he is not joking. Actually it is one of the most important skills for the northern woods, especially when snow covers the ground (which can be the most of the year in some places). It is also one of the most dangerous tasks, and Mears’ tree-felling diagram contains a serious error: the undercut—it is named that for a reason—should go under the backcut. This keeps the tree butt from kicking back and hitting the faller, so it is not a trivial matter. Following Mears’ instructions could get you killed.

Less dangerous but equally impractical is this advisory: “When using your axe in sub-zero conditions warm it with your hand to body heat first to make the steel less brittle.” I have never chipped an axe in subzero conditions, but I do have a scar on my finger from resting it a second too long on the trigger guard of a rifle in freezing weather. At best your hands will be too cold to use the axe; at worst you will frostburn your hands.

A basic understanding of human physiology should be a part of every putative survival expert’s knowledge. Mears, however, repeats a common misconception about survival in cautioning against eating snow because “the amount of energy you lose will outweigh the benefit of water gained.” Water is far more important than the calories burnt to produce heat that can melt snow. Eating snow cools you down, obviously, so you don’t want to eat it if you are getting hypothermic. Otherwise, chow down—a person can live roughly ten times longer without food than without water.

These are just a few of the problems with The Essential Bushcraft that make it poor if not pernicious. Many other details indicate the author’s inexperience in the bush, including the conflation of the boreal forest with the arctic (which is above the tree line). The book contains information on desert and jungle survival as well, but considering the erroneous information about the northern bush environment, you have to take it with a grain of salt.

Beyond this, Mears’ writing is tedious and redundant. He (or they—he switches to the royal “we” sometimes) often informs the reader that what you want to do, or bring, or build, in a situation depends on a number of factors, such as weather, or your environment, or length of time, but then he does not elaborate on how those factors might effect your choice. The writing, in other words, is a bit doughy itself. There are also curious phrases like “maximum efficiency for minimal effort.”

We should all strive for efficient efficiency, really. Unfortunately, The Essential Bushcraft does not deliver; it is neither reliable nor a good distillation of facts. The idea of a single book encompassing the essential survival skills for the entire planet is ridiculous anyway. But if you just need a small book with lots of nice pictures to effortlessly tote from the comfy armchair of your den to the lavatory, this one might just be the ticket.

Copyright 2000-2005 Mumblage International

Recession proofing your bushcraft? Back to Basics? Budget bushcraft?

2011-11-26T00:02:00.000Z

Call it what you will the recent down turn in the economony has, in my humble opinion, been a good thing for the dyed in the wool bushcrafter. That and the recent trend which has seen bushcrafters turn to new activities such as hiking.

In the last fifteen or so years a whole, and in many ways, expensive industry has built up around the magic words "bushcraft". However some of us have been around long enough to remember the outdoors before the coming of bushcraft ......... yep once upon a time those of us who went into the woods to practice the ancient skills of the woodsman, the aboriginal native and the survivalist never knew the stuff we did had a name and a price tag ......... it was just what we did, and had fun doing, we called it "hunting rabbits" or Building a camp or fishing or even going for a long walk or having a bbq!

I say price tag because that has been the most obvious change to my mind. A change which has had both good and bad effects - good in as much as there are now millions of "must have" items available to the "shrafter" - bad as in the now percieved "needs" and expense there in of what is supposed to be a hobby taking folks back to nature! I find nothing sadier than browsing forums where newbies ask, "what kit do I need to buy to start out in bushcraft?" well only one thing is sadier and thats the reply from so called "experienced" folks "well x brand is a good knife and y brand is a good sack. Buy the best you can afford etc etc etc"

As an example of this lets look at the most basic cutting tool the knife - in 1994 I got my first Mora knife compliments of David Haye Jones and the Wilderness News. As we all know Mora knives are factory made and very practical around the bush, so much so that they have always been championed by Canadian expert Mors Kochanski. In all my years experience I too have used Mora knives time and time again. So why now is a supposed "good" bushcraft knife priced at over £130?? Why are newbies and those less "experienced" all led to believe that a mora is a good starters knife yet you must "aspire" to be able to buy as expensive a knife as possible?? Even I have swallowed that load of poppycock in the past! So, dear reader, from now on remember the mantra, "price does not equaite to value in the bush!"

Now we understand that we dont need to spend a fortune on expensive kit, a truth even Ray Mear and his Woodlore company used to add on its kit list! Ray used to say something like, "dont spend your hard earned cash on expensive kit, your understanding of your kit needs will most likely change after doing a course". We can free ourselves from the shackles of the commercial demons and in so doing step into a new light!

To get back to basics we first need to forget the sales hype which bombards us all the time. Ignore the myths put out by manufacturers and sellers with a vested interest in parting you from your hard earned wages.

Now lets work on the simple rule of our kit being broken down into "something to sleep under, sleep in, sleep on. Something to cook in, cook on. ETC." That makes it nice and simple I think!

Now an article covering every item carried would be a cumbersum read so I'll break it down into bite size chunks to make it a bit more digestable.

Firstly, let me touch upon the one item which most folks have spent most likely spent small fortunes on - the knife! Yes the hallowed cutting tool with we are often lead to believe is the be all and end all of life! "YOUR KNIFE IS YOUR LIFE" is a common mantra. But why is it your life? Sure its a sexy tool, a shiny and beautiful thing but at its root its JUST A TOOL and a Mora Triflex is just as good as a Woody WOODLORE - Im not talking quality of materials, I'm not talking the hours spent by the crafts man - all I am talking about is whats important cutting edge, reliablity and usability. Think of it this way a bushcraft knife is merely a craft knife, a knife designed to be used to whittle wood, open food packets and slice meat in camp - if you understand that you will save yourself a fortune! Personal experience has even taught me how little I really need a knife, often these days I happily survive weekends and weeks away with only a small pocket knife - a british army clasp knife - as it happens and I havent died yet!

Secondly lets talk about Mister Knifes buddies, Axe and Saw. Axe around the base camp is handy but not essential. The saw around camp is likewise handy - but can we survive without them?? Of course we can! Now heres another revolutionary thought, instead of a axe and a saw maybe a billhook or a machete would suffice?? After all THEY have done for hundreds of years especially among the armies of the world! And thats what I know use the British army Golok no2 - its not as clean as a saw for cutting wood but kept sharp and used correctly its an acceptable alternative and a thrid of the price of the later two. That said IF you have a place that needs wood for a stove and to make your daily household needs then a bow saw and a full size Axe are THE tools to have and dont be pussy footing around with compromises .........

Price wise - Mora Triflex £19.95, lesser priced Woodlore Clone £130 = £110 difference!
Saw and Axe (laplander and gransfors) £20 and £50, No2 Golok £25 = £45 saving!

Another item worth thinking about is our waterproof layer .......... how often do you need a waterproof?? How many days are you in the woods days on end when it rains and arains and rains?? Whats the average price of a "brand" waterproof £200 or more? Well folks consider this a poncho is not only a fraction of the price its also multifunctional too ... for my money I use the Swiss army poncho £7.50 and as robust as you could want! Is it better than goretex for example?? Hell yes, I have known goretex to leak after a long duration in the rain my poncho have never - and its easy to ventilate. The poncho is rubberised and as such should it ever tear or leak it's gonna be easy to repair with tape or a rubbery universal type glue.

And thats what bushcraft "should" be about, not just an understanding of the natural world and how to live in harmony with it but also how to find and use kit that doesnt cost the earth, that is long lasting, multifunctional. If we were to truely become one with nature and live among its citizens for more than a week or two then we need gear that is "soldier proof" to use the phase ........... more importantly, more important than any kit is KNOWLEDGE, if you know HOW to life in the woods then you dont NEED to expensive brand name kit and copious amounts of it. The adapt the old saying "learn to replace missing kit with knowledge, not missing knowledge with expensive kit."

Next time we'll look at rucksacks and daysacks, sleeping mats and maybe cookware such as stoves and pots and pans.

The best Emergency Stove ..........from the Swiss army

2011-11-22T00:31:00.001Z

Volcano stoves arent new. But in my experience they are hard work - especially if your expecting your main fuel to be twigs! Primarily due to the fact that most stove designs are to small to allow a good hot burn - when after all in a emergency you could just as easily make a fire!

So what makes the Swiss army stove so special?? Well its not just a stove ...... the stove contains no only the stove itself but a 500ml cup and a 1 litre bottle or flask thus making the emergency stove a complete kit! Word of note here some folks replace the flask with a sigg bottle - I have tried both and both work equally well to be honest but the cork stopper is handy as a lid for the flask if using it to boil water!

And thats the trick as I find generally its better to boil the flask than to use the cup - one, its better if theres two people! Two, if your boiling water to purify it the larger the amount done in one go the better and three it avoids a sotty tarry mess on the cups bottom which will mess up the inside of your pack!

So if the stove any good? Its not a jet boil for sure but for the pennies its one hell of a back up stove - and if its any recommendation at all its the stove that now lives perminently in my daysack and emergency pack .............

stainless steel vs Ali ............

2011-11-22T00:11:00.001Z

The Swedish army meal kit - or kitchen as the Swedes call them is, to my mind, the most versatile piece of cookware available to the dedicated outdoors person.

But whats better - the Ali or the stainless model??

Well the stainless one weighs almost double the Ali one ....... but it is bomb proof! But boil time is a critical facture as the faster the boil the less fuel needed etc.

So I decided to carry out a less than scientific experiment ............. the mission to boil a pint of water in both pots on my modern gas stove at home (where conditions were controlled) and see which was fastest to a rolling boil ........

Well as you can see the stainless stel pot boiled a pint of water in 6.25 minutes only a fraction on a second or two a head of the Ali .......... so which is better?? Well that depends on the weight ..............

Just a thought

2011-11-22T00:03:00.000Z

Wool clothing ........... so many self proclaimed experts preach the wonders of wool, especially those who sell it! But recently, while reading a book about Dunkirk where the the soldiers were infested with lice living in the seams of their wool serge battle dress, I began to wonder if this was a potential down fall of wool??

Admittedly these days very few of us actually live outdoors and close to nature for periods longer than a few days, but surely part of our hobby is the training for, and dreams of living in the wild long term.

As such clothing attractive to lice might not be so good - admittedly most modern manufacturers wash in some kind of mould and pesticide but this doesnt offer long term protection!

Is wool really a bushcrafters friend?? A evening of research found hundreds of references to lice and woollen clothing - but none for lice in modern clothing, even polycotton uniforms ......... not conclusive but defo worth remembering next time you pnder buying that expensive wool shirt ...........

Swedish Snow smocks ............... dyed and excellent

2011-11-09T13:13:00.001Z

http://www.bushcraftstuff.com/kit-review/a-bushcraft-smock-for-less-the-swedish-windproof-smock/

I have just read with great interest an article about dying a swedish army snow smock and how good they are (attached) I whole heartedly agree.

I have had one which I dyed orange and use on arctic/sub arctic courses for a while now and I agree with the author these are hands down better than ventile ........................ as long as you remember they arent trying to be waterproof jackets!

I say that as ventile often is sold as being supposedly waterproof ........ which it isnt as the whole premiss of ventile is the fibres swell when wet creating a barrier - once saturated the water passes through .......... hence not waterproof just resistant! And I speak from experience both of Snowsled and West winds ventiles ...........further more a down side of Ventile is its like cardboard when wet, stiff and clammy and takes an age to dry! Dont forgot the price which is eye poppingly high! Ventile IS tough - it is windproof but thats as far as it goes hence its popularity in the dry cold!

I almost wet myself reading some of the comments on the linked article - surely a ventile seller wouldnt defend his product lol ........ as for some of the other replies well you make up your own mind!!

One thing I would say is double layer ventile is MORE resistant than single layer for sure - stands to reason!

Anyway as I say these smocks arent pretending to be waterproof - if your expecting rain buy a goretex or a aquafoil or similar jacket ............. if you want a well made, well priced, tough as old boots smock to wear over your expensive mid and base layers then the snow smock might just fit your bill ..........

Experience counts for a lot these days when prices are so high and my experience is thus, there are two types of bushcrafters - whose who have good kit and use it and those who buy expensive kit and defend it!

Oh and I'm off to Devon for a weeks hiking on Exmoor in my Paramo windshirt and Cascade jacket ................

Nice article compliments of BUSHCRAFT STUFF

2011-11-09T12:48:00.000Z

http://www.bushcraftstuff.com/trips-and-adventures/return-to-sweden/#more-2283 - WRITTEN ABOUT A 2010 Visit to our area - good read well done.

Winter WEISS - just a thought

2011-11-02T14:55:00.000Z

One of the many subjects we look at on the Winter WEISS training is emergency kit. In a sub arctic enviroment wet and dry cold can be experienced so the kit for this region needs to be a little bit more well thought out than for just a dry cold world.

As such (and because I know a fair few of those attending the winter training are readers) I have add a basic emergency kit below. The kit should fit in a 20lt day sack or less and is a combination of MOD Mountain and Arctic warfare pamphlet, my own experience and the standards recommended for any hiker in the uk .....

Where specific items are named feel free to change those to another item of a similar design for example the Mora Triflex can be replaced with any bushcraft style knife ...........

Enjoy.

PERSONAL CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Each person must carry or wear the following or similar when away from the camp location: (this will act as the basis for students emergency packs)

a. Clothing.
(1) Windproof outer garment (with full contents of pockets).
(2) Mitts outer and inner.
(3) Head dress (Issued or approved). FLOPPY HAT/woolly hat
(4) Daysack.

b. Contents Of Pockets.
(1) Aide memoire.
(2) Goggles
(3) Emergency survival bag.
(4) Lip salve.
(5) Notebook and pencil
(6) First aid.
(7) Face mask.
(8) Whistle.
(9) Compass/map.
(10) Matches or lighter.
(11) String or para-cord (20m).
(12) Headover/balaclava.
(13) Emergency rations.
(14) Gloves/mittens (if not worn).
(15) Spare gloves.
(16) Wristlets.
(17) Leathrman wave.

c. Contents Of Daysack.
(1) Waterproof suit.
(2) insulation jacket (buffalo belay or snuggie)
(3) Torch.(head torch)
(4) Bivvy bag.
(5) 24 hours rations.
(6) Vacuum flask or thermal mug.
(7) SS mess kit comp
(8) FILTER BOTTLE
(9) Mora Triflex and Mora classic No3
(10) Folding saw
(11) Axe stone
(12) Spare socks

Bushcraft tripod ring

2011-10-15T14:25:00.000+01:00

Bushcraft tripod ring.

The new simple way to carry all the items you need to make a sturdy tripod anywhere. Why struggle to carry a full sized metal tripod deep into the bush when you can slip one of our tripod rings into a pack or pocket??

Constructed from 3mm steel which is powder coated for protection - the ring measures 13.5 cm in diameter.

For more details or to see it in action please view the video below (excuse the other out takes!!) ............

RRP - 5.99 GBP plus 3.50 recorded delivery postage to UK.

More than 20 available!

Travelling to Arjang just got easier to plan

2011-10-06T13:17:00.005+01:00

Thanks to Swedbus getting a new website which allows us to book our tickets on line ........... now you can plan your entire trip without hassel - and know exactly when you will reach Arjang!

Cool eh ..........www.swedebus.se .........

Canoe trips in September .............. the Swedish season is long enough for daring Brits

2011-10-05T20:02:00.001+01:00

And best of all you generally have the lakes to yourself as the Swedes dont seem to like to be out in this season - the canoe season in Arjang at least usually ending end of August start of September!!

Our little trip was excellent - we had several days with temperatures in the 30C range - but to add to the adventure we also had a day or two of thick grey misty fog - making navigating a must but canoeing easy as the lake was mill pond still.........

Nights beside a cosy campfire, warmed with a wee dram of something nice and no mosi's make eveings as magical as the days ..........we had a great time watching the flocks of geese heading south, the misty dawns and the short but sunny days all added together to make the whole trip a chilled out adventure!!

Fun-gi to be with ....................

2011-10-05T19:45:00.000+01:00

This is the time of year is prime Fungi harvesting time in Sweden, the varmland area has a particularly good crop of Chanterelle, horn of plenty and similar tasty species.

Of course if your unsure of your FUNGI ID always cross check against a good guide book before you consume - Roger Philips being a good example.

But once you know what your doing the above pictures show you how much an be harvested in just one day ...........mushroomfastic!! And tasty too!!

Moose Safari

2011-10-05T19:38:00.000+01:00

Hi Folks, Just returned from a excellent trip to my beloved Sweden and had a great evening with Preben on a new programme we run now at Nordmarken Canoe - the moose safari!! A nature watchers dream these evening trips take in the local areas most common Moose visiting locations as Preben says, "I know the Moose like to go to these places in the evening so we can always find them and take pictures," then with a twinkle in his eye he chuckles and adds, "Fun they stand there when I have a camera in my hand ....... but never when I have my gun!"

The moose safari is avaialble from us as a free addition to most trips and courses but to avoid disappointment as upon booking to check availability.

Quiet here aint it ...............

2011-09-25T17:38:00.000+01:00

Hi guys, sorry for the lack of posts recently, its not because I havent been out and about its just because I havent been doing anything "new" worth writing about!

Recently I had a excellent trip to Sweden but apart from a day ot two in the mountains to the north of my place I didnt get out much at all - infact spent most of my time doing DIY ...........

I am back over to Sweden again next week primarily to get some bush time ....... will post more then but for now heres some diy shots of the cabin ........

Cold Steel Spatznes Shovel ............ more

2011-08-27T22:52:00.000+01:00

As you may know from my previous vidoe I am a fan of the entrenching tool ......... well found these on you tube - and they go a long way to re-enforce my liking!!

Days hiking in Essex

2011-08-14T16:49:00.000+01:00

Its a fun fact about bushcraft that I often find myself covetting what Robert Service called "the land beyond" - Sweden for example is a place I often site and dream off and yet its so easy to forget the wonderful country we all have on our doors steps - where we live in London or Brussels or New York it doesnt matter as usually a short drive away is usually some mighty fine countryside. It might not be the home of wolves and Bear, you might not be able to lose yourself in the wilderness for weeks on end - but you can still practice your bushcraft, revise skills, enjoy the fresh air and get a little exercise as well.

Better to enjoy that which nature have given you than to pine for that which you cant have!

Bunny Woods again

2011-07-19T20:27:00.001+01:00

Spent this last weekend in the Bunny woods and boy did it rain - pissing down, cats and dogs, however you describe it is was grim!

But the prefect weather to test out a surplus desert cam tarp in a diamond shelter style rig ...........

And to make another movie in the bushcraft 101 series (to follow once i sort out PC problems)

And lastly you wear my new hat!

Ever wondered what the weiss course is .........

2011-07-10T18:04:00.002+01:00

Sadly I have a laptop problem so this isnt as good as I had hoped.

Once I get a new Laptop I'll remake this and add all the footage I want to but for now enjoy ..................

ALLEMANSRATTEN

2011-07-10T08:36:00.000+01:00

Many visitors to Sweden know of the Allemansratten but arent sure of what they are allowed to do - some think its freedom to do what they like!

Here is a simple breakdown - some things to remember when out in the countryside.

1. Allemansratten is a unique and ancient law in Sweden. Its give everyone the right of access to the countryside, allowing them to enjoy the outdoors and its life. It also requires visitors to show respect to the countryside and and owners.

2. it is forbidden to leave litter. Unless you have land owner permission you are not allowed to cut green (living) trees even to take branches. You can not enter newly sown fields or camp near houses or take short cuts over gardens. You can be prosecuted and punished for such offenses. Additionally you will be forced to pay compensation to the land owner.

3. Before your trip find out if a fire ban is in place in your area.

4. If fire is allowed always have water handy to help control it and in case of accidents. A spade and a knife are also advised (these can be hired from canoe centres ect when booking)

5. When lighting fires you should only do this where there is minimal risk of it spreading - base and surround the fire with stones and sand - charcoal grills in specially built fire pits are still allowed even in general fire bans but the charcoal can only be lit with fire lighting fluid not from a fire.

6. Dont start fire on bare rock

7. Put the fire out carefully using plenty of water. dig down into the soil to ensure no fire in smouldering below ground.

8. when camping remember that there should be a gap between tents or caravans of at least 4 meters.

9. Never have a open fire in a tent

10. if the tent catches fire it with soon be engulfed as such always keep a knife handy to cut yourself out.

11. Bear in mind the risks when using Butane, propane and other forms of LPG - CHECK THAT ALL VALVES AND SEALS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND WORK PROPERLY.

12. Electric cables to caravans should be short to minimise risk of damage.

13. there are always alarms and fire extinguishers at campsites take note of where they are and know how to call the fire brigade.

14. LASTLY - THE PERSON HOLDING THE MATCH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRE!!

I hope that clarifies things a little - if in doubt, ask!!

Winter WEISS tips

2011-07-09T09:26:00.000+01:00

For those thinking of attending the winter weiss training in march 2012 - the below article is a good little pointer as are Mors' other articles found on the same link.

http://www.karamat.com/Articles%20by%20Mors%20-%20Survival%20in%20the%20Boreal%20Forest.pdf

canoeing video

2011-07-05T21:17:00.001+01:00

Found this great little video on you tube - these guys hired canoes from nordmarken and paddled our lakes so its a great little display of the nature and the fun to be had "in our back yard" .......... Enjoy!!

Another visitor

2011-06-13T20:51:00.000+01:00

Like the WEISS team another regular vistor to the pristine lakes of Arjang is the "fishing eagle" or Osprey - beautiful bird and the nesting pair at Risviken never cease to impress me with the majestic grace

WEISS Temperate course 2011

2011-06-13T20:43:00.000+01:00

WEISS Temperate course 2011 - well deserved winners who passed a hard course!!

A true Arjanger

2011-06-13T20:19:00.001+01:00

Having spent two weeks at my house in Sweden I was quiet chuffed when Gun, Prebens wife pointed out that now I was a true Arjanger ........... why?

Because I have now joined the wood squirreling club .. saving wood for Stove with the fevered intensist of a demented squirrell!! According to Arjang mythology wood should be felled in winter - split in spring and stored before midsummer to ensure it's ready for the autumn's chill

Another feature of my time in Sweden was enjoying the nature - I have deliberately left the woods and meadows around my place alone, and my efforts have been rewarded already. My flower meadows are buzzing with life especially insects and birds, now I'm no twitcher but even I recognised yellow bunting's, wagtails, black birds, robins and tits among others but my favourite 'visitors' are the moose!! Yep every evening a pair of moose visit the stream and meadows - what a fantastic sight to behold!!

Picture taken 11 oclock at night in a mist - moose is approx 100m from my front door so I apologise for the quality

Hopefully as time goes by more and more 'visitors' will drop by my little house in the praire and if they do I'll keep you posted!!

Weiss training

2011-06-12T20:40:00.001+01:00

Hi guys,

Well just got back from 2 excellent weeks over in sweden - the home of my heart - were we were running this years summer WEISS course and what a cracking course we had too.

Congratulations to those attendees who passed it (even at the eleventh hour!)

Loads of pictures to down load and a short film to edit for you tube but for now the winning picture of the course goes to that cunning old fox Preben (below) - watch this space for new pictures and footage in the next week or so!

Army days

2011-05-28T14:30:00.000+01:00

Hi all,

Off to Sweden in the morning to run this years temperate WEISS course which I plan on filming to give folks an idea of the mysterys that sourround it .......... and maybe make it a little less scary for the timid among you who really wanna do it arent sure.

Anyway my old laptop died so I have a new one and while I was playing with it found these old pictures on a external hard drive ...... just a few from my old army days - hope you enjoy.

Kydex Sheath video

2011-05-23T20:32:00.003+01:00

This weekend whilst I was running survival/bushcraft training for members of the MOD and took a few minutes one morning to make this little video - hope you enjoy.

Bearclaw is dead ......... long live Nordmarken

2011-05-03T20:43:00.000+01:00

Dear Reader it is with a mixed emotions that I tell you that Bearclaw bushcraft is no more. Today we finally closed down.

Mixed emotions because I am at the same time more than a little pleased and excited to be part of the Nordmarken Canoe organisation which has been going strong for over 40 or more years!!

The future is very bright as my summer house as well as my heart is in Sweden so I look forward to greeting many of you there!!

Emails for those who have the old Bearclaw addresses have changed - now you can reach me at nordmarkencanoe@gmail.com or info@nordmarkencanoeuk.co.uk

Skol!!

Walking in the Shadow of the Legions

2011-05-02T08:46:00.001+01:00

Last week myself, Steve and Mike hiked Hadrians wall again ....... heres a little video diary of the trip!

Belgian Army PUP TENT

2011-05-01T12:24:00.001+01:00

Well I'm back from the wall - great weeks hiking which we'll look at later, for now I want to do a quick review of the Belgain Army Pup tent. It'll be quick as there isnt much to say ........ well not much positive anyway.

The pup tent design isnt new - one soldier carries one section and two soldiers teamed up make a tent. These tents arent generally very light and the Belgian one isnt weighing in a around 3.8KG and comes with poles, pegs and guys (depending on supplier these can be metal or wood and supplied or missing from the set) pricing is around £20.

Pro's - tent material is 100% waterproof, tent interior is light proof, materials are very robust, 1 section can make a adequate lean too.

Con's - heavy, non-breatable tent (I had condensation dripping on me one night), various parts missing from ebay suppliers, no way I could find to erect with ridged sides and top, tent length is just too short for someone 5'11".

Summary - the pro's listed are good points and it'd make a great play tent for kids. But as a serious tent sorry you'd be better off spending your £20 on a budget tent instead.

Kydex F1 Sheath

2011-04-16T16:33:00.000+01:00

Well dear reader I apologise if you feel neglected by my lack of posts but recently, with the arrivial of our early (and not destined to last) summer like weather I have been busily out and about!

Today however I am shiny arsing it in the office and as such decided to share a little secret with you. As you may or may not be aware I am a F1 user, the fjallkniven F1 being, to my mind, the best alround knife available to date. This jack of all trades was however let down a little by its sheath ..........

No I hear you cry!! Yes, sadly I reply!!

The leather sheath, so often promoted by various so called knowledgable people, is OK but its not great, being of less than quality leather and make, sadly. The zytel sheath is far better and I really like it but I'm not a fan of the snapper closure as I fear losing my tool it that snapper fails me.

So I contacted Martin Swinkel and asked him to make me a Kydex sheath for me F1. http://martinsheaths.blogspot.com/

Martins workmanship is excellent and his sheath is better than I imagined and hoped. Utilising kydex and leather the sheath offers a good tight lock on the knife (so my fear of losing my knife are now put to bed). It also offers the user various carriage options as the leather belt loop could be removes to make the sheath a necker - the leather loop would make a handy field strop. The sheath has a standard fire steel loop as the F1 is a brilliant tool for striking a fire steel.

Martin also supplied mine with a maxpeditions pouch on the front - which a handy addition. I'm not one for putting all my eggs in one basket but I did put a sharpening stone, some tinder card, a mini steel, maglite solitaire and a small steel in there (for good measure) - I also added added a length of para cord (long enough for a bow drill string for example) to the bottom of the sheath making it a handy little item.

I thoroughly recommend these sheaths so whether you have a F1 or a typical bushy I am sure Martin can produce a sheath for you.

Excellent work Martin!

Speaking of WISE old men - found these gems on t'tube!!

2011-04-01T21:48:00.001+01:00

What goes around comes around.

2011-03-30T23:23:00.000+01:00

What goes around comes around - or more to the point, quoting Darth Vader, " THE CIRCLE IS NOW COMPLETE!"

How??

I grew to understand what the concept of Bushcraft was while serving in the Military. At that time I was, understandably, into military Survival which is a completely different beast to bushcraft in as much as Military survival is E+E based while bushcraft tends, as the name suggests, is about crafts!

So when I first came into bushcraft I came dressed and carrying "buckshee" gear from the forces, as I progressed into bushcraft, I like so many others (probably including you if your honest with yourself) became seduced by the brand name shiney shiney must have world which more and more has taken over bushcraft. Maybe its natural for people from a capitalist consumer society to be "gear hounds" maybe not? All I know is when I first left the army and started Shrafting there were about three models of bushcraft knife (for example) now there are hundreds...............

But I digress - my point in writing is I have now slowly escaped back to a world were my bushcraft is pure - following the ideals of Bushcraft which were originally so enticing - to me choice is a bad thing and simple is beautiful.

So before you to fall foul of the money pit that bushcraft can and has become consider this - do you need it? Dont confuse want and need either - do you need it or does the thing you have already work well enough? More importantly a bushcraft skill often over looked is the ability to make do or to improvise ........ anyway for me the circle is now complete and I find myself back where I started using kit thats dependable but more importantly kit thats affordable freeing my purse strings to allow me to "to do bushcraft" instead of trying to buy it and as a bonus it also means I have to use skills to over come problems rather than hiding behind kit!!

As a wise old man once said, "DONT REPLACE MISSING KNOWLEDGE WITH KIT - LEARN TO REPLACE MISSING KIT WITH KNOWLEDGE!"

Fundamental Bushcraft 101 on youtube

2011-03-22T22:38:00.000Z

For a long time I've been thinking about making a series of bushcraft video's for the novice bushcrafter based on the fundamental skills taught by most bushcraft schools which, like myself, hail from the Ray Mears school of bushcraft ways. The idea is to cover in bit size chunks all the skills covered on the average weekend course to allow the novice to watch and then practice them for themselves.

I know so schools will bitch about it costing them customers etc but in times of financial woe I feel it only right to allow folks to learn the skills which are all our rights to know for free and gratis.

Sadly the size and time limits on Youtube make content tight but below are the first of what I hope will be many.

Remember theres more than one way to skin a cat so while these vid's may help, practice and more practice will see people learn their own ways of doing things and that in the long run is what its all about!!

Enjoy

Ray Mears Bushcraft Episode - Similar to Nordmarkens area!

2011-03-13T20:58:00.003Z

A chap booking a Canoe tour of the area around Nordmarkens Sweden HQ and Glaskogen National Park asked me to tell him more about the area, I directed him to this episode of Bushcraft - its a favourite of mine and the canoeing area/terrian (south central Sweden) is exactly the same as Nordmarkens!

More Tomahawk thoughts ........ can you see where my minds going?? ")

2011-03-12T10:33:00.005Z

Not as good as the other tomahawk vid but ok

And yep I am playing with tomahawks at the moment - finding them far more versatile than a standard axe - I guess I'll also do a video pretty soon ...............

But for now ...........

Woods Wanted

2011-03-10T20:16:00.000Z

Woodland access wanted.

Basically dear reader I'm feeling a little wander lust and want to explore pastures new and as such would be interested to hear from anyone who has woodland access or vermin (rabbit) control issues who wouldnt mind allowing us access to their sites.

Alternatively I was wondering if anybody fancies arranging or being involved with a meet up of bushcraft bloggers .............. it would be fantastic to meet some of you guys and to share skills and stories in the flesh rather than on this cold and faceless medium!!

So there you go - woodland access? Rabbit problems? Or a genuine olde worlde bushcraft bloggers Rendevous!!

Anyone interested??

Walking Sticks

2011-03-07T10:47:00.000Z

Walking sticks or hiking poles seem to be popular these days but I have always avoided them due to the fact that in my eyes they always seemed a bit of a nerdy peice of kit. You know what I mean? I imagine people who use them to be typical of the type who good out for a afternoon with a rucksack full of the latest shiney gear and yet whose longest hike is a bimble of a couple of miles on a route the guide books would rate as easy to moderate!!

Well, proving your never to old to learn, I've had my opinion of these items completely changed over the last week or so due to my own need to use them.

Need - yes need, you see due to a old knee injury I suffered as a soldier resurfacing I decide that I'd take sticks with me to the Brecon Beacons rather than risk making the knee worse and it was the best decision I could have made for not only did the sticks save me a lot of agony from my knee I also found that they allowed me to walk longer and further with less fatigue at the end of the day. Most impressive.

Additional I found that the poles made excellent probes for the several river fordings we made, were equally efficient at probing the bogs we crossed allowing me to choose routes on the firmer ground. For ascents and descents they made stability devices not to mention excellent additional shelter poles when we used a buckshee poncho as a windbreak come roof for our communal area on windy rainy evenings.

So you will never find me in the hills without my poles .......... I doubt I'll use em for bushcrafting as my packs never that heavy and the distances covered never that long - but when I'm hiking they will always be with me from now on!!

TOMAHAWK - INTERESTING VIDEO

2011-03-06T12:32:00.001Z

Possibly proving the versatility of the Hawk over the more traditional axes made popular by TV and such! Remember in the woods when your doing it for real you need a adaptable tool - axes are homesteaders tools after all ..................

Brecon Beacons and Survival bag video

2011-03-03T16:49:00.000Z

Well dear reader I apologise for the lack of posts recently but this time of year is my play time - the time when I get to do stuff I enjoy and not have to worry about courses and students ect ........

Last week for example Steve and I drove across to Wales for a week hiking the Brecon Beacons, an area I havent visited since I did my SCBC there in the 90's!

What a great area and fantastic people - both of which went to make our weeks hiking one of the best, most relaxing weeks I've had in a long time!!

The highlight of the week was re-doing the fan dance ......... although I have to admit where once I ran I now walked (slowly!) but it was great to get back up Pen-y-fan one more time - unlike last time this time, as we hit the fork and turned right for the Fan we were met with a freezing wind which took our breath away and and almost blow us back down the ice covered slopes! 25 to 30 mile an hour winds sent the temperature plummeting to around minus 11 - but rather than spoil the week this only served to highlight it and give an unforgetable finally to a cracking week!

Winter hiking = no public = hills to yourself = well worth it!

Oh and heres a little video the content of which I pray you never need to employ!

AXE VERSUS ENTRENCHING TOOL VIDEO

2011-02-13T20:59:00.000Z

BBC Radio

2011-01-14T22:30:00.001Z

Just a quick note to any listeners of BBC Essex the interview I did last weekend is being aired 7.40 on wednesday ....................if you miss that I'll also be a guest on a gardening programme talking about foraging in the not to distant future so watch this space!

BBC Essex Young Farmers

2011-01-09T17:17:00.000Z

Essex young farmers - can you tell?

This has been a busy weekend for myself and Steve from the NmUK team as we spent it in the company of 11 fantastic people from the Essex Young Farmers and BBC Essex.

Steve teaching carving skills

The weather was kind to us - chilly but dry (perfect) as we combined so work for the BBC with a course being run for the young farmers.

Anne, mistress of the bow saw!

The students impressed us no end with their postive attitudes and eagerness to try the new skills we gave them.

How many girls does it take to get a steve to split a peice of wood?

Anne and Anne .......... blimey

As well as the bushcraft we also recorded a short interview for BBC Essex and below we can see Anne recording the crackle of the fire for the programme! ")

The boys preparing for their fire lighting test

A great time was had by all and we hope to be able to spend more time in the company of these guys whose charitable work deserved a mention also!

2011 Ultimate Knife Sale

2010-12-28T14:29:00.001Z

Dear Reader - as mentioned below 2011 is going to be a big year for me, out with the old and in with the new!!

Sentiment has no place and so I'm selling off the final elements of my knife collection ....... these are my best tools, many hand made for me - all with a history and now some fantastic bargains for you, whether your a user or a collector ........... good luck!

To enlarge click picture - listing top to bottom left to right - if in doubt ask!!

1. Chris Reeve Aviator (top centre) - sold
2. Bearclaw Wilderness knife - (left) - sold
3. Svord Drop point - (right) - £20
4. Hand made Sami (antler, ebony, birch and tin scales) brusselto 7" blade (sheath needs attention) - £75
5 Survivall kukri - last one left with modified sheath. - £55
6. WWII Pilots escape knife - rare - £40
7. Hand made Puuko (antler, ebony, birch and tin scales) - £45
8. Brussellto Bamsen with pistol style sheath (rare) - £60
9 Case scout pocket knife - £25
10. British army knife - £10
11. Wenger Ranger - £20
12. EKA super swede - sold
13. Boker sports man - £65
14. Hand made necker - frosts blade (antler, ebony, birch and tin scales) - £30
15. Vildmark knife - wooden sheath leather stamped with vildmark logo - sold
16. Victorinox voygeur - £10

Postage recorded delivery £5 for sheath knives and £2.50 for the folders and necker ............ I'm sad to see these beauties go so buyers please look after them!

NmUK Temperate WEISS course 2011

2010-12-27T13:58:00.000Z

Great news the first Temperate WEISS course of Nordmarken UK will be run 2nd - 8th June 2011 for the fantastic price of £650

WEISS Survival Course (Temperate)

The Wilderness Experience International Survival School Summer Course is the first phase of a two part programme designed to equip the individual with all the necessary woodcraft and wilderness living skills needed to overcome any adversity encountered during expeditions, wilderness treks or even their every day life.

Established in 1963 is course has a phenomenal track record of success and is partly run from a purpose built classroom as well as in the verdant wilds of the Swedish boreal forests. For the nature buff the area we use during the exercise phase of this course lays in/around the ‘Glaskogen’ nature conservation area where Elk, Lynx, Wolves, Beaver and even Bears still roam free to this day – A TRUE Wilderness area.

The course is both a challenging yet highly rewarding experience designed to give the more advanced “bushcrafter” a totally unique appreciation and experience which far out strips anything practicable in the United Kingdom. The programmed is comprehensively and intentionally testing and covers the most fundamental skills required of a good outdoorsman. These foundations of knowledge are then built upon giving you the chance to acquire and hone the more advanced and diverse skills taught to perfection.

Some of the more advanced subjects covered include:
•Fire by friction

•First aid

•Normal equipment required for survival techniques

•Wilderness travel

•Survival/Emergency packs

•Strategies for extreme situations

•Search and rescue techniques of SAR’s teams with a liaison exercise.

•Distress signals

•Edible plants and fungi

•How to prepared different types of food using primitive techniques

•How to keep Warn-Dry-Fed – WDF

•How to read a map and correct use of a compass.

•Navigation across rough terrain

•Alternative compass types.

•Self rescue strategies – finding your way to help

•Psychology in emergency situations.

•Team work

•First aid training in wilderness emergency situations

All participants need to have entry level bushcraft know how or have similar military or wilderness living experience prior to attending the WEISS course. It is also essential that all participants are well motivated to learn the subjects covered as this exigent yet highly gratifying course is not just a sort of “holiday with a difference” spiced up with a few adventure activities – it is a absolutely practical, hands on event which will see you gaining a vast array of new and inimitable skills and knowledge.
In very real terms here you WILL learn and use skills which one day could save your life or the lives of those you love. It will also teach you a great deal about yourself making you a stronger person and as such boosting your self confidence and self belief whilst also arming you with a broad array of experience second to none. This is not a soft expedition style camping course it is a hard, gritting realistic course aimed at those who want to test themselves and their skills, it is a course where we set the highest standards and maintain them and as such ALL participants should be aware this is a pass or fail course. Only upon successful completion will you receive the much coveted WEISS badge.

Those who earn the highly prized badge can be justifiably proud of themselves for having joined a small exclusive club of elite international outdoors folk and for having proven both to themselves and their peers that they are capable for achieving the highest levels of bushcraft and survival proficiency thus earning the respect of those who have gone before them and the envy of those to follow.

http://www.nordmarkencanoeuk.co.uk/weiss/weiss-survival-course-temperate/ to find out more

Happy Christmas

2010-12-25T19:24:00.000Z

Happy Christmas and best wishes for the future to all my readers.

Time is the great healer and wisedom comes of age, so let me, on the eve of a new and exciting year put the past behind and look to the future.

I offer my apologies to those who, ever real or imagined, feel I have wronged them and I forgive all those who have likewise wronged me in the years Bearclaw has existed.

Happy Christmas and a prosperious New Year to you all - heres to a schrafty 2011

Axing the Axe ............

2010-12-22T19:36:00.001Z

The Gransfors Small forest Axe is almost a iconic image associated with bushcraft these days. Made favourite by tv presenter Ray Mears almost every would be woodsman has at some point bought one. Some, if you ever go to the WG you'll seem, even own and feel the need to wear several. But is the axe the "essential tool" some so called experts make it out to be?

After all on my various trips tot he frozen north I've rarely even taken one, and on my trips and courses in more temperate climes apart from demo's I really dont use one ........... so is it so essential? Whats different about my bushcraft to say Ray Mears?

As a soldier to I rarly carried an axe, in fact as a squaddy I never had one - I would and still do carry a entrenching tool however and find this much more useful than a axe and in a emergency it can of course be used to hack wood like a axe.

The reason I rarely use a axe is because I always carry a saw ................ and this one tool, maybe doubled up with a Leuku in the north, seems to me to cover all the options I need!

Of course for the mass production of fire wood for my wood burning stove in Sweden I do use a axe but then I use a bow saw or even a chain saw too - not a folding one - and the axe I use there is a Wetterling Felling axe ........ I'm using full sized tools there and thats the key - when you live the life you need proper sized tools.

So does the axe earn its right to be carried - does its use make its weigh bearable? Or is a folding saw and tough entrenching tool a more adaptable combination for long term or even emergency use in the back woods??

Winter Thoughts

2010-12-13T22:54:00.002Z

My good friend Preben sent me a picture of my house in Sweden last weekend, all covered in snow and looking like a Christmas card scene.

And that got me thinking about winter travel, bushcraft and the fun to be had when the temperature drops and nature paints her canvas white!

Whether your inside the Arctic circle in Finland

Or in in the Mountains of Norway's Telemark region

Or the snow capped Cairngorms of the Scottish Highlands winter is a great time for the true bushcrafter and outdoors person.

Firstly, and primarily because of the beauty which surrounds us and creates a winter playground of crystal wonder.

Secondly, because the fair weather shrafters are all tucked up at home polishing their shiny kit and tripling their post count on their favourite forums.

And lastly because its in winter time that you need to really be top of your game, especially over extended trips at sub-zero temperatures.

Sleeping out for more than one night requires a good depth of knowledge, a decent splash of self discipline and a better than average understanding of your kit and the basic routines of the winter camp.

Trips and expeditions to Finland and Norway with temperatures down to -42c rapidly taught me the few tricks needed to live comfortably and these skills I have enjoyed teaching to folks who attended our winter WEISS courses over the years.

The futures looking bright too - with better than average snow in the UK myself and Steve are planning a few camp outs just for fun and then early next year we'll be hiking the Wall once more, OK maybe we wont be needing snowshoes and Mukluks for that but the following month its off to Sweden for a weeks winter training so the acclimatisation of the Scottish borders will be welcome!

It always amuses me that so many people seem to panic when the white stuff falls, looking upon it was fear yet for me it never ceases to bring a smile. Firing up that childish twinkle in my eye as I imagine myself part of great adventures ranging from Captain Scott to the Battle of the Bulge with more than a sprinkling of Call of the wild added for good measure.

The quiet of the forest in its winter coat, the clean air, the sudden ease of access to water and the snug pleasure of a warm winter bivouac are all treasures tattooed on my memories - this winter, caste off your fair weather coat and try the secret season for yourself ........... you never know you might even enjoy it!

THE NEW FIELD KNIFE ............first glimpse

2010-11-09T16:06:00.001Z

First picture of the new field knife .................. trials begin next week - watch this space!

Hi Hunny I'm home .......... well back at least - home is after all where the heart is!

2010-10-07T00:58:00.000+01:00

Nothing Bushcrafty in this post dear reader just a quick note to let you know I'm back and the trading post is open again!

Although I will add a quick note about the route taken on this occassion - usually I fly to Sweden via Oslo and get the bus which is a easy, convenient budget route. This time I decided to drive - taking the ferry to Ejsberg in Denmark.

For the canoeist who wants to bring his own gear to nordmarken this is a excellent option - and depending on your endurance the scandinavian side can be done is one long drive or broken up into a day or two with site seeing in between!!

The route is simple and well sign posted and the Odense and Malmo bridges are both novel sites to drive over too!

All in all the ferry is a very relaxing way to cross to scandinavian and the drive up to Sweden while around £400 miles isnt hard and is helped by the fact the scandinavian drivers are more polite than in the uk, the speeds are slower and thus more relaxing and there is much less traffic on the roads than in UK!

So another option for the hardy traveller wishing to join us in bushcrafter heaven

Och Varmland jag komma - barra!

2010-09-24T14:34:00.000+01:00

Well dear reader I hope my recent short silence hasnt left your life devoid of pleasure ....... Im sure it hasnt after all who could miss my ramblings??

Anyway just a short post to keep you abreast of events as we begin the build up winter!

So whats new?

Well, as reported before we are nearing the final stages of the creation, or recreation of the BFK - trail tools are reaching completion and I look forward to getting out and testing these - with a aim of relaunching the range (with a free lazer inscription service) in time for Christmas.

Secondly I am at present trialing a new item designed by myself which I am calling The Tripod Ring, totally unique to Bearclaw these items are designed for the dedicated outdoors man and while the consept is unique to me these items are so effective I am sure it'll not be long before the masses of imitators out there rip off the design and clones appear ........ but for now its unique to me and until I'm ready I'm keeping the design secret!

Lastly, with interest in Nordmarken canoe UK slowly picking up its a good time to pop over to Sweden for a little vacation and thats exactly what I'm doing today - going over via the Harwich to Esjberg Ferry and driving up country so making a expedition of the thing - sadly a necessity as I need to take over a load of demo items ready for the running of courses for next year from Troll Hem. This will mean as well as Risviken we can now also host events at our new location too! Exciting times - Sweden the home of bushcraft is becoming home to Bearclaw too!!

So thats the news all that remains is to let you all know that so (oct) we will be running the first ever sale at our trading post. This will mean that the items we already sell at unbelievably good value prices offering better vaslue than our competitors will be even better value with free gifts and even free postage where applicable!!

Happy Shrafting people!!

Nordmarken Canoe UK - FIRST BOOKING

2010-09-04T10:58:00.001+01:00

Today is an important day for us at Nordmarken UK as we took our first booking. Yipee!

The reason I am telling you, dear reader, this is as its a typical booking and will give you an idea of prices ect.......

So the booking is for -

7 days canoe hire - including all safety gear ect
2 days in base camp accomodation
5 days in wilderness camp shelters
1 120 ltr waterproof barrel
Collection and drop off to Arjang bus dept

And it all comes to the grande total of just £130 which works out at less than £20 per day .........where else could you get a fantastic deal like that??

US army winter survival skills

2010-09-01T16:21:00.005+01:00

1955 and yet still pertinent for today!

Generic kit list

2010-08-30T03:43:00.000+01:00

A recent new member on BES posted a question about kit - he asked what kit he needed as a newbie to bushcraft and who the best makers are? Suffice to say several replies soon pointed out that you dont really need specialist kit and certainly not brand names ........... the experienced outdoors man selects kit that works and is value for money, its only the inexperienced bushcrafter who follows the trends allowing (they hope) others experience to dicate what should be good clothing ............

Anyway for our friend I made this short video

Another bunny wood weekend

2010-08-29T15:09:00.001+01:00

Another weekend down in the bunny woods - vermin control never was such fun! Or as tasty!!

Upon arrival I was greeted by a target rich enviroment so before I even hoisted my rucksack onto my back I had potted my first bunny!

But that was the only rabbit I shot the whole weekend as I wanted to conscentrate on snares and as such we put out a total of 16 snares and these took 9 bunnies in a 24 hour period which I thought was quite impressive - we worked a differnet part of the area to last time and I think this was one reason for the success - also due to lack of fresh sign I am almost convinced we harvested most of the rabbits in the old area last time.

I set out a mix of snares, some the traditional english style the rest using the metal tiller stick and I have to say the modern snares were much more effective for me this weekend than the traditional style.

Dinner Saturday evening was a rabbit stew made with some of the rabbits we caught and a variety of veggies form my garden - fresh food, all produced (one way or another) naturally - and very tasty too!!

Of course inthe evening we had a cheese board and this time treated ourselves to a nice bottle of red wine too!

Lastly, it was very noticable how late to rippen the fruit was in this area! Wet weather or a late summer?? I dont know but I think if winter arrives early and is a harsh one then many of the plants and animals in the area might find it hard going especially if by then they havent completed their cycles!

BFK MKII

2010-08-21T11:35:00.000+01:00

Exciting news - the BFK could well be back!! British made, with nickle silver butt plate and rosewood scales (lending its Scandinavian style a British flavour)

I'm taking names to work out the level of interest but not, as yet, comitment - if your interested please email me at bearclaw.

In the mean time I am to end trials before Christmas and have the first batch ready for Santa to deliver!!

For those who dont know the BFK below is a picture of the MK I

And best of all I reckon the MkII will even cost less - win win all round!!

Grand KNIFE SALE

2010-08-12T15:14:00.003+01:00

Dear ALL,

There comes a time in every mans life when he realises he has to many knives ............ yes sadly today is the day for me "(

But be of good cheer for my hope is that my realisation will benefit you dear reader as I've decided to sell off a few - and now you can snap them up at a bargain price ............ consider it recycling!

Above are the tools for sale - remember you must be over 18 to purchase any of these.

Items are numbered and below is a brief description (left click on picture for a better look|)

1 - Finnish Double hunter - new (old stock) stainless blades - sale price 35
2 - 9" Nepal service kukri with modified handle - comes new and complete - sale price 35
3 - 12" British army service kukri with modified handle - comes new and complete - sale price 50
SOLD PAYMENT PENDING
4 - Survivall kukri - modified dangle sheath - used - sale price 35
5 - small finnish puukko - 3 inch blade - sale price 20 SOLD
6 - small swedish puuko - stainless 3 " - new - sale price 20 SOLD
7 - chris reeve aviator - rare collectors item - offers only
8 - svord drop point - used - sale price 25
9 - damasscus and scrimshaw viking puukko - sale price 70 SOLD
10 - fallkniven a1 - used - sale price 50 SOLD PAYMENT PENDING
11 - custom F1 - used - sale price 40 SOLD PAYMENT PENDING

All prices in GBP and postage will be 5.99 recorded delivery - open to offers or swaps .............. grab a bargain - contact me at enquiries@bearclawbushcraft.co.uk

Nordmarken now live!!

2010-08-11T14:24:00.000+01:00

Dear Readers, thank you to those who have left comments or sent emails ect regarding the launch of Nordmarken UK - today I'm pleased to announce we have gone live!!

I look forward to seeing you Lakeside!!

http://www.nordmarkencanoeuk.co.uk/

Valkommen till oss!!

video clip

2010-08-09T21:16:00.003+01:00

I'm toying witht he idea of doing a series of how to videos based around my adventures in Sweden - in the meantime heres a link to a video made some time ago - enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pernYadTV6U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pernYadTV6U

whats brown and sticky ............

2010-08-04T12:29:00.000+01:00

A stick!

But that is unless its been in the hands of my old friend Tomo. Seems like only yesterday I was teaching him how to carve a spoon one warm sunny day - little did I know the seed I was sowing as now his spoons are spectacular but its his carved walking sticks that shine!

Walking sticks, staffs call them what you will are great items for the hikers and the bushcrafter to carry and use - ranging in use from a walking stick to a bash pole and everything in between.

Tomo's particular skill is in the carving of faces onto the shaft - woodland spirits, Thor or Odin each face has its own character and charm.

If your interested in obtaining such and item or would like a master class to carve your own - drop me a line at Bearclaw Bushcraft.

Tomo's sticks are the two outer ones in the right hand picture!

More cadets .............

2010-08-01T15:18:00.002+01:00

This weekend I got to spend time running another bushcraft course for air cadets - this time for squadrons based over in Kent.

I also go to meet a few old friends from the cadets and to share the company of my old army buddy Tomo.

The Majority of the cadets were there doing there Duke of Edingburg awards so werent involved with us but a few lucky guys, some less than 6 months in uniform, got to experience the pleasures of bushcraft.

For these we covered the usual basic skills fire, food, shelter and water as well as the cutting tool skills for axe, knife and saw.

Overall the cadets worked well and a high standard was achieved - the entire weekend was excellent, the weather was humid and the lush folige almost jungle like - the odd shower added to the realism and ensured that the group shelter was well built warm and toasty.

As always its a pleasure to teach the next generation the skills of our forebears and a privilage to know they will one day take foreward the lessons taught them to the generations to come. As the song says "children are the future, teach them well"

How many cadets does it take to put up a tent??

2010-07-18T19:35:00.000+01:00

Answer see below!

BASIC AND INTERMEDIATE BUSHCRAFT.

This weekend we had another crackingly good bushcraft course for a RAF cadet squadron. The cadets were split into two groups Basic and Intermediate - obviously those with little bushcraft experience were in the basic group while the intermediate group where those who had attended at least one of our previous courses.

The basic group covered the key skills - tool usage and safety, game prep, spark and single match fire, basic shelter construction, campfire cookcraft and introductionary lectures in plant id and water collection.

The intermediate group where tested a little more and were expected to proform the basic skills at a high standard. For these the skills included game prep snares, trapping and wilderness first aid.

All the cadets had a great weekend and learned a lot. September we see them all back again but this time with a twist we will run them all on a advanced intermediate level where we will test them to discover whose skills are good enough to allow them to advance onto the Advanced bushcrafdt course in February 2011.

Zippo - fire lighter, past and present.

2010-07-03T17:17:00.000+01:00

Zippo lighter - the fire starter!

The Zippo lighter has come along way since the war, where its inventor sent thousands of these niffy tools to US troops and Airmen. So successful and popular were they among the forces that in the 40's to US Government bought up ever single one produced to issue them to their troops.

But, pray tell, why?

Well for starters the Zippo is a pretty robust tool - back when I was a smoker I always had zippo close to hand as it was the most reliable lighter I could find.

But now as a bushcrafter I think the zippo's other attributes are more importand - well of equal importance anyway. Reliable ignition is obviously important but also the fact a zippo will run on many fuels - multifuel indeed! I've run mine on zippo fuel, unleaded petrol, vodka and Meth's, oh and parafin ...... all worked!

Randulph Fiennes - correctly points out a Zippo will also run on colemen fuel so for simplicity on expeditions you can run your stove and lighter ont he same fuel!

Further to this even without fuel the lighter will still spark ........ for lighting a trangia or gas stove or even tinder! And where do you get your tinder - the cotton wool fuel tank is packed with it!

A regular multi-utility item with one last trick - it can be lighted and used as a candle too - pretty stable but beware the case can get quite warm (hand warm anyone?)

So forget your matches - your bic - even your fire steel and pack along a zippo - next time you need a fire you might be glad you did!

Bunny Wood Weekend

2010-06-27T13:34:00.001+01:00

With the sun blazing down on the glorious Essex countryside myself and an old army buddy Tomo decided to spend the weekend in our Bunny woods.

Friday night I met Tomo in Tillingham and we both enjoyed a cracking cold pint in the local pub before heading off to the woods.

The plan for the weekend was to start controlling the rabbit population with both snares and air rifles so saturday morning after breakfast we prepped our snares and walked them out looking for likely runs and sign of recent usage.

Once the snares were set we bimbled back to our camp and set up a little target range to practice "plinking" with both the air rifle and Pistol as well as a catapult. Plinking is great fun we enjoyed this distraction!!

Overall the snares were a great success we set 12 and took 4 rabbits but all bar two of the other snares had been triggered but failed to catch anything - so we were very happy with the results indeed - we even shared our catch with the local fox!

Great weekend with a good mate - cheese board included!! Looking forward to the next one!

Troll Hem and Nordmarken

2010-06-21T18:16:00.001+01:00

Sweden has long been, in my opinion as well as the opinions of other well respected outdoors folk, the best place for the bushcrafter. The right to roam or access laws there married to the large wilderness areas make it a bushcraft paradise - added to the fact its actually cheaper and easier to travel to Sweden than to travel to say, Scotland all add up to a place where wilderness dreams can really come true.

So dear reader VALKOMMEN TILL TROLL HEM ..............my home in sweden.

But that was only half my reason for this visit - the other ............

Well ok not just for the stunning scenery, the crystal clear waters, the clean air and the abundant wildlife - I also went there to tie up the lose ends which needed tweaking before launching Nordmarken UK's new website - http://www.nordmarkenuk.co.uk/ (still under construction) AND to do a little work ..................

The new Nordmarken Canoe UK site will be ready soon offering the english speaking world a excellent variety of outdoor living options ranging from canoeing to Hunting and from Fishing to survival and bushcraft training. Hosted in Arjang at the new and improved Canoe centre at Risviken!!

As always thank you to Preben and Gun for being my hosts - friends and second family!!

Last thought - a man without matches is a man without dinner! ]

65 MILES of gusset troubles

2010-06-12T02:53:00.000+01:00

South west coastal path.

Well its been a busy year of hiking this year - first the downs, then the wall and now the coastal path, my old feet are clocking up the miles for sure!

Anyway cracking walk even the laziest bushcrafter could do as its through fairly civilized terrian.

For our leg of the Hike we did Poole to Lyme Regis but due to the ranges being in use had to go around Lulworth - this was a shame but in itself quite an adventure and probably one of the best days!

Well as national trails go this wasnt as exciting as the wall but great fun, great company and a great time so I'm as happy as can be! Throughly recommend this if oyur a beginner as the amount of campsites en route means even the expedition style bushcrafter could do it provided they are capable of putting one foot n front of the other!

2010-06-04T21:42:00.001+01:00

Back to Basics.

As mentioned below the ideal of the bushcrafter circa 1980 was to be able to go native with only a blanket, a billy and a knife.

These days, maybe as a result of the times or maybe as a result of the experience learnt from recent hiking expeditions I find myself going back to basics much much more.

For example instead of a expensive custom knife I know prefer to carry and use a Mora Triflex. Experience has taught me this fantastic knife is equal to any task I put it to and thus pound for pound superior to even the best hand made blade - or looked at this way I could buy or carry 10 or more Triflex for the price of one custom job - enough knives to last a life time!!

Another example is my sack - ok I'll admit the sabre 45 with side pockets is probably the most versatile sack on the market today, while the PLCE Bergen is a bombproof tardis but pound for pound you can not beat the swedish army rucksack - 40lts of volume with an external frame this is a tardis in its own right - as a plus the sack can come off the frame and the frame be used on its own - a handy trick if you wanna carry that butchered venison or a large pile of wood back to camp! Tough as old boots these sacks cost £10 - a tenth of the price of a karrimor Sabre!

Lastly (for now) - cookware, a primus frying pan and a plate are great and can be used for many situations and this is my favourite for a base camp - but for hiking and general bushcraft you cant beat a swedish army mess kit. Cheap as chips, versatile and robust! These days I tend to carry just the pots and a gas stove and this is the crux as its the pots that win hands down - having a bail arm and a hook, usable lid (cup/frying pan) this cookware can be used in many ways.

Back to basics ....... well maybe its not a earth shattering revelation but then what would you expect?? Back to basics doesnt need to mean back to the blanket and billy can but I believe it should mean a move back to more cost effective, robust and multi-usage kit. Items with no thrills not need to be seen as unexciting either - for whats better spending your hard earned cash on expensive kit you can sit and admire or saving your pennies to spend on getting out there and using your kit to its fullest??

Remember the thrifty shrafters equation - COST DIVIDED BY USE EQAULS VALUE!!

bushcraft, the recession and the world..........just some thoughts......

2010-05-30T08:18:00.005+01:00

Bushcraft, the recession and the world.

The recession is still very much alive and well, at least in peoples wallets and lives. People are still very tentative about their spending - on courses we have noticed a new phenomenum of people booking and either canceling last minute or not turning up? People's spending on the mail order site has changed noticably too so using these as a thumb rule the differences are there. Forget the courses (we can all learn our skills and gain loads of experience doing it for ourselves) forget the kit (carry less by knowing more - remember that?? The motto of the shrafter!!) So how have these changes effected the bushcraft, which after all is what were interested in? Well for a start the brand name trend has been bucked - returning us to maybe a better time when kit was used, as in the old days, because it worked and not because a tv presenter wore it and the sheeple flocked to buy it having no experience for themselves of what worked and what didnt. For example, the new resurgance of Mora knives, these age old trusted tool are a good as ever. And this may also be in part due to the fact people are more interested in doing the bushcraft and less interested in paying money to do courses or buy expensive kit.

Experience earned is the key here - by taking your shiny gear out the box and into the woods you learn what works and how to use it for yourself! I know I sound like im being a little condescending but lets face facts as with any hobby the more popular it becomes, or became, the more the general public discover it. The hard core "shrafters" have always been there and will continue to be - while the dabblers will drift in and drift out. And those in the middle who like the idea but dont really want to sleep out or dont have the time or inclination will find better ways to spend their now hard earned cash. And I'm sure I'm not falling far from the mark to say the popularity of Ray Mears also has a effect on the bushcraft. I remember the sudden surge in axe sales when they released extreme bushcraft on DVD - proof if it were needed of Rays following. That being so how many once bushcrafters have followed their hero off into the world of wildlife watching?? But as I say the hard core are still there - and no offence to the rest, these are the people I care about. How has modern times effect these (and I include myself in this group too - maybe a little to bold but hey its my blog!)

Modern bushcraft is a different world it seems - the ideal of the 80's shrafter was to be able to go out into the woods and live, reasonably comfortably, with just a knife, a blanket and a billy can. Now (pre-recession anyway) it seems that the ideal of the bushcrafter is/was to roll up in their 4x4 set up a expedition style camp, light the fire and spend a weekend sat around it eating either fried food - or some hippy style vegetarian alternative - drinking beer and talking about how great their new knife is ................the actual craft side of the story didnt really come into it.

A friend of mine nailed that one, a twist on his saying anyway as it seemed to me people started to REPLACE MISSING KNOWLEDGE with KIT!

So thats the past, and I'm sorry if the arrow of truth has fallen near the mark!

But all is not lost as there is a future! What is the future - will the kit market resume? Will the course collector come back and bookings soar?? I am sure they will, all things come and go, come and go - life is but a circle.

But, dear reader, maybe you are like me, a 80's shrafter. I've paid my dues, learned to do the bushcraft before the great kitcraft culture arose in 2000. Thirty years of outdoors experience hasnt gone away because I cant afford the latest must have bit of kit!

For me, the future of bushcraft is bright. I'm loving it! Yep, the recession has meant I have been able to get out and do the things I love while the woods are empty of the wage slaves who beaver away in the office! More to the point, after a good long time lost in the wilderness of kit hell, I've found myself back on the trail of the true bushcrafter where kit doesnt rule over skills or the simple pleasure of place.

My kit, refined and refined again, is now almost perfect and minimalist. I dont lack for luxury or comfort and yet can get it all in a 45 litre sack .......... a weeks worth! Saving me money and back ache!

My time (like yours), that most precious of resources which, like the grains of sand in a egg timer is always running out and can never be reclaimed, is now split between the odd course (less of these and in 2011 none as I take a gap year to do only the things I enjoy) my hunting camp where we shoot and snare and live a classic hunter gatherer live style, Hiking and Sweden.

In the hunters camp we practice our skills - and baring the use of a tarp generally live and breath the knife,billy and blanket dream of the old time bushcrafter who shuns the modern gear dependant style of bushcraft!

Hiking - well here's where the gear fetish comes into it - maybe. The hiking is, to my mind another string of the old hunter gatherer bow. How so? Well the hunter gatherer had to range about 30km's or so to find and feed themselves and as such had to use good old "Shankes' pony" to get there - as does the hiker. Hiking is great exercise, gets us out into the fresh air and some cracking wilderness areas. More than this it allows us to practice our bushcraft skills too - navigation, campcraft and plant ID for example, it allows us to understand our gear - nothing teaches a person about kit than the need to carry it on their back - for there is the great leveller of what we think we need - divided by what we actually need - divided by what actually works = the kit we carry!

And lastly to Sweden. Ever since I discovered the beautiful lakes and woods of Varmland I have been smitten like a lover lost in the beauty of youths first kiss. It wasnt a mere accident Ray Mears says that hiking and canoeing in sweden is as close to a religious experience as he knows! For this is the essence of Swedens charm - not a religious experience (im far to practical for that) but a place where the shrafter can actually go and practice their skills with a freedom not found in the UK since before that old Viking William got lucky! Sweden's charms are many fold the freedom is but one. Its not by chance Swedish knives, axes and clothes are deemed and found to be the best a bushcrafter can get. For here is the essence of it - the swedes actually still do the bushcraft many Brits can only dream of and as such they know and buy the kit that works. Another facite of Sweden's magic is the fact she still has vaste tracks of wilderness where a shrafter can go and not see another person! Self reliance is a powerful thing! Lastly, although not least and not all but enough for now, is sweden's fresh and cleaness - Britian this green and pleasant land is over crowded and to my eyes these days very tired looking, shes like a Middle aged women whose beauty has began to fade after one to many nights down the pub. Where Sweden is still that young, pretty blonde whose smile can take your breath away and whose slim waist and strong legs promise a future of delights.

Bushcraft, recession and the world .............. so what do you do, what can you do?? If your a rough camping, fried food and beer drinking shrafter thats cool, enjoy it! - theres a time and a place for it for sure, after all even the Mountain men had a annual renedevous.

But if you want something more or different well now is your time for I truly believe the recession has sorted the wheat from the chaff as far as the bushcrafter is concerned for now more than ever before the best gear is well priced and widely avialable (a lot of small businesses may have suffered, custom knife makers might have lost customers to Frosts Mora, bushcraft schools arent getting bums of seats - booo hoo this is the way with all trends they rise and fall the wise man enjoys the harvest but saves for the lean times too) also less people are in the woods which means the dedicated few can practice skills in peace and with the tv inspired masses distracted by other things (and with them the uneducated few who leave fire scares and litter ect ect) land owners are more inclined to allow access rather than shun it.

The bushcrafts future is brighter than ever thanks to the recession and now is the time of the true and dedicated bushcrafter!

Fasach Ile II - shark island

2010-05-17T20:11:00.007+01:00

The old Scottish Fasach Ile course was a popular event with the more hardy and adventurious bushcrafter - sadly said course is no more.

But to qoute Cracticus Potts (chitty chitty bang bang) "up from the ashes grow the roses of success!" and in this case these roses were a new course off the north west coast of Ireland on a deserted Island called Inish Airc (the island of the shark!)

We followed the tried and tested programme Bearclaw perfected on its predecessor course - but we also improved upon it too. For not only were we working with our irish sister company Ancient Irish but we also (for example) were un-hampered by the constraints we suffered in scotland and were able to hunt game and gather wild foods in a true survival manner - as we'll as the legendary Limpet menu's our survivors also enjoyed Pollock fresh off the hook and from the rolling waves of the altantic ocean fished for off the point (when the Atlantic grey seals let then that is!)

All in all a fantastic course - the international team we had as our test course guinea pigs included two dutch, one brit and four irish lads - a combination of characters and skills which we pushed hard and tested to the limits.

Well done to you guys - you made the course what it was and set the standard for the future.

I look forward to reading the newspaper reviews too as this course not only raised a few eye brows among the locals on Inish Boifin but also among the local press!

ATLATL COURSE

2010-04-30T17:41:00.004+01:00

Flint knapping and Atlatl course.

One of the few skills which can truely be deemed as purely bushcraft in its most fundamental form is flint knapping. A skill mastered by our ancestors and one which saw them transported from proto-humans to modern man.

And a step beyond the knapping is the ability not only to make your tools but use them in a practicle manner.

And this is the key to what our Atlatl course is all about.

Under the highly knowledgable guidance of expert knapper and Archeaologist Karl Lee the course was tasked to shake off their steel dependance and learn to truely understand mans most basic, and first tools.

Using only flint tool the group not only made themselves knives, hand axes and projectile points but all carved digging tools and gathered the materials for a ground oven. Before putting all their new found knowledge into a final project, the carving of a Atlatl caster and dart complete with fletched shaft and flint tip - sinewed and glued with resin.

A great weekend, jam packed full of fun and information which saw 8 21st century boys and girls transported back to the stone age and given the tools and knowledge to make all their own tools and a highly effective hunting tool - skills and knowledge which are truely time and priceless!

New woods fun!

2010-04-05T17:13:00.005+01:00

Easter long weekend was dragging on so I decided to take a impromptu trip and do a over nighter in my new woods.

Well I did have a reason as I wanted to recce the area and check out the best areas for bunnies - make sure my rifle was zero'd and get out the house for a night!

Well all this we did and me, steve and mike had a cracking weekend. Next time were down there its rabbits ville but the site needs a little work site to make it workable!

Mora newsletter

2010-04-03T19:22:00.001+01:00

http://www.moraofsweden.se/get.php?file_id=2333

And for those how like a read - heres the MORA news letter!

Enjoy

Mora than just another knife

2010-04-01T14:16:00.004+01:00

In the Begining the Knife Gods of the Bushcrafting Tribe created the Red wooden handled Mora Classic, made famous by Mors Kochanski. Then, thanks in no small part to Raymond Mears, the Mora Clipper became the King of the bushcraft knives ........... well now the king is died - long live the King!!

Behold - the MORA BUSHCRAFT range are born in the guise of the FOREST, TRIFLEX and Force! Inovative designs, modern high tech steels and at a price that makes them totally user friendly!

No one will doubt that Mora, historically and practically have been making cutting tools of excellent value and quality and looking at these three new tools from their stables I am sure the reputation for practical tools of excellent quality and utility value will continue for many years to come!

Mora Forest
The Mora Bushcraft FOREST knife is a new innovative design in cutting tools. The blade is 115 mm long and 2.5 mm thick and comes with a specially sculpted bevel which is designed to offer excellent carving potential close to the handle as well as butchery and game prep where the bevel is reduced towards the tip. The Forest is a excellent all rounded and could possibly be set the take the title of best all round bushcraft knife from the now legendary Clipper!
The knife comes with a khaki green hand grip, a sheath, with a flexible strap, of the same colour. Blade is stainless steel so ideal for the canoeist or fisherman as well.

MORA TRIFLEX
The bushcraft Triflex is hardier tool, resistant to breakage when compared to many a stainless blade while maintaining the familiar Clipper style blade typical of the Scandinavian cutting tools. Triflex’s carbon steel blade has a conventional Scandinavian grind and a blade which is progressively tempered providing a hard edge and even tougher spine all of which gives exceptional edge retention combined with a robust toughness. The tool has an olive-coloured hand grip and a black sheath which comes with a flexible belt loop. The TRIFLEX blade is also easy to use with a fire steel.
Blade length: 116 mm, thickness: 2.5 mm
Note - It's a carbon blade and will rust if neglected.

MORA FORCE
Stainless steel blade designed to do what is says on the tin! The 115 mm long and 2.5 mm thick blade is not profile-ground, which means that the knife is heavier, more robust and very useful when it comes to game prep as well and the standard bushcraft tasks.The black hand grip is contoured for secure grip and olive coloured sheath has a flexible belt loop.

Available soon from the Bearclaw Trading post!

Sweden - snow joke!

2010-03-23T19:26:00.005Z

After our weeks hard tabbing along Hadrians wall my trip to Sweden was a well deserved treat! And what a treat it was too!

Sweden has to be a bushcrafters paradise anytime of year - even Ray Mears has described his time there as being as close to a religious experience as he can get. That and the ease with which it can be travelled to leave the dedicated "shrafter" with no excuse not to visit. Its even cheaper to visit Sweden than Scotland and probably less rainy too!!

Well our visit to Nordmarken Kanot centre was as much for pleasure as for work this time around. Business wise we had a lot to discuss and I for one am proud and pleased with the results (more to follow on this).

Pleasure wise the trip was excellent - again its time for me to express my heart felt thanks to my great friends Preben and Gun for not only being great hosts but also for their excellent company.

My time there was a combination of training, ice fishing and hunting. The weather was kind (or bad if you want good snow and a frozen lake) but we still managed to enjoy ourselves with nights down to a chilly minus 7 and days almost warming up to plus 6 ............

Training was a combination of self refreshing skills pertinent to winter and summer weiss as well as trying out some new techinques such as hunting game a we bit bigger than the bunnies I usually hunt in UK!

Summer WEISS is looking good, we have a few new ideas and skills to add and with places still available I hope several of you readers will stiffen your sinew and step up to the line, come forward and earn your right to wear the covetted WEISS badge.

Well dear reader I got to have a few days playing in the snow! The pictures will tell more than my own dreary words so I'll leave you know to enjoy the scenery!!

Hadrians Wall - national trails.

2010-03-15T10:35:00.007Z

Hadrians Wall national trail is a moderate to hard hike covering 84 miles of some of the most unspoilt British countryside around. It also covers sections of the Pennines and Cumbria coastal walk so offers the hardy hiker and outdoors folk a wide variety of terrians and views to explore and enjoy.

For our adventure, and for yours (should you ever manage to pry yourself from your comfy chair by the campfire) I'd recommend starting just outside Newcastle at Heddon on the wall. Here we booked into NORTH HEDDON FARM and left our vehicle parked up in the safe (cctv COVERED) Farm court yard for the week. The accomodation is excellent, the welcome friendly making it almost feel like a home from home. Paula, our host, fed us a excellent and filling breakfast which was just the ticket needed as we started our hike on a cold and frosty sunday morn.

From the farm you have two choices - the 684 bus into newcastle or miss out the town bit - your call! And you can either use a baggage service or like us mule it carrying your full weeks kit on your backs.

Our kit list was kept simple - lightness was important! Generally the list of gear I carried in my Sabre 75 was as follows.

Sabre 75

US army sleepsystem winter bag and bivi

Karrimor air mat

2 x 1 litre stainless bottle - 1 x 500ml bottle with sports cap

jet boil + two cannisters of gas

Aladdin thermal cup

Maps, compass, gps, National trails Book

camera, phone, ipod (important stuff eh!) small travel board game.

1 weeks food consisting or army breakfast and mainmeals, cup'a'soups for each day, brew kit, chocolate and kendal mint cake bars.

Spare socks and underwear

full waterproofs

buffalo belay jacket

Montaine down jacket

British army pocket knife, spoon, lighter, watch ect ect

Wash kit, sewing kit

first aid

Half tent (two man tent shared between two)

Total weight at start was just over 20 kg each (mostly food and water which thankfully got lighter each day ") - )

Hiking the first two days was a pleasure leaving the Newcastle skyline behind we disappeared among the gentle rolling hills following a trail so well marked that navigation wasnt even necessary.

The early time of year also meant generally we had the hills to ourselves and the "unseasonally" sunny days found us enjoying every minute of our day hikes. The sub zero nights werent a problem either as a rule because we simply made a point of bedding down just at the turn of last light - with a hot meal in our bellies our travel weary bodies had little trouble sleeping the 10 hours of darkness away and always left us refreshed and up, breakfasted and ready for the next frosty sunrise where for a brief time the Northumberian hills where transformed into frosty wonderlands of post card beauty - a beauty we had all to ourselves!

Eventually we reached the English heritage section of the trail - this was less well maked with signs but as the wall proper is here it wasnt hard to follow!

For a change of scenery and a little added adventure we decided to drop off the trail just west of Housesteads and follow the Pennine way north into Kielder Forest where we stayed for 2 nights and a restful day at the Haughtongreen bothy (MBA owned this was a cracking little stop over)

Once more back on the trail we hiked ever westward enjoying the sights and the freedoms of the trail.

The only disappointing section I found was the Carlisle section, the river Eden may be a paradise in summer but with winter still clinging on to its cold banks the River was a dull section of the walk, but this was better, at least, than the later Carlisle section where the last leg before the village of Grinsdale lead us under a railway bridge and past the city dump ......... the bridge if hit late at night wouldnt be a surprising place to find drunks and such and the city dump speaks for itself!

My advice here it push this leg and hike on to Port Carlise - rest here. Your a mile or so from the end but you can visit the Hope and Anchor Pub (Inn - you can book in for a night - owned by a cracking couple Dougie and Liz) here you can not only enjoy one of the best meals I've had out in a long time but you can also celebrate with a well earned Pint! Breakfast at the pub (like the farm where we started) was excellent and was a great way to start the day of our last leg.

One and a bit miles of flat coastal road to Bowness on Solway and the end of our hike!

Along the way we met many, many nice people, the locals and our fellow hikers were all fantastic company and nothing was more cheering than the encouragement we where given by total strangers, the three guys building a wall, the two workers repairing a cattle grid, the firecrew who were doing hydrant checks or the numberious drivers who waved and gave thumbs ups to us as we plodded onwards the end. These people and many others really made this hike a pleasure and added to our sense of achievement.

Would I do the hike again - yes without a doubt!!

Sometimes, its only when we challenge ourselves that we know were truely alive!!

** sorry for the picture quality but a small tech problem wont allow bigger down loads at this time! ")

Swedish Military daysack! (with class)

2010-02-25T08:48:00.003Z

The Swedish Military make a few items the dedicated bushcrafter will be familiar with - the firew steel and the mess kit being two of the most prominent, after all what self respecting outdoorsman with go without either (especially if you've read the swedish army survival manual!)

Like wise I think the 40l swedish military daysack my soon join the list. Why?? Why would you want a old fashioned external framed canvas and leather sack over a karrimor sabre 45??

Well dear reader the answers is simple - because its a old fashioned external framed canvas and leather sack!

Canvas can be treated with something like greenland wax and made rot and water proof - its repairable with a needle and thread - its hard wearing - wont melt around your campfire.

Leather can be treated with neats foot or other dubbin to make it supple and give is a rich chestnit brown, like canvas its repairable and easily adapted or replaced - leather unlike plastic buckles wont freeze and become brittle in extreme cold either!

External frame keeps the sack off your back whilst walking so avoids sweaty wet patches and chilling when you stop - the sack can be removed and the frame can be used on its own to gather fire wood or carry back sections of butchered game. It can also be used in such areas as first aid for example.

Volume - 40 litres in old money seems to be much more than 40litres in new money so you get a sack that will hold more - my sack easily holds all my kit for a weekend camp out!! But if your a kit junky there are strapped mounting points of the side and bottom for extra gear too!

Last but not least is the aesthetics - these sacks cry bushcraft - just wearing one makes you look like a long in the tooth bushcrafter who shuns all the fussy expensive modern bushcraft gear in favour of tried and test gear you know works!! And these come at a price you cant sniff at either - available from Bearclaw's trading post they even come with a free block of greenland wax and so are a fantastic bargain!

Cadets - advanced training

2010-02-23T17:05:00.004Z

This weekend we had the first advanced course from one of the Royal Air Force cadet squadrons we train. The guys arrived early saturday morning for a very intense weekend of survival training.

Not really knowing what to expect the lads and lasses were catapulted into a survival situation where kit seperation anxiety syndrom was instantly at the fore!

Dressed in only what they were wearing and kited out with only the knife around their neck and the contents of their pockets they had to rapidly adapt to their new situation.

Fortunately they did and over all did very well.

Indeed our assessor was pleased with the results - and we look forward to the award ceremony some time in March.

Backwoods knife spooning

2010-02-23T16:58:00.002Z

Never judge a man by his knife - judge him by what he can do with it!!

When testing the Backwoods knife I carved several spoons from Birch but didnt take any pictures - so this weekend I decided to quickly knock one up out of HORNBEAM!

If the knife can make short work of hornbeam for a spoon what better proof of its ability to carve!

Bushcraft Knife.

2010-02-14T15:04:00.003Z

Back in the days when God were a lad every bushcrafters goal was to learn the skills what would enable him to go off into the woods with just a billy can and a knife. As an assistant instructor with Woodlore my aim was always to raise up enough to be awarded the coveted Antler handled Woodlore knife by Ray Mears himself - as this was the knife that the billy can equipped bushcrafter needed in those by gone days of yore - sadly I left Woodlore and started Bearclaw bushcraft before such an event took place!

Unpreturbed, I initially designed the BFK - a cracking knife incorperating all the design features a good bushcraft should have. Sadly the BFK was a victim of its own success and eventually we had to drop the project as demand outstripped supply!

Time and not a little scandinavian influence then took me off to design the Bearclaw Camp knife again a great tool and again a hand made tool which demand rendered unsustainable in the market!

Alas my search for best bushcraft knife continued.

Always interested in cutting tools with the now contempory Bushcraft design I recently came across the A Wright and Son of Sheffield Bushcraft knife.

On initial inspection I was quite impressed, however proof of the pudding is always in the eating so i decided to test one out.

The Rosewood handled Buskcraft knife is every inch your typical bushcraft knife while the STAG handled more is a dream, but with a price tag much kinder to the wallet.

Does this mean that it is an inferior knife?? Well, no actually, having cut my teeth and paid my dues at Woodlore and with a woodlore knife I was totally impressed with the Wrights tool in every conceivable way.

The Wrights bushcraft knife has a thick spine which will throw out one of the best showers of sparks from a fire steel I've ever come across - easily as good as the F1! Yep, that was the first test I did - I'd never even bother going any further if that wasnt case.

So, I can make the sparks for a fire but what about the fire wood?

Batoning with this baby is a pleasure, the tool cleaves wood with a guilty ease that makes you almost feel sorry for the wood - a standing dead hornbeam and a standing dead birch where batoned to tidy quarter sections in mere moments! It feather sticks like a pro too!

Can the tool carve then ......... yes it can - one spoon and two trap triggers later I was happy with that result!

Edge rention, ha, no sweat. Razor sharp out the packet, I still sharpened the knife out the packet using my fine waterstone just to confirm the edge and ensure no wire was present - I need not have worried but its a old and good habit to have so I'll make no apologise for that! Suffice to say edge retention was excellent again easily equal to my woodlore, BFK or camp knife and thus far after many trials and tests both in the field, the kitchen and back yard I am yet to need to resharpen the tool whose edge is still as good as ever!

In all the tests I can think of this tool shone (obviously I didnt abuse the tool or try using it for something its not designed too be used for) - yet theres more to it than the functional side.

Firstly, its hand made in England by a long established family business, and dealing with John and Michael at A Wrights I can honestly say their customer service is second to none. Being a long established business they have the techinical ability to produce bushcraft knives by hand in a quantity which doesnt not force quality to suffer (something I wish the BFK could have boosted) - something no custom maker can do.

So if you want a excellent bushcraft knife but dont want to wait for a few years to get one this is the knife for you.

Further more these tools are made by apprentice trained craftsman in the traditional way - English craftsmanship at its best, (and in this day and age I think we should all be supporting such businesses)

I'm a great fan of scandinavian knives especially the Mora's and the Fjallkniven ranges but these tools blow them out the water in terms of usage, quality and aesthetics.

Lastly, but for many, my self included, is the price - coming with a leather sheath with fire steel attachment (and a free firesteel) these knives are around half the price of the more well known makes of bushcraft knife and equally well priced to compare to the top end scandinavian cutting tools so favoured by some.

So did I like it?

The answers simple - YES, its a cutting tool which will do everything I ask of it at a price I think is very reasonable indeed. The best of both worlds!

I liked it so much that after 15 years of searching I have made this the official Bearclaw Bushcraft instructors knife too and was pleased to award the first one to Steve Wiggin's in recognition of his hard work and loyality over the last 6 years.

Available from both Bearclaw Bushcraft http://www.bearclawbushcraft.co.uk/trading/wright.htm

or direct from A Wrights themselves I throughly recommend this bushcrafter to any of my readers, friends and former students who are looking for a great bushcraft all rounder.

Bushcraft camp weekend/ filming

2010-02-14T14:31:00.004Z

This weekend we had another pleasurable bushcraft camping weekend in our woods surrounded by friends old and new in some of the weirdest weather imaginable.

(check the bearclaw website for the next bushcraft camp weekend dates if your interested in joining us!)

Hail, snow and rain all in one cold and windy weekend - lucky us!

Still as ever the food was excellent and saturday nights venison bolognaise send us all to bed with warm full tummies.

A interesting twist to this weekend was the addition of a film crew down to make a small corperate promotion film for us - these guys had us up pre-dawn filming sunrises as well as a relentless schedule of interviews and demo's all to be filmed - 6 hours of footage to be edited down to a short 15/20 minute film!

Still great fun and my thanks to all the students who braved the weather and came along to help out!!

Just a thought .............

2010-01-20T09:02:00.002Z

"is it cool to know how to make fire with a bow drill? Yes - but survival is not about proving that you're some kind of earth skills guru; its about dedicating your energies to getting homesafetly or getting rescued"
Les Stroud

As Les has said above being able to bow drill is good (its a well rounded knowledge thats needed) but being able to light a fire first time every time is more important.

And this has made me think - being able to carve a spoon is a good skill but isnt carrying a metal spoon better??

Being able to make roycroft rucksack frame is good but should we replace our karrimor with one?

We shouldnt replace knowledge with kit of course - but that doesnt mean we go without kit thats useful and in some ways superior!

Something to ponder next time you look at kit old and new!!

Cold, wet but we had a cheese board!!

2010-01-18T12:04:00.003Z

The first Bearclaw camp weekend of the year was a small affair (as was expected we didnt expect to many fair weather campers to brave the weather)! Six hardy souls gathered in a woodland lashed by rain and chill winds while pockets of snow and ice hide among the trees and sat snuggly upon a fair few frozen ponds!

What did we get up to?

Lets start with the bad news ....... well we managed to dink the blade of a brand (fresh out the packet) new Bark river PSK (personal survival knife) - dink it not once but twice ........... did we abuse the blade? Nope!! The first dink was acquired while carving a artists fungi to make some amadou and the second (after sharpening out the first dink) was made while carving a feather stick ...................................... sorry but PSK? Errr I dont think so! The owner assures me that ones going back to the company and a refund is wanted!!

Fire lighting was a major, I gave away a load of steels for flint and steel fire lighting so everyone had a play at that ....... and then there was the herculian task of gathering fire wood, sawing and splitting enough to last us the weekend!

Exploration was popular this weekend, I personally found a new badger set with loads of sign of recent usage - which was nice ")

Seasoned pine was foraged for the attempted construction of finnish wood stoves, sadly the pine turned out to be too punky for our basic tools and an attempt with a birch only achieved limited success - a chain saw would have been nice!!

Shelter construction (simplified lean-to) was another task for a very very wet saturday!!

But the star event, as was only fitting for the weather, was our saturday night feast .......... 2 haunches of Venison where brought as well as a variety of garden veggies - a excellent venison roast with roast 'tatties and stuffing was made as a starter, the main course was a huge (I had it for breakfast the next day and sunday evening tea) vension stew with marrow, potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli and pearl barley ................. then as a little extra surprise a cheese board appeared and did the rounds so we finished our winter feast with various cheeses and crackers!! The libation flowed and a fantastic time was had by all the hardy folk there!!

If all Bushcraft camp weekends were as good as this one I'd be a very contented and rotund man! ")

Looking forward to Feb's gathering already!!

WEBSITES BACK UP

2010-01-17T19:27:00.000Z

Sorry for any inconvience.

Bearclaw WEBSITE AND EMAIL down

2010-01-17T17:03:00.001Z

Sorry folks due to technical errors the site and email is presently down - we are aware of this and our hosts are trying to rectify ASAP.

2010-01-14T12:45:00.002Z

I'm in the very early stages of planning the trip of a life time!!

My plan at the moment is to travel from Yellow Knife to Calgary - thats Canada. I want to work my way down (literally if I need funds)

I want to explore the country be that by snow shoe, caneo or foot and am at present allowing myself a year to do it - that equates to around 150 days walking ( I reckon on it being 1000 to 1500 miles) and 150 days exploring!

As I say very early days yet but can anyone provide me with links to sites, books ect ect by people who've planned and run big expeditions - supported or unsupport. Blogs maybe for people who live in the provinces?

Anything that will aid in research - if anyone knows anyone who might be useful or have good info please also let me know.

Cheers guys ..............

Hopping and Shopping

2010-01-12T08:16:00.002Z

Dear READER - those of you who have shopped on the Bearclaw Bushcraft Trading post or the Survivall shop will have noticed there was a need to hop from shop to shop as some items where listed on one site not the other! It was annoying!

Well, as of today we have started to tweak the Trading post and will be moving the Survivall shop onto this site - thus creating a one stop shop for all your bushcraft and survival needs ......

We hope you'll bear ( "0) with us while these changes are made!

Cheers me dears!

SNOW TIME TO PANIC!

2010-01-07T14:27:00.004Z

Winter has visited blighty and with the snow comes ice! A time for people to have a play! Snow ball fights .......... but with the fun comes danger - ice cover lakes are killers!

Unlike Bear Grylls a true survivor does everything they can to limit the danger they find themselves in and crossing frozen lakes and ponds isnt a good idea.

As little as 3 inches of ice can support a person text books will tell you - ya great which person?? A 6 stone teenage girl or a 18 stone man?? Sadly, even if that statistic were good ice thickness will vary across the water surface so even as a rule of thumb it doesnt help.

Best advice - stay off the ice!

But we all know your average kid, or dog for that matter isnt gonna listen so what to do if disaster strikes?

Firstly - use common sense - if the ice doesnt look strong it isnt gonna be strong! If theres water on the surface or cracks and holes in it stay off!

If your walking across ice you have two options - test for strength or pray!

To test for strength you need a sharp object on a stick to stab into the ice - if it doesnt penetrate the ice after three or four stabs the ice is good - test the ice for your whole journey over it .........

In the frozen north people often carry either a long pole or ice spikes - the idea is if you go through the ice the pole is wider than the hole and you climb out or you can use the ice spikes to drag yourself out!

If you do go through the ice try to fall backwards onto the firm ice you have walked on - if you do go in climb out onto the ice you walked on - as this ice has proven to be able to take your weight.

If you see someone go through the ice - dont panic and dont rush out and make yourself a casuallty too - to many dog owners die on ice trying to rescue dogs who eventually climb out of their own accord!

Ideally approach the person in the water from the same direction they used - from a safe distance throw them a rope with a loop tied in it - if no rope use a pole or ladder anything that will reach. If you need to go further on the ice lay down and crawl to spread your weight- move slowly and the slightest sign of the ice breaking stop and back up!

Dont endanger yourself to save someone whose own stupidity has endangered them!

Remember to call for help, call the emergency services before you try to help the casualty!

bushcraft 101 .............. more

2010-01-04T11:11:00.004Z

1. Cotton Kills .......... no being a idiot kills you not cotton. If your to stupid to take along waterproof clothing whose faults that?
2. Wool while a good insulator is heavier, expensive and slow to dry.
3. Fleeces - promote sweating more readily but dry quicker - a micro fleece base layer, medium fleece pullover and a heavy fleece jacket are a less expensive and incredibly flexible combo.
4. A waterproof jacket is also windproof ........ why wear a seperate windproof??
5. Ventile prices are now way over priced - better a cheap ex army smock - better still a exarmy goretex then you have a hard wearing waterproof and windproof
6. Synthetics melt around the fire - so ventile/wool/cottons better? Technically yes - in reality I've never (in 30 years of outdoorsmanship) ever seen it!
7. Cold feet - put on a hat!
8. The head is a great way to control heat lose or to cool down!
9. Using a scarf or headover/buff is equal to wearing a woolly jumper for heat retention.
10. More people die of cold injuries per annum in London than Norway - never underestimate the weather!
11. Never spend more on a knife than you would on a waterproof jacket.
12. Always button/zip/velcro closed your pocket after use - that way you'll never lose that important survival item or even your mobile phone!

Many of the above comments are made to dis-prove the myths of outdoor clothing - the wool industry invented cotton kills ect ect as such never believe all you read - never swallow the sales hype - listen to those who use the garments not those who sell em or make em or are friends with those who do!

YOUR CLOTHING IS YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE AGAINST THE ELEMENTS - DRESS FOR THE WORSE CONDITIONS EXPECTED ALWAYS! May outdoors lives could have been saved if folks were dressed correctly!

Bushcraft 101 ............. more

2009-12-30T09:56:00.002Z

1. Fire isnt always necessary.
2. Fire and morale are linked - if you think you will fail lighting a fire in poor conditions it might be better not to try as damaging you morale might make a miserable night unbearable!
3. Never use a air tight container to hold freshly gathered tinder as its go mouldy from even the smallest moisture in the bark or wood.
4. Strike anywhere matches are great in the UK - keep em in a match safe but be aware other countries dont have strike anywhere matches, so learn to use normal safety matches - and safetly matches dont work in/on match safes!
5. Always light a one match fire - preparation is key
6. A fire lit at the start of a weekend should not go out before you leave camp - when you leave camp make sure its properly out!
7. A flame is only a part of the fires uses - embers are generally more useful than flames
8. A small fire is more fuel effeciant than a large fire - better to sit near a small fire than away from a large fire.
9. A stove is 3 times more fuel effecient than a enclosed fire which is three times more effeciant than a open campfire.
10. Theres no shame in using man made fire starters - wax card is excellent - matches are great - but you need to understand traditional fire lighting skills - whether starting a fire with a bow drill or a blow torch the preparation phase is still EXACTLY the same - a fire fails ONLY if you prepare it poorly!
11. Fire lighting success isnt a matter or time its a matter of distance - select the best materials not the closest!