Bushcraft & Survival Skills - June 2014 UK - FiLELiST

Editor Simon Ellar
simon@bushcraftmagazine.com
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Jason Ingamells & Quercus by
Anders Brogaard
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Competition guidelines: Some competitions in this magazine may be subject to eligibility criteria or age restrictions. All competitions are subject to the following rules / conditions:
i). No purchase is necessary to enter; nor is there any charge to enter any competition ii). All decisions are final. iii). Bushcraft and Survival Skills reserve the right to disqualify any entrant and / or winner at our absolute
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issue of your prize. vi). Bushcraft and Survival Skills reserve the right at its sole discretion to substitue prizes of comparable value for any of the prizes. vii). Competitions are open only to UK residents with a UK delivery address;
delivery will not be made to a P.O. Box. viii). All entries must be received by the deadline shown and late or incomplete entries will be disqualified. ix). By entering a Competition, if you are a winner, you grant Bushcraft and
Survival Skills permission to publish your name and county of residence along with any comments you may issue, online or in the magazine. x). If we are unable to contact you within 14 days of the closing date or if a prize
is returned as undeliverable as addressed this will result in your disqualification and a new winner will be selected. xi). Winners are solely responsible for all insurance, incidental expenses associated with claiming the prize,
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The closing date for the competitions in this issue is the 12th June 2014 unless otherwise stated. Only one entry per person per competition is permitted.
Cert no. TT-COC-2200
A MILESTONE...
Over the last nine years, I have thoroughly enjoyed putting together 50 issues of Bushcraft & Survival Skills. This
couldnt have been done without a team of experts sharing their bushcraft and survival knowledge and experience
and I would personally like to thank each and every one from Issue 1 up to Issue 50. My gratitude also goes to the
production team behind the scenes who bring it all together. Finally, there would definitely not be a magazine
without you the reader - thank you so much for your support! We still have a wealth of untapped content to share
with you over the next 50 issues and we look forward to celebrating our 100th issue with you!
As you join us in celebrating this milestone, our experts have prepared a bushcraft feast for you. Jason Ingamells
celebrates our 50th issue (p38) with 50 things that everyone knew 50 years ago. Ben and Lois Orford teach practical
and important techniques on how-to responsibly harvest timber (p8), so when you find a place to practice your
bushcraft skills (with Paul Kirtley on p28) you won't upset the landowner. Find out whats happening at this years
Bushcraft Show and see the new site plan (p52).
For survival tips and a chuckle, read Lofty Wiseman's survival stories (p16), then flick to p77 to see what Gear Brylls,
May Rears, Burp Grylls and Ray Fears, characters in our comic strips over the years are up to in our 50th issue. I had
the opportunity to interview Cody Lundin, prior to his visit to The Bushcraft Show in May and put many of your
questions to him, read his replies on p56. If you are planning your summer holiday, Tim Gent shares the joys of
coastal canoeing (p60) or if you are going off grid take a look at the BioLite stove (p78), if you are so far off grid that
you need a few navigational pointers, Tristan Gooley will keep you on track with his natural navigation skills (p80).
Our money saving expert, Ian Nairn shares a nifty bushcraft on a budget project on how to make an arrow with a
spoon! (p34) Pablo shares the wonders of wildlife as spring turns to summer (p22) and Marcus Harrison tempts and
tantalises our wild food taste buds with spicy sauces (p12).
Happy Bushcrafting!
advertising@bushcraftmagazine.com
Follow Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine on Facebook
Simon Ellar
Editor
EDITORS 50TH ISSUE
COMPETITION
To celebrate our 50th issue I would like to
giveaway a BioLite stove worth 149.95.
To enter the competition, tell us what you have
most enjoyed about the magazine over the
years. Post your comment on our Facebook
page or send in your answer by email or
post. One lucky winner will be selected on 12.06.14 (See
T&Cs below).
W
IN
!
ISSUES
4 BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE
BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE 5 To view all the contributors visit www.bushcraftmagazine.com
3 Editorial
6 Letters to the Editor
20 In the News
65 Back Issues Offer
66 Subscription Offer
67 Next Issue
73 Trading Post
3 Win A BioLite Stove
7 Send in your Readers Letters
19 Win The Walkers Guide Book
19 Win Armageddon Cookbook
20 Win a Spy in the Pod DVD
8 How-to Harvest Timber
12 Summer Skies, Spicy Sauces
16 Loftys Survival Story
22 Natures Calendar
26 Bootcamp
28 Find a place to practice bushcraft skills
34 Bushcraft on a Budget Arrows
38 50 things everyone knew 50 years ago
44 Snakebites
48 Boreal on a Budget
52 About The Bushcraft Show 2014
56 Interview with Cody Lundin
60 Coastal Canoeing
68 Terrorism at Large
74 The Spirit of Bushcraft
77 Cartoons
80 Natural Navigation
COMPETITIONS
REVIEWS
CONTENTS...
FEATURES
REGULAR
19 Book Reviews
78 The BioLite Stove
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6 BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE Follow Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine on Facebook
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR!
SHELTERS THAT LAST
Dear Editor,
A couple of days after
Issue 49 was delivered,
I got home from
work and finally had
a chance to sit down,
tear open the latest
copy and start to have
a read. While having a
flick through the pages
before finding Lofty's
latest story, I came
upon the article by
Dave Watson entitled
'Shelters that Last'
(page 74). I was very
impressed to read of
how his constructions
had lasted several years
and thought to myself
this is something I need to
teach to my kids.
However, imagine my
surprise when my six-year-
old daughter looked over
my shoulder and said 'that
looks like the shelter we
made daddy'. I discovered
that after being collected
from school one day, my wife and two daughters had gone for
a walk in the wooded area near our house. Following the storms
we have had there was a vast array of fallen branches, logs and
leaves. They set about building a small shelter to use when they
next came down.
While their construction may not be up the standards of Dave
Watson, I am impressed that my five and six year old daughters
thought it would be a good idea to build something in the
woods. My only disappointment is that I didn't get to do it with
them first. However, we have all decided that we will build a
second one to create a little village. Please find enclosed a picture
of my daughters' construction and rest assured, their skills will
grow and improve so this is just the beginning.
Many thanks and keep up the excellent work and information
sharing,
Conor McDonagh
Dear Conor,
Thank you for your letter, the great thing about bushcraft is that
it is fun to do, fun for adults but particularly fun for children too.
What a great way to build lasting relationships with our children
and at the same time teach them skills that one day could even
save their lives.
Happy Bushcrafting!
Simon
S
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o
n
i
t
s
w
a
y
t
o

y
o
u
!
To win a Light My Fire Firesteel, send in your
Letter to the editor to
letters@bushcraftmagazine.com
W
rit
e
T
o
d
a
y
!
Follow Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine
on Facebook
AMMO TIN STOVE
Hello!
I thought I'd share my stove with you after reading your brill article in
Issue 48 about building an ammo tin stove.
I built it last summer and it's the first stove that I ever made, it warms
up my lavvu (and garage) nicely. I think the whole thing cost me
about 15 and was made from the same kind of ammo tin, plate
compactor carry handles from work and a flue that I scrounged from
a builder. I have to say
that it was great to
read of another way
of making the same
thing and I'll definitely
be referring back to
the article when I build
another one.
I'm currently working
on a gas bottle stove,
which is around 80%
complete. I'm working
on the same sort of
principle with it and
hopefully it'll sit nice
outside by the table
when it's not heating
my garage!
Cheers,
Nathan Middleton
Dear Nathan,
It amazes me from the letters that we receive and when I speak
to people at shows just how ingenious people are and just how
many people are making their own kit. Turning everyday items into
functional equipment is real life survival. Good luck with your gas
bottle stove!
Happy Bushcrafting!
Simon
Daniel C. Lee
About to make my first ever
Tandem Skydive in Boise, Idaho,
March 8th,wearing my Bushcraft
and Survival Skills Magazine
sweater. I do not believe in free
advertising, but I make an exception
for your magazine as it is full of
wisdom and beneficial for people.
Bushcraft and Survival Skills Magazine Bless you and thank you
Daniel C. Lee. I don't think our marketing has reached such great
heights before!
KNIVES & AXES
HARVESTING WOOD
Ben & Lois Orford
Ben and Lois Orford live and work from
their home in Herefordshire. With their
backgrounds in green woodwork and
traditional woodland crafts they make
a range of handmade woodcraft tools,
bushcraft knives and leatherwork for
the discerning outdoors enthusiast. Their combined experience and passion
for their craft makes them keen to pass on their knowledge and skills.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
When out in the woods making shelters or gathering
materials it is generally best to try and collect wood and
branches that have already been cut or shed and are the
right length or can be snapped to the right length. But
there are times with certain projects when the right fresh
green material needs to be harvested.
A coppiced woodland with lots of
multiple stems of Hazel as well as
standard trees
W
hen you go for a walk in
the countryside and you
come across somebodys
attempt to cut a branch from a
tree next to the footpath that has
left a mashed up stump looking
like a toothbrush, not only does
it look horrible, but an untidy cut
on a tree or branch can lead to die
back or potential infection of the
whole tree. This is the worst case
scenario, but a tidy cut will look less
noticeable, allow the tree to heal
quickly and to regrow more usable
stems, allowing you to come back
and harvest more in years to come.
Being able to cut wood in a
controlled manner is also less
dangerous for your own safety and
gives you more usable materials
rather than wasting any.
There are many ways that you
can cut materials, from using
your knife, axe or saw, to using
secateurs. The aim, with whatever
tool you use, is to leave no splits
on the stump or stem that could
potentially collect and harbour
water and dirt. Also leaving a
smooth sloping cut to shed any
water away from the stump will
stimulate the cambium layer - the
growing part of the tree - to heal
over the wound, or to throw out
new shoots as on a coppiced stool,
(a cut stump of a single tree which
then throws up multiple stems).
Traditionally any woodland or
hedge work would have been
carried out in the dormant season
from about November to March,
with cutting starting when the
leaves have all been shed and
stopping before the sap rises and
the buds start to appear in spring.
These timings have changed
over the years, with the seasons
changing due to the milder
winters and you may find that
spring tends to come earlier, but
if you cut materials when the sap
is down it has benefits for the tree
as well as the produce. Cutting
material in the dormant season is
less likely to disturb any nesting
wildlife and also the cut will not
bleed sap which makes the wound
more prone to infection. Also the
materials that are cut with no sap
in will last longer and be less prone
to attack by woodworm etc. This
is due to the wood having less
sugary sap in the cells. Normally
when using Hazel for traditional
hurdles and wattle craft the winter
cut wood will last up to about ten
years whereas with summer cut wood
you will be lucky if it lasts five years.
Harvesting timber can cause bystanders
to think you are damaging the tree
and if done badly it can, but if done
properly it can make the tree throw
up more new fresh growth, and if
completely coppiced (cut right done
to the stump) it will throw out multiple
stems of new fresh growth which allows
the tree to grow on for much longer.
Some traditional coppiced woodlands
have original coppice stools that are
hundreds of years old.
Understanding the structure of a tree
and how it grows before you cut the
wood helps you to make the right
decisions. In a simplified way think of
the main body of wood, effectively the
bit we want, as actually not the growing
part but more like the skeleton of the
tree used to support the branches and
leaves which it needs to survive. The
bark comprises of three major parts,
the outer bark which protects the
tree from drying out and animal and
fungal attack, the inner bark which
is effectively the next bit of growth/
expansion and the cambium layer.
The cambium is an amazing layer which
is a slimy jelly like area just under the
inner bark which allows the new inner
bark to grow expanding the tree and
this will also help heal over wounds
and throw out new shoots if stimulated
by cutting or exposing it. This is the
sweet area that animals and bugs like
to eat, so you can see why the tree likes
to protect it. So if you imagine that
the cambium is damaged all the way
around a stem (ring barked) you can
see why the tree will die. This is why if
you are harvesting Birch bark you have
to be very careful not to cut too deeply
as you will be cutting through the inner
bark and into the cambium layer.
Cutting small shoots or stems with a
knife can be effective, as long as the
stem is not too knotty and not too
thick. Stems as thick as your finger can
often be cut through with a good sharp
knife with an angled cut downward into
the stem.
If the stems are slightly thicker but still
thin enough to bend, you can bend the
stem slightly putting some pressure on
to it and then cut through with your
knife on the side with the tension, this
tension will almost split the stem off
more than cut it.
BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE 9
Section of wood showing the
parts of the bark
Small stems can
be cut cleanly
through by
angling the
blade and slicing
downwards with
your knife
Notice the nice long
sloping cut, from
cutting through at
a steep angle to the
stem
Using a knife
on larger stems,
making sure you
bend the stem to
help cut through it
You will find that these splits will travel into the stump that is left and so it
is best if you leave some waste so that you can trim it off neatly afterwards.
Try to angle the knife blade as you cut as this will increase the slicing effect. To
clean up the stump using your knife safely, you will need to use a baton striking
the back edge of the knife.
Sloping the knife upwards this time should get rid of these splits and create a smooth
sloped cut on the stump.
You can also cut stems with an axe, billhook or parang/machete. The best way to do
this if cutting stems from the stump is to get down on your knees making sure there
are no branches nearby that are going to catch your tool as you swing and strike
upwards at an angle with the tool. Make sure your hand is not holding the stem above
where you are cutting, as if the tool skips off it can slide up the stem and cut your hand.
This should leave a clean cut on the stump but may put a few small splits in the end of
the wood you have cut.
We did mention secateurs and these may not seem a very bushcrafty tool to take with
you, but if you know you are going to be cutting trails down neglected paths, cutting
lots of stems for basketry or
wattle work, working in low
light conditions or even want
young people to have a go
at cutting materials, then a
sharp pair of secateurs are
really good and very safe.
One of the safest and most
effective ways to cut timber
for craft work is with a saw
and the folding pull saws
that most of us usually carry
when in the woods are great
for the task.
A nice sharp clean pull saw
will if done correctly, cut the
material leaving no split on
the remaining cut and will allow it
to heal quickly.
When cutting wood, if the stem
is small enough to support the
weight with the other hand when
cut, then a single cut can be used,
making sure that you do not cut
too close to the branch. When
cutting we want to leave what is
called a collar, this is the raised
wrinkles at the base of the stem
or branch where it is connected to
the rest of the tree.
Cutting just above these will allow
the tree to heal more quickly as this
is where the most active cambium
layer is.
If the stem or branch is bigger and
the weight cannot be supported
with the other hand, you will need
to use a step cut. This is when three
separate cuts are made to prevent
the wood splitting as it is cut, as
this will either pinch your saw blade
or could even break your blade
KNIVES & AXES
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The cut stem will not be
split but the stump will
have a split surface that
will need cleaning up.
Using a baton to strike
the back of the knife
A nice clean sloping cut is
left on the stool
Secateurs are a great tool
for restrictive space, or
when younger people are
working in the woods
If the branch is light
enough to support, cut
it off with one cut just in
front of the collar
A Parang can leave a
very clean cut if angled
properly
A branch on a Lime tree
showing the collar near the
trunk
After you have made the
cut it should have left a
clean face close to the
collar
completely. It will also split the material
you want, or worse still split back into
the branch where you are cutting it
from.
The first cut wants to be on the side of
the branch with the compression, so
the side of the direction of lean, this will
help direct the fall of the stem and use
the weight of the branch to help bring
it down safely. This cut wants to be 4
or 5 inches up the stem from the base
as we want some sacrificial material
to make sure no split travels down the
stem to the base. It also needs to go
about a third to half of the way through
the stem, no more.
The second cut then wants to be about
1 or so higher and on the opposite
side, the side that is under tension. As
you start to cut if the branch is big the
weight will start to open this cut up
and eventually snap off the branch in
the direction of the first cut.
If the branch is smaller you can stop
this cut as it gets about half way through
or just over, put down your saw and
then push the branch in the direction
of the first cut and it will snap off.
You can then go back with the saw and
saw off the stub that was left leaving a
nice collar.
At this point you should have the
material you want and a good clean cut
on the tree where it has been harvested
from and this will heal naturally. Some
people rub soil onto this cut to darken
it so it is less visible, but we wouldnt
recommend this as the soil can harbour
lots of spores/bacteria ready to infect
the tree.
With the threat of diseases like Ash
Die Back or Sudden Oak Death, lots
of foresters that prune trees as part of
their management plans, go so far as
to sterilise their saw from tree to tree to
prevent any cross contamination. This
is extreme but worth noting and you
may want to sterilise your saw when
returning home.
If the branch is much bigger than your
wrist, or you are felling a complete
stem then the same technique can be
used, but instead of just leaving the
first cut as a saw cut you can create
this into a bird's mouth or V cut in the
direction of lean, this will allow the
stem to bend in that direction and
assist it coming down. This can be done
by sawing down or just using your axe
to remove the wedge, chopping down
to the saw cut you put in first.
This can all be done with an axe if you dont
have a saw but more care is needed so
that you dont hurt yourself. If using an axe
always put your body position out of the
impact point of the axe, so that if you miss
the target you are well out of the way. Also,
if you can, work on your knees as this makes
it much safer as the axe will hit the ground
before it hits you.
Using an axe for the second cut or the
felling cut, make sure you start about 1
above the first cut as you want to leave
what is called a hinge (a piece of wood that
will bend as the stem starts to fall).
You can chop so that you leave about a
tenth of the diameter of the tree as the
hinge, so on a 10cm diameter tree about
1cm of wood can be left and then push the
stem over. If done well the hinge will still
be connected to the stem and the stump
and will need to be chopped through. The
stump will then need to be cleaned up
removing any splits and leaving a clean
slope. You can do this carefully with your
axe or saw and this will now be easy to
do as there will be no tension in the stem
pulling on the stump as you cut. Try to
make sure the stump is low to the ground
and sloping away from the centre of the
stool.
When cutting material of this size, real care
must be taken as you will be surprised by
the amount of weight and the potential risk
if you get it wrong.
It should be noted that when cutting fresh
timber from trees or hedgerows you must
have permission from the landowner. Most
people are quite happy to spare a few bits
of wood if you ask them and it can even
help to show them what you want to make
from it. Quite often a gift of a small spoon,
coat hook or walking stick can sometimes
be a great barter for a regular supply of craft
materials.
Also, if you contact your local TCV group
(The Conservation Volunteers www.tcv.org.
uk) you can attend local meetings coppicing
or hedgelaying etc. which will get you
some great materials and also some useful
contacts for finding a local wood to be able
to use for honing your skills.
For further reading on axe work
and saw craft try reading Bushcraft
by Mors Kochanski (1988) or to
watch a demonstration of safe
cutting techniques check out our
Youtube channel https://www.youtube.
com/user/BenOrford
If the branch is too heavy to support
make the first cut from underneath
or the side under compression
Making the
second cut in
front of the first
and on the top
or side under
tension. You
can see the
split starting
to travel along
the branch as it
opens up
Using
the axe
to cut in
the bird's
mouth,
notice
the safe
position
A good bird's mouth with
a crisp back edge to help
direct the angle of fall
Keep chopping until
the hinge is thin
enough for it to start
to fall
Tidy the
stump at a
good angle
as low to
the ground
as you can
WILD FOODS
SUMMER SKIES,
SPICY SAUCES
Marcus Harrison
Marcus Harrison is one of the UKs top specialists
in wild foods and foraging, running his Wild Food
School courses from Cornwall all year round. From
time to time he gives talks at the Natural History
Museum, regularly works with UK Forces and he
has contributed to a UN Food and Agriculture
Organization publication on edible insects.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
Since we are heading towards the early summer months
I want to take a look at foraging in fields this time round
and examine some of the emerging edible wild plants to
watch out for as summer hopefully gets underway.
W
hen compared to hedgerows or woodland, fields
represent an entirely different set of conditions for the
foraging bushcrafter, both in terms of the edible plant
species found and the mechanics of the habitat. For a start you
are dealing with an actively used, man-made and man-managed
environment, when compared to moorland or woodland; although
those habitats will also be managed in their own right, albeit less
obviously.

One of the main
differences of field
habitats over those
of hedgerows is that
the soil and ground
are constantly being
disturbed to make
way for crops, so that
many of the weeds
the forager might
naturally look for in a
hedgerow never get an
opportunity to become
established within the
cropped area of a field.
Rather, they will be
pushed towards the
hedgerow margin and
fence line.
The wild plant species which inhabit active field systems do vary
and although it is possible for some perennial plants to exist,
most will struggle because their root systems will be dislodged
and broken up. Annual and biennial plants cannot generally
compete against the massed foliage of cropped plants. Similarly,
when the field is turned over to pasture most weed foliage
becomes dominated by the leaves of grasses, again making it
difficult for smaller perennial and other annuals and biennials to
photosynthesise and so feed their root systems. As a result only the
toughest weed species will persist in grassland.
So what sort of edible wild plants
might you expect to find emerging in
arable fields around now? Well, apart
from the ubiquitous broad-leaved dock
(Rumex obtusifolius), a bothersome
weed for every landowner, you may
find a range of thistles, members of
the goosefoot family such as fat-hen
Chickweed
Chickweed
(Chenopodium
album) and a variety of
rather delicate annual
species like chickweed
(Stellaria media),
field poppy (Papaver
rhoeas), and shepherd's
purse (Capsella bursa-
pastoris), the latter three
favouring the broken
soils of arable land.
With the exception of
the poppy because of
its height these latter
species do not, in general,
survive amongst tightly packed cereals or other leaf crops so
will be found nearer field or crop boundaries. However, where
the light is able to penetrate the soil surface between crop rows
then these delicate annuals still have a chance of taking root.
Quite apart from them having to compete with other species,
these edible weeds also have to survive the herbicides used in
modern agriculture, so unless you know the modus operandi of
a particular farmer I personally believe it is wiser to leave them
out of your cooking pot unless you can guarantee the farmer
hasn't sprayed his field within the last few weeks. If you have
access to farmland for foraging expeditions make sure to check
when a field was sprayed. Incidentally, when foraging in farmed
areas you should also take into consideration the whereabouts
of livestock and their potential for leaving disease-causing
pathogens in the soil, on leaf surfaces, and in the water supply.
If livestock are around, it would be wise to cook your foraged
plants, otherwise you may use them safely in a salad. For my
own part I always regard farmland as a purely industrial area
and so treat it with due caution.
Two substantial biennial species that often find a place around
field edges are the two burdocks Arctium lappa and minor. The
foliage of these is absolutely vile, despite what some survival
books say on the matter and even early young plant growth
tastes dreadful. If you want tortured tastebuds fine by me, but if
you prefer something half decent then only certain parts of the
burdocks mentioned are worth harvesting: the young flowering
stem in the second year of growth, and then the root at the end
of year one, or at the start of year two before the flower stalk
emerges.
The outer rind of the flower stem is often 3 to 5 mm thick and
this must be peeled away to expose the pith which is edible.
Fat-hen
Fat-hen
Shepherds Purse
Burdock
Burdock sliced
Fat-hen
WILD FOODS
BEEF & BURDOCK CURRY
INGREDIENTS
-1 cup beef - sliced
cup burdock stem - sliced
Butter or oil
cup of coconut milk (or equivalent made up from block of creamed coconut)
Salt and pepper
For the curry paste
garlic clove
shallot / small onion
Ground chilli, coriander, pepper, cumin, ginger, cinnamon & turmeric - pinches
Water
Salt
This recipe uses older burdock stem that has started to take on a cellular consistency rather than the soft early ingredient.
Shredded burdock root could be used too. Here I am also using ground spices that can be easily carried in a backpack, while
reconstituted dried onion and powdered garlic could substitute for those fresh ingredients.
METHOD
Begin by peeling burdock stem then thinly slice the cellular pith into rounds. Cook these in simmering water for about 10 to 15
minutes (they need to retain a crunchiness, so test pieces occasionally so that they don't overcook).
Meanwhile start making the curry paste... Chop and then pulp the garlic and onion, then mix in good pinches of the spices, a
touch of salt, and enough water to make a paste with a ketchup-like consistency. Set aside.
Next, stir-fry the beef until it has firmed up and lost any pinkness, then remove from the cooking pot and set aside.
Then add the coconut milk to your pot and just bring to the boil (being careful not to burn if using thin aluminium or stainless
steel camping cookware). Once the coconut begins to thicken stir in your curry paste and cook for a couple of minutes.
Drain the burdock stem and add to the coconut-curry sauce (avoid adding the cooking water since this is likely to be bitter),
then add the meat and a splash of fresh water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook over embers for about 15
to 20 minutes. Top up with a splash of water from time to time if the sauce starts to get really thick or begins sticking. I like it
with a consistency that coats the back of a spoon, but you might prefer it thicker or more fluid. Down to you. Serve with rice or
fried potatoes.
If you get the pith in its prime that is early in the growth of the
flowering stem then it almost has the consistency and succulence
of courgette flesh, and is almost of the same colour too. As the
stem matures, but before the flower buds appear, then the pith
becomes more cellular in structure and takes on a crunchiness that
is not unpleasant once simmered until tender. There is, however,
a bitterness that needs to be cooked out. The youngest soft pith
can be eaten raw as a salad item and in the old days (read 17th and
18th century) it was served sliced with an oil and vinegar dressing.
Young leaf stems (petioles in the botanic trade) can be eaten at
a push but contain fibres and are bitter too, although Thai sweet
chilli sauce can work magic on that count.
Burdock root is a far tougher food item than the stem pith and
must be treated in a different way. To start with it has varying
degrees of bitterness which need to be cooked out by simmering
in water. Either shred the root or cut it into matchsticks then
drop into boiling water, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 to 25
minutes, sometimes longer. Towards the end of the cooking time
discard the first batch of cooking water and then add a little more
along with some spices such as chilli and continue cooking until
done. The root never really softens up like a starchy potato and
it retains a cellular quality that I generally equate to the texture
of bamboo shoot. Indeed, if I come across burdock on one of my
forages the first thing that springs to mind for a recipe is one of a
number of Chinese or Thai dishes where bamboo shoots would be
used.
Arctium lappa and minor are biennial plants living for two years
so it is important to leave some specimens to go to seed, which will
not happen if you decide to eat either the flower stem or the root.
So the message is forage sustainably.

As for some of those delicate annuals mentioned chickweed,
field poppy, and shepherd's purse use the seedlings and very
youngest leaves steamed or somehow cooked up as veggie greens
(this neutralises potential animal pathogens in farmland where
livestock is present), although they may be eaten raw as a salad
item if harvested from a clean environment.
A
t 10 pounds per gallon the weight soon mounted up. Day
temperatures exceeded 100 degrees and the minimum
requirement was a gallon a day each. We tried to operate
for as long as possible but five days was the maximum before
resupply was essential. This defeated the object of why we
were there as it was crucial that the enemy did not know of
our existence. As soon as we took a resupply our location was
compromised and we had to move. With packs weighing well
over 100 lbs this was very difficult in mountainous terrain, at
night. In many ways it was counterproductive to carry all that
weight as it required a lot of water to do so. Eight pints was the
absolute minimum for a twenty four hour period. We tried it with
less but suffered serious consequences. We moved at night which
demanded taking in a large volume of water, and laid up during
the day which required less fluids.
But on average no matter how carefully we rationed ourselves,
eight pints was the minimum requirement to be able to
undertake the type of mission we were deployed on. When water
is scarce you get to know the true value of this vital commodity
that we take for granted. For most people its just a matter of
turning a tap to get as much clean drinking water as required.

This may sound ridiculous but we carried a dehydrated ration.
Weight was so critical that it was better to carry a ration that
needed water to make it palatable, rather than a heavier ration
that contained its own fluids. It gave us the choice of whether to
eat or not. Sometimes because of the heat and thirst we were not
hungry, so this was another way of saving water.

You can only operate for short periods on these
limitations before health is affected. Our weight loss was
dramatic and after a month we looked like stray dogs.
Cuts and abrasions caused by
the sharp volcanic rock
didnt heal up and became infected. The best treatment for this was
a dip in the sea, this worked wonders. We were based on the coast
so any chance we had, we took to the warm water.

When it did rain in the Middle East, it was torrential. Wadis, which
are dried up water courses, become torrents. The danger was when
it rained in the mountains, these water courses were often blocked
by debris, forming dams which would hold back a huge amount of
water. Eventually these would collapse and a wall of water over 20
feet high would come rushing down with no warning, sweeping
away all before it. One minute no water, the next too much.

I witnessed an amazing turn of events in Little Aden in the
early 1960s. The Royal Tank Regiment were engaged on a rapid
deployment exercise, deploying their tanks up country. The sand
was particularly fine in this area and there was a heavy rainstorm.
As the tanks left the coast in battle formation, one by one they sank
into the wet sand and became firmly bogged in. One tank would
go to the aid of another and also become stuck.
Eventually the whole Squadron was bogged
down. A recovery tank which was exactly
like the battle tanks, but whose turret and
gun had been replaced with a crane, dozer
blade, winches, and tow chains, arrived to
help recovery. This too became bogged
down.
LOFTY'S LIFE STORIES
IT NEVER RAINS IT POURS
Often during my military career I prayed for rain. Water is
the spice of life and without it nothing grows or survives.
In Aden, now Yemen, laying on a hillside baking in the sun
we dreamt of rain. We had to carry all of our water and
used it sparingly.
John 'LOFTY' Wiseman
Lofty Wiseman served with 22 SAS for over 26 years,
rising to the rank of Sergeant-Major. He ran the SAS
selection course and the Survival School, ensuring
that the standards for the SAS remained high. After
he retired, he wrote The SAS Survival Handbook, first
published in 1986. Selling over 2 million copies, it has been translated
into 18 different languages and adapted for the Collins Pocket Guide and
iPhone App selling hundreds of thousands each year.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
When nature wants to be it is
unbeatable. A tank is designed
to cross any terrain and costs
millions, but cannot compete with
the force or power of nature. It
took two days to recover all of the
tanks. Other tracked vehicles were
summoned which stayed on firm
ground and winched and towed
the stricken tanks to safety.
The best way to travel was to
wait till the tide went out and
drive along the beach. Here the
sand was firm and smooth. We
would travel as far as possible
up the beach in in an open top
Land Rover before turning inland
where the tracks were rutted
and full of holes, they were also
mined. Wherever possible we
avoided recognised tracks and
made our own. The poor old
tankys were doing exactly this,
but on this occasion the weight
of the tanks was too much for
the wet sand which compacted
more than usual, allowing the tank
to sink down to its belly. Once the vehicle bellied out the tracks
had no purchase and just churned up the sand allowing it to sink
lower. This rapid deployment exercise was the slowest in history.

Quicksand can be a problem to the unwary. Estuaries are especially
dangerous as a combination of fine sand and mud form an
unstable surface. Swimmers and waders can sink into this and
struggling only speeds up the sinking process. Peaty areas in the
mountains also offer the same dangers. On selection it wasnt
unusual to sink as far as the bottom of the bergan. The drill then
was to lean backwards slipping out of the pack and lying flat, using
a swimming motion to get back to firm ground. Dont attempt to
go forward as you dont know the extent of the bog, but you do
know where firm ground is behind you.

In the jungle it rained every day in the dry season, regular as
clockwork and all day long in the monsoon. In the dry season,
about four oclock in the afternoon when we were at our lowest
ebb, the rain would come crashing down, revitalising tired bodies.
All day was spent sneaking around trying not to make any noise
which would alert the enemy. We only whispered when necessary
and used hand signals to communicate. Avoiding treading on
twigs and leaves that left sign and made a noise was very taxing.
But when it rained you could shout at the top of your voice and
no one would hear you. The rain striking the vegetation with great
force shrouded all other noises. The best sensation in the world
was lying in a hammock under a poncho, eating a hot curry, with
the rain lashing down. The worse sensation was when the poncho
developed a leak and water gradually seeped in, and before you
realised it the hammock was full of water. This meant another
sleepless night and once your dry kit was wet, there was little sense
in carrying it, as there was no way we could dry it out.

Rivers that you crossed in the morning could become raging
torrents after rain in the afternoon. Even small tributaries could
become dangerous to cross. Many a night was spent out huddled
together under a foil blanket, as we couldnt get back to our base
camp. This was one reason why we each carried a survival pouch
on our belt gear. This would be packed in a mess tin which
contained, brew kit, meat block, hard tack biscuits, foil blanket and
hexy blocks which we cooked on. We got as much as
possible into this pouch taking up all the space left with matches,
soup powder, or oxo cubes. Its surprising what you can squeeze in.
I am often asked, "how long does your emergency food last". The
answer to this is, "until you are rescued or safe".

Another time we looked forward to rain was when travelling in
boats in the headwaters in Borneo. If the water was low the boat
and all the stores had to be unloaded and carried around obstacles
to deeper water. This was a lengthy back breaking chore. After
heavy rainfall, the swollen river made it easier to negotiate the
rapids and saved a lot of portage.

Its like everything else in life we either get too much or too little.
We can handle everything in moderation and should always try to
avoid extremes, too much of any one thing is bad for us. We can
control most things but Mother Nature has a mind of her own. My
heart bleeds for all those people who got caught out in the floods.
I watched with concern as the puddle outside my house got bigger
and bigger during the recent storms. The drains were unable to
cope with the deluge and the water rose, lapping over the kerb,
but we were fortunate. I can only think of the anguish that people
suffered in flooded areas.

The SAS Regiment came to Hereford in 1960 when they had
the worst floods on record. We were deployed taking food and
supplies to isolated villages. I climbed up the side of a cottage
which was isolated and cut off, to hand a flask of tea to an elderly
lady. The water was up to the downstairs window sills and she had
moved upstairs. As I handed the flask to her, precariously balanced
on wet bricks and hanging onto a dodgy creeper, she asked, Has
it got sugar in it? I said, "Yes love, it's got everything in and it's
nice and hot. She replied, I dont take sugar. I fell off the wall and
swam back to the boat that was stuck on a gate post. Some days
are better than others.
Excuse the pun but these memories come flooding back when I
look out the window watching the rain. Let's look forward to a
good summer.

Book Reviews
ARMAGEDDON COOKBOOK AND
DOOMSDAY KITCHEN
by Marcus Harrison (August 2013)
Where Tristan Gooley is somewhat
genial Marcus Harrison is deadly serious
with his Armageddon Cookbook. The
book is designed to help the reader
find and prepare food and water in the
long term in case of a major emergency
where "there will be no shiny cavalry
appearing on the horizon". While I
ally myself to the "pampered civilian
populations of industrialized Western
cultures" who believe that after a
disaster there will still be governance,
infrastructure (and food), should his
post apocalyptic vision come to pass
we will be well prepared with this
book.
The concept of life in a post-disaster Stone Age is very attractive to
my teenage son, a World War Z fan, but actually the practical advice
to become more prepared for shorter term disasters, to be better
acquainted with sources of food close to home and to not waste any
part of an animal is timely. Early chapters on mental preparedness
and the cost of acquisition, (how much of a nutritional return you
get for the effort you put into finding and preparing food) are good,
but others on doomsday decision making or food tolerance are less
useful and a bit like the warning label on a sunscreen that you might
read, but never bother to act upon. Similarly the chapters on eating
insects or breeding flies or rats are thorough, but not practical -
when eating rats you are advised to first make sure they haven't
been in sewers or eating rubbish, (surely the point of rats?)
These sections are short, however and the book comes
into its own when dealing with more regular wild food
topics, how to skin and gut a rabbit, deer or trap, gut and
fillet a fish, which are the best edible plants and seaweeds
and how you can identify them, methods of cooking,
setting up your outdoors kitchen, collecting and filtering
water and more niche subjects such as preserving food
and candlemaking. Every topic is clearly explained and
illustrated and economy of effort is the guiding principle.
While there is always a chapter to bring you back to the
seriousness of the topic, (the description of cholera is not
cheery), the last third of the book is full of recipes and these
have a sense of gallows humour. The majority of meat
recipes are offal-related and not for the faint-hearted, so
Blood and Guts Soup is fairly representative. As the book
assumes we are in a post-disaster world the recipes have
a limited palette of ingredients, but there are some very
tempting suggestions such as Liver Loaf, Chickweed and Potato
Frittata, or Wild Cherry Soup, so we don't need to wait for a disaster
to try these out.
Purchase your discounted copy for only 10 (with a PVC book
cover) www.wildfoodschool.co.uk
REVIEWED BY ELAINE GILBOY
THE WALKER'S GUIDE TO OUTDOOR
CLUES AND SIGNS
by Tristan Gooley (May 2014)
Written by accomplished writer and
natural navigator Tristan Gooley,
this book is a bit like brain training
for walkers - it treats all things
outdoors as clues which when they
are noticed and understood will
help the walker not only find their
way without a compass, but also
read the landscape and even predict
the weather. The writing style is
refreshing - Gooley believes there's
no need for fancy kit when you go
walking, while the sum total of his
health and safety advice to walkers
is summed up in three words 'don't
be daft'.
The environment is discussed in a
series of chapters, including Ground,
Trees, Plants, Rocks, Sky, Stars, Animals, Town and Coasts. There
are little gems in every section, from an interesting discussion on
perspective in the chapter on ground, to the fact that young ivy
leaves with many lobes grow away from the light, while mature
leaves with a single point grow towards the light, to the information
that lots of red in a rainbow means each individual raindrop is
large. The book reminds me a bit of the TV programme Q.I. as there
is a sense the reader can feel a bit smug for now knowing quite
interesting things about nature. In a section about finding north
by a number of lesser known constellations Gooley writes "it's
sometimes fun to know things that almost no other walker knows".
Although there is a lot of information crammed in
the book and clearly a lot of science, this is all easily
digestible and illustrated with diagrams where needed.
Every fact is backed up with detailed sources and there
are lists of further reading. Unlike Q.I. however, Gooley
always indicates the practical benefits of each new
revelation. The reader is encouraged to get out and
practice finding signs in the landscape and to learn how
they help you navigate and connect with the natural
world. It is very appealing that these techniques can be
applied on any walk in any terrain, even in urban areas.
Alongside all this information, the author includes very
entertaining accounts of his own journeys, as a foolhardy
teenager, a not much less foolhardy adult walking as a
leisure pursuit, to his current adventures as an explorer
and instructor.
An excellent account of time spent with the Dayak tribe
in Borneo closes the book. My only slight criticism is that
many of the chapters have intriguing questions as subheadings.
These questions are not always explicitly answered, which bothers
me like an unfinished crossword puzzle. I have read the Plants
chapter three times and still can't answer the subheading Why
should we tread carefully when we see hot dogs? I think it might be
because nettles surround areas of habitation, but when you read the
book see what you think and do let me know!
19 BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE Follow Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine on Facebook BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE 19
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IN THE NEWS
NEWS JUST IN We are thrilled to announce that Steve Backshall,
Adventurer, Explorer, Author and Award Winning TV Presenter is coming to The
Bushcraft Show 2014. Find out more on p74
COMPETITION WINNERS...
P16 Be on the Front Cover James & Finley Hitch See them next issue!
P44 The Wild Life Book Robert Simpson
P44 Wildwood Wisdom Book Lisa Lawson
P62 Frontier Stove Jenni Taylor
P64 EKA Sharpening Tool Alison Barr
CHARITY CASTAWAY CHALLENGE
Fancy getting away from it all,
giving your bushcraft skills a
challenge and all for a good
cause?
Dorset-based charity, Diverse
Abilities Plus is offering a once
in a-lifetime chance to take
part in an exciting Castaway
Five Day Challenge, to raise
funds for children and adults
with profound physical and/or
learning disabilities and their
families.
During the challenge you
will experience fundamental
elements of survival, which
include natural shelter building,
navigation using the sun and stars, firelighting
techniques and secret challenges.
Taking place in a mystery woodland, near a beautiful
beach in the South West of England from 20th to 24th
September 2014, the Castaway Five Day Challenge is
ideal for motivational team-building. You can attend
either alone, or with friends, family or colleagues. No
physical fitness is required just a sense of fun and
adventure, which begins right at the start as you are
whisked away to your mystery location by speedboat,
kindly supplied by Powerboat Training UK.
James Harris, last years Castaway survivor record this
in his diary, Over the course of the castaway challenge
we learned many valuable survival skills and the
instructors were second to none. Life in camp wasnt
easy and there was always something that needed to
be done, but the atmosphere was excellent and strong
friendships were made. I will definitely be doing the
challenge again, it really is an experience of a lifetime and I can honestly say it was one of the best
weeks of my life. As Im writing this its been less than 24 hours since we left the Castaway camp and a
part of me wishes I was still there.
Entry is 50 per person and each participant is asked by the charity to raise a minimum of 550 in sponsorship.
Diverse Abilities Plus will support participants with fundraising ideas to help reach their target. The challenge is
suitable for anyone aged eighteen years and older.
For more information or to book/reserve your place now for
this fantastic experience please contact:
Sharon Wells 01202 718266
sharon.wells@diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk
For more information visit
www.diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk/events
IN THE NEWS
Do you have bushcraft news that you would like to share? Email news@bushcraftmagazine.com
CHARITY CASTAWAY CHALLENGE
NATURAL NAVIGATORS
NEW BOOK
Tristan Gooley, known as the Natural Navigator has written the ultimate guide to
what the land, sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, animals, sky and clouds can reveal -
when you know what to look for.
The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs is the result of two decades of pioneering outdoors
experience and six years of instructing, researching and writing. It includes over 850 outdoor clues and
signs that will not be found in any other book in the world.
Being viewed as the most comprehensive guide to natural navigation for walkers and indeed
bushcrafters ever compiled, it also contains clues for weather forecasting, tracking, city walks, coast
walks, night walks and dozens of other areas.
Due out 8th May 2014.
BBC WANT BRITISH FEMALE BUSHCRAFT
PRESENTER
We have been approached by a development producer for the BBC's Natural History Unit in Bristol who works in
the Children's department and develops new ideas for children's programmes for CBBC and Cbeebies.
The producer is currently developing a survival type show for 8 - 12 yr olds and is looking for a female survival/
bushcraft expert and this is proving quite difficult. So we are on the look out for a female bushcraft and survival
expert to host the programme. If you fancy working for the BBC, seeing yourself on TV and sharing bushcraft and
survival skills with children then let us know by emailing olivia@bushcraftmagazine.com with a letter about your
experience, your CV and photograph.
DOLPHINS SPY IN THE POD
From the creators of Earthflight and Penguins Spy In
The Huddle comes an awe-inspiring new two-part series
Dolphins Spy In The Pod.
Narrated by David Tennant this fascinating series shows
some of the most captivating and clever animals on the
planet as never before. Last year it aired on BBC One and it
is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
For the first time 13 cameras mounted inside camouflaged creatures including Spy Dolphin, Spy Tuna
and Spy Turtle infiltrate the secret underwater world of dolphins. Swimming right alongside them, these
cameras reveal unique moments in the dolphins lives catching the waves with surfing bottlenose
dolphins, discovering a megapod of superfast spinner dolphins, observing a pod
of dolphins whipping up a mud wall to encircle mullet and panic them
straight into their waiting mouths.
Rob Pilley, producer of the Spy in the Pod series said, Our
office is full of many bizarre spy cameras, from Spy Penguins
to a Spy Elephant Poo that we use as a door stop! This time,
unlike the Spy Penguin, our spy creatures had to keep pace
with fast-moving dolphins, often out in the deep ocean. The
dolphins were very curious about their new neighbours and allowed them into
their lives. Many of the spy creatures received knocks and bumps or were even
destroyed in the making of the film, and we bring them back and try to rebuild
them for future projects.
Most of the behaviour captured has never been seen before bottlenose
dolphins hunting alongside a mysterious gathering of stingrays, and a superpod
of spinner dolphins chasing lantern fish, helped by two-metre wide
mobula rays.
DVD available online
R
E
A
D

R
E
V
IE
W

P
1
9
W
I
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!
We have 2 DVDs of
Spy in the Pod to
giveaway. Send in
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(See T&Cs p3)
MAY - JUNE
The freshness of spring still lingers over the UK
and nature is settling down to early summer with
extended periods of daylight and a bit of warmth. This is
the time when we start looking more at plants and insects,
but theres still quite a bit of mammal activity as well.
MAMMALS
Many mammals will have already have given birth and
are working hard to feed their ever-hungry young. If they
haven't already, fox cubs and badger cubs will very soon start
exploratory excursions away from dens or setts.
This is a good time to spot young animals. If you do come across
one (particularly deer) dont be mistaken into thinking that it
may have been abandoned. The mother of quite a few species
will often leave the young animal alone and go on a foraging
mission herself leaving the young animal quiet and still, relying
on natural camouflage to avoid detection.
At this time of
year its also a
good opportunity
to look at the
trails and runs
throughout your
area. Vegetation
will still be
low enough
to show these
trails and runs in
woodland. At the
height of summer
these will be
overgrown and
difficult to spot.
And yes, there is
a difference between a trail and a run. Trails are like motorways
and they are usually used by any number of species, whereas
runs are normally species specific. Look at the edge of the woods
for deer and fox trails. You will also see some deer trails further
in the woods where they browse
during the day. Badger trails will criss-
cross the woodland on wide, regular
pathways while rabbit runs will lead to
feeding sites or directly to the safety of a
burrow.
Hedgehogs will be
particularly active
in the evenings.
They have been
previously classed
as insectivores, but
actually they like
just about anything
they come across
including frogs,
toads, birds eggs,
earthworms and
even vegetation.
Hedgehogs will
mate around
this time
of year. Theres a standing joke on
how hedgehogs mate usually
eliciting the carefully
WILDLIFE
NATURE'S CALENDAR
Pablo
Pablo is a life-long wildlife enthusiast. He has
a military and law-enforcement background
and has a wide range of teaching and training
qualifications. He uses a combination of
bushcraft, tracking and fieldcraft skills to get
close to wildlife. He has tracked wildlife in
various locations around the world including
Southern Africa. Pablo runs Woodlife Trails; a Bushcraft and Tracking
school and Woodlife Social Network, a site dedicated to wildlife,
tracking and bushcraft.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
An early spring morning heralds a cacophony of
dawn chorus in the woods and forests
photo Nigel Grigsby
Five-spot Burnet moth
NATURE'S CALENDAR
response! In actual fact
this is absolutely true. The
female must completely
flatten her back before
the male can mount her,
otherwise he could be
seriously injured on her
spines. Mating lasts only
a few minutes amongst
lots of noise, not unlike
the pig-type grunting
which gives rise to their
hog names. The pair will
then separate, the male
playing no further part in
bringing up the family. If
the mating is successful,
the babies are born in a
months time.
PLANTLIFE
May and June are the
months for flowering
plants. You can take
your pick from countless
numbers of plants like
Bluebells, Wild garlic,
Pignut, Oxeye Daisy,
Yellow Rattle, Cowslips,
Lady's Smock and too
many others to mention
here. Hedgerow plants
and many orchids will
be in full flower in June,
including the wonderful
Bee orchid.
During May the canopy
will usually close and new
wildflowers will be found
in meadows as opposed
to woods; but if like last
year the flowering season
is late, you may find
a delay of up to three
weeks before some plants
appear. More wildflowers
bloom in June than in any
other month of the year.
Look out for rarer flowers,
hellebores or orchids.
Nearly every area has
its own rarity, or at least
uncommon species of
wildflower. We run our courses
in the beautiful and ancient
Hatfield Forest and one of our
rarities is the Oxlip; a country
cousin to the Cowslip and in the
UK quite a rarity, only found in
a triangle between North Essex,
Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. You
can see the difference in that the
Oxlip doesnt have the orange
stripes in the yellow petals. This
might go unnoticed unless you
are a careful observer of wildlife.
If youre really interested or want
to be interested in wildflowers,
a great investment is a piece of
equipment called a loupe. These
are professional magnifying
glasses used by both botanists
and jewelers alike and are
reasonable inexpensive. A loupe
opens up a whole new world
to the observer. Dont forget
to take notes and record your
sightings.
BIRDS
In early May bird song will be
at its peak, dropping off rapidly
as chicks fledge. Most chicks
from first broods will have been
born by now and later in the
month and into June careful
observers will notice fledging
birds making first tentative
excursions from the nests.
Fledging is the last part of a
number of elements making up
the breeding season, including
nest-building, egg-laying,
incubation, nesting and finally,
fledging. Depending on the
species, time from hatching
to fledging may take days or
weeks; for example, a house
sparrow will fledge in 12
days, while a peregrine falcon
may take around 6 weeks. A
barn owl chick will take 2 to 3
months to fledge.
Many species will also have
more than one brood. For
the tracker its worth noting
that later June and into July
bird song will be a very much
quieter than at other times of
year, apart from mid-winter.
Anything apart from moderate
territorial calls may be an
indicator that other things are
going on in and around the
area. Summer migrant species
will start to arrive from places
like Africa.
Some orchids are
in flower like this
bee orchid
Close study of wildflowers involve a good
reference book and a loupe
Summer migrants include swifts
and swallows
Look out
for rare
wildflowers like
this oxlip
Hedgehogs mate at this time of year
Photo Nigel Grigsby
INSECTS
Insect activity will be
reaching its peak as
the sun warms the air
earlier and quicker.
While butterfly
activity wont peak
until mid-July, there
will still be plenty to
look out for. Peacock
butterflies often
hibernate in houses
and are usually the
first to emerge. The
all-yellow Brimstone
will fly even when
temperatures arent
too high. The ragged-
winged Comma
and Speckled Wood
butterflies can be
found on the edges
of woodlands while,
perhaps a little later,
you may find the
fast-flying Painted
Lady amongst the
hedgerows. You
will have to look a little higher in the tree canopy to find truly
magnificent butterflies like the Purple Emperor.
Moths will also be emerging. Most moths are night-flying but look
out for day-flying moths like the red and black Cinnabar, or Burnet
moths. These moths hatch from paper-like cocoons on hard stems
of plants. They are particularly fond of field scabious and will feast
and even mate on the plant.
AQUATIC
Young frogs and toads will be developing quickly. In June they will
leave the water. Look out for activity particularly around ponds as
dragonfly larvae metamorphose into adults from their naiad form.
The act of climbing out from the water onto a reed and being
exposed to the air causes the naiad to commence breathing, the
larval skin splits and the adult dragonfly crawls out.
The resulting empty case, called exuvia, will often be found still
clasped to the reed stem. It is possible to identify the species from
the exuvia. Adult dragonfly activity may still be a little subdued
as many start their lives away from the ponds where they were
born. Maturing dragonflies are often found far from water. This
is called hilltopping and happens when they make their first
flight, spending a few days or even weeks feeding and maturing.
Of course, these areas neednt be hilltops or even high ground;
perhaps a sheltered area or a hedgerow.
Next issue:
Mid-Summer sees more bat, reptile and
dragonfly activity.
WILDLIFE
Day flying moths like
this Five-spot Burnet
moth feed on meadow
flowers
An emerging
dragonfly adult
leaves the exuvia on
the reed stem
Photo Nigel Grigsby
Photo Nigel Grigsby
BOOT CAMP
BOOT CAMP
As the weather improves and people venture
out and about we take a look at caring for a
most vital bit of kit - your boots! Your boots
are one of the most important pieces of kit
that you have, happy feet result in happy
adventures. Good boots are vital to your
safety on the given terrain and to
ensure your comfort. Make sure
that your boots are suitable for
the environment and terrain
that you intend to use them in,
for example desert boots differ
greatly to mountain boots that can
take a crampon
So lets take your boots to
boot camp!
Fit is of paramount
importance, so try your
boots on and make sure
that they fit well, not
too tight but without
unnecessary movement
that can cause blisters.
Consider what socks you
will wear with them and
try them on together.
New boots should be
broken in, wear your new
boots around the house
and for short walks before
setting off for a big hike
in them so that they soften
and form to your feet. When
breaking in new leather boots
it could help to put some
conditioner on them to soften
the leather and aid the process.
Brush off any mud with a stiff brush.
Inspect your boots visually, look out for any damage, perishing
of the rubber, particularly around the rand, wear and splits in
the soles and damage to the internal lining which could cause
blistering or render them leaky.
Check the laces, are there any nicks that could weaken them?
Have the ends frayed (see below).
Clean your boots and if leather, treat the leather. Leather boots
can last for many, many years but you will need to nourish the
leather! (see below)
Store in a cool dry place if you keep your boots in a garage or
shed, be sure to keep them in a storage box or, when you come
to need them you may well find the laces and linings nibbled and
that they \
are full of shredded paper,
fur, nuts and morsels of
food as mice love to use
them to bed down in over
the winter months. Storing
them in sunlight can lead to
discolouration, deterioration
and drying out of the leather.
Cleaning your boots
Bang your boots to remove
any loose mud then with a
stiff brush brush your boots to
remove as much dry mud as
you can before wetting them.
Generally the boots that we
use are waterproof and so there is
no problem taking a hose to them.
Remove the laces, these can be hand
washed, or put in your washing machine with
some other gear on a low heat wash. Depending upon
the severity, use a damp cloth or hose them off, brushing if
necessary.
If the inside of your boots are a bit grimy take a damp cloth to
the inside too, if they are really dirty or smelly and have a full
waterproof liner such as Gore-Tex that you want to clean out then
you can take out the footbed at the bottom of your boot and fill
the boot with warm water and a cleaning product like Nikwax Tech
Wash leave for 10-20 mins agitating occasionally and then empty
the boot and put to dry. If the lining does not extend throughout
the boot, clean it by using a damp cloth with some of the cleaning
agent rather than filling with water.
Once clean, let your boots dry at room temperature.
NB: Never put your boots by the fire or on a hot radiator to dry,
this will cause the leather (and indeed rubber and fabrics on non
leather boots) to harden and shrink and can cause it to crack and
at the extreme pull away from the sole.
Dressing Leather Boots
Leather boots are great but they do require a little more care than
synthetic products, after all the leather used to be on a live animal
where it was nourished naturally with oils.
Once you have cleaned your boots (use saddle soap for this), use a
good quality leather conditioner or nourishing cream and work this
into the leather all over the boots with your fingers. You may wish
to do two applications once the first has had chance to soak in to
ensure that your boots are well and truly nourished. A saddlers
shop will be able to recommend a selection of quality leather care
products, some major footwear companies recommend products
from Grangers and Nikwax. The next and final step (if you have not
used a combined conditioning wax) is to seal the boots and apply
a waterproof protective layer, they are then ready to take on the
toughest terrain!
Did you know
that the little flugelworzely wotzits at the end of your laces are called
aglets!
What to do if your laces are fraying, or you have a crushed aglet
Melt the end! If your laces are synthetic you can heat the end and
roll it between your thumb and finger (take care not to burn yourself,
melted plastic is sticky). This will provide a great long lasting
solution.
Use tape. If you are out in the field and you have some insulating
tape bind the end of the lace tightly, stretching the tape as you apply
it. This will give you a temporary fix.
Soaking the end of a lace in glue or nail varnish can seal the end of
the lace. A variation to this is to whip some thread around the end
of the lace first before sealing, as if you were tying a fly, or whipping
rings to a fishing rod.
You may be able to get hold of some metal (usually brass) aglets
that you can crimp on, alternatively you could see what trace making
materials your local fishing tackle shop has as they often sell a
chromed sleeving to crimp the ends of wire traces.
A very effective aglet is formed by using heat shrink tubing. Designed
for electrical applications it is available in a variety of thicknesses
and works well!
Past hope...
An aglet
ADVANCED BUSHCRAFT
FINDING A PLACE TO
PRACTICE
BUSHCRAFT SKILLS
At some stage we all want to find somewhere we can go to
practice our bushcraft skills.
Y
et land ownership, laws, bylaws, regulations and access codes
limit us in what can be done where.
So, first we have to understand the legal landscape.
Laws Relating To Bushcraft
In the UK, there are no laws relating to bushcraft as a whole.
But there are a whole list of laws which are relevant to
the activities which often fall under the term bushcraft
particularly with respect to fires, knives, foraging, fishing,
trapping, not to mention access and camping.
While this may sound draconian, it is worth considering
which aspects of bushcraft you want to practice. You may
have more options open to you than you first think.
Access
Access is probably the biggest issue in the minds of those
looking for somewhere to practice bushcraft skills. Most land in
the UK is owned privately or by local authorities, even in National
Parks. Its therefore some peoples assumption that landowners
permission is required to set foot on any land.
In many instances, particularly in England and Wales, this is correct.
There are, however, also many exceptions.
For starters, there are a multitude of public footpaths and
bridleways criss-crossing England and Wales that should not
be ignored. They give access to wonderful landscapes and
unique habitats. These public rights of way are marked clearly
on Ordnance Survey maps. On the 1:50,000 Landranger series,
footpaths and bridleways are marked in red; on the 1:25,000
Explorer series they are marked in green.
Further, the Countryside and Rights Of Way Act 2000 (CROW)
established areas of open access land where access by foot is
permitted. These areas are clearly marked - shaded a light yellow
- on recent OS 1:25,000 maps as well as a set of definitive maps
available online at http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/
access/openaccess/default.aspx
This land largely consists of upland and uncultivated areas. In such
areas there is the right to roam, that is you do not have to stick to
footpaths and bridleways.
For best practice, its also worth familiarising yourself with The
Countryside Code, available at http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/
ourwork/enjoying/countrysidecode/default.aspx
Many upland areas are now
designated open access where you
have the right to roam.
Paul Kirtley
Owner and Chief Instructor of Frontier Bushcraft.
Paul, also a Mountain Leader was previously
Course Director at Woodlore. He spent 10 years
studying and training under the guidance of
world-renowned bushcraft expert Ray Mears, first
as a student on his courses, then as an employee.
Paul is one of only a few people who have been
recognised by Ray Mears as a bushcraft instructor,
being awarded the celebrated antler-handled
Woodlore instructor's knife.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
In Scotland, access is governed by the Land Reform (Scotland)
Act 2003. It also provides a framework for access to inland water.
This legislation formalises the tradition in Scotland of unhindered
access to open countryside. It gives the right to be on any land for
recreational purposes (including cycling and horse riding, but not
hunting, shooting, fishing or with motorised vehicles) and to cross
land if done responsibly. It does not provide blanket permission
to access land under any circumstances, however, as you must not
cause damage, particularly to crops, or interfere with economic
activities such as stalking or impinge on peoples privacy.
This is reflected by The Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which is
available at http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/
On Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, public rights of way
are not distinguished from other tracks or footpaths. Further,
Scottish local authorities have no obligation to signpost or mark
a public right of way.
In Northern Ireland, the number of public rights of way is very
limited. Much access is down to landowners having granted
permission known as permissive access. Long distance
footpaths also have the required landowners permission as
part of their establishment. Much public land is also accessible.
Rights of way are marked on Ordnance Survey maps.
Camping
To camp in England and Wales, you need to have landowners
permission. Wild camping is, however, tolerated in many
upland areas largely coinciding with open access land but be
prepared to move on if asked.
In Scotland, access rights extend to camping and it is therefore
legal to camp where there are no seasonal camping restrictions
(such as on the shores of Loch Lomond). Its recommended,
however, that you stick to unenclosed land so to avoid interfering
with farming activities.
The situation in Northern Ireland is similar to England and Wales
in that strictly speaking you need the landowners permission to
camp, but wild camping is tolerated in many upland areas such as
the Mourne Mountains.
Fires
To have a campfire in England and Wales, you must have the
landowners permission.
Having a campfire in Scotland is allowed. It is recommended under
the outdoor access code, though, that Wherever possible, use a
stove rather than light an open fire. If you do wish to light an open
fire, keep it small, under control, and supervised - fires that get out
of control can cause major damage, for which you might be liable.
Never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas
such as forests, woods, farmland or on peaty ground or near to
buildings or in cultural heritage sites where damage can be easily
caused. Heed all advice at times of high risk. Remove all traces of an
open fire before you leave.
In Northern Ireland, landowners permission is required for a
campfire.
Foraging/Plant use
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, covering the whole
of the UK, it is illegal to uproot any wild plant without permission
from the landowner.
Legally, to uproot means to dig up or remove the specimen from
the land. This definition is also extended to lichen, algae and fungi.
Also, the protection of plants in Northern Ireland is in place
under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order, 1985.
There are extra protections for plants in Sites of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Areas of Special Scientific Interest
(ASSIs) and National Nature Reserves. Even landowners can be
prosecuted for removing or damaging species in these areas
unless they have consulted the relevant statutory body.
Endangered plants are listed as Schedule 8 plants under the
legislation. These cannot be picked, uprooted or destroyed.
Wild camping is tolerated in many upland
areas of England and Wales.
For the UKs most complete wild camping
experiences, head to Scotland.
You need landowners permission to uproot
plants.
So we can pick flowers, leaves, berries, nuts, seeds and fungi in
areas where we have legal access but we must obtain landowners
permission to dig out roots and tubers or remove entire plants.
When foraging, you would be wise also to follow the Botanical
Society of the British Isles Code of Conduct for the Conservation
and Enjoyment of Wild Plants. Specific relevant parts include:
Take flowers and foliage only from large patches of the plant.
Always pick in moderation so that plenty is left for others to enjoy.
Be careful not to damage other vegetation.
This code and a full list of endangered Schedule 8 plants can be
found at: http://www.bsbi.org.uk/Code_of_Conduct.pdf
In terms of non-foraging use of plants, including trees, you
generally need the landowner's permission.
The trees and plants are the landowner's property and removal
without their permission is technically theft under the Theft Act,
1968.
This extends to firewood and other materials lying on the ground.
There are some exceptions on Common Land.
Trapping
The only legal trapping you are likely to be doing in the UK under
the banner of bushcraft and survival is snaring. Defra's 2005 code
of practice on the use of snares for fox and rabbit control can be
accessed here http://archive.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/wildlife/
management/documents/snares-cop.pdf
The use of spring traps and cages (live catching) are restricted
further. There are also offences for snaring specific wild species
under Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Further
protection is afforded to deer under the Deer Act 1991. Under the
Protection of Animals Act 1911 it is an offence to fail to check a
snare.
Under all circumstances, you should obtain the landowners
permission and follow the codes of practice set out by Defra at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-
environment-food-rural-affairs
Landowner Permission and the Law
At this juncture, having just discussed the protection of plants,
trees and animals, its worth pointing out explicitly - although it
should be obvious - that landowners permission does not trump
the law. Even if you have landowners permission to do what
you like on a site, this does not put you outside of the relevant
legislation.
There are some things you cannot legally do even with
landowners permission, for example removing protected plants
or trapping animals with deadfalls.
Obtaining Landowners Permission
Having an area of private land to which you are allowed access is
the holy grail for many people who want to practice their skills in
a natural setting.
When I was a teenager I was a keen air-rifle shooter. I read the
air rifle magazines and a constant theme - in reader's letters but
also the advice given by the articles- was how to go about getting
landowner permission.
When it comes to bushcraft, I see a parallel situation. Many people
want access to land, but not many know how to go about it.
One thing should be clear from the start, it's not always easy. Many
landowners or land agents will just say no.
First you need to understand a landowner's typical concerns...
Privacy: Many landowners who live on an estate view it as their
garden. If a complete stranger phoned you, emailed you or
knocked on your door and asked if they could camp in your back
garden or yard, how would you react? Approach any landowner
with a request to use their land with sensitivity towards their
privacy.
Damage: At the heart of a landowners concern is the fact
they dont know you. They dont know if you are a responsible
individual whose interests are aligned with theirs. A fundamental
concern is whether you will damage their land/property. Concerns
over damage are generally even greater if there is one or more
SSSIs present on the site.
Litter: You only need to look at your typical countryside layby
to know there are a lot of irresponsible, anti-social idiots who
think others will tidy up after them, or simply just dont care.
Understandably any self-respecting landowner wants to keep this
type of people off their land.
Fire: Landowners see fire as a risk. Land in the UK costs a lot of
money. Landowners have a lot of capital tied up in their land.
Large landowners are often asset rich but cash poor. They need to
try to generate an income from the land they own, ranging from
farming to forestry to shooting. Out-of-control fires are a risk not
only to their property but also their income (and the incomes of
those who depend upon them for work).
Disruption of estate activities and safety concerns: There
are many activities that can occur even on a modest piece of
land. There is often woodland management, from coppicing to
commercial forestry. In my experience, those engaged in these
activities are keen to run a safe operation and do not want to be
felling trees near to people. Nor do they want people wandering
around amongst their operation. Deer management often goes
ADVANCED BUSHCRAFT
Landowners typically need to
generate an income from their
land. You need to fit in with this.
hand in hand with woodland management. There is much more
stalking in the British countryside than many people realise.
Stalking may be undertaken by the landowner, game keepers,
paying clients, or a local stalking syndicate. Any access by you
needs to be coordinated with any stalking activity both so that
you do not disturb animals and, more importantly, so you dont
get shot. If there are game birds put down in the woods, then
the landowner, game keeper, or shooting syndicate will not want
their birds disturbed, particularly when they are young. Again
this requires understanding on your part and coordination with
the individuals involved. There may also be some control of foxes
in the area, which usually involves shooting at night with high-
powered rifles. Again, for concerns purely regarding safety, having
people walking around or sleeping in the woods complicates the
safety issues. Then there are a whole host of other activities which
may take place on the land from dog training, to field archery
clubs, to equine activities to cross-country running races. The more
there is going on during the year, the more difficult the landowner
may perceive integrating you into the mix to be.
Poaching: There is much more poaching in the UK than most
people realise. From rabbits to pheasants to deer, all manner of
animals are taken illegally,
often by means that are
inhumane, sometimes
using illegal firearms.
Any landowner with a
significant population
of game animals will be
keen to understand that
you have no interest in
poaching. If you have
a legitimate interest in
snaring a few rabbits
say, I would recommend
not mentioning this at
the beginning. Let them
get to know you as a
responsible caretaker of
the land first. If there is a gamekeeper, get to know them first.
Crime: Most estates I have worked on have suffered some sort of
crime, from stacks of firewood disappearing in the night, to farm
machinery being stolen, to full scale burglaries of the estate house
or office. Understandably, estates are usually security conscious.
They do not give out keys to gates easily. This can even apply to
smaller blocks of woodland that do not contain any equipment or
buildings as they may allow thieves easier access to neighbouring
property.
Sending out the wrong message: While the landowner may be
convinced you are bona fide and responsible, they may still be
reluctant to let you camp on their land if they think others will see
you and think that camping is allowed. This concern is most likely
to apply in areas with one or more public footpaths.
Most estate owners and managers are busy people. In asking for
permission you are giving them something else to think about with
a whole host of potential concerns (see above) if they say yes.It's
far, far easier for them to just say no and get on with their day.
That's your starting point.
To maximise your
chances of success, you
need to demonstrate
there is something in
it for them. An offer of
payment is an obvious
option but there are
other avenues too.
First off, can you turn
any of the landowner's
concerns on their head?
Can you offer to help
tidy areas where there is
litter?
In camping in little-used
corners of woods or an
estate, could your presence deter poachers?
More broadly, could your presence deter other activities such as
stealing firewood or kids camping and littering?
There are other offers of physical help you could also make - from
collecting up old tree protectors in a wood to helping the game
keeper at his busiest times. Start to think laterally about what
else you could help with. For example, is there a programme of
rhododendron removal you could help with?
Case Studies
Sometimes it can take a long while to gain access. One friend of
mine, Paul Nicholls, took two years to get access to a local farmer's
woodland.
Sometimes, however, it's a case of being in the right place at the
right time.
Mo Saleh is someone I know who has gained access to an area of
woodland for his personal use.
The final resting place
of an illegally shot and
wounded deer.
Landowners and those who work on the land
have multiple safety concerns.
I asked him how he gained landowners permission to light fires
and undertake other bushcraft activities.
Well I was with Gill, picking holly for Christmas decorations
at home and a woman walked up to us and started talking. I
mentioned bushcraft and that I had been looking for somewhere
to go.
The lady turned out to be the owner of the land through which the
footpath passed and was familiar with the concept of bushcraft,
having watched Ray Mears programmes.
Mo went on to say, It was a dream come true. I was in the right
place at the right time.
I asked if he had to abide by any rules, I always have to let
her know when I am going, not take a lot of people, not take
advantage and respect it. As long as I dont do any damage its
OK.
It might seem like Mo just got lucky. He was certainly fortunate to
meet the owner and for her to have an understanding of bushcraft.
But he had the right attitude. Mo was humble and respectful.
As a result he was fortunate to receive a kind offer. He doesnt
take it for granted and respects the rules. Being respectful of a
landowners concerns and wishes goes a long way not only to
gaining access but also keeping it.
Mark Hotson is someone I have known for ten years. When I
first knew him he was completely new to bushcraft, having just
attended a week-long course, which his wife won in a competition.
Mark describes the week as a major turning point in my life.
He took further bushcraft courses and researched more bushcraft
knowledge in his spare time.
Unfortunately I felt with so many time restraints in my personal
and business life I was becoming an armchair bushcrafter. However
the drive to understand both the theoretical and practical sides
of bushcraft spurred me on to a mission to source an area of
wilderness in which I could pursue my passion.
I asked Mark how he had gone about doing this, in particular I
asked him to elaborate on the letter he had written to landowners.
Mark had been thorough. He had listed referees including farmer
friends and his bushcraft instructors, listed his intended activities,
the policies and procedures he would adhere to, in particular a
leave-no-trace policy, his safeguards around fires as well as general
health and safety points. He also made clear his intent to insure
the woodland and third parties by including a letter from his
insurance company, which was not easy to obtain. He also offered
to pay rent in advance.
I wrote to over ten different parties and heard back from one
after six weeks. The land agent in question was ex military and
understood what I required. He was very much a Ray Mears fan and
empathised with me. He was also responsible for one of the largest
estates in the area. After a few phone calls and emails we decided
upon a site.
On meeting the agent and looking at the site, Mark went a step
further to demonstrate his responsible approach.
I used a fire flash on to birch bark to start the fire. I prepped
the fire site first, gathered various materials, in various sizes. I
built a small fire near both the raw materials and a little stream.
I extinguished the fire and made good by hand to show the fire
dogs and embers were of no threat. I went on to explain the fire
was another tool, it would never be lit and left. During the whole
process we chatted about our personal experiences in respect to
spending time outdoors.
Mark was successful, Within the month I had signed my licence to
use the woodlands for bushcraft activities, I had insurance cover
in place and the annual rent was paid. I had my own little bit of
wilderness!
Mark continues, I can see how some readers might think the
process very simple. But from initially deciding to rent some
woodland to actually setting up my first camp was nearly a nine-
month period. I had informally chatted to friendly farmers and
friends in the very first instances and it was very clear the initial
misconception was that a bushcrafter is a negative force in the
local environment. A camouflage-clad figure who cut and burnt
everything in their path - in short a liability! I quickly realised I had
to be viewed as something quite different from that.
Make An Effort
Marks case is a clear example that to give yourself the best chance
of success, you have to make an effort.
Even as a bushcraft school, we at Frontier Bushcraft have to make
an effort to get access to land.
We have to present ourselves well and make our case (which
usually involves the offer of payment). As an individual you need to
be prepared to do the same.
Even then its not always successful (even with the best references).
For some landowners, it just does not fit or is too much hassle for
too little return.
Mark, regularly receives enquiries about using the woods he
leases (and is prohibited from sub-leasing by the terms of his
agreement). He sums it up perfectly - "Every enquiry is vague
and unpersuasive...with no detail or an inkling that the sender
has any idea of what might lead me [or a landowner] to think I
could possibly trust them. I think the logic follows that the best
bushcrafters are probably people who think through their actions
and are naturally thorough and well-prepared. In turn, a badly
worded, non-descript, three-line email is never going to convey the
right message."
There is lots of scope for practicing various elements of bushcraft
skills in the UK. Theres nothing to stop you going out today,
walking some little used public footpaths, foraging for wild foods,
honing your tree identification and working on your navigation
skills along the way. Head to some open access land where
you can roam freely or even camp. Look to Scotland for a more
complete wild camping experience. Spend some time and effort
romancing landowners and before you know it, you could have a
little haven where you can practice your camping and woodcraft
skills in more depth.
Then, of course, there are many overseas options. But theyll
have to wait for the next article
ADVANCED BUSHCRAFT
BUSHCRAFT ON A BUDGET
BUDGET ARROWS
Hello, welcome to another Bushcraft on a Budget article.
In this issue I wish to show you my take on homemade
arrows for bow hunting. Of course bow hunting live game
is unfortunately illegal in the UK, but making your own
equipment for target hunting is perfectly fine. Also if the
Zombie apocalypse happens you will have the weapons to
take 'em out ;-)
I
mentioned previously that I received a fantastic handmade
longbow in trade
from Chris Brain at
The Bushcraft Show
last year. It came
with three arrows
that Chris had made
and I used these as a
guide to making my
own. Basic materials
you need are a
length of 3/8 dowel,
goose feathers, a tea
spoon, dental floss
and glue.
The first part of the
arrow I made was
the business end,
the arrowhead or
pile. I would like to
thank Adam Logan
of Woodland Ways
here, as I saw him
making arrowheads
using the following
method. Now before
we start this I dont
want your nearest
and dearest shouting
at me because you
have stolen all their
teaspoons. You do need a teaspoon, but a cheap stainless
steel one will work fine - dont use your best silver (unless
you are planning on killing a werewolf). Take the teaspoon
and place it on a hard flat surface suitable for hammering
on, I used a hammer head as an anvil and another hammer
to flatten it out with. Its as simple as that really, just
hammer flat the bowl part of the teaspoon. Once flattened
down you can draw on a rough shape for your pile.
Then using a belt sander I shaped and sharpened the
edges of the pile, giving it a final touch up on a diamond
sharpening block. I dont know if they are supposed to
be shaving sharp but this one is! I left the head attached
to the handle of the spoon for ease of handling through
these stages. Once youre happy with it, you can cut off the
handle, but leave about 10mm-15mm attached as this will
go into your arrow shaft.
OK, so onto the arrow shaft itself. For this I had some 3/8 hardwood
dowel in the garage that fit the task perfectly. You can of course
make your own shafts from wood such as Hazel. Joe OLeary has a
hazel arrow that is finished so well I was convinced it was doweling.
Even with my doweling the finish was not what I wanted, so I used
some sandpaper just to give it a quick rub down and smooth off
Ian Nairn
'Make do and Mend' is Ian's Philosophy. He is a dab
hand at all things creative, and would be a match
for any skilled seamstress! His innovative ideas can
save you pounds, showing you how to make kit
from things that you might find lying around. He
also has a long-standing interest in and extensive
knowledge of woodcraft and green woodworking,
which, combined with his other skills, makes for some great
money-saving tips!
AUTHOR PROFILE:
The end result
Teaspoon
Flattened
teaspoon
Shaped & sharpened
Length of dowel
The end result
any rough edges or splinters. A
quick work over had it the way
I wanted. The length of your
arrow shaft will depend on your
bow, your size and draw length.
To work out the approximate
arrow length for you follow
these steps:
Take a tape measure and hold
the body of it in your bow hand.
Pull the tape measure out using
the hand you would draw back
the arrow with, until the end of
the tape is touching your lip.
Ensure your stance is correct,
bow arm straight, draw arm
elbow in line with your bow arm
etc. Take the measurement at
the tape body and then add 2.
This is your approximate arrow
length. It is better to have a
longer arrow than one that's too
short for you.
As I said before, I had some of
Chriss arrows that suit me just
fine so I went off the length of
those and cut a length of 29
(this was just the shaft length
not including the pile). However
I did include the length of the
nock (the bit at the opposite
end to the pile that fits onto the
bow string when firing). You
can buy nocks to fit to your own
arrows; you could even make
these, traditionally from bone
or horn. However I chose not to
use a separate nock and just to
cut a nock into the end of the
arrow shaft.
Incidentally I have since
measured my arrow length
using the above method and it
is exactly 29.
I sanded the nock end into
a more tapered finish and
then using a tile saw (this
has a round abrasive blade)
I cut the nock slot in the
end, again smoothing it off
with sandpaper afterwards.
I checked it fit well on my
bowstring, adjusted it slightly
and then smoothed it all off
again. You want it to grip the
bowstring but not that tightly
that it wont release correctly
when fired.
Happy with that I moved on to
fitting the pile. To do this I cut
a slot into the end of the shaft
using a flat hacksaw blade, keeping the
cut as straight and level as possible by
hand. When I had reached the depth
I wanted to house my pile, I used the
sandpaper again to taper down the tip
to a pencil type point. I had to open
up the cut slightly to accommodate
the teaspoon shaft, I did this with the
sandpaper again until the fit was good
and tight. Once in place I saw an error
in my design. As I had made the head
teardrop shaped and not traditional
arrow shaped, I could not bind up the
head of the arrow, just the stem. But no
worries, I decided to persevere and see
how it turned out.
To bind the head in place I use yep,
dental floss. It is great stuff for sewing
and binding with, it is very strong and I
believe it is the same stuff artificial sinew
is made from; traditionally you would
use animal sinew or rawhide to do this.
So I simply bound around the arrow
shaft up towards the head pulling very
tight as I went.
This held the head in place really well.
But I was left with a gap
between the very tip of the
shaft and the arrowhead.
To overcome this I put
contact adhesive in the gap
and clamped it shut until
set. Again traditionally you
would use natural glue
like pine resin mixed with
charcoal dust. I have seen
people mixing charcoal dust
with epoxy resin to make
a modern but traditional
looking bond. I may try this
for my next ones.
So once the head was set in
place I moved on to fletching
- making and attaching
the flights or fletches. I had
Length of dowel
Nock
Head end & head
Head bound in place
Dental floss
BUSHCRAFT ON A BUDGET
goose feathers in the
garage which I am told are
amongst the best type of
feathers to use, so that was
a result. I chose three wing
feathers that were all from
the same wing, this makes
for better flight. I measured
the flights on Chriss arrows
and cut mine out similarly.
Split the feather down
its stem and taking the
one half to use, lie it flat
on a suitable surface and
cut to shape using a very
sharp knife. You can do
additional trimming with
scissors after if needed. I
left a small amount of the
feather stem sticking out
at either end to help with
binding them in place later.
When I had the three
flights cut to the required
size and shape, I cut the
back edge of one of them
square rather than pointed.
This would be the cock
feather. If you look at
modern arrows you will
more often see that one
flight is a different colour
than the other two. This
is the cock feather. This
usually goes to the outside
of the bow and string
when firing and as such is
at 90 degree to the slot in
the nock. So the first flight I
fitted was my cock feather.
I aligned the nock slot to
the horizontal position so
I could fit the cock feather
in the vertical. I put a
small amount of contact
adhesive on the feather
and arrow shaft.
Then after letting them
go off slightly I brought
them together and made
sure the flight was fitted
as straight as possible
(tricky as the feathers have
a natural curve to them).
Once happy with the first
fit I moved on to fit the
remaining 2 flights at the
20 past and 20 to positions
in relation to the cock
flight. When these were
in place I again took my
dental floss, but this time I
split the floss into 3 strands
as I wanted a thinner strand
to bind the fletches on
with. Starting at the front edge of the flights
I bound around the arrow shaft and up into
the flights. Take care when doing this as you
have to separate the interlocking veins of the
feathers, work the floss down to the stem
and tightly bind around to the next flight.
Continue this until you have worked your
way all around and up to the nock end of the
flights. Bind around the back end a few times
and then lock off the binding with a suitable
knot. You may need to apply a small amount
of glue to the end to stop it undoing. Tidy
up the veins of your feathers if required and
there you go, your own homemade arrow.
Did I test mine? Of course I did! I first fired it
in my back garden, it flew straight and true
and buried itself well into the fence panel at
the end. The tip was undamaged and still silly
sharp. A longer range test was needed so I
went off to a friend's field for a good distance
test. WOW! I was really impressed with its
flight. Really smooth and straight, no wobble
or anything to indicate this was homemade.
Although slightly long winded and intricate
at times it is quite simple to make your own
arrows and I definitely will be doing more.
You can buy kits to make your own from
various outlets, but I think its more rewarding
to make your own. I am going to harvest
some hazel and have a go with that, also look
at using flint heads or making some with
antler or bone too. But teaspoon heads are
so easy to make, just dont go stealing all the
ones out of the kitchen drawers...
Oh yes, if your surname is Fletcher, Bowman
or Archer your ancestors have my respect.
Theres a massive amount of history involved
in archery and bow and arrow making. Its
worth a bit of research if you want to learn
more. Look up keep it under your hat,
another string to your bow, or other archery
related phrases. Do you know why sticking
two fingers up was originally a gesture of
defiance?
Until next time, keep it on a budget and I
hope to see you at The Bushcraft Show at the
end of May, maybe over at the archery range
testing out all your homemade arrows with
Chris.
Goose wing feathers
Feather cut & shaped
Fletchings glued on
Binding round the fletching
Finished arrow next to Chris Brain's
Top Tip.
When in charity shops keep your eyes
open for old cutlery, I bet you can get a
bunch of teaspoons for 1 or less. Also
when in Pound shops take a look on their
toiletry aisle for packs of dental floss as
this is a great way to get this wonderful
stuff for all your sewing and making
projects.
The Big 50
50 THINGS EVERYONE KNEW
In celebration of Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine's
50th anniversary edition we are breaking with the
tradition of our usual "how to" article in order to take a
more holistic approach to our subject.
S
o I wanted to review 50 fundamental skills that might have
been lost in the last 50 years and look at what they could
mean to you. Without the UK's instructors retaining and
then passing these skills on, and without books and magazines
such as this, our countryside would be a poorer place, with
maybe only a select few individuals holding onto such skills.
But with you, the readers' help, we are able to preserve these skills.
We can educate and entertain many more people with what our
natural world has to offer. We can gain warmth, comfort, food,
sustainable resources and the space and freedom to be ourselves.
So we are celebrating skills, and some of the people behind those
skills. I hope you may use this list to inspire yourself and those
around you. Get involved and create your own "bucket list" of skills
to learn.
I finish with the last
set of five on a more
personal reflective
note as to how my
bushcraft teachings
and time in remote
places have
developed skills that
are important to me.
1. Wilderness
First Aid
Learning how to
look after yourself in
a wilderness setting
should include how
to prevent accidents
and medical
emergencies from
happening in the
first place. This is
where your How-to
articles come in. But despite all of your best efforts,
the more you are out and about, the higher the
chance that at some point you will come across a
real first aid situation, potentially life and death. For
me personally, I have managed Haemorrhaging
in the African Bush, Scorpion stings in the Sahara,
Hypothermia in the Mountains, and 1st Degree
Burns on campfires ... how do you deal with it?
Get yourself on a wilderness first aid course. Even
10 miles away from A&E should be classed as
wilderness if the emergency services cannot reach
you easily... calculate what your risks are, how likely
they are to happen, and then get trained to deal
with them!
2. Constructing the right shelter for the right
environment
There are a huge variety of shelters available to you for different
environments. So if you're just used to building the A frame, why
not get out and experiment with some alternative designs. Long
term shelter is not just about keeping the elements out, it's your
place of refuge and re-charge. Design it so you can cook, clean, eat
and sleep inside.
3. Light a fire with the Bow
Drill
It has to be the quintessential skill
of bushcraft that most people want
to learn. Once you get the stance,
with the right materials, it is as easy
as you decide to make it. Learn how
to read your powder. There are a
few excellent instructors out there
who really do understand the bow
drill, get out to Dale Collett or Dave
Watson to hone your skills. (It's been
said I know a bit about it too)!
4. Using a Flint and Steel
The first friction match was
introduced in 1827.
Prior to this we had
been creating sparks
with a variety of
different methods, the
most common being
the Flint and Steel. The
trick with creating the
spark here is to ensure
you have a good
quality steel striker
and a good sharp edge
to your flint. A swift
downward glancing
blow of the steel
against the flint should
shave off tiny shards
of iron from your steel,
these pieces of iron
combust and glow as
Jason Ingamells
Jason Ingamells needs little introduction,
renowned as one of the UK's leading authorities
on bushcraft skills and owner of Woodland Ways.
He takes pride in teaching to the highest standards
on courses at home, abroad and mentoring his
staff. Jason writes on the subject in books and
magazines and is a highly skilled woodsman and overseas adventurer. His
skills have been gleaned through extensive personal applied experience,
practicing and developing these skills in real circumstances.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
50 YEARS AGO
they come into contact with air
and warm up. For fire with sparks
you cannot go very far wrong by
spending some time with Mark
Hordon.
5. Light a fire in any
conditions
In a wilderness environment
having the ability to get a fire
going can be the difference
between life and death. The old
adage the more you need a fire,
the harder it is to get going is
often so true. Just remember,
nature is neutral, it's you that are
in control of your circumstances
right the way back to the
planning stage. Always carry
emergency fire lighting
equipment with you, and know
how to use it!
6. Experiment with char
material
Char material as a tinder is
easier to catch on even a low
grade spark. If you've made char
cloth before maybe it's time to
start experimenting with other
material. Try char cat-tail (wet, compress and dry first), or willow
punk... there's a huge variety of natural chars available to you.
7. Building and understanding fire
Building a fire is as much a skill as creating the initial heat
source. It's staggering that in such a short space of time the vast
population of our country have forgotten how to get that fire
working efficiently. But dig deeper, what is happening with that
flame? The environment a fire creates is magical, when was the
last time you sat around the radiator with friends or family and
chatted?
8. Knives and the law
If you do two things from this list (the first being Wilderness First
Aid!), learn the law. As an outdoors person you have a right to
carry your tools where appropriate, but with that right
comes responsibilities. Get it wrong, and there are very
serious consequences.
9. Learn to use and sharpen your knife
If you've only just subscribed to the magazine, get
some back issues... the infuriatingly talented Ben
Orford has written some exceptional articles on
sharpening a knife! Ben knows his subject of knives
inside out and has taught me a thing or two. Get
yourself a Mora knife, full flat scandi grind and practice.
If you're proficient with this then move on to some
other blade shapes to perfect your technique.
10. Carve a spoon
Hone those knife skills to produce something that will
give you pride for years to come. Even better, spend
the hours whittling away then give it to someone.
Choose your material wisely, there are some wonderful
grains in some of the harder woods,
but your wrists may thank you for
choosing sycamore.
11. Develop your Feather
sticks
Increase your knife skills further. Look
for dry, knot free, seasoned material.
Split into quarters or eighths, and
shave down. Try and produce curls
that run the length of the timber and
create a small neck. Paul Kirtley has
written an excellent guide on the
subject.
12. Learn to use your axe
Possibly the most dangerous of tools
that we use in the woodlands, in
the wrong hands this can be lethal.
Get some proper training, not from
a book, and learn how to look after
it. Used correctly there is no more
satisfying tool.
13. Making water safe to
drink
An essential skill for wilderness
travel, if you drink dirty water in a
wilderness environment you can die,
it is as simple as that. Know what
you need to take out- particles, parasites, bacteria, viruses and
chemicals. Know how to get them out.
14. Calculate where you are on the planet using
the sun and stars
With a simple solar compass, the angle of the north star, and an
equation of time table it's amazing how you can calculate your
longitude and latitude to an incredible accuracy. You'll want the
full horizon though.
15. Map and Compass Navigation
The cornerstone of any wilderness travel, travel without
appropriate navigation equipment should just not be attempted.
Learn how to find yourself again and how to follow a bearing.
You learn so much over a campfire
The Big 50
16. Finding North without a Compass
Learning the path of celestial objects opens up a whole new world
of understanding your sense of direction. But also pay attention
to what is on the ground- shapes, shadows and sounds. Natural
Navigation forms part of many an introductory weekend course
but if you are self teaching I would suggest you spend a little time
with the publications of Tristan Gooley. He has explored many
different environments on the planet using natural navigation
techniques.
17. Consistently provide food for yourself
This is one of the more demanding sides of the skills we teach.
Acquiring food, in particular meat, brings together all of your
field craft, tracking, prey awareness and practical skills to the
foreground. It is hard, physically and emotionally.
18. How to prepare a mammal
Old man "Alfie" taught Martyn Tudhope everything he knows
about game preparation and the acquisition of meat, he now
passes these skills on to thousands. Historically we felt a desire to
teach young people where our food came from, however there is
an increasing void between society as a whole and their food. Most
mammal preparation is very similar, it's just a matter of scale.
19. How to prepare a fish
Strangely a UK country butcher was recently asked to take
down a display of dead animals in his shop window as it
caused offence (even from meat eaters) and yet we walk into
supermarkets each and every day and have no complaint
over the fish counter! Next time why not ask them to show
you how they fillet it, and then when you buy again give it a
try yourself.
20. Prepare a bird without a knife
If you've been to The Bushcraft Show you will have seen
Martyn Tudhope as he deftly prises the meat from the bird
using just his hands. A great survival skill for when you
have no knife.
21. Tan a hide
A very smelly and messy
process this maybe not the
one to start the youngsters
off on their bushcraft
journey however skins are
around us every single
day of the week in our
modern world, we just do
not see the process. Many
instructors in the UK offer an
insight into this ancient skill,
James Watson being well
known for his tanning.
22. Using animal
tendons
Making use of as much
of the animal as possible
demonstrates your respect
to the animal that has given
its life so that you may
sustain yours. Sinew makes an
incredibly strong binding.
23. Fishing
A huge pastime in the UK, this would easily have survived even if
instructors weren't out there teaching... However it's worth training
in some of the less common fishing methods available to the
survivalist. Fraser Christian of Coastal Survival is definitely worth
seeking out.
24. Make a snare
Ensure you stay within the law but making a snare is the easy bit.
Quite simply take a length of appropriate metal, bend it round a
small stick until it crosses over itself and then twist the stick round
and round. This will form an eyelet for you to then slip the other
end of the wire through, you have your snare. Form another eyelet
on the other side to attach your cord to.
25. Flint knapping
Over the last nearly 40 years there has been a strong surge in
interest in prehistoric tool making, after the skills had been almost
totally lost in the UK. This resurgence was led by the legend John
Lord, who I have had the privilege of being instructed by. More
people have become interested in the subject and the number of
people with the skill is slowly growing. Karl Lee is now one of the
UK's leading practical experts on flint knapping.
26. Make a bow
As with the flint knapping the skill of making a
fully functioning powerful bow is not one to be
looked at lightly. It is within us all to read the
wood, but learning with an exceptional instructor
will prevent much heart break and stave break.
It also doesn't have to be all yew! You can make
good strong bows out of many different woods,
maybe break the mould and try something new.
27. Make a variety of cordage
If you're new to making string then start off with
something common such as stinging nettle, or
the longer fibres of the bramble. Once you've
mastered the two ply roll you can then move
on to different weaves, using a wider variety of
materials. Try using the inner bark of willow.
28. Look after your cord
Whether it's climbing rope, natural cordage or
paracord, learning how to coil and store your
cord means that it stays stronger for longer.
There are some excellent tutorials online, including
www.animatedknots.com
Allow yourself to learn
Make a bow
29. Knots
You may know 100 different knots, but I bet there will be just a
select handful that you will return to over and over. Try and learn
as your minimum the clove hitch, a couple of tensioning knots for
tarps, the timber hitch, the figure eight, bowline and prusik knot.
30. Tree identification
Pay attention to the general shape or form of the tree, look at
the leaf structure and growth pattern, also the detail of the bark.
If you are starting out try and learn a few at a time, starting with
whatever is local to you. Interesting trees are easier to remember
so consider if it has a use, so sycamore is tasteless, odourless and
mildly antibacterial - great for spoons. Ash is strong and flexible
and has a lower moisture content, while the uses of the silver birch
are numerous!
31. Plant knowledge
As with trees, being able to identify what's around you and know
its uses, gives you a much deeper connection to your environment.
Stay safe, and stay within the law. Inspirations for foraging include
not just our own Kevan Palmer, but also Fergus Drennan.
32. Get weaving a basket
Another skill that widens your appreciation of natural materials.
Don't just stop at willow though... there are a whole host of
materials that can be used to incorporate into your baskets. If you
can bend it over your wrist it's worth having an experiment with.
33. Using fish traps
One of the least labour intensive methods of acquiring food. Similar
to producing a basket but with much less material. What better
than being able to produce something that can also feed you. You
need look no further than Patrick McGlinchey's inspirational work,
alongside his realistic approach to the subject.
34. Learn to track
Another skill that was certainly heading to a rapid demise in the
civilian world was that of tracking. Maybe you are old enough to
remember the father of our good friend and tracking expert Perry
McGee; Eddie McGee. His involvement helped to track down the
murderer Barry Prudom, and of course more recently Ray Mear's
involvement in the hunt for Raoul Moat, demonstrates how
important it is to keep these skills alive.
35. Know your deer
I have studied these creatures most of my life and I chose the red
deer as our company logo. Spending time watching both wild and
farmed deer can give you an incredible insight into their complex
lives. Beautiful, graceful, gentle. Ugly, disproportioned, aggressive.
Amazing creatures.
36. Move silently
With the modern world everything comes at speed - cars,
deliveries, electricity, emails etc. It's time to slip back into slow.
Learning to move silently in order to view our natural world is one
of the skills that is highlighted frequently to me as the favourite of
our courses.
37. Dog or Fox print?
Can you tell the difference. There are so many different breeds
of dog out there now that it can be really hard to be definitive.
Learning more about the animals helps you to rely on more than
just a print alone. What is its likely behaviour? Pablo has written
extensively and has an exceptionally good reputation for his
wildlife tracking courses.
38. Make a candle in the woods
If you are lucky enough to have fallen silver birch that you can
harvest, you can make a woodsman's candle by folding the bark
concertina into a split green stick, nice and simple. Or if you have
pine then you can collect the resin and cram it inside a cross split
stick, as much as you can and interspersed with twigs.
39. Glorious Nettles
I could do easily another 100 lines on just different uses for the
nettle! Indeed there's a book out there, 101 uses for Stinging
Nettles by Piers Warren - try nettle puree.
40. Make glues and pitches
From simple pine resin alone, or mixed with a bit of bees wax,
through to more complex extraction of Birch Tar or Hide Glue. The
processes of making glue would most certainly have been lost to
modern life if it wasn't for bushcraft enthusiasts keeping these skills
alive.
41. Preparing yourself mentally and physically
Often overlooked, it's about having the right type of fitness and the
positive mental attitude. Living and working outside is tough on
you, but it is what we are born for.
42. Tapping a tree
As I write this the silver birch sap is flowing very readily and there
is a plethora of information out there on every bushcraft blog site
about this annual event. It is worth noting that cutting through the
living cells of the tree DOES expose the tree to harm. What we are
looking for is damage limitation. John Ryder has pioneered some
of his own very interesting research into this subject which is freely
available.
Learn about your beautiful planet
Maasai amazing adventures
43. Alternative cooking methods
Try and ditch the cooking pots for a weekend and go old school.
Wrap meat and fish in non toxic leaves, cook in embers, bake bread
on hot rocks or cook underground.
44. Drill a hole without electricity
The pump drill can be used to drill holes. From timber joints on
structures to jewellery, the technique can be a little difficult to
begin with, but as with all these skills spend some time with it.
45. How to walk your way through the night sky
You don't have to be in the middle of the Sahara to appreciate the
night sky. Get yourself somewhere rural, sit back and map it out.
Ben McNutt has an impressive knowledge of the night sky and the
histories surrounding some of the constellations. When starting
out try and map out the night sky yourself into grids. Start with a
constellation you know and build up your knowledge in blocks.
The last five of my chosen 50 skills
are more of a personal reflection on
what bushcraft has offered me. Our
modern world changes at such a
rapid pace it is easy to see why most
people forget about living life... we
get wrapped up in speed, now, fast,
build, work, coffee... so take a step
back.
46. Self reliance
Learning some of the skills above
improves your self reliance. You will
find yourself saying "Right, I'm going
to do this about it" rather than
"someone should do something
about that" and that is a most
positive self perpetuating circle to
be in.
47. Inspire both young and
old
It's not all about the young
children... we're all children. I am
about to become a father for the
first time, I am very excited. I want to inspire her, but as adults it is
ok to be inspired ourselves. Some of the industry
professionals I have mentioned here have
inspired me, allow yourself to learn.
48. Mix old and new school
I love sitting around the camp fire sharing
skills, but I also use social media to spread skills
to others I would not otherwise reach. The
information age we are in is not going away
so embrace it. However I let my wilderness
knowledge lead my social media... not the other
way around!
49. Respect for each other
By getting face to face with people in the
outdoors you learn so much about yourself and
others, in real circumstances. This is a skill in itself.
In the digital age it is now so easy to express
an opinion to be heard by the masses, but
recognition of the difference between opinion
and fact is often blurred. Nothing can replace the
honest face to face communication and respect
you can build with each other over the camp fire.
50. Treat a lady well
The outdoors is a great leveller, with everyone needing to pull
their weight. But
gentlemen, there's
still room for a bit
of chivalry... carry
the fire wood,
share the splitting
of the logs, let
her prepare a
warming fire as
most indigenous
cultures do and
cook her a tasty
meal in a Dutch
oven.
The Big 50
A tasty meal in a dutch oven
Inspire all ages
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in the outdoors
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SNAKE BITES
Snake bites have always been a major problem while
travelling in countries with large endemic snake populations
and they will always be. In remote areas where it is not
possible to evacuate a snake bite victim to hospital, proper
management of the bite becomes all the more important.
F
ortunately, of the 2500 -/+ snake species, only 250 or so have
the capacity to actually kill a human. Obviously its handy to
know which these 250 are, but unless you know your snakes,
for the layperson
determining which
ones are and
which ones are
not venomous is
all but impossible;
there exists no
universal formula
for identification. So
in this article, I will
help you determine
whether the snake
that has bitten you
is venomous or
harmless and how
to manage a snake
bite; what to do and
not do.
At the outset,
preventing a bite in the field is far better than having to treat one
and a few simple precautions mixed with a bit of common sense
can go a long way.
1) If you spot a snake, dont antagonise it. Snakes are shy animals
and will avoid humans if at all possible. They will have picked up
the ground vibrations of your footsteps, and moved off a long time
before you even knew they were there.
The dangerous ones are the ambushers
who lie in wait, relying on camouflage
to conceal themselves and simply stand
their ground. In Africa the Puff adder is
responsible for around 80% of all snake
bites, and for this reason is considered the
most dangerous snake, simply because
they just dont move and are easily
trodden on; its up to you to get out of
their way, rather than assume they will get
out of yours.
2) Avoid stepping over logs or rocks when you cannot see where
to place your foot the other side; there could be a snake sheltering
there. Also, never step on large tufts of grass, as this could be a
resting place for a snake. They often say if you are in a group it is
the second or third person who is most liable to get bitten, because
the first alerts the snake and the second or third feels the wrath of
its annoyance.
MANAGING SNAKE BITES
Paul Donovan
Paul Donovan is a biologist with over 30 years
experience working with snakes in captivity and
in the wild. He currently lives in Botswana where
he runs a snakebite education programme for
schools, hospitals and government departments.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
IN A SURVIVAL SITUATION
The Puff adder is
responsible for more bites
than any other snake
species.
The author
administering
first aid for
a Puff adder
bite.
A bite from a cobra is
less painful than one
from a viper.
3)3) When picking up fire wood
or rocks, always ensure that
its underside faces away from
you as you lift it up. That way,
if there does happen to be a
snake beneath it, its escape or
strike will always be away from
you and not towards you. Before
picking up wood or rocks it is a
good idea to kick it first, or lift it
up with another piece of wood
to scare off anything which may
be lurking underneath.
4) Wear sensible shoes around
camp and in the bush;
avoid walking around
barefoot.
5) A number of bites
happen during the
evening, especially around
campfires where snakes
are attracted to its warmth.
6) Avoid stepping out
at night in bare feet to
answer the call of nature
and make sure if you have
to squat down, you are
not going to do anything
on a snake that would
take great exception
to it.
7) 7) Keep the camp
tidy. Rubbish will attract
rodents, and in turn
snakes who prey on
them. If you spot a snake,
do not indiscriminately
kill it and then attempt
to pick it up. A dead
venomous snake is still
capable of inflicting a
fatal bite through nerve
reflexes.
8) When confronted by a snake - freeze.
Snakes respond to movement, so if you
remain still they do not perceive you as
being a threat. It is only when you move
that they respond by biting. Even if the
snake approaches you and crawls towards
your legs, it will carry on its way providing
you dont move. Its of no harm to you.
Was it venomous or not?
So despite all this, the unfortunate has happened and you have
been bitten. What should you do? The first thing is do NOT
panic. Only a small number of bites from snakes are actually from
venomous species, so it is important to determine whether it was
venomous or not. This can be done by looking at the imprint left
by the teeth. A bite from a venomous snake will leave two quite
distinct puncture marks; as though someone had stabbed you
with knitting needles. A non-
venomous snake will leave two
crescent-shaped marks with
numerous pin-pricks.
Did it actually inject any
venom?
Snakes primarily use their
venom to kill prey and
secondly as a defence, so they
do not wantonly waste it. They
also have control over the
amount of venom they inject
into their prey/victim and
can typically instigate what
we call a dry bite where no
venom at all is injected. This
may account for why so many
natural remedies are apparently effective
in curing snake bites; the snake either did
not inject any venom in the first place, or it
was simply a harmless species.
Signs and symptoms
Before beginning any form of treatment,
sit the victim down and wait to see what
symptoms, if any, develop. This happened
to me some time back when I was bitten
by a Puff adder, I freaked everyone out
because I was so calm while they ran
around like flies looking for their next meal.
I knew precisely what to do. If after15 - 20
minutes or so no symptoms of any sort have
developed, you can be pretty sure it was
either a dry bite or a harmless snake. That
being said, if you were bitten by a Boomslang
Dispholidus typus, then this is a different
story as symptoms from this snake can take
24 hours to manifest, with death taking up to
five days to come about.
Fortunately the Boomslang
is an exception and typically
symptoms from most
venomous snakes, irrespective
of where you are in the world,
are universally the same. With
neurotoxic snakes (Cobras,
Mambas, Kraits etc.) the bite
itself is not painful but a
gradual tingling sensation
progressing upwards from
the bite wound and steady
paralysis will develop.
This leads to difficulty in
swallowing, slurred speech,
giddiness, drooping eyelids.
Death is due to paralysis of the diaphragm.
Viper bites (Puff adders, Rattlesnakes, etc.) are extremely painful.
The bite marks will bleed profusely accompanied by swelling that
spreads rapidly up the bitten limb. Bleeding in other regions of the
body such as the gums and nostrils is not uncommon, followed by
nausea and vomiting. The bitten limb will also take on a bruised
Never trust a bite from a Boomslang,
its venom is slow acting.
Get bitten by a Black mamba
and get treatment... like
yesterday.
Be careful
when picking
up stones or
stepping over
them. A snake
may be hiding
beneath it.
A boomslang.
SNAKE BITES
appearance with signs of blistering. An
elevated heart rate may be detected which,
if the victim is in poor health, or frail, may
lead to a heart attack. Blood will also be
present in the urine.
First aid treatment of snake bites
The greater number of snake bites occur
to the lower leg, particularly the calf, ankle
and foot, with the second most vulnerable
area being the hands and arms. Should
symptoms develop, appropriate first
aid treatment is extremely effective in
managing a bite and could even mean
the difference between a victim dying or
surviving, providing a number of simple
procedures are followed. However, it is
important first to dispel a few common
myths about what you should NOT do,
before going on to cover what you should.
Do NOT cut and suck the bite
This time honoured procedure was
popularised in Wild West films, but it is an
extremely dangerous practice to employ
as you run the risk of inducing secondary
infection. It is also doubtful whether
cutting the flesh would actually be effective
anyway. The venom from a viper bite for
example would have been pumped deep into the muscle and
although you are inducing bleeding, you would have to make
a deep cut to bring it to the surface where sucking would be
beneficial. Assuming that this procedure was effective, if someone
else was doing the sucking they could expose themselves to the
risk of envenomation, because if any surface venom were to enter
an open cut in the mouth they themselves would become a bite
victim. And dont forget about infectious blood diseases you would
expose yourself too. Lastly, I could think of nothing worse than
having been bitten by a snake, only to watch your buddy hacking
away at your leg with a knife and what could be a dirty one at
that.
Do NOT use a tourniquet
Under normal circumstances, you should not use a tourniquet in
the treatment of a snake bite. A tourniquet is tied tightly around
the bitten limb to prevent the spread of venom around the
body. At the outset it would seem a very effective form of first
aid, the drawback is that if venom is prevented from passing the
tourniquet, then the same will apply to blood flow coming from
the other way. Cutting off the blood flow will starve the limb of
oxygen thus killing it. There is also the risk of toxic shock syndrome,
whereby as the limb begins to breakdown, it produces toxins
which are released into the body as soon as the tourniquet is
loosened. I will come back to tourniquets in a moment.
Do NOT use potassium
I have heard if you tip potassium permanganate on the bite and
then light it, it will neutralise the venom. How painful would that
be? Especially when you realise that the only effect it would have
would be to cause you serious burns!
Do NOT place ice on the bite

This has no effect on
breaking down the venom,
and may actually make the
bitten area worse.
Should I wash the area?
The statement DO NOT
wash venom from the bite
only applies to Australia
and possibly America and
only then if you are bitten
in your garden, this is so
that the medical team can
swab the venom to identify
it. In a remote region you
should wash the area as
leaving venom on the
skin only exacerbates the
venom's effects. In a hospital
the medical staff would
determine what type of
snake had been involved
through the symptoms the
victim was showing and a
blood test.
What you can do

Use a pressure bandage.
The most effective first aid treatment is the application of a
pressure bandage; although some current research does question
its effectiveness. A pressure bandage is not a tourniquet, as you
are not trying to stop the flow of blood, but instead compress the
lymph system so as to lessen the spread of venom through the
body. This system is effective for elapid bites (Cobras, Mambas,
Kraits etc.) but should not be used for viper bites (Puff adders,
Rattlesnakes etc.) or Mozambique spitting cobra bites, as a side-
effect of their venom is swelling, and to place a constrictive
bandage on a swelling limb will only result in even more serious
tissue damage occurring.
Applying the pressure/Immobilisation bandage
In an ideal world we would carry bandages with us. The world
is not ideal though, so we can improvise these by using strips of
clothing.
Reassure the victim and keep him/her as still and calm as possible.
Reassure them that the risk of dying from a snake bite is small.
Wash any residual venom from the bite area. Apply a bandage
to the site of the bite and wind it upwards towards the armpit or
groin (or as high as possible). The pressure should be similar to
that of strapping a sprained ankle. To check that it is not too tight,
test for an arterial pulse above and below the bandage. Keep the
limb as immobile as possible at all times and bandage an arm in a
bent position so as to allow a splint to be applied to the forearm
which can then be placed in a sling. Forget about trying to remove
clothing, bandage over these, time is of the essence.
Help with Breathing
Where difficulty in breathing occurs, administer artificial respiration.
Dont forget, the venom from elapid snakes (Mambas and Cobras)
causes paralysis and more often than not continual artificial
There are two Puff adders hidden in
the grass. This is why they are easily
trodden on.
There is no universal way of telling
whether a snake is venomous or
harmless. This Common egg eating
snake is a harmless species, but mimics
the venomous Rhombic night adder.
respiration is all that may be
required to keep the victim
alive. Even in hospital a victim
may simply be placed on a
respirator, as their bodies
own defence system will
begin to breakdown the
venom without the need for
antivenin. OK, if you are in the
bush, administering artificial
respiration may take a long
time, but if there are a few
of you around, it is a simple
matter of rotating people.
Unfortunately, with a viper
bite, as the venom works
by breaking down tissue,
in a remote region there is
little you can do other than
to manage the bite and buy
the victim a bit more time.
Where hospitalisation is
many days away, this is one
situation where I would think
about implementing the use
of a tourniquet. However,
it is important that it is not
applied too tightly; this can
be done by checking for a
pulse. I have used this once in
a survival situation where the
victim was days away from
hospital care and she survived
with no ill-effects.
It is a contentious
procedure, though.
You are not going
to die from a snake
bite in a couple of
hours as most people
envisage. You have,
depending on where
you were bitten, and
how much venom
was injected, at least
a few days. Therefore,
the correct use of a
tourniquet in a long
term emergency situation, can buy you some good time.
Treatment of venom in the eyes
Should the unfortunate happen and you receive venom in the
eyes from a spitting cobra, they should immediately be flushed
with any cool liquid to hand; water, milk, cola, beer, cold tea, even
urine can be used. Avoid the temptation to rub the eyes as this can
rub the venom into the eyeball where it will cause more serious
problems such as ulceration. And should you break a capillary it
could enter the blood system and manifest as though you had
been bitten by the snake.
The victim should then be placed in the shade as his, or her, eyes
will be extremely sensitive to sunlight and a cold compress be
placed over them. Although the eyelids will become red, swollen
and difficult to open, providing that
the venom has been flushed out,
they will return to normal within 24
hours.
Using antivenin
Commercial snake bite kits are
available over the counter from
pharmacies in a number of
countries where snake bites are
widespread and although antivenin
is the only effective treatment
for a snake bite, administering it
is extremely hazardous. Should
the victim suffer a serious allergic
reaction to it, they can easily go
into anaphylactic shock. Allergic
reactions are counteracted with the
use of adrenaline or antihistamine
and bolstering the circulatory
system via intravenous fluids, so
antivenins are best left to trained
medical personnel.
In an emergency situation of course,
where hospitalisation is not an
option, it is worth the risk of using
the serum. However, only use it
if you are 100% sure the person
was bitten by a venomous snake
and symptoms of the venom are
beginning to manifest, as to give
the serum to someone bitten by
a harmless snake, if this brings on
anaphylactic shock, you would
effectively have killed them!
Use of suction:
There are many suction kits on the
market which, when placed over the
bitten area, create a vacuum to draw
the venom out. Research has shown
these kits to have little, or no effect in
removing venom from the bitten area
and they can actually cause damage
to the tissue. That being said, in a
survival situation many miles, or days
away from a hospital, trying anything
is better than nothing, and it may give reassurance to the victim
that you are at least trying to help them.
Finally
Did you know that shock is a contributing factor to snake bite
deaths. Individuals bitten by non-venomous snakes have died as
a consequence of shock on the assumption that they had been
bitten by a venomous snake. So, keeping the victim calm can play
an important role in their survival.
First Aid should always be administered by a trained and
competent individual with permission to work on the patient.
Practices and available equipment are always changing so
please ensure that your knowledge and equipment are up to
date.
Vipers, such as this Eastern
Diamondback Rattlesnake can inject
venom deep into the muscle.
Pressure bandage - bandage the arm
in a bent position.
Venom in the eyes from
spitting cobras such as this
Mozambique spiting cobra,
can be treated with any cool
liquid.
READERS ARTICLE
BOREAL ON A BUDGET
For many bushcrafters,
Arctic adventures may seem
out of their reach. With
courses costing thousands
of pounds not including
flights, it can look like only
the wealthy can ever hope
to experience the Northern
forests in winter. But this is
not the case.
W
ith a fair bit of
planning, a reasonable
level of fitness, a good
portion of training and some
common sense, the Northern
forests can be accessible to
all for a fraction of the cost of
organised courses and you might even learn more.
Let me first say, the Boreal forest in winter although stunningly
beautiful, is not to be taken lightly. The cold can be brutal and you
need to be able to survive in relative comfort. In the high North
little mistakes can become big problems very quickly. You need to
be able to overcome the various challenges you encounter. This
article is not a definitive guide, just a small insight into how to
get out there and do your own
thing. Let's use the acronym
POLAR:
P Planning
O Organisation
L Learning
A Acquisition
R Recap
Planning
Planning is crucial. We started
planning our trip around ten
months before the planned
departure. Two of the four of us
had never travelled in the Arctic
so we started looking for places that were wild, but not too remote
should we need to bug out for any reason. We chose a site in Kittila
Finland. The forest was about 7km from both the airport and the
town with good trails in the area. There was also mobile phone
signal which was a bonus as we had a satphone as well. Another
plus was that we could fly from Manchester and the fares were
reasonable at around 280 per person with 62kg of luggage each.
By Dave Delany
BOREAL ON A BUDGET
Organisation
Once the location was agreed it was time to organise things.
Maps of the area were bought (never rely on GPS, the cold
can kill them). Holidays were booked with work, passports
and European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC)were checked for
validity and training days were arranged, along with meetings
to check kit etc.
Learning
The most important aspect of Arctic adventure in my opinion
is learning the skills needed. Even competent bushcrafters may
have trouble tying a shoelace with mittens on, or trying to set
a shelter up in a blizzard. Training is the key. Get some time out
with someone who has been to the far north. Learn all they can
teach and then search the internet for more. Sites like youtube
are great for picking up tips, but don't just watch the videos,
practice the skills until you become proficient. Buy a magazine
subscription and use the knowledge you find to better your skill
set. Finally you don't have to be in the Arctic to experience the
cold. If you're in the UK get a few bad weather trips in Scotland
under your belt and you'll be halfway there. Scotland can offer
some of the most brutal cold weather challenges and you'll
have the wet to contend with as well as the cold. On your first
couple of trips it's well worth going with an experienced buddy
or two. Keep an eye out on internet forums for training trips
being planned and ask if there are places. People are often glad
of an extra team member to share fuel costs and camaraderie.
Acquisition
Possibly the most enjoyable bit for the kit junkies among us,
getting all the bits together. Arctic exploration will never be
a lightweight affair due to what you need to take with you
to survive unsupported for a week or two. Clothing is bulky,
tents are heavy and things like stoves, snowshoes, toboggans
etc. can be unruly to pack. There is an old adage with Arctic
travellers Travel light, freeze at night so never scrimp on
something that may keep you warm. Like anything, your gear
can be whatever works for you, Some like the modern synthetic
route, others like traditional wool and there are those who
like a mix. I'm one of the latter. I like modern synthetics for my
top garments but prefer merino base layers. When looking
for gear ask people who have been to the North what worked
for them, what they used a lot and what they didn't use at all.
Look at some of the army surplus outlets for things like wool
trousers, hats and gloves. Snowshoes can sometimes be had
for a good price too. Some of your kit can be home made too.
Mukluk liners are simple, as are billy cans. Our tent stoves were
made from stainless steel dog bowls from the pound shop
for example, and our tents were Polish Lavvu's with a canvas
section sewn in the middle. These worked surprisingly well. Be
imaginative and it's amazing what you can make or modify.
Recap
Finally, just before your trip, get everyone together and recap
on everything. Double check kit, routes, travel docs, emergency
plans and contact details. Check you have communications
(satellite phone, SPOT locator). Then you're ready for your
adventure.
Kittila 2014
Myself and the three other travellers met at my house as it was
closest to the airport. Myself and Riam had been to the Arctic
on several occasions, Dave and Matt were on their first trip and
we decided this was a large enough group. In the airport spirits
were high and we were soon on our way. After an eight hour
READERS ARTICLE
stop in Helsinki we arrived at Kittila and loaded our toboggans with
the numerous bags and packs and got on our way to cheering and
waving from a coach load of children just arriving at the airport.
We trekked into Kittila town to pick up supplies to go with the meat
we brought from the UK (meat is very expensive in Scandinavia)
and then we were on our way. From looking at a combination of
google earth and topographical maps we had previously identified
an area of forest to the north of Kittila that looked promising and
after two hours we found just what we were looking for. A lovely
clearing in a forest of Birch and Spruce. We got to work tamping
down the snow
and setting
up camp.
Dave made a
great tripod
for drying kit
and wood and
within a few
hours the fire
was lit, snow
was melting
and a brew
was on the
way.
The first night we simply crawled into our sleeping bags that we
laid upon beds of spruce boughs topped off with foam mats and
cold camped as we were tired from the flight and the trekking and
night came early. The following day everyone was up with the
song of the Siberian Tit who had decided our camp was his. He
was about the size of a golf ball with all his feathers puffed up, but
he had a huge personality and was scared of nothing, so we called
him Thor.
Camp admin is the key in the Arctic. You find everyone settles into
different jobs quite easily. Dave quickly became camp chef and
turned out some excellent meals, Riam chopped firewood like a
man possessed and Matty was the king of feather sticks, making
tons for the fire. I was the snow melter, odd job man and breakfast
boy mostly. As the week progressed the camp became more
efficient. Temperatures were unseasonably high this year with
only a day or two getting lower than -5C meaning damp was a
huge problem, but the lads coped admirably, adjusting their camp
habits to suit. We built our dog bowl stoves and they worked like a
charm, both drying out damp gear and giving us a pleasantly warm
environment in which to change, or get into our sleeping bags.
We left camp and went trekking for a couple of days, once to town
to get gifts for our better halves and once up into the forest just
for the giggle. The last couple of days were spent honing skills,
building survival shelters and nearly building an igloo. We ran out
of time on the igloo project, maybe next year. So in conclusion
how much did this adventure cost? I'd say less than 1000 per
person if you have no Arctic equipment whatsoever. If you have
the gear then probably about 350 all in.
If you have had zero training and lack ability then perhaps the
3000+ courses are the right way to go. They have things like
snowmobiles, heated classrooms/shelters etc. and probably trained
paramedics on site for your peace of mind. But if you want to
experience the true wilderness using just your knowledge and
sense of adventure, it's not beyond your grasp....
Have Fun
Mad Dave Delany
Whats NEW for The
Bushcraft Show 2014
When
*Weekend ticket holders can arrive 23 May from 2pm
Where
Catton Hall, Walton upon Trent, Derbyshire, DE12 8LN
Please follow the signs and not the SatNav as you get
closer to the event.
Whats on
With only a few weeks until The Bushcraft Show 2014 we are
excited to reveal more new and exciting people and activities for
this years show.
We are thrilled to welcome Natural history
presenterSteveBackshallto The Bushcraft Show 2014. This
is a real privilege, as he is one the busiest presenters on
television, mainly working for the BBCs Natural History Unit.
He has had his own season of programmes on Eden television
channel, alongside legends David Attenborough and Bruce
Parry. Before that, he was Adventurer in Residence at the
National Geographic Channel. Steve now fronts the BBC kids'
series Deadly 60,
travelling the world
to learn about the most
inspiring predators. Steve
Backshall will be speaking on
the main stage followed by a
book signing. Please note Steves talk will be very popular!
With the new location at the stunning and privately owned
Catton Hall estate, which is ideally situated in the centre of
England, in Derbyshire, we are expecting a record number of
visitors, who will be attending the show from all over the country
and even further afield.
24-26 May 2014 *
2

0
1
4
W
here your hunger for
adventure grow
s
RAY GOODWIN
CODY LUNDIN
STEVE BACKSHALL
OLOIP MAASAI
BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE 53 BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS MAGAZINE 53
The 250 acre Estate has been owned
by the same family for over 600
years and is perfectly laid out for
The Bushcraft Show 2014, having
a 10 hectare Showground and
Campsite surrounded by a lovely
deciduous woodland with exclusive access to an exquisite lake
and the Rivers Trent and Mease.
We cant wait to see you all to enjoy a fun-filled weekend
together doing what we love, whether you are new to bushcraft
and want to find out what it is all about, or are an expert in this
field there is something for everyone of all ages.
We have bushcraft and survival experts attending the show from
around the world and are delighted to welcome CODY LUNDIN,
co-host of the television series Dual Survival and author of 98.6
Degrees and When All Hell Breaks Loose to The Bushcraft Show
2014. Also coming from the US is DAVID SCOTT-DONELAN who
is regarded as one of the worlds most effective and capable
tracking instructors, sharing knowledge and experience gained
over nearly a 50-year period.
Then from Sweden, we have the renowned JOHAN SKULLMAN
and it has been said that very few people have the skills to
match his outdoor knowledge. As an officer in the Swedish
Armed Forces, he has spent over 30 years in natures most
unpredictable environments and climates. He is the author
of classic books such as, Soldat I flt (Soldiers in the Field)
and Vintersoldaten (Winter Soldier) that are still used in the
Swedish Armed Forces. Today he works at Fjllrven as an
equipment expert and test manager.
We are thrilled to welcome back the legend of British canoeing
RAY GOODWIN to the show this year. Last Year Rays schedule
only allowed him a flying visit to the show where he put
on a special evening talk, sharing his personal accounts of
inspirational canoe trips. This year he is with us for the whole
weekend and you can
even book a Specialist
Instruction Open
Canoeing Class with
him.
The Bushcraft Show would not
be the same without the SAS
survival legend JOHN LOFTY
WISEMAN, author of The SAS Survival Handbook, who will be
entertaining and educating visitors on stage, followed by a book
signing.
Tracking expert PERRY MCGEE, son of the late Eddie McGee, has
an array of workshops running though out the weekend for all
ages. Attend his grass rope making workshop and then with
your grass rope, pull the show Land Rover!
Whittling Sessions, Raku Firing, Charcoal
Drawing, Campfire Music, Firelighting, Woodland
Crafts, Expedition Prep, Woodland Games,
Competitions, Axe Throwing, Archery, Rifle
Shooting, Leather Crafts, Open Canoeing, Knife
Sharpening and Safe Use, Low Ropes Course,
Birds of Prey, Face Painting, Tracking, Spoon
Carving, Game Preperation, Basketry, Tracking,
Spoon Carving, Pinch Pot Making, Forging and so
much more
Johan Skullman
Perry McGee
W
here your hunger for
adventure grow
s
'LOFTY' WISEMAN
If thats not enough, listen to expert speakers from around the world
giving talks on the main stage, see a host of trade stands, speak
with specialist instructors and all in a wonderful setting, with like-
minded folk.
Dont miss out on The Bushcraft Show everyone is
talking about.
THE BUSHCRAFT SHOW 2014
For more information visit www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk or follow us
on Facebook The Bushcraft Show and Twitter BushcraftShow.
Or call 0333 4567 123 (option 2)
Dogs are
welcome.
Advance Weekend Ticket:
Adult 95
Child (5-15 years inclusive) 40
2 Adult & 2 Children Family 240
1 Adult & 2 Children Family 145
Advanced Day Tickets:
Saturday Sunday Monday
Adult 20 20 16
Child (5-15 years inclusive) 8 8 6
2 Adult & 2 Children Family 52 52 40
1 Adult & 2 Children Family 30 30 25
Weekend Tickets include: Three Nights
Camping with Luxury Toilets & Showers,
Option for Open Fires, FREE Show Guide,
Exclusive Evening Entertainment & Activities,
Souvenir Lanyard, Exclusive Weekend Ticket
Holder Only Activities, FREE Vouchers to Paid
Activities and a range of FREE Activities &
Demonstrations. Weekend Ticket holders can
arrive early from 2pm on Friday 23nd May
2014 and depart by 6pm on Monday 26th May
2014.
TICKET DETAILS
25% OFF* Ticket Price
Show Times
Weekend Ticket holders can arrive from 2pm on Friday 23nd May 2014
Saturday 24rd May 2014: 09:30 17:30 (18:00 - Evening entertainment for weekend ticket holders only)
Sunday 25th May 2014: 09:30 17:30 (18:00 - Evening entertainment for weekend ticket holders only)
Bank Holiday Monday 26th May 2014: 09:30 16:30
Day Tickets include: FREE Show Guide and a range of Free Activities
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INTERVIEW
MEET CODY
LUNDIN
Name: Cody Lundin
Date of Birth: 4/8/1976
Pets: Various lizards
Favorite colour: Turquoise
Favorite environment:
Southwest North America
Would like to: see a
sustainable and self-
reliant humanity
Known for: not putting up
with phony garbage
in my profession
Cody Lundin, founder of
Aboriginal Living Skills
School, LLC is best known
as the author of When All
Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff
You Need to Survive When
Disaster Strikes and
98.6 Degrees: The Art of
Keeping Your Ass Alive and
as the star of Discovery
Channels Dual
Survival.
But who is he, why does
he live off grid and
whats with the bare
feet?
How did it all begin for Cody,
what got you into survival and
wilderness skills?
A strong urge as a boy to do more, with less
on Natures terms.
Who is your inspiration?
God.
If you could take just one piece of equipment with you
into a survival situ-
ation, what would
it be?
Dissecting and
interpreting the many
variables inherent in
all wilderness emer-
gency scenarios is
based upon prior feld
experience and under-
standing the region in
which the emergency
takes place so the
equipment will vary.
Pushing all the difer-
ent variables aside, if I
had to pick one item it
would be a knife.
Questions
from our read-
ers
and follow-
ers
John Porter - Who's your stylist?
Are you serious?
Mitch Ward - What would you consider your top 5 survival
tips for any terrain/environment?
Before any trip, especially the infamous deadly day hike,
tell two people that you trust WHERE you are going, WHEN
you will return, WHO is in your party, WHAT you are driving
to the trailhead, and WHY you are recreating in that particu-
lar area.
Nick Watts - What is the coldest temperature that you
have endured while barefoot.
Very cold snow, (there is a diference) demands
insulation. I wear three pairs of newer wool
socks, one large pair and two extra-large pairs.
Will Northcote - What would you consider to
be the most important tool in survival?
Being able to control fear and panic in oneself
and others.
Michael Williams - What made you want to
live of the grid and in the wild?
The real opportunity to be as self-reliant
as possible.

We have a number
of questions relating
to your feet, here are
some of them
Lane Martin - Why dont your feet get
cold or hurt? Thorns and all!
At times they get cold and hurt. Pushing the boundary
when training is diferent from breaking through. Wisdom
comes from knowing the diference.
Ryan Hillbilly Mahieu - How did the transition to bare
feet go and were there any days where you nearly went
back to footwear?
Slow and no!
Paul Woods How often do you stub your toe whilst

out and about?
Not often; people who dont watch where they are going
tend to do the most stubbing. That said, in twenty fve
years, I have broken one toe, nearly ripped one of, and
had hundreds of cactus spines, thorns, pieces of glass, bits
of metal and other fragments of unrecognizable material
enter and then exit my feet
Scott James - In all of your travels, has there ever been

a time when you wished you had a pair of boots?
Sandals yes, boots no. On certain parts of aggressive
courses, (extremely hot ground temperatures, thick cactus
and carrying heavy supplies) I wear sandals if I need them.
There are some places on Earth where foot protection is a
must.
Joe Gossage - What would it take to make you put

shoes on?
I am not anti-shoe; I simply prefer to go barefoot wherever
I can. And I enjoy the challenge. When people think me go-
ing barefoot is strange, they telegraph their lack of world
travel and experience with other cultures. Hundreds of
thousands of people, from grandmothers to little boys go
barefoot on a daily basis around the world. To them, going
barefoot is quite normal. To someone who has grown up
wearing shoes in a culture that supports only shoe wear-
ing, going barefoot is quite fantastical.
INTERVIEW
The end result
ames Harris - What type of terrain are you happiest
to survive in with minimal equipment and where
would be your least favourite?
The bio region in which one has the easiest time sur-
viving is one that is known the best by the survivor. Ari-
zona has more geographical diversity, in the shortest
drive time, of any place in North America. I have taught
winter survival at 10,000 feet and then desert survival
an hours drive away the very next day. Extreme terrain
variation demands a high level and diversity of skill
and feld experience. With three geographical provinc-
es, 10 diferent life zones, and all four North American
deserts, Arizona is an awesome training ground. I love
the bio regions!

Ollie James - If you have one tip for a young person
that is into survival, what would it be?
Avoid training from frauds as they will dirty your
educational foundation, retard your growth as a
student, and could endanger your life. Field credibility
in survival skills does not come from a Facebook page,
blog, a plethora of back yard youtube videos, or even
a survival television show. As a potent example, the
majority of people featured on survival TV shows are
not real survival instructors. ALWAYS ask your would
be teacher for a professional resume with references
and CHECK the references. Your life is worth the extra
efort.
S Boardman what is the most amazing survival

story that you have, or have heard about?
I love the book The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz.
The movie version is rubbish and should be avoided at
all costs.
Do you have any more books in the pipeline?
Yes, but I havent had time to write in a few years due to
teaching and flming. Hopefully soon.
What are your plans for the future?

Teach, train, build, and teach some more. Write and
maybe, just maybe more TV.
Come and meet Cody at The Bushcraft Show 2014
where you can hear him talk on the main stage and
even book a Specialist Instruction session with him
where he will share his wealth of no-nonsense knowl-
edge. Checkout page 52, visit www.thebushcraftshow.
co.uk and follow thebushcraftshow on Facebook for up
to the minute news and competitions.
The end result
CANOEING
COASTAL CANOEING
Happiest living in a tent somewhere close
to both sea and mountains, Tim paddles
and clambers in search of our remaining
wild and inspiring places, documenting
these experiences so that others might be
encouraged to follow. A very enjoyable role
of course, but one also undertaken in the
belief that a better understanding of these
fragile landscapes might offer the best chance for their survival, and ours.
Tim Gent
AUTHOR PROFILE:
What canoe owner doesnt like to explore? And when the river
finally slows, widens and meets the sea, who hasnt gazed out with
yearning towards that distant hazy horizon? Of course a sense of
self-preservation soon intervenes and the bow is swung about for
the homeward journey. But was that turn really necessary?
And then there is fishing
O
k, so an expedition to France or the
Shetlands may be out of the question.
Even somewhere like Lundy, visible from
our nearest beach and always particularly alluring,
is still a long way off. Set far out across some very
exposed water, this voyage may have to be left to
the sea kayakers. But in the right place, and at the
right time, theres no reason why a confident and
experienced canoeist shouldnt venture onto the
salty stuff at least along those food-filled edges.
Its true that European tradition, even modern
American habit, tends to see the canoe as
an inland vessel, a river or stillwater boat. To
those unfamiliar with their qualities, the canoe
probably appears insubstantial for sea use, a little
too fragile for the job. Yet this didnt seem to put
off the original designers and builders, the First
Americans.
An 18th-century Salish fisherman busy pulling a net full of pollock
from Puget Sound (off British Columbia), would have been
surprised to hear that his 3-foot wide hollowed cedar canoe wasnt
a seagoing craft. So too would the Beothuk of Newfoundland,
who regularly took birch-bark canoes, rarely more than 20 foot
in length, far offshore in search of food. True, the majority of the
indigenous American canoeists used their open craft on inland
lakes, but then look at some of those lakes. Even the smaller ones
can be the size of English counties. Some of the big boys are truly
vast, and quite capable of facing up to our Channel on equal terms.
If the canoe can cope with Lake Superior, it can manage a few bays,
estuaries or sea lochs.
And here of course lies the nub of the matter. As the mantra of the
house-buyer has it location, location, location. Much as Id love to
set out for France on a fine sunny morning and I still keep eying
up Lundy it is vital to recognise your vessels limits. Lundy is sadly
beyond them (at least with me at the helm). Many other more
sheltered offshore destinations though are not. Some islands, such
as Shona, nestled in Loch Moidart, make ideal destinations. A visit
to Wiay, in the protective lee of Benbecula, is quite possible, or the
island of Losay just off the northern edge of Skye, where some very
impressive sea urchins lie hidden just under the kelp at low tide.
This fascinating and now abandoned isle may be well over half a
mile from the shore, but the approach is protected from the worst
of the predominant south-westerlies by the Waternish
peninsula.
Scattered across the cod and mackerel rich sea to the west of
Senjas Bergsfjorden in northern Norway, a myriad of stony islands
can be explored, despite a seemingly exposed position facing the
open Atlantic. Spread in tight formation, a string of short hops is
possible from one skerry or islet to another. A perfectly sensible
canoe journey is possible in the right weather.
Which leads to obvious coastal canoeing point number two the
weather matters. With light airs wafting their way across a Cornish
estuary or sheltered Scottish sea loch, a journey in a canoe is fine.
You can even venture out a bit further into the open in good
steady conditions. But wind means waves, and waves can mean
trouble, so a close scrutiny of as many forecasts as possible pays
dividends on the peace of mind front. I might consider the canoe
to be a suitable seagoing craft, but only a suitable fine weather
seagoing craft.
To help here I always try to carry a small radio when out and
about. Less kind members of the family have suggested that this
is done merely to keep a check on the cricket score, and while it
has to be admitted that the occasional Ashes test has been known
In good weather, such as here off
Senja in Norway, it is possible to work
your way from one nearby island to
another
Sheltered Scottish sea lochs make
great places to take a canoe. This is
Loch Etive
to intrude on the sanctity of wild places, its
prime purpose really is to make contact with
the shipping news, or at least a local weather
forecast. Clever modern phones will do this
too of course, until the batteries run flat on
the second day out, or the signal vanishes as
soon as you paddle round the first headland.
Even in a bit of a breeze things should be
fine, with care, and again, in the right place. I
can recall some really nasty steep and close
waves, growing by the minute as we fought
our way along the Lewis coast opposite
Taransay. Hard work yes, but then we never
ventured more than 20 or 30 feet from a
surprisingly untroubled sandy beach. No
real risk was taken. In fact, in the hands of
someone happy on moving water, the canoe
can manage some pretty big swell, but as a
basic rule of thumb avoid any waves that
are breaking.
Actually, even in good conditions, I usually
hug the coast, often really quite close in. Safety plays a
definite part in this, but then I also like nothing more than
to troll along only yards from the shore, peering down at
the bottom through only a few feet of clear water. To my
mind theres nothing that competes with this narrow and
very special strip of water, set tight between the terrestrial
and marine world. From one enjoyable vantage point, you
can revel in views of land, sky and sea, and importantly, that
mysterious and evidently alien world just beneath the hull.
Something special is lost once the bottom disappears from
view. Fish tend to be more interested in something flashy
trolled behind the canoe in these depths too. Always an
important consideration.
When conditions allow I may venture further out of course,
but only once sure that Im heading for something with
plenty of good landing points and with somewhere safe
and near at hand to scuttle towards if things should take a
sudden turn for the worse. It is said that the Beothuk may
have paddled out from Newfoundland in their birchbark
canoes as far as Labrador, but then circumstance (hunger)
probably left them with little alternative. In our comfortable
modern world we are rarely short of options. We should exercise
that choice. There is no shame at all in turning back or not
setting out at all.
And when you have decided to launch, and the urge to leave the
relative security of the shoreline is strong, here is a seemingly
pleasant scenario to consider.
Youre stood on the edge of a largish expanse of water. Cheer is in
your heart because while you need to paddle quite a long way to
your intended destination, set way over on the other side, theres a
pleasant breeze at your back, one you feel confident will help push
you all the way. The sun is out and the water looks perfect, with
only the smallest of waves on the surface beyond the canoes bow.
Setting out you hardly need to paddle, that breeze is pushing you
along nicely, possibly even building a little as you reach the half-
way point.
The problem is, that the waves are starting to build too, helped by
that very same breeze - or is it now a light wind? The further you
go the higher they lift. But still, you tell yourself, the far shore is at
least approaching - slowly.
Growing closer, but not that fast, the water below your canoe
begins to shallow. Simple physics are now against you. As the
depth decreases, the waves grow yet larger. When a particularly
strong gust buffets at your back, twisting the canoe a touch, you
suddenly realise the day isnt nearly as pleasant as you thought.
What now? Keep going, the waves lifting and curling white at the
crest, or try to turn back? Can you turn back? To spin beam on to
these waves now is a very risky business. And those waves are still
growing
In summary, always be very wary of any open water crossing with
a following wind. It might seem to be harder work, but setting out
into a breeze should ensure that you see the worst conditions right
in front of you, before even setting off. It is also much easier to
turn back when youre reasonably confident in what lies between
you and the now very welcome shore astern.
Then, as its the sea, we have tides and tidal streams. You knew this
of course, but not perhaps the full story.
When small, slow and gentle, as found around the Kintyre coast
or in the Baltic, tides are little more than a gradual change in sea
level. Sometimes though, as youll soon discover if you venture
into the Taw-Torridge estuary on the north side of Devon, they can
be thundering and scary. Big tides can have a surprisingly large
impact on the water, particularly in the often shallow or constricted
CANOEING
Boscastle Harbour in Cornwall - well protected
from the open sea beyond the cliffs
Pick only the calmest of days to head out into
open water
water best suited to
canoes.
With a mixture of
exhilaration and mild
concern, we were
reminded of this once
when crossing Doom
Bar near Padstow
(surprise surprise I hear
you say). Working
cheerfully upstream on
an otherwise calm day,
a helpful following wind
gradually found itself
competing with a strong
ebb flow. Very interesting
conditions resulted.
Again, it was comforting
to have a pleasant sandy
beach not too far away
on the port quarter. There
was also another canoe
in the party - always
a reassurance on any
wilder stretch, and an
important consideration.
There really is safety in
numbers, particularly if
everyone is familiar with
both selfrecovery and
assisting another canoe
in difficulty. It should
almost go without saying
that any safety skill
needed inland becomes
particularly important
once away from the
beach or cove.
So you want to paddle
from A to salty B. The
Met Office people claim
that it is going to be still
and dry for days. Youve
a printout of a tide
timetable (it is even for
the place and time youre
going to visit). What
next?
Years of experience on
the sea will be useful,
but perhaps you can
only draw on an hour
of almost unbearable
cold and damp aboard some uncontrollable dinghy, hired years
and years ago by your scout group or youth club. At this point I
think it is vital to stress that even if you havent years of maritime
familiarity, you will at least be an experienced and competent
canoeist (including those recovery skills just mentioned). A life on
the ocean blue isnt fun, or even very secure, if youre not. If youre
not in instinctive and unthinking control of your craft at all times
(well almost all at least), then best stay away from the tidal stuff.
As you are a veteran paddler, I dont need to go on about basics.
You have a canoe, spare paddles (bow and stern), PFDs and a
varied and colourful collection of waterproof bags holding spare
clothes, something to eat and even perhaps a bothy bag. You
may also have a safety
rope in a little red bag
(worth taking). Even
if you usually forget it,
a bailer is now pretty
important wet stuff
does get in offshore. I
think two are a good
idea, and biggish ones
at that. In addition,
floatation bags are
probably a very good
move, certainly to start
with. I suspect they
should probably be
retained beyond that,
but they do take up
a lot of useful space.
Spray decks? No doubt
effective I'm sure, but I
admit to no experience.
My prejudices may
be unfounded of
course, but I've always
suspected that theyd
get in the way and don't you just end up
with a poor version of a kayak anyway. In the
end, if you want to explore the sea in anything
like its wilder or more open state, surely the
purebred enclosed seagoing kayak is the
proper choice for the paddler anyway. If Im
really going to need a spray deck, Ill probably
choose to spend the day ashore.
Whistles and flares the first pretty essential,
the latter probably a sensible precaution,
especially once you become adventurous.
Maps are a must, although Im not suggesting
you need dedicated marine charts, just
something to ensure you know where you are.
Good old Ordnance Survey sheets will be fine
(in a watertight map-case), or those wonderful
Harvey Mountain Maps, printed on wave-proof
polyethylene. A compass of course, possibly
two, but again, only the sort you might take
into the hills. Although I always carry a mobile
phone (in its own little dry-bag) a hand-held
VHF set may well be a better alternative, but
should be accompanied by the appropriate
training and licence.
Lastly, you might consider an anchor. Far from
essential, and not within the usual experience
of a canoeist I know, but they can have their
place (although not perhaps in the usual safety role familiar to
users of more conventional saltwater craft). In my experience a
canoe doesn't ride well to an anchor in any form of strong current.
Something to do with the narrow beam/length ratio perhaps
Im not sure. All I know is that they tend to weave about all over
the place, sometimes with disconcerting spirit. Weighing anchor
by hand in a fast tidal flow is not fun. All that said, an anchor
can provide a wonderful chance to take a breather in gentler
conditions. And if a useful buoy cant be found to trespass upon
for a while, an anchor is just the job, especially one of the umbrella-
like folding ones that take up relatively little space.
Approaching Isay off Skye - in good weather,
and with the added safety of another canoe in
the party
Playing in the surf - gentle surf
CANOEING
This can be particularly useful if you want to fish (of course you
want to fish). Drifting is fine of course, but the chance to drop
anchor, to feel the comforting tug as the flukes bite into the sand,
and then to lean back against the gunwale in the sun and await
the next bite (it will come wont it?) is one of lifes simple yet rather
special pleasures.
On the matter of
kit, I will take this
opportunity to
sing the praises of
a boat with plenty
of freeboard (the
distance between
the water and the
gunwales) and a
decent amount
of rocker (see my
article in the last
issue). The benefits
of the first should
be obvious. Rocker
may be a matter of
taste, but a canoe
well endowed
in this area was
designed to be
manoeuvrable
in moving water
after all. A canoe
with a straight keel
certainly tracks
well, but does
tend to be pulled
about a lot by
wave and current,
particularly when
the trend is at
an angle to your
intended direction
of travel, or when
everything has
become a little
mixed (fairly usual
coastal conditions
then). The ability
to slip like an eel
over the waves
is invaluable,
particularly if you
suddenly have to
account for a large
bow wave or wake
on your beam.
Most vessels tend to view a canoe at sea as capable with dealing
with this sort of thing (well theyre right of course, if you choose to
be out there, you should be) and they dont slow down. A 90-foot
trawler in a hurry to reach the fishing grounds before the next gale
can move quite a bit of water.
Which leads neatly to matters of observation. More than just
about anywhere else you might choose to canoe, coastal waters
require a flexible neck (I wish mine moved a little more freely). Just
as a fighter pilots security is, or at least was, bound closely to the
frequency of a good glance over the shoulder, so too is that of a
seagoing canoeist. Even a sailing boat can appear out of nowhere
pretty fast, to say nothing of a dory full of wreck-bound divers or a
powerboat pulling a water-skier. Vigilance is vital.
So too is at least a rudimentary idea of buoyage and what is
grandly termed The 1972 International Regulations for the
Provision of Collisions at Sea, or IRPCS. While a canoe can usually
get away with ignoring much of the former, and is probably best
off as far from any marked lanes as possible, it is very useful indeed
to know what everyone else is up to, or should be up to at least. If
in any doubt though, just get out
of the way. My grandfather, not
unfamiliar incidentally with the sea
himself, used to liken small boats
and other vessels to teacups and
saucepans bang them together
and you always end up with the
same result.
And finally, contingency plans.
Of course I dont really need to
tell experienced canoeists about
these. All should be used to
memorising a range of alternatives
to the intended trip - something
to deal with any change in
circumstances. Its just that at sea
you probably need to have a few
more considered alternatives at
your fingertips little bays for
example, that can be reached if
wind or sea conditions change,
and the knowledge that they will
be accessible at the current tide
level, and that the gentle swell you
are on wont be a good surf by the
time it has reached
the refuge of your
choice (landing in
any form of surf is
one of the trickiest
aspects of coastal
paddling, and
certainly best learnt
on as small a wave
as possible - try
to keep a pointy
bit facing the
oncoming lumpy
stuff, and watch out
when the shore end
touches down). In
general then, lots of
options, and eyes
peeled at all times.
But enough of the
nannying. One of
the reasons I enjoy
the sea so much is that it is still a place for grown ups, one of the
last places left in this ever more controlled world in which some
room for free choice, and a little healthy and evaluated risk-taking
remains possible.
And for any canoe owner with fishing or foraging instincts, the
benefits of accessing the rich pickings of the coast are obvious.
After all, this food-rich zone, where land meets the sea wasnt so
popular with our huntergatherer ancestors for nothing.
So, throw everything into your fine load carrier, tie it down tight,
hop in, and paddle away. Dont expect an easy time of it. Dont
expect complete security of mind or body. Do expect exhilaration
and a rare connection with things that matter.
Riding the swell back into Boscastle
Harbour. Just watch out for the
breaking stuff
The canoe can take you to some
wonderfully remote spots, even in
relatively busy areas. This is Scolt
Head Island, just off the north coast
of Norfolk
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PERRY MCGEE
TERRORISM AT LARGE
Perry McGee
Son of the late Eddie McGee, Perry is no
stranger to the wilds. With over 40 years
experience in survival training and leadership,
he has endured survival training and
situations in all types of terrain and climates,
gaining knowledge of survival scenarios all
over the world. Perry loves helping others
learn these skills and willingly assists others
where possible. Perry is founder of the National Tracking School and author
of a number of books including The Tracking Handbook.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
The posed threat of terrorism
is ever present, constant
reminders are with us in
our daily life, examples of
seemingly endless suicide
attacks and repugnant
images from acts of terror
are instantly reported
around the world.
E
ven if the UK is not
directly affected, anti-
terrorism restrictions
have been placed upon all
international travel, while long-
term disruption to trade and
tourism with affected countries
follows each successive attack.
Terrorism and the threat of
terrorism has changed the
world, and the way we live our
lives. It now plays a part in the
planning and running of major
events and the construction
of buildings. It plays its part in
organised crime, extortion and
piracy as well as advertising and
promoting extreme religious
views. Above all, it is responsible
for the death of many innocent
victims.
THE UK CONTEST
STRATEGY - To this end in
2003 the British Government
created and implemented
a counter terrorist strategy
known as CONTEST, specifically
designed to reduce the risk of
international terrorism and to
allow people to go freely about
their business, without restraint
and with confidence. The four
principle work streams for the
Contest Strategy are PURSUE,
PREVENT, PROTECT AND
PREPARE. Contest is continually
assessed and updated. These
four elements involve a multi
agency strategy including the
emergency services, voluntary
organisations, representatives
from the business sector and
partners from all around the
world.
PURSUE
Pursue is the strand of the
counter-terrorism work stream
that aims to stop terrorist attacks
in the United Kingdom and against interests overseas and is the
most immediate priority.
PREVENT
Prevent is the strand created to stop people from becoming
terrorists or supporting terrorism.
PROTECT
Protect is the work stream of the
counter-terrorism strategy that aims
to strengthen protection against
terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom
or against our interests overseas, and
thereby reduce vulnerability.
PREPARE
Prepare is the work stream of the
counter-terrorism strategy that aims
to mitigate the impact of a terrorist
incident where it cannot be stopped.
THE UK CRITICAL
NATIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE (CNI)
In the UK, the essential services
are known as the Critical National
Infrastructure (CNI). The CNI comprises
those assets, services and systems
that support the economic well being,
the political and social life of the
UK whose importance is such that
without it would:
Cause large-scale loss of life
Have a serious impact on the
national economy
Have other grave social
consequences for the community
Be of immediate concern to the
national government.
Within the strand of PROTECT a
vital role for the United Kingdom
government is to ensure the
continuity of society in times of
crisis and is described as providing
extra protection to essential services
and systems, to make them more
resistant to disruption, and better
able to recover quickly. In the
United Kingdom, the CNI has also
been categorised into nine further
interdependent sections.
COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY
SERVICES ENERGY FINANCE
FOOD GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC
SERVICES HEALTH TRANSPORT
WATER
The aims of these further nine
independent sectors are to reduce
the vulnerability of the national
infrastructure to terrorism and other
threats, keeping the UKs essential
services working.
THREAT LEVELS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Not many people
know that on 1 August 2006 information on the threat level to the
United Kingdom from terrorism was made available to the public.
The national threat levels are as follows:
LEVEL 5 LOW - AN ATTACK IS UNLIKELY
LEVEL 4 MODERATE - AN ATTACK IS
POSSIBLE, BUT NOT LIKELY
LEVEL 3 SUBSTANTIAL - AN ATTACK IS A
STRONG POSSIBILITY
LEVEL 2 SEVERE - AN ATTACK IS HIGHLY
LIKELY
LEVEL 1 CRITICAL - AN ATTACK IS
EXPECTED IMMINENTLY
THE CURRENT UK THREAT LEVEL
FROM INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
TO THE UK IS ASSESSED AS
SUBSTANTIAL
https://www.mi5.gov.uk/home/about-us/
faqs-about-mi5/what-is-the-current-
national-threat-level.html
RESPONDING TO A TERRORIST
INCIDENT - In a terrorist attack, the
United kingdom government works closely with local
authorities and police to respond. The government,
police and emergency services will all work together
when an attack occurs to deal with the aftermath and
minimise further disruption and impact. The police will
take the operational lead on the ground, with vast and
wide-ranging support from a number of governmental
departments and agencies.
GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN - In the event of an
emergency public safety is the absolute priority. The
government's policy on communicating about acts of
terrorism involves the issue of warnings to the public
that will best protect any community or venue facing a
specific credible threat. In the event of an incident the
message will almost always be go in, stay in, tune in.
WHAT CAN THE PUBLIC
DO?
Remain vigilant, whatever
the threat level. IF YOU
HAVE ANY SUSPICIONS
ABOUT POSSIBLE
TERRORIST ACTIVITY
REPORT IT TO THE ANTI-
TERRORIST HOTLINE ON
0800 789 321. The Anti-
Terrorist Hotline is for
tip offs and confidential
information. The public
should call 999 if there
is an immediate threat
to life.
PROTECT YOUR
PASSPORTS
MORE USEFUL THAN
WEAPONS TO A TERRORIST - Approximately half a million United
Kingdom passports go missing, or are stolen every year. Stolen
passports allow terrorists and criminals to travel freely throughout
the world, obtain goods and credit and thereby funding for their
cause, facilitating death to innocents. Take care of your passport,
do not carry it around unnecessarily and if
you must, keep it on your person rather than
in a bag. Avoid obvious areas where pick
pockets and thieves are and do not leave
your passport as security at bars or clubs.
Remember very few people have the right to
examine your passport so be wary of strange
requests from unofficial sources. If you have to
have your passport examined ensure that it is
returned directly to you. If you have lost your
passport report it missing as soon as possible
at https://www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-
passport
Travellers are advised to carry separate
photocopies of the back page of the passport,
to assist in the replacement process.
BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL THREATS
Remember to be vigilant, particularly when in crowded areas. Be
aware of your surroundings when travelling or in shopping centres
or entertainment venues. Where is your nearest emergency exit?
Report any unattended bags or luggage. Familiarise yourself with
how to operate a fire extinguisher and with emergency first aid.
This type of preparation can limit the impact of a terrorist act.
PERRY MCGEE
www.yeomanstoves.co.uk
The Natural
Choice for
Woodburning
Stoves
From the foothills of Dartmoor, renowned for its cold winters, Yeoman
has grown to become one of the leading stove manufacturers with
a wide selection of traditionally-styled woodburning and multi-fuel
stoves; with the additional versatility provided by our gas and electric
versions. There are also several high-output boiler models (up to
18kW) for a complete home heating solution and new to the Yeoman
family is the eye-catching CL range with its modern traditional styling,
making them the perfect choice for 21st century living.

Burning logs in our high efficiency clean-burning stoves is an
environmentally friendly, carbon neutral and cost effective heating
source, so opt for a Yeoman - the natural choice for a natural warmth
For more information on all Yeoman stoves, (including high output
boiler models), visit our website or call 01392 474060
CL Stove Range
WOOD MULTI-FUEL GAS ELECTRIC BOILER STOVES
Untitled-1 1 07/06/2013 14:37
MilitaryMart Hoods (UK)
The Home of Army Surplus
We at MilitaryMart specialise in
Ex Army surplus kit from all over
the world, we source suppliers
and buy direct cutting the cost to
you the customer Not only do
we sell Military Surplus we have
a large complement of outdoor
pursuits and camping equipment.
We usually hold large stocks of
Swedish trangias, reindeer hides,
scandanivan rucksacks, military
clothing andmuch more
T: 01695 228 323
E: sales@militarymart.co.uk
W: www.militarymart.co.uk
Jack Raven Bushcraft &
Woodland Skills
Based in an Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty in the heart of Kent,
Jack Raven Bushcraft is dedicated
to providing its customers with an
unforgettable bushcraft experience.
W: www.jackravenbushcraft.co.uk
T: 07553 763397
E: info@jackravenbushcraft.co.uk
Beneath The Stars Leathercraft
Handmade leather items primarily
for use in a bushcraft or outdoor
environment, including; knife, axe
and saw sheaths, as well as camping
accessories.
W: www.beneaththestars.net
T: 07917358857
E: beneaththestars@live.co.uk
www.yeomanstoves.co.uk
The Natural
Choice for
Woodburning
Stoves
From the foothills of Dartmoor, renowned for its cold winters, Yeoman
has grown to become one of the leading stove manufacturers with
a wide selection of traditionally-styled woodburning and multi-fuel
stoves; with the additional versatility provided by our gas and electric
versions. There are also several high-output boiler models (up to
18kW) for a complete home heating solution and new to the Yeoman
family is the eye-catching CL range with its modern traditional styling,
making them the perfect choice for 21st century living.

Burning logs in our high efficiency clean-burning stoves is an
environmentally friendly, carbon neutral and cost effective heating
source, so opt for a Yeoman - the natural choice for a natural warmth
For more information on all Yeoman stoves, (including high output
boiler models), visit our website or call 01392 474060
CL Stove Range
WOOD MULTI-FUEL GAS ELECTRIC BOILER STOVES
Untitled-1 1 07/06/2013 14:37
CONNECTING
THE SPIRIT OF BUSHCRAFT
Lewis Herridge
Lewis Herridge is the founder and owner of
Re-Evolving Earth. He is an outdoor activities
and bushcraft instructor teaching at the
University of Derby and at Institute for Outdoor
Learning events. He has travelled to over 20
countries on six continents leading overseas
expeditions and meeting many indigenous
people. He is a product of bettering himself
through natures wisdom and looking within.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
Outdoor education has been missing a vital component in
recent years; spirituality. This is something that is missed
throughout much of our culture, but is needed more than
ever when we look at the state of our society and the people
within it.
A
s outdoor enthusiasts we are all aware that there is
something special about being outdoors and amongst
nature. If you are like me, you may have almost come to
rely on it to enable you to live a happy and productive life. In a
recent, deep and meaningful debate around a campfire with fellow
enthusiasts, the question was asked; How does the outdoors
environment make you feel? Interestingly these were the main
responses;
1. It is good for the spirit.
2. If offers adventure, we all want adventure, whether
on a street corner or in nature.
3. Good to keep your head level. It has made me a
calmer person.
4. It has a bit of something for everyonetouches all
aspects of life.
5. Allows you to switch off from the rat race.
6. You can work at a pace dictated by nature and not
other people.
7. You can just be
From this response, it is clear that nature offers us something that is
real and much of this is supported by countless pieces of research.
It offers us adventure which excites us and brings us joy, an inner
calm, peace and a place to find our own identity, away from
the someone that we are told to be through our high tech and
advanced society; which is becoming increasingly fake and as one
person put it; spiritually bankrupt.
I believe that the outdoors environment plays a key role to help
create a better world in the face of a plethora of global problems.
Whether it be climate change, global inequality, over use of world
resources, unethical business, or a breakdown in the financial and
political systems, the problem remains the same.
The Dalai Lama, in his book Beyond Religion (2012) claims that;
ultimately the source of our problems lies at the level of the
individual. This is a common notion as many recognise that
people in todays society and especially in developed Western
nations, have lost their values in the chase for material wealth and
superficial rewards. We have become so busy in the work, leisure,
sleep cycle that we have forgotten the basics. But this is going to
change.
I believe that the possibilities in the outdoor setting in general
are fantastic, and that Bushcraft has an immense potential to
re-awaken our spirits and thus help create a better world. The
word Bushcraft is used to describe a way of life, a lifestyle lived
in balance and harmony with the planet and each other, but
it appears that it has been misrepresented in many respects.
It has been developed largely out of the military way of doing
things and bushcraft companies and courses are often lead by
ex-servicemen many
of whom, lets be fair,
may not be interested
in the spiritual. Many
people are left wanting
a deeper connection to
nature.
Additionally, you
can now do a course
learning almost any
skill related to Bushcraft
and this is great, but
what about the other
side to it? What about
its power to inspire,
teach and create inner
peace? Or the ability to
allow you to connect
with nature. These
characteristics are
seriously underrated, a
situation that urgently needs to be addressed.
If you do a Google search for spiritual Bushcraft courses, little will
show up. Occasionally you may find someone that is adopting
some principles of Celtic spirituality which I don't know much
about. But my point is that there is very little activity regarding
spirituality in the outdoors or Bushcraft, even though the subject
of Bushcraft is centred on balance and harmony and it is a perfect
platform.
For clarity, and because the word can be easily misunderstood,
when I use the term spirituality I really mean; to awaken your true
self which is inside of you. In this instance, it is not related to any
form of religion, even though many of the worlds religions stem
from this concept.
A spiritual way of looking at the world is to look within and change
yourself. When you do this you discover that we have been split in
two. The first is what many call the ego or the thinking mind. This
is the mental image that we create for ourselves. This is where we
solve problems, think up solutions or overcome great obstacles
but it is also where we criticise others or ourselves, where we worry
about the future and are overcome and controlled by our emotions
such as greed, anger and hate. This is the state where many of us
are 95% of the time.
The second is a dimension of inner depth that is deeper than name
or form. It is the life force that sustains not only us but all of nature.
Many call this the soul, consciousness or God. This dimension is
unknown to many people but is active more than you may think.
It is where peace, stillness and love originate from and is the
dimension that grows with spiritual development. This dimension
is who we really are!
This concept maybe hard to comprehend but mainstream physics
is now beginning to support this view. They have discovered that
everything around us is made up of atoms and one percent of
every atom is composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons. The
other 99% is empty space. To put this in comparison if the nucleus
(centre of Atom) was the size of a penny the electrons would be
whizzing around a large Cathedral and everything else is empty
space. So how does everything appear so solid if it is 99% space?
This is simple, atoms vibrate; they carry a certain frequency which
decides on their density. The world we see and our bodies are just
energy vibrating. The Universe is a big collection of energy and
frequency. But the
planet also vibrates
and this is known
as the Schumann
resonance, the
pulse of Earth or
the pulse of Life;
it has a frequency
of 7.83Hz. This is
almost the same as
human alpha brain
waves from 8-12
Hz which are seen
in wakefulness
when a person is
relaxed but alert.
Alpha brain waves
are also heavily
linked to creativity
and meditative
states. Beta waves
have a higher
frequency of above 13Hz and are seen when we are highly alert,
focused and thinking analytically and most of our day as adults
is spent in the beta state. Now is it just a coincidence that the
outdoor environment makes you feel relaxed and "in tune" or is
this proof that it is something significantly deeper? Perhaps our
natural state is re-harmonising with that of the planet?!
I believe that Bushcraft can be the ideal tool to encourage the
awakening of your spirit. On my courses we use common activities
such as friction fire-lighting, shelter building, craft making, open
fire cooking and woodland exploration with a new spiritual
approach to enhance our true well-being.
We must combine current understanding of science and physics
and link this with ancient spiritual practices such as meditation
and mindfulness (being in the present moment). By doing this we
can re-discover our natural state. This includes; boosting creativity
by utilising the underused right side of the brain, encouraging
self-sufficiency, arousing a new motivation, gaining a clearer
understanding of our true reality, awakening our spirits, inspiring
better general well-being through looking at nature's wisdom and
discovering new things about ourselves and the world around us.
By completing a course you will be armed with information and
practices on how to improve ourselves individually in our day to
day lives. Just think, many of us will spend much money on our
professional development, but very little on developing ourselves
for the better. These methods will enable us to grow and re-learn
the basics to create inner balance, deep peace and happiness;
which if enough people do, will reflect on our outer reality.

Clearly though, further exploration is needed in this area and I
urge fellow Bushcrafters and Outdoor enthusiasts to consider the
spiritual in their own outdoor adventures. As for me I truly believe
in this and have created Re-Evolving Earth as a by-product. Please
check it out and support my work. www.re-evolvingearth.com or
search Facebook; Re-Evolving Earth.
RAY FEARS
May Rears
The Amazing Adventures of...
BURP GRYLLS
REVIEW
By now, many people will have heard of the BioLite Stove,
which lets you generate electricity whilst you cook. I heard
about
it before it was launched and had it on pre-order from the US
for several
months. I just liked the idea of it, as most
electronic devices soon become bricks if youre out in the
woods for more than a few days and at least with this stove
you can now keep them topped up (if you want to!).
T
he body of the stove is stainless steel, with three fold-out
legs and all the electronics and power generation are
contained in a plastic housing that sits on the side. Theres
a self-recharging lithium ion battery inside which runs a small fan
that the stove uses to ensure a constant, clean burning, nearly
smokeless fire once it gets going. It typically takes less than five
minutes to go from unpacking the stove to a roaring fire capable of
generating electricity.
Using only wood and other biomass as fuel it generates enough
electricity to charge small electronic devices such as phones, GPS,
and torch batteries via a standard USB interface on the front. It
produces a steady 2W @ 5V (0.4A) with a peak of 4W, so its great
for charging smartphones, but it cant quite generate the power
required to charge larger devices such as iPads.
The fan-assisted fire ensures a good hot flame for cooking on
and the stove can boil a litre of water in about 4.5 minutes, so it
compares pretty well with gas-powered camping stoves and can
be used for a quick brew-up. As its a raised fire you also dont have
to worry about clearing the ground and tidying up afterwards like
you would with a small campfire. The unit is pretty stable and only
has a small footprint, but you do need a fairly level surface to place
it on, especially when you have the extra weight of cooking pots
on top.
The stove is fuel efficient and uses less wood than a conventional
fire (46g of wood to boil 1L of water they claim), but the
combustion chamber is relatively small (think twigs, not sticks) so
the fan assisted burn means that youll need to top it up with fuel
every 5-10 minutes. This isnt a problem if youre sitting next to it
cooking, but charging a typical smartphone from empty to full can
take 4+ hours, so you can end up a bit tied to it if youre not careful.
A bit of forward-planning can avoid this though if you do longer
charges when youre going to be around camp for a while and can
check on it every so often.
When not in use, the stove packs up into a fairly small bundle
(21cm x 12.7cm), with the plastic power unit stored inside the stove
body and all neatly contained in the drawstring bag that comes
with it. At 935g its not the lightest of stoves, but it can replace any
existing small stove and reduce the number of spare batteries you
have to carry.
Since the launch of the stove BioLite have also produced two
additional accessories the Kettlepot and the Portable Grill and
the nice people at BioLite have been kind enough to send us one
of each to play with.
BIOLITE
FAMILY
Kettle
boiled,
time to
get dinner
on...
By Paul Watson
The KettlePot
is a really
clever piece
of design that
solves several
problems.
As its name
suggests is both
a kettle and a
pot, but it also
acts as a hard
storage case for
the stove unit.
It has a 1.5 litre
stainless steel
pot, a plastic
kettle lid with
silicon seal (for
efficient boiling
and pouring), an internal plastic bowl and a stuff sack. It adds another 435g of weight
and increases the overall packed dimensions slightly to (26cm x13.2cm) but you gain a
lot more for it and can jettison some other kit from your pack.
The Portable Grill is another piece of solid design and stainless steel engineering that
rests on top of the BioLite stove, with two locking, fold-out legs to support it. The
ingenious design means that all the liquids that come off your food whilst cooking run
down into the stove where they either act as fuel or get vaporised either way keeping
the unit free of build-ups when it comes to cleaning.
It comes with a plastic lid that covers the top and
bottom, so it can be transported even if its not
clean (although it does come apart into three pieces
for cleaning). Its a good-sized grill which can cook
enough for up to four people, but this means that
its not exactly pocket-sized at approx. 25cm x 31cm
x 9cm and 850g when packed. I wanted to try a
few different foods on it, including the all important
Can it make toast test?, so I had a play.
Theres a flip-up lid in the centre of the grill which
allows you to put more fuel into the stove. Its a bit
of an art getting the fire levels right to start with,
as the fan-assisted fire can be quite feisty with hot
flames coming out straight under the food, but you
get used it. Choosing the amount and thickness of
sticks allows you some control and you can control
cooking speed by moving the food across the grill
from right (hotter) to left (cooler). So, can it make
toast? Yes it can but a couple of
slices of bread suffered a bit until I got
things right. It also did me proud on a
selection of other grillable items, so it
does exactly what it says on the tin.
Overall, I think the BioLite stove is a
good piece of kit, made even better
by the accessories. The KettlePot
stores so neatly that Id always take
this if I was taking the stove. The
Portable Grill is good but its bulkier
so Id probably only take it if I was
out for a while with a camp, or at a
site that insisted on raised fires. It
certainly makes it easier to leave no
trace, and would also keep things
simple if youre camping out with
small kids where quick pack-up
times are a good thing.
BIOLITE
FAMILY
Getting
a brew
on whilst
charging!
A
B
C
D
NATURAL NAVIGATION
NATURAL NAVIGATION
T
he natural navigation clues are the ones I usually spot first
and some of the less well known ones are my favourites - Ill
very happily use a rainbow to find my way if one appears.
Aside from navigation there are so many other useful clues out
there, from tracks by our feet to the colour of the sky overhead
and they are all waiting to be discovered. But it does help a bit
when you know when and where to look.
In my latest book, The Walkers Guide to Outdoor Clues & Signs,
I go much deeper into the subject of natural navigation on land
and I also explain many of the other useful clues I use. Everybody
is probably familiar with the idea that you can use the North Star
to find direction and perhaps also that there are more than two
dozen other great methods for using the stars to navigate. But
it is slightly less well known that we can also use the stars to tell
the date and time, forecast the weather, work out the distance to
nearby towns and even test our eyesight.
The moon can be used to find direction quite easily too, but it also
helps with many other areas, like working out what the tides are
up to. The next time you see a full moon you have just worked out
that the great tidal ranges, the springs, are about to reach not
just the UK, but the rest of the world too. I love the idea that you
can predict what the tides will be doing on a Pacific island from a
British back garden, just by looking at the sky.
What if youre not sure if its a full moon or not? There are clues
for that too. If it is a full circle, rises near the time of sunset and
appears abnormally bright then it is most likely to be a full moon,
if not then its probably not. Did you know that a full moon gives
us nearly ten times as much light as when we see half the moons
face? Or that you can use the stars to work out what time and
direction the moon will rise? Every serious outdoorsperson should
be able to work out whether the moon is going to cooperate with
a night walk. Just by looking at the moons shape you can work
out which sides of a hill will be well lit at a certain time of night,
several weeks or even months away.
How about if youd like to use nature to work out whether
your night vision has kicked in? Just find some red and green
close to each other and if the green looks brighter than normal
relative to the red, then your night vision is taking over. My
Tristan Gooley,
The Natural Navigator, Tristan Gooley is the
author of The Walkers Guide to Outdoor
Clues & Signs and the founder of The Natural
Navigator school. Tristan's passion for the
subject of natural navigation stems from his
hands-on experience. He has led expeditions in
five continents, climbed mountains in Europe,
Africa and Asia, sailed small boats across
oceans and piloted a small aircraft to Africa and
the Arctic. He is the only living person to have
both flown solo and sailed singlehanded across
the Atlantic and is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Royal
Geographical Society.
AUTHOR PROFILE:
It is probably fair to say that I view the outdoors
world in a strange way. When I am outside,
everything feels like a clue to me and my mind is
nearly always busy trying to uncover signs in the
land, sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, animals, sky and
clouds.
favourite way of doing this with natures
help is to use the green leaves and red
petals of a geranium.
There are over a dozen different ways
you can use plants as a compass, from
roots to leaves, but they are also very
good at making a map of the land as
well. From high ground it is very easy
with practice to map out the distant dry
and wet areas using trees and to assess
the terrain nearer - by using grasses and
flowers. But this is a finer art than many
appreciate and there are clues in even the
most common plants. Stinging nettles
depend on phosphate-rich soil and this
is a clue to human habitation of some
kind. So, if youre heading from a wild
place to a town or village, then stinging
nettles are a great sign youre
getting warmer. You can also
map the land with the help
of wildlife, like birds, small
mammals and butterflies.
Once youre in a town
there are a whole range
of specialist clues too. You
can find your way in towns
using the flow of people, the
road layout, roof shapes, the
lichens, aircraft or even the
clouds. Sundials and solar
panels give a good clue to
south and there are more than ten ways a church can be used to
find direction. House numbers tend to go up as you head away
from the centre of town.
One game I like to have fun with when leading a walk or course is
to challenge people to point to something that they think I might
struggle to use as sign. Sometimes it takes me a little while to find
the clue, but it is usually there. Its a game Id encourage you to
challenge yourself with on your own walks, as it will help you to see
the outdoors world in a different and very helpful way.
The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs
by Tristan Gooley due out on 8th May 2014.
There are over a dozen different ways you can use a tree as a
compass and Tristan will even use a rainbow to navigate
www.bushcraftmagazine.com
Not All Those Who
Wander Are Lost
J.R.R. Tolkien

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Editor Simon Ellar

Paul Woods How often do you stub your toe whilst

Scott James - In all of your travels, has there ever been

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S Boardman what is the most amazing survival

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Bushcraft &amp; Survival Skills - June 2014 UK - FiLELiST

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Editor Simon Ellar

Paul Woods How often do you stub your toe whilst

Scott James - In all of your travels, has there ever been

Joe Gossage - What would it take to make you put

S Boardman what is the most amazing survival

What are your plans for the future?

I enclose a cheque / postal order

I enclose a cheque / postal order

Offer ends 26th June 2014

You might also like

Bushcraft & Survival Skills - June 2014 UK - FiLELiST

Bushcraft & Survival Skills - June 2014 UK - FiLELiST