Bush Craft Issue 43

Editor Simon Ellar [email protected] Sub-Editor Olivia Beardsmore [email protected] Design Andy Childs [email protected] Proof-Reading Elaine Gilboy Advertising Sales [email protected] Office Administrator Linda Frohock [email protected] Distribution Comag Tavistock Road West Drayton Middlesex UB7 7QE Telephone: 01895 433800  Email: [email protected]

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Subscriptions UK: £29 / year (1 year, 6 issues) Europe: £39 / year Rest of World: £49 / year Digital: £19 / year (1 year, 6 issues) Subscribe online at: www.bushcraftmagazine.com To pay by card, telephone: 0333 4567 123 & Press Option 1 Cheques & Postal Orders payable to: SO Publications & Events Ltd PO Box 8098, Derby, DE1 0ZQ Tel: 0333 4567 123 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.bushcraftmagazine.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are not to be considered those of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, data, advice etc. contained within, no responsibility will be accepted for any errors, omissions or comments made by writers, interviewees, or editors, or for comments from any other source. We accept no responsibility for any damages incurred resulting from the use of any information contained in this magazine, however caused. Any prices quoted are correct at the time of going to press. Copyright: All articles, writings, drawings, photographs etc. are copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Happy Birthday Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine! It’s hard to believe that seven years ago, I was standing at the Outdoors Show at the NEC, Birmingham in a 3x3m stand, launching the very first issue of Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine. Some of you may remember this or may have even purchased your first issue there. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to each and every subscriber and reader because without you, we would not be on our 43rd issue. The magazine has gone from strength to strength, being marketed at many shows and events throughout the country with stands in excess of 300 square metres providing interactive bushcraft activities to all. Through the magazine, I have had the opportunity to work with and meet leading figures in the industry such as Lars Fält, Mors Kochanski, Bear Grylls, Les Stroud, Mykel Hawke, John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman, Simon King, Ben Fogle, and Steve Backshall amongst others. These opportunities have taken me to Sweden working with Lars Falt, visiting Gränsfors Bruks, forging at and touring the factory. I have attended many courses run by key figures in the bushcraft and survival industry. I have travelled to some great locations such as the Sarhara Desert, and recently lived with the Massai people in Kenya, which was an amazing experience and a rollercoaster ride of emotions, you can read more about this from Olivia on p58. The team and I hope that you have enjoyed the plethora of articles and information we have been able to bring to you and we thank you for your continued support of the publication, particularly when times are hard in our current economy and the magazine industry has struggled as it competes with a new digital age. We were delighted to hear that although magazine sales are down from last year by 8% as a whole, with camping magazines (the category in which we are placed) down by 13%, Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine is up by 18% and that is down to you.

EDITORS COMPETITION The traditional gift for a seventh anniversary is wool and so you can share in our seventh birthday celebration with us, we have seven woolly items to give away. Not just any wool but Merino wool! If you would like a Woolpower Merino Wool garment then all you have to do to enter is send in seven reasons why you like Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine and seven suggestions for future issues. We are looking forward to hearing from you, and seven lucky winners will be picked at random. Send in your answers to: [email protected]

WIN!

This issue is just packed with information and knowledge about your hobby from using your initiative to sharpen your tools with Ben & Lois Orford (p12) to an array of woodland crafts including bark containers (p44), rustic furniture (p78) and making a longbow (p8). To inspire, we have a review on two books you may like to read (p82) and an account of a magical expedition with the Massai people (p58). If you love the thought of owning a tipi or would like to upgrade the one you have, then read my review on the latest tipis on the market and save your funds by buying what is best for you (p48). Ian Nairn is here with another money-saving tip showing you how to make a fabulous budget headover (p64). With riverbank tales and Lofty’s Life Stories (p18) your love of all things wild and adventurous will grow. Don’t forget to make sure you know the five most important survival plants too (p26) as Paul Kirtley shares his expert knowledge on the subject and of course, as always there is so much more… Until next time - Happy Bushcrafting!

Simon Ellar Editor

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© 2012 SO Publications & Events Ltd. All rights reserved. ISSN: 1749-7205

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 discretion. iv). All prizes are non-transferrable and no cash or credit alternatives will be offered. v). Prizes may be distributed by a third-party sponsor so you agree by entering, for your details to be passed on to arrange the 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, applicable taxes and for any expenses not specified in the prize description. xii). Bushcraft and Survival Skills accept no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed or damaged in the post or lost or delayed in transmission or for damage or loss resulting in communications not received due to computer malfunctions, viruses, etc. xiii). Competitions are not open to the employees of Bushcraft and Survival Skills, to any sponsors involved with the competition or the immediate families of employees or sponsors. xiv). Competition winner/s agree that neither Bushcraft and Survival Skills nor any sponsors shall have any liability in connection with the acceptance or use of any of the prizes awarded. xv). By entering our competition you give your permission for your details to be used by Bushcraft and Survival Skills and the competition sponsor to provide you with information on their products / services; you will always be given the opportunity to unsubscribe. Bushcraft and Survival Skills accept no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of mailings from the sponsor. Your details will not be passed on to any third parties. xvi). If you are unable to enter the competition by email to [email protected] you can do so by sending your name, address and telephone number to the address shown above marked ‘competition entry’. For all entries please state which competition you are entering and include your name, address, contact number and email address. Illegible or incomplete entries will be disqualified. Winners will be notified by email, should you wish; please send an e-mail to [email protected] detailing the Competition for the names of the winner/s or send an S.A.E. to the address above, again detailing the competition. The closing date for the competitions in this issue is the 12th April 2013 unless otherwise stated. Only one entry per person per competition is permitted.

www.benorford.com Ben and Lois Orford Ben makes handmade specialist bushcraft knives and green woodcraft tools including many Spoon or Crook knives and bespoke Craft tools. ideal for all woodcraft needs. Also a wide range of other green wood tools. Lois makes custom leather work products from belts and pouches to bespoke tool covers and sheaths for any of your bushcraft or greenwood tools. Please phone or email for advice e: [email protected] t: 01886880410 • m: 07866821308 w: www.benorford.com

Ben Orford 1/4.indd 1

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CONTENTS... FEATURES 8 12 18 22 26 34 38 44 58 64 70 74 78

REGULARxxxxx

Make an Ash Longbow Sharp Thinking Lofty’s Life Stories Tales of the Riverbank The 5 Most Important Survival Plants Ticks: Vampires or just a piece of natural jigsaw Picture Perfect Make a Birch Bark Container Life Changing Expedition Bushcraft on a Budget Headover Tracking Exercises & Games to Play Part 2 Best in Bushcraft 2012 Winners & Finalists Comments Rustic Furniture

3 7 16 67 68 69 73

subscr iB TODAY! E FOR DE T SEE pag AILS e 68

COMPETITIONS 3 43 47 57 82 82

7th Birthday Competition Win a Massai Stick What happened here? Win a Tipi Win Primitive Technology II Win The Long Walk

Editorial Letters to the editor In the news Back Issues Offer Subscription Offer Next issue Trading Post

REVIEWS 48 Tipi or not Tipi? 82 The Long Walk 82 Primitive Technology II

MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS... Life - Pablo is a life-long wildlife Pablo, HeWood has a military and law-enforcement

enthusiast. background and has a wide range of teaching and training qualifications. He uses a combination of bushcraft, tracking and field craft 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.

Perry McGee,

Perry McGee’s National Tracking School

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 Perry McGee’s Tracking School and author of a number of books including The Tracking Handbook.

Here are just SOME of those who make this possible... Jason Ingamells, How To - Jason's interest in

Survival was sparked as a child when he went on his first aid course, rushing straight out afterwards to buy Lofty Wiseman's SAS Survival Handbook and all the kit he could purchase! However as he developed an understanding of what nature could provide he soon understood that it was the knowledge he held in his head and not the gear in his pack that was all the essential kit he needed.

‘Lofty’ Wiseman should need John no introduction in the world of bushcraft & survival. He

served with 22 SAS for over 26 years, rising to the rank of Sergeant-Major and 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: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea. First published in 1986, selling over 2 million copies, it has been translated into 18 different languages and adapted for the Collins Pocket Guide – The SAS Guide, which sells hundreds of thousands each year and as an iPhone App.

To view all the contributors visit www.bushcraftmagazine.com

Paul Kirtley is owner and Chief Instructor of Frontier Bushcraft Ltd. He was previously Course Director at Woodlore Ltd. He spent 10 years studying and training under the guidance of world-renowned bushcraft expert, Ray Mears, first as a student on his bushcraft courses and 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. Paul also holds the Mountain Leader Award.

Ian Nairn , Bushcraft on a budget —

'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. Ian is constantly on the lookout for items to re-use or turn into something for bushcraft use. 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!

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 5

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LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR! Upcycled!

Hi Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine,

Hi Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine,

I recently bought a flint stick but needed a handle to fit it too. Whilst out hiking, I cut a small piece of silver birch and when I returned back home, I drilled a hole in the centre of it and inserted the flint stick. It has made a lovely temporary handle and can also be used for tinder. If ever I need any tinder, all I have to do is carve some bark off the handle and I'm in business. Simple!

Just a little photo of the bucksaw I made from an old broken chair. My lad broke one of the kitchen chairs, so I though I would make a buck saw with it.

Scout Gordon Hi Scout Gordon, Super idea! Let me know how you get on, you may find, if you cut a fresh branch, that as the wood dries out it may split and the grip on the firesteel loosens. If this happens and you wanted a more permanent solution you could use some strong glue to keep it in. Another solution is to look out for some seasoned Birch, or cut a piece and let it season outside before drilling the hole for your firesteel. You could drill a hole at the top too and put some cord through. I love the idea of having the Birch bark there to peel off in case of need! Happy Bushcrafting!

L

ETTE Mud R Tea , Swea r Gry s by Be t & lls o ar way n its !

Dual Purpose Handle!

Kind regards,

STAR

It took a few attempts, but I finally got it to work great. The end pieces are made from the leg parts and the cross member is made from the long back piece, which I cut down and the string is off an old cat scratcher.   Many thanks, Peter Cross, Enville, West Midlands

Hi Peter, I have seen many handmade saws, the last thing that I would have expected to see would be one made out of a chair! Well done, that really is upcycling! Happy Bushcrafting! Simon

Simon

Bushcraft for Beginners

Bushcraft IN FRANCE

Dear Editor,   I have been a subscriber to Bushcraft and Survival Skills for approximately 18 months and find the magazine very hard to put down. The world of bushcraft is something that fascinates me and fires the imagination. My problem is that my bushcraft skills could be as described as basic or at worst, DANGEROUS. Is it possible for the magazine to include a ‘beginners’ or ‘basics’ page for us lightweights?   Thank you,   Peter Rayment, Cambridge

Hello,   I'm writing from France where I live. I discovered your famous magazine a while ago.   What a pity there's none like your one in France, which is why I subscribed and have since ordered seven back issues too.   This is a picture of me doing a river crossing, I hope you like it.

Hi Peter,

Hi Regis,

It’s great to hear that you have become interested in bushcraft over the last 18 months. You are not alone as we hear from plenty of people each month who are getting involved in this growing hobby. Each issue we offer a selection of articles ranging from beginner articles to advanced articles, however I can understand if initially an article may appear advanced. Have a read of the article and then give it a go. If you have any questions relating to an article, feel free to write in and we will ask the author for you should you need further assistance. If there are any subjects you would like to see specifically covered then also let us know. I hope this helps and do check out the back issues (currently on offer p67) as they have many articles covering basic skills that you will find suitable.

I am glad that you like reading Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine. We started the magazine seven years ago as there was not a magazine for bushcraft enthusiasts. Since then, many books have come out on the subject and interest is certainly growing, who knows there may be a French bushcraft magazine in the future. We provide a digital version, but as many people prefer the feel and portability of a ‘real’ magazine we are happy to mail to France, indeed we have subscribers that prefer a physical magazine throughout Europe and the U.S.A. and in countries as far reaching as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, Dubai, South Korea and more. So we really do appeal to, and service an international readership.

Happy Bushcrafting! Simon

To win great bushcraft prizes, send in your 'Letter to the editor' to [email protected]

With thanks, Regis Montemont, France  

Happy Bushcrafting! Simon

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Write Today!

HOW TO

BOWS, THE BRITISH & THE BOWYER

The running bowline Using another tree as a pulley

by Richard Lees MSc There is perhaps no single weapon more ingrained into the psyche of the inhabitants of the British Isles than the longbow. Initially, the bow was a versatile and vital survival tool used for hunting game such as birds, boar and red deer. If we go back ten-thousand years ago when the archaeological record shows that longbows were first used, it is thought our hunter-gatherer ancestors used them to hunt woolly mammoth. Furthermore, our ancestors were hunting brown bear as recently as 1000 AD.

T

he intimate British relationship with the longbow eventually evolved to include warfare. Arguably, it reached its apex at the battle of Agincourt. The skill of the bowmen and the sheer deadliness of the longbow will live forever in our cultural and oral history. Globally adored legends such as Robin Hood are at the heart of British folklore. Interestingly, there is an archaic law that still requires every Englishman over the age of fourteen to practice the longbow for two hours every weekend while being overseen by a member of the clergy! The bow-making process begins with finding a suitable tree; therefore, I will briefly explain the basic technique required to fell a tree. This will give you all the raw material you will need. It is important to note that before you fell any trees, you must check to see if there is a Tree Protection Order (TPO) in place and have the permission of the landowner. Also, you should only harvest trees in accordance with the woodland management scheme.

Starting the gob cut

The gob cut

First, throw a bundle of rope over a branch, and tie a running bowline knot. Then, slide the knot into place and pull it tight. If you attach the other end of the rope round another nearby tree, this will act in a similar fashion as a pulley and help to guide the tree to fall in the safest direction. Then, with an axe, cut the sink into the base of the tree. You can do this by cutting at a forty-five degree angle to the bottom of the cut, as it is important that this be flat. The sink, sometimes called a gob cut, has a flat bottom and comes in about one-fifth of the way through the trunk. This is the point where the trunk will break, forming a hinge; therefore the orientation of the sink will dictate the direction the tree will fall. The next step is hazardous, and great care should be taken. A few inches above your sink or gob cut, you will need to perform a back cut. While you are making the back cut, your companion should put the tree under tension by pulling on the pulley attached to the other tree (as described in the first step). The tree should now fall in the desired direction. It could ‘barber chair’, however, where the trunk suddenly and violently snaps. In order to ensure your safety, you should never stand or look directly behind the tree when making the back cut. The two cuts act to create a hinge. When the hinge gets thin enough, and with the guidance of your pulley, the tree will fall. You must always have an escape route planned which is at forty-five degrees to the rear of the tree. The danger zone is directly behind the tree and everywhere within a one-hundred-and- eighty-degree arc of where the tree could fall. You will then be left with two escape routes at fortyfive degree angles behind the tree. You must always ensure that your escape route is clear of any obstacles. It is of the utmost importance that you book yourself onto a course to learn these forestry skills first hand, as tree felling is potentially lethal.

Putting in the back cut Felling the tree

Ideally, a longbow should be made from yew (Taxus baccata). However, yew is no longer grown as a crop. A decent stave needs to come from the trunk of a young tree and not from a branch. The sheer rarity of the wood makes the costs of a yew

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longbow prohibitive. Fortunately, as we will be looking at in this article, ash (Fraxinus excelsior) can be used to make an exceptional flat bow. As an interesting digression, many ancient bows have been recovered by archaeologists across the globe, and they exhibit many different designs and materials. Some are so advanced that they cannot be improved upon with modern technology. Perhaps the most famous of these is the Holmegaard bow which was recovered intact from a bog in Denmark. Five foot long and made from elm, the Holmegaard bow has been carbon dated back to at least eight thousand years old.

Splitting the trunk

In order to make a quality bow, it is a good idea to understand the science behind bow-making. A bow is essentially a wooden spring that accumulates, stores, and releases energy. There are three factors that will influence the bow’s energy: the draw weight, the draw length, and the brace height (which is Split staves the distance from the bow to the string). If the brace height is low, it means that the string can be drawn further back. This will give the arrow more energy and therefore more power; the speed of an arrow is called the cast. A high brace height gives a greater degree of accuracy and less paradoxing (wobbling) of the arrow as it flies. Conversely, there are also factors which determine the maximum energy that can reach the arrow: thick limbs will drain energy as they tend to spring back more slowly; string stretch, which occurs under tension, will cause your bow to lose power; while the longer the bow length (limbs), the greater the power. A bow needs to be as straight as possible when un-strung. When the bow takes on a curve due to the tension of the string, it is known as string follow. This phenomenon can be observed even when un-strung. String follow is good if you are looking for

Removing the cambiam layer

accuracy; however, it has little power. A straight bow has medium power and medium accuracy. A re-curved bow, one which bends away from the string, is the best design for power, but it has poor accuracy. There are essentially two types of bow: long bows are as deep as they are wide and form a D-shape in cross section, and flat bows are wider than they are deep and are rectangular in cross section. The advantage with flat bows is that they can be lighter and shorter, yet still just as powerful. Therefore, we will be looking at how to make a flat ash longbow.

Making the stave Now you have now felled your tree, the initial step is to split the trunk into staves from which the bows will be made. Staves can also be bought online. In order to split the trunk into staves, you will need to use an axe to score a line that will create a split along the bark. (A knife can be used; however, I have found this method to be inferior). The next step is to make a few wooden wedges which are then driven in along the scored line. This will eventually split the trunk. Wooden wedges create less damage to the wood than commercially available metal ones. After splitting the trunk in two, repeat the process in order to quarter the wood. Each stave will then give you a bow. You should now have your stave ready in order to fashion your bow. You My stave can see from my face that it is a most satisfying experience! Europe went through vast quantities of yew during the middle ages, as bows were mass-produced using this method. There are three main steps to follow in order to create a longbow: these are roughing out the bow, drying, and finishing.

Roughing out your bow The initial step is to strip the bark from what will be the ‘back’ of the bow (the part that will face away from you). Make sure that you go down through the cambium layer, found between the inner bark and the wood itself. If this is not removed the wood will not dry properly, also when put under tension, this layer can crack. At the same time, it is important not to cut into the wood underneath. Your bow will snap under tension if the back of the bow does not consist of the same, single growth ring.

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 9

HOW TO

Bow dimensions

On this occasion, I decided to forego a one piece ash bow. Instead, I decided to add a walnut handle. If you choose to do this, simply follow a single growth ring all the way down the length of the bow. Then, glue on your handle using Shaping the handle powerful wood glue. Wrap some inner tube round it as it dries to make sure it is held in place. Finally, shape the handle how you want it to be, and ensure it is secure and comfortable.

When you have ‘skinned’ your stave, it is time to begin to rough out the shape of the bow. On the back of the bow, you need to mark out your design with a pencil. Bow designs are many and varied, each with their own attributes. I advise looking online to find the design that you would like. To follow the design of my bow, the handle section should be four inches long and one inch wide. The width should fade out over another two inches to a final width of at least two inches for both of the limbs. The limbs then continue up the length of your bow, tapering towards the end. Try to aim for your bow to be in the region of six foot; however, tailor it to your own height. As I am sixfoot-one, a six-foot bow is perfect.

Drying When you are at this stage, you must be patient and season the wood by leaving it to dry for at least three weeks to a month. I know a bowyer who seasons his staves for a year before finishing.

Finishing Attaching a walnut handle

The end of the bow is where the notches that will hold the string will eventually be cut. The bow taper should be about three-quarters -of-an-inch wide at this point; later, we will take it down to half-an-inch. Turn the bow over, and draw a line on the side profile. Follow one of the growth rings three-quarters-of-an-inch from the back of the bow, along the belly. Remember that when you get down to the centre where your handle will be; allow an extra thickness of wood. Experiment by holding it in your hand and finding what thickness of handle feels comfortable, as it needs to be at its strongest point here. Bear in mind, your handle needs to be thick enough to resist snapping under tension. By now, you should be left with a rough bow shape three-quarters of an inch thick. To carve it out, use your knife for the finer work and your axe to remove larger pieces. Follow the guide lines you have drawn.

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After seasoning, it is time to begin the tillering process. This is a process of fine tuning. Your aim is to shave off increasingly smaller amounts of wood from the limbs until they both bend evenly and equally. Take your dry rough bow and tie or clamp it down. Then, take a spoke shave tool. Shave off the excess wood by drawing it towards you with a sideways motion.

Initially, you can freely take off quite large quantities of wood. When you are getting a good even bend on the limbs, a little wood makes a big difference. Remember, you can always take wood away, but you cannot put it back! As the picture demonstrates, by bending one limb into the ground and then the other, you are able to ascertain where you need to remove more material. Once you are starting to get an even bend on the limbs, you need to exercise caution. Put aside your spoke shave, and use a cabinet scraper. This will take microns of material off at a time, and enable you to really fine tune the bow. Be patient; this is the most delicate part of the entire process and can mean the difference between a powerful bow and a broken stick. We know that this aspect of bowmaking has been the bowyer’s nemesis since pre-history, as the vast majority of bows in the archaeological record have been found broken. The next step is to cut the notches for your string. As long as you file deep enough into the edge of your bow using a round file, they will not snap out under tension. But, don’t file so deep as to weaken the bow. Taper the notch from about three centimetres to

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Shaving the bow approximately one centimetre, as shown in the images. Remember that each lateral side needs to be a mirror image. Then, when viewed from the front, the bottoms of the notches start low and run upwards towards the tip. The next step is to set up what is known as a tillering station. The tillering carried out prior to this was a crude process that evenly shaped the bow. The final tillering is a far more delicate affair and is where the true art of bow-making lies.

Round file for notch

The tillering station is essentially a fence post or something similar. It needs to be dug deep enough into the ground, so it is stable. Towards the top of the post, and in a central and level position, nail a sturdy piece of flat wood at a right angle to the post. The piece of flat wood will act as a brace. Temporarily string the bow with some para-cord, and carefully place your bow centrally on the brace. Pull on the cord, and observe the bend. It can help at this stage to have a second person to observe from a different angle. Then, you can see how the limbs bend in relation to each other. Noting where it needs to bend more, shave off a few microns of wood. Then, re-place your bow on the tillering station, and repeat the process until you have an even bend with no hinges. Finally, you are now ready to string your bow. Making your own bow string is in itself an art and warrants an article of its own. For the sake of simplicity, I advise purchasing a readymade string from a shop, quoting the type and length of your bow. Once you have fitted your string, you are now finally ready to loose some arrows!

Notch

Shaving the bow detail

Ascertaining where you need to remove more material

Final finishing Now you have seen how your bow works and you have loosed a few arrows, the final finishing process can take place. Start with a 50/50 mix of white spirit and linseed oil; warm them; then apply in coats to the bow; up the percentage of linseed oil after each coat in increments up to one-hundred-per-cent.

Tillering station

After the oils have sunk in, you can ‘bone’ the bow. The purpose of this is to seal the fibres and make the bow denser and more resistant to water and physical damage. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors used to rub a bone up and down the bow. You can do this or use a glass bottle or smooth round stone. Then, coat your bow in a natural varnish containing beeswax not silicone. Finally, if you so desire, you can bind the handle for decoration with leather or whichever material you prefer. Your bow is now finished and a living piece of our history. If looked after, it should last many years. Just remember, they are as lethal today as they were ten-thousandyears-ago!

Time to lose some arrows

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 11

KNIVES & AXES

SHARP THINKING We often go out with our tools sharp for a day in the woods and some of us even carry small pocket stones for a quick touch up of the edge whilst out and about. But what happens if we haven’t got our stones and our tools get dull, what can we do?

by Ben & Lois Orford

H

ere are some ideas of improvised sharpening techniques and simpler sharpening ideas so if, or when, you need to sharpen your tools when you are far from your bench stone you can think sharp and still get the edge back on your tools. Let’s start by thinking that a sharp edge on a tool is effectively two very polished edges meeting at a fine angle, ideally done so those edges meet at the smallest edge possible so you can’t see where they meet. The finer the edge and finer the polish on the tool, the sharper it will be and the longer it will last. Also, the less coarse the scratches on the edge, the finer the finish will be on the wood you are carving. Even when you are at home sharpening with conventional stones this is a good idea to keep in mind. This is often forgotten when using bench stones, as the edge that is produced can often be too coarse

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(obviously the coarser the stone the quicker it will grind the steel away which can be a good thing if we are trying to change the edge profile or remove any nicks and damage from the edge). A lot of stones sold for sharpening are natural stones mined from the ground, so we should, in theory, be able to find something that will suffice when we are out in the field. When looking for something to sharpen with, try and think of what you have in the environment you are in. If you have a stream or river nearby or the sea you will find some really nice cobbles and stones (smoothed by the pounding of the water) which can produce a very good edge.

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FIG1

the benefit that they are heavy enough not to move when you are sharpening which is a great advantage. These stones may also still be damp, if not even wet, which will help lubricate the stone and float away the waste steel being removed from the tool. It is still often the case that native peoples will have a communal stone down on the beach or by the river that has been used for generations to sharpen parangs or machetes. These can often be seen to have almost a curved face to them after years of use and wear.

For sharpening axes and convex grinds it is not so important to look for a flat surface, but try and find something that is comfortable to hold in your hand, with enough size so that your fingers are not too close to the cutting edge. Ideally a smooth stone from the edge of a stream works really well (FIG1). Try to find a stone with a tight, close grain as you will find this leaves a better finish. Stones that have a very sandy consistency will work quite well but will wear quickly, this is not necessarily a bad thing as the grinding paste or slurry that it forms can also work well at polishing the edge a bit like the slurry produced when using Japanese water stones.

FIG2 For sharpening an axe or parang if you are holding the tool still and moving the stone remember to try and make sure you always approach the tool from behind the cutting edge. Don’t hang your fingers off the stone too much or you may cut them. You may also find some suitable sharpening stones near the edge of larger rivers that are too big to lift or move but have some flat useable surfaces ideal for sharpening (FIG2). They also have

FIG3

If you are near the coast or a sandy river then a great method for sharpening is to actually use the sand to make improvised sandpaper. This is best achieved by finding a waste strip of drift wood (FIG3), ideally with a flat side, and then applying a thin coating of sand to the surface (it does help if you wet the stick first to help the sand stick) (FIG4). This can be great for sharpening your knife if you manage to find a piece of driftwood from a pallet or other board as it will have at least one flat side and will be a lot flatter than most rocks. This will help maintain the edge on the flat grind of most bushcraft knives. Try to make sure that you draw the knife back towards yourself away from the cutting edge as this will produce a better edge and prevent the knife from getting nicks from the larger grains of sand (Fig5). When you want to get a finer edge you will need to knock off the heavy larger grains and use the same stick with the smaller grains that are left behind. We also found, when we were down on the coast, that some washed up cuttlebone from a cuttle fish was a really good, even abrasive when dried. The underside seemed to be

FIG4

FIG5

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 13

KNIVES & AXES the best part and we were very surprised at how quickly the knife became sharp with a very fine finish. As you can see, the sharpening mediums you use are dependent on where you are so just try to think clearly about what is available to you. We have tried all sorts, from house bricks to bits of old Welsh slate, and all have sharpened to some degree - some better than others (FIG6). Probably one of the best for putting a very quick secondary bevel on a tool is the radius top edge of a car window (FIG7). This will not remove too much steel but does leave a fine edge. The window itself is very similar to the grit of some of the ceramic rod sharpeners that are on the market.

your rucksack is works really well and is very light and inexpensive. They can work really efficiently if placed onto a foam camp mat for sharpening convex edges and on top of a flat bottom of a cooking pot or mess tin for flat edges. It will be a lot larger and easier to use than a pocket stone. We have even read of an American knife maker called Ed Fowler who carries a sheet of sandpaper the size of a bank note in his wallet and uses this on the upturned heel of his cowboy boot for ‘in the field’ sharpening. In a previous issue we mentioned using an old mobile phone top up card or old bank card and sticking a sheet of wet and dry sandpaper to one side and leather to the other and carrying this in your wallet as 6 FIG a really compact emergency sharpening set-up too.

For removing the coarse edge and to help strop your knife you can either strop it on the inside of your leather belt or even try using other fine stropping compounds like some cardboard, newspaper or clean softwood - always making sure that you strop away from the cutting edge.

With all these methods the main thing to remember is that you still want to try and maintain the same edge geometry that is already on the tool you are sharpening and that it may take slightly longer and leave not such a fine edge as you are used to, but you can get decent results. It’s a good idea to practice these methods on some old knives and tools so you have a good idea of how and what works best. You can even take this to extremes if you wish and try getting an edge on something like a bit of old scrap metal, an old food can or bit of old car part with these crude stones. Yes, the edge will not hold or last but you may find that when it matters you will have the skills to help you get out of a tricky situation.

Having said all this, this is a worst case scenario and the cutting edge you will produce will not be as good as what can be produced from a bench stone or proper sharpening set-ups. But if your knife is blunt then any kind of edge is going to be better than nothing. A good thing to add to your pack, that is very compact and light, is some sheets of sandpaper in various grits, these can either be stuck to a board or just loose and can be wrapped around or placed on top of something when needed (FIG8). We find that having a few sheets slid into the pouch where the internal frame of

FIG8

FIG7

For those of you who have read Between A Rock And A Hard Place by Aron Ralston, (whose story was made into the film 127 Hours) and who had to amputate his arm with a two inch knife on a multi-tool, you will understand the importance of having a sharp knife with you or the ability to be able to sharpen it by improvised means! We hope this helps and remember to think laterally and have a go at trying out things that you wouldn’t at first think of. For a video to accompany this article please go to https://www.youtube.com/user/BenOrford

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BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 15

INTHENEWS NEWS JUST IN…Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine celebrate their 7th birthday. To join in the fun see page 3 for more details.

The Bushcraft Show, 24-27th May 2013 We are delighted to announce that MYKEL HAWKE, retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer, best known for his role in the Discovery Channel series MAN, WOMAN, WILD will be at The Bushcraft Show 2013 on Sunday 25th May along with his co-star and wife, RUTH ENGLAND, a British television presenter and actress.

RAY GOODWIN

And that is not all, we are bringing over a MASSAI WARRIOR DANCE TROOP from Kenya, to entertain and teach you some of the Massai ways; from cultural dancing to native beadwork find out if you have got what it takes to be a Massai Warrior. We also have a special guest appearance on Saturday evening, from the living legend of British canoeing RAY GOODWIN. See and hear his personal accounts of bushcraft and inspirational wilderness canoe trips in the UK and North America.

MYKEL HAWKE

12year Old Boy Braves the Element It has been over six months since Harry O’Driscoll a twelve year old gymnast from Buckden, Cambridgeshire pledged to sleep outdoors in a tent for up to a year, to raise £3000 for Huntingdon’s Olympic Gym. He and a friend had a sleepover in a tent and out of it came the idea to do this to raise money for the gym. Harry has trained at this gym since he was five years old and puts in 18 hours there a week and even more during the school holidays. The gym needs to raise £100,000 to extend and refurbish, which will allow more children to join and provide an area for the gym’s Olympic star Louis Smith and Dan Keatings to train without disruption from other classes.

RUTH ENGLAND Massai Warrior Dance Troop

Harry started on the 24th August 2012 and he is 90% towards his target having already raised £2,718.67. He has made it through the recent snow and freezing temperatures and endured his tent collapsing on multiple occasions under the weight of the snowfall. So if you could donate, please visit Harry’s page and demonstrate your support to this remarkable young chap. To sponsor Harry visit www.justgiving.com/Harry-O-Driscoll-2012

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COMPETITION WINNERS... Woodlife Trails Wilderness Immersion Course – Scott Gent, Halifax (Answers: A5, B2, C1, D7, E4, F3, G8, H6) Mora Bushcraft Black Knife – Suzanne Campbell, Sussex Outdoor Survival Manual (Haynes) – Robert Dingle, Yorkshire Win A Survival Guide for Life – Peter Gibson, Staffordshire

Image courtesy of Discovery Channel

Visit www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk Call 0333 4567 123 (option 2)

Image courtesy of Discovery Channel

See all of this and much more, ONLY at The Bushcraft Show 2013 -‘Where your hunger for adventure grows’. See page 42 for more information.

Scouts in Slovenia are Happy Campers 105 goodies from Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine's Facebook competition went to the winner Nina Opaka and her Scout Troop in Slovenia. Here is a picture of some of the happy campers receiving their prizes. Don’t miss out on more Facebook giveaways, like us at https://www.facebook.com/bushcraftmagazine

SNUGPAK LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE NEW WEBSITE  Leading British sleeping bag manufacturer, Snugpak, has launched a brand new website which allows anyone to view their full collection and buy online via Snugpak retailers. It is simple to navigate around the site and provides the option to browse by product category. Categories in the outdoor section include clothing; sleeping bags; rucksacks and travel bags; tents; and accessories. There is also an option to search by activity, which includes bushcraft and displays the products a person would need for that purpose, highlighting all new products. And, purchasing products from Snugpak retailers via the website is simple, thanks to the secure checkout process powered by Shopatron. Visit the new website for further information, where users can enter the competition to win one of Snugpak's award winning Chrysalis sleeping. www.snugpak.com

Building Your Own Tracking Encyclopedia This article stirred great interest, some of our readers have written in to share books by Jon Young such as 'What the Robin Knows' on bird behavior and language, which detail similar observations as described in Jason's article in issue 42. Also recommended are the works of Simon Barnes, his book 'Bird Watching With Your Eyes Closed' being a favorite. There are many resources available online too, some of these include: www.birding.about.com/od/identifyingbirds/a/birdsounds.htm www.birds.cornell.edu/physics/lessons/elementary/pdfs/tm  www.wildernesscollege.com/bird-sounds.html

There are a rapidly growing number of individuals with an interest in interpreting the behavior of birds, and indeed all fauna, with some companies developing new techniques to interpret the actions of our furry and feathered friends. Interest in tracking is increasing, and with it, new or varied techniques are being taught. It is great to see that a selection of companies are using motion cameras and live animals to assist students in their understanding. Look out in future issues where we will bring you more on tracking and the books and courses available.

The Wild Weather Book Loads of things to do outdoors in the rain, wind and snow By Fiona Danks & Jo Schofields Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield are writers for Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine and in this issue they show you how to make rustic furniture (See p78.) This fabulous duo are also established authors of a series of books that aim to motivate children to get outdoors and now they are back with more wonderful ideas for fun outdoors even in the most challenging weather! The Wild Weather Book is their sixth fully illustrated book, and like previous volumes it aims to entice children away from their screen-dominated world and into the outdoors for some real world adventures. However, as both the Wild Weather Book and The Stick Book are now available as eBooks you can now combine a screen with one of their inspiring activities! This is the perfect book for remaining outdoors to have loads of fun even when the weather is wild! From running barefoot through squidgy mud to flying a kite in the wind, Jo and Fiona will capture your imagination in the natural world. Don’t miss our review on this book in the next issue. RRP £9.99 Due out 7th March 2013. Visit www.goingwild.net

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LOFTY'S LIFE STORIES

ANAMAZINGEXPERIENCE One of the most rewarding times of my military career was living with the locals in Borneo. We were sent there when Brunei was invaded by Indonesia in 1963. Written by John 'LOFTY' Wiseman

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B

runei is an oil rich state which the Indonesians coveted, so they attacked the oil fields of Seria. They were repelled but threatened to destroy the newly formed alliance of Malaysia. They amassed troops all along the borders threatening Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah. We were deployed on the border of Sarawak and Indonesia in four man patrols to give early warning of any pending invasion and to gain intelligence, as little was known of the country. To achieve this we had to seek the help of the locals. We had to gain their confidence and respect, and the only way to do this was to live with them. The best way of gaining their trust was by establishing a hearts and mind programme which included giving medical assistance and advice on health, farming, and security. There were no survey maps available at the time so we had to make our own. We worked from maps taken from aerial photographs which had many blank areas which were marked down as cloud cover. These bare patches were usually exactly over the spot we were operating in. The Dutch had mapped the Indonesian side of the border and these were to prove useful later when the war escalated. Our pre-op briefing was very vague as little was known of the area we were going in to. The curator of the Sarawak museum, Tom Harrison, gave us a sketchy picture on what to expect, particularly of the flora and fauna. One thing that stands out in my mind to this day was his reference to a dry leaf leech. I’m still disappointed that I never came across such a thing, but I did experience millions of other species, all wet and thirsty for blood. We flew from Brunei to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, before travelling for many hours by truck. Finally we got into a dugout canoe powered by two outboard engines. Initially the river was wide but gradually tapered off to a boulder strewn stream. The two boatmen were superb at navigating between boulders and negotiating rapids. One perched in the bow giving directions, while the other manned the engines. Two days later we arrived at a remote longhouse called Ulu Mepi, this was to be our home for the next four months.

The tribe were Ibans the fiercest tribe in Borneo, these were the original headhunters. When we settled in they were only too pleased to show us their trophies of heads, which they kept hanging from the roof of the longhouse. Many were old tribal enemies, while the most recent were Japanese soldiers whose army had occupied a lot of the country in World War Two. Young Ibans

Lofty with the locals

We were warmly welcomed by the whole village, but we noticed some of the very old and youngsters were rather nervous. They had in fact, never seen a white man before. They were short; smooth skinned, and the men heavily tattooed. We were tall and hairy; all four of us were over six foot tall. We also had tattoos which made them think we were gods, and they treated us as such. Soon knowledge of our arrival spread around the area and when they heard we were running a clinic, they arrived in droves. Some people in the queue that formed outside the school house were just curious, but there were also many serious cases. One man had been carried for four days after his ankle got tangled up with a boat propeller. I smelt the injury as soon as he arrived. The wound was too old to suture so after trimming the dead flesh I started him on a course of penicillin injections. After five days the results were amazing. It was a miracle to us let alone the patient. From a black, stinking, lifethreatening wound I was pleasantly surprised when I removed the dressing to see a pink healthy scar. He certainly would have died from septicaemia without any treatment. We treated many cases of cuts, fractures, the odd burn, and even started pulling teeth. The patients rewarded us with chickens; it wasn’t long before I had as many as Sun Valley Food. We let the hens range around the kampong and to recognise them we put badges of rank on them using gentian violet, much to the amusement of the locals.

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 19

LOFTY'S LIFE STORIES

We considered ourselves civilised but compared to these simple tribespeople we had a lot to learn. They lived in complete harmony with each other and, more significantly, with nature. They shared everything, worked together, and crime was non existent. We were supposed to be the intelligent ones but we learnt so much from these people. Their ability to make clothes, shelter, and acquire food from nature was impressive. Everything that they required could be found in the jungle. Bamboo is so useful and must be compared to what the buffalo was to the Native Americans. They made cups, cooking pots, rafts and even musical instruments from it, as well as using it as building material. The young shoots were also part of their diet. We ate everything they prepared for us, enjoying most of it. This ranged from snake, fruit bat, to monkey. One day a distressed woman came running up from the river shouting “Ula besar, ula besar!” Ula besar is Malay for big snake. We went to investigate and on the river bank was a python about fifteen feet long. It had three large bulges adding to its considerable girth. It had come into camp during the night, and had been rewarded with three chickens. I was anxious to see whose chickens it had swallowed. When an Iban beheaded the snake and opened it up, two lance corporals and a sergeant appeared! That night we had a great meal of chicken and python. I was only put off my food once. The dish was a curried stew with meat and wild vegetables. It was very tasty but as I got to the bottom of the bowl a small hand complete with finger nails appeared, as if trying to shake hands. Baby fatalities were common which got me thinking, “oh, what am I eating?” To my relief it was a small monkey’s paw. Not everything went to plan we did have minor set backs. One of the lads decided to make the kids bow and arrows. He came back chuffed after a session of target practice saying how well the bows performed. The only draw back he described was the wood he used oozed a sticky white gum. The alarm bells started ringing immediately and I asked him to show me where he had cut the bows from. Sure enough he had cut down some young rubber plants that the locals treasured.

20 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

Another incident that didn’t go down well was when the Penghulu (chief) noticed that one of the lads was armed with a shotgun. This was a short barrelled pump action loaded with 9sg cartridges. These were steel ball bearings, deadly at close range. He invited the lad to go hunting with him as the traditional method was somewhat risky and a shotgun would be useful. The way they hunted for wild pigs was to go out with a pack of dogs and let them pick up the scent. The hunter would sit on a high spot waiting to hear the dogs barking which meant they had cornered a pig. The dogs would surround the pig confining it until the hunter came, who would then dispense it with a spear mounted on a blow pipe. This was a risky business as the pigs were ferocious and many a hunter came unstuck, impaled on long sharp tusks. This day the dogs did their job and surrounded a large boar at the junction of two streams. In each pack of dogs, one dog was the pack leader who was very special and took years to train. The dogs would take it in turns to keep the pig occupied, a routine which the pack leader organised. When my mate turned up with the chief he casually said “stand back” and took aim on the pig. The moment he fired the pack leader leapt in front of his barrel, getting blown in half in the process. The Penghulu collapsed with grief as the other dogs beat a hasty retreat. The boar trotted off nonchalantly. I guess some days are better than others. The sense of direction the locals had was astounding. On the many patrols we carried out we depended on the outward leg on the trusty compass. After a six hour trek we used to say to our guide ‘back to camp’. They would head off in what we thought was completely the wrong direction, but we always found ourselves back in base in hours. Their hearing, eye sight, and sense of smell were finely developed. They pointed out things that we missed and unlike us they never tripped or fell. They thought we fell over just to make them laugh. It was a pleasure and an honour to be with these people.

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BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 21

WILDLIFE

TALESOFTHE RIVERBANK

by Pablo,

Woodlife Trails

I don’t expect that many people will remember a children’s television programme called Tales of the Riverbank. It was a Canadian production broadcast in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s and included characters such as Hammy the Hamster and Roderick the Water Rat. Probably more familiar is the character Ratty from Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows series of books, with Mr Toad of Toad Hall fame. Despite their names, Roderick the Water Rat and Ratty are not actually water rats at all, but water voles.

photo © by Nigel Grigsby

Water vole aka Water Rat

the water vole is often compared, sometimes makes its home near water and can also swim very well. At first glance, they may be confused as one and the same animal, but they are definitely two distinctly separate species. With a bit of practice you will able to tell the difference between the tracks, the trails and the signs and the two animals themselves.

S

22 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

photo © by Nigel Grigsby

The water vole is the largest member of the vole family. It is about 29cms (11.5 inches) long from nose to tail and weighs between 150g – 300g. The brown rat, for comparison, can be almost twice as long. Another difference adly, the between the rat and the water water vole vole is the tail. The water vole’s is Britain’s Water voles feed in the open making them good tail is covered with fur but the fastest declining wildlife subjects brown rat’s tail is bare and mammal. This scaly. Water voles have a rich article will give brown coat, a round body and a you an insight blunt muzzle. This blunt muzzle into this amazing is perhaps the vole’s most creature and distinguishing feature. They also help you find have small ears that are normally out if there are held close to the head. There is any water voles a flap of skin inside each ear to around the areas stop water entering when the you visit. There vole is swimming. When they are not many are eating you can see that they water voles where have large, bright orange incisor I live, so I am teeth, which are self-sharpening. indebted to the The teeth are used not only for observations and feeding but burrowing as well. photographs of The large sized incisors are a fellow Woodlife good indicator of the difference Trails Tracker between a water vole and a field or bank vole. These other voles Nigel Grigsby, who helped me put this article together. are commonly found throughout most of the UK. The incisors will be bigger in a water vole. If you find a skull, you can also check on So why do people call a water vole a water rat? The name “water the molars to tell the difference. The water vole will have an extra rat” is probably an older common name and in many rural parts set of molars on each side of the skull as opposed to other voles. of the country the name is still in use. The brown rat, with which

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photo © by Nigel Grigsby

Water voles have blunt noses and can swim well

Water voles dive into the water making a splash to alert others of danger

The water vole’s ideal habitat consists of a river bank surrounded by reeds and sedges with slow running water. They make their burrows in the bank having entrances both above and below the water line. Contrary to what might be in the text books, not all water voles make their nests in a bank. Ball nests are also made out of the surrounding vegetation. They prefer areas that are not prone to flooding as this could become problematic especially when they have young in the burrows. The water vole has sensitive ears that can detect a change in air pressure caused by rapid changes in water levels. This acts as an early warning system to enable them to vacate the burrows to prevent drowning. You will be lucky to see water voles in winter. They don’t hibernate but they will stash food underground and spend a lot of their time in nest chambers beneath the surface. These burrows and dens will be shared for warmth even with water voles which are not related. They won’t start to surface until late February or early March, so now is a good time to start looking.

Entrances to burrows are both above and below the water line

leisurely go about their daily lives. Whilst other river life spins in turmoil around them, water voles are quite content to pick up the odd reed or sedge and nibble on it in full view of any onlooker. This makes them excellent subjects for wildlife watchers and photographers. This water vole’s laid-back style is probably due to the confidence of having a number of bolt-holes on the river bank within easy reach. It can also be to their detriment as they often get caught out by predators. If a water vole does get frightened they will momentarily freeze, assess the danger then instead of quietly slipping away they will splash-dive into the water to alert other water voles of the danger. If you are walking along a bank with known water vole activity and you hear a “plopping” sound then this is probably a water vole “alerting.” It will probably be the first sign that there are water voles in your area; so the sound will be worth investigating more thoroughly.

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 23

photo © by Nigel Grigsby

photo © by Nigel Grigsby

In the wild, water voles are predated by a number of animals, which accounts for their diminishing presence in the UK. The American mink in particular has decimated the water vole population, which has declined by more than 95% in the last fifty years, (Source: BBC news report on the culling of American mink in the River Don 1 February 2011). Habitually, water voles seem quite happy to sit around and almost

WILDLIFE middle three toes. As with most rodents, these middle toes are all of similar lengths, unlike our second, third and fourth fingers. Remember that a brown rat’s prints are larger and their rear toes will not usually have the same star-shaped quality unless they are on a slippery surface.

Water vole feeding signs on a succulent reed

The water vole likes to eat lush green reeds, grasses and sedges but in the winter when these are scarce they will eat tree barks and roots. They eat up to 80% of their own body weight in a day. They use feeding stations; here you can see discarded vegetation where the vole has chewed down to the succulent part of the plant that it is eating. Vegetation eaten by a water vole can be seen to have a 45° clean angle of cut. Water voles are territorial during the breeding season. The females will patrol and occupy anywhere between 40 to 70 metres of bank and the males up to 170 metres of bank containing multiple female territories. They mark their territories with latrines. They have a scent gland on their flank which they use to push scent into their droppings. This can also indicate to other water voles the social status and even the sex of the water vole. One breeding female can have up to six territorial latrines.

Water voles are one of the UK’s fastest declining mammals due to habitat loss and predation by the American mink. Where the water vole recognises most of the native predators such as the fox, heron, stoat, weasel and crow, it doesn’t seem to know what to do when it faces an American mink. As we discovered earlier in this article the water vole will momentarily freeze to assess the danger. It is at this point when it is most vulnerable that the mink takes the advantage and attacks. Even if the water vole does try to swim away mink are also good swimmers and will chase the water vole even into their burrows. In areas of the UK where American mink have been eradicated, such as parts of north-east Scotland, there are signs of the water vole’s return. This has been helped by the reforming of their habitat and in places the reintroduction of the water vole itself. It has also been seen that where otters are making a comeback, water voles numbers are on the rise. American mink do not like otters so as soon as the otter appears the mink moves out. Water voles are now fully protected by Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to disturb damage or destroy their breeding or resting places or deliberately capture, injure or kill them. Luckily, there are a huge number of conservation and survey groups that are assisting this most endearing of our native wildlife species. After reading this, if you discover that there are water voles near you, why not search online for your closest group and lend a hand to the return of Ratty and Roderick to the UK's riverbanks.

Fresh water vole scat and tracks

What’s going on during March and April Plantlife - Celandines, wood anemones and primroses will be flowering. Bluebells spread across the ancient woodland floor in April. Birds – Listen out for Skylarks. Ducks mate, and the willow warbler arrives in March. Ground nesting birds start to nest. Cuckoo will be vocal in April and other migrants like Swallows begin to arrive. Bird song at its peak in April as courtship starts. There are couple of tracks and signs that distinguishes them from other river bank residents; although in some cases you should be careful not to confuse the signs with other voles. Homes made in river banks will be neat and tidy and will not have debris outside of the hole as with the brown rat. The vegetation will be chewed back around the entrance hole, sometimes described as a nibbled ‘lawn’. Water vole scat is quite distinguishable being elongated and rounded at both ends. Fresh scat will be greenish brown, damp and slimy while older scat will be harder and darker. Scat may be left in prominent places even on discarded items left by humans. Water vole footprints are reasonably easy to distinguish. There are four toes on the front paw and five on the rear. The rear track is of a similar shape to human fingers although of course much smaller; but the first and fifth toes stick out almost at right angles to the

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Insects – Insects start to hatch. Some butterflies like the bright yellow Brimstone may be the first to take to flight. Honeybees venture out. Other insects will get more active as the sun warms the air. Aquatic - Frogspawn hatch into tadpoles in April Mammals – Hares box in the fields in March. Badger cubs above ground and fox cubs start to explore in April. Trees – Sap in full flow in early March. Look out for catkins. Leaves unfurling. Still a risk of frost and snow.

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SURVIVAL PLANTS

FIVESURVIVALPLANTS There are many edible wild plants. Leaves, shoots, flowers, berries, nuts, seeds, roots, and bark of different plants and trees can provide us with some form of sustenance at different times of the year.

So this consideration should also inform the types of plant foods we prioritise when living off the land.

W

It is interesting to note that the fallback food Hadza hunter gatherers by from Tanzania resort to Paul Kirtley, when more preferred Frontier Bushcraft foods are not available are underground tubers of vines. These tubers are underground storage organs (USOs) which contain carbohydrate in the form of starch and are generally available all year round.

hat’s more, foraging is fashionable, having featured on several TV programmes in recent years. Wild foods are even showing up on restaurant menus. Whether harvesting from nearby hedgerows or purchasing from a local market, many people are taking a greater interest in wild foods gathered from the countryside. But there is a big difference between nibbling on some tasty wayside morsels and being able to live from the land. For a given environment, living from the land requires a detailed knowledge of the food resources available as well as the hunting, fishing and foraging skills to utilise those resources. This takes a long time to learn. So, if you do need to keep yourself alive from what you can forage, you are starting from a tough position. What you need to learn first then, in order to feed yourself at least for a little while, are plants that are: • Easily Identified • Widely Distributed • Relatively Common • Easily Processed • Available (for a good portion of the year)

Five Plant Foods To Look Out For Four of the five foods featured in this article are roots, tubers or rhizomes. All of these are USOs. While different, they all serve a similar purpose, the storage of energy so the plant can grow and complete its lifecycle. This energy, preferably stored in the form of starch or other digestible carbohydrate, is what we want to get at.

A Simple Rule

• Providers (of a favourable return on energy invested)

Energy Requirements Not eating anything for three weeks may be survivable if you are rescued in week four and taken to hospital. There you’ll be fed intravenously because your digestive system will have stopped working. Studies have shown that you are much better off getting some food – even a small amount - into your system on a daily basis than eating nothing at all for an extended period of time. This will keep your digestive system from shutting down completely.

“One of these USOs is edible raw. The other two are toxic. All were growing right next to each other, in the same small volume of soil.

Photo: Amanda Quaine

It’s also important to understand that if you eat the right sort of food, it will help you burn your body’s fat reserves more efficiently. Studies have Because USOs are not visible above ground, shown that consuming we need to take some care to make sure we just 500 calories of starchy, have collected the correct one, not some Hadzabe women digging for tubers (note the carbohydrate-filled plant underground part of another plant growing small pile in the bottom left of the picture). food per day will maintain nearby: Tanzania, East Africa. your digestive functions and provide enough energy to a) Since you can see only the aerial parts of significantly reduce muscle the plant – the parts which are above ground loss compared to eating nothing. You’ll stay stronger for longer - you need to become familiar with these parts and be able to and if you are successful with fishing or trapping, you’ll also be positively identify the plant from them; able to take on board the full value of these foods too. b) When digging up the underground parts, you should keep the

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aerial parts of the plant attached. This way, you definitely have the underground parts of the plant you have positively identified and nothing else.

Cattail Greater reedmace, Typha latifolia, and lesser reedmace, Typha angustifolia, are both wetland plants that look very similar. They are commonly referred to as cattails due to the shape of their flowers/seed-heads. Cattails are widely distributed around the Northern Hemisphere. They also occur in South America and parts of Africa, as well as having been introduced to many other territories, where they are often considered an invasive weed.

The parts we are primarily interested in for survival food are the ropey rhizomes at the base of the plant. These rhizomes grow horizontally from the base of the plant and eventually allow new shoots to grow upwards. The energy required for this new growth is stored as starch in amongst the fibres at the core of each rhizome. For us, they also have the advantage of providing a source of year-round food. Analysis shows that when the rhizomes are processed into flour, around 52% is available carbohydrate and 9% protein. This flour provides around 266 kcal per 100g. Cattail rhizomes are therefore a highly valuable source of carbohydrates and energy. You don’t need to process them into flour, however, to obtain their energy benefit. The starch is at the fibrous core of the rhizomes and this is surrounded by a spongy layer with a skin on the outside. Simply place the rhizomes on a bed of embers and cook them until they are blackened and the spongy layer has withered. This takes around 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, break open the rhizome with your fingers, exposing the fibres in the centre and suck the starch from them. It is somewhat sweet, with the taste like a cross between sweet potato and roasted chestnut. To absolutely positively identify cattail plants, you must look at the cross-section of the leaf. It should be a shallow crescent shape, like a new moon. If it is any other shape, it is not cattail.

A stand of cattail growing in a water-filled depression in Ontario, Canada.

The plants grow in shallow water and wet mud at the margins between land and bodies of water. They will grow in slightly salty water but are predominantly freshwater plants. Greater reedmace in particular tends to out-compete other species and can grow to dominate an area. This might not be great for your garden pond but it is fantastic if you are relying on them for food. When mature, they are tall plants, reaching over 2 metres (6 feet), with long, green strap-like leaves. They form a distinctive brown structure (the female flowers) towards the top of a long, straight central stem. Some people see a resemblance to cigars, others to sausages. Later, these are filled with a mass of downy seeds. Cattails have many uses and several parts of the plants are edible.

A stand of cattail growing in a water-filled depression in Ontario, Canada.

Another plant species with leaves that look similar to cattail are Iris pseudacorus, or yellow flag. It grows in shallow water and damp or swampy ground, often alongside cattail. Yellow flag also has rhizomes. To the experienced, the rhizomes of each plant are very different but to the inexperienced there is the potential to make a mistake. Yellow flag rhizomes, like the rest of the plant, are poisonous if ingested and its sap can cause skin irritation.

An extensive area of cattail growing in the shallows of a lake in East Sussex, UK.

When a yellow flag plant is in flower, it is quite obviously not a cattail but this particular distinction is only clear for a short period of the year. We need a more widely-applied way of telling the plants apart. Looking at the cross section of a yellow flag leaf, you will see it is quite different to that of a cattail leaf. The yellow flag leaves have a cross section that has a central diamond-shaped rib with a very thin leaf structure either side.

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SURVIVAL PLANTS

Cattails are the single most important plant-based survival food in the Northern Hemisphere. You should get to know these plants.

Burdock Like cattails, there are two burdock species we should consider. For the purposes of survival food, we can treat them as one. Greater burdock, Arctium lappa, and lesser burdock, Arctium minus are quite closely related to thistles. This familiar relationship is most easily seen in the flowers.

A stand of yellow flag plants growing in the shallow water at the edge of a lake in East Sussex, UK.

The flowers of burdock resemble the flowers of thistles.

The cross section of yellow flag is very thin except for a central diamond-shaped rib.

Comparing the leaf cross-section is a highly reliable way to tell the two plants apart. And remember, you must recover the cattail rhizomes while they are still attached to rest of the plant, including the leaves you have positively identified. You absolutely must not reach down and pull out of the water or mud any structures that you think are from the cattail plants. Not only could there be yellow flag rhizomes down there, there could also be the roots of hemlock water-dropwort, Oenanthe crocata, which has been the cause of many fatal plant poisonings.

Make sure you remove the cattail plant in one piece. The rhizomes are the orangey-brown structures at the base of the plant.

While the potential proximity to poisonous plants may put you off cattails, it shouldn’t. They are easily identifiable, widely distributed, common, easily processed, available year-round and provide a very favourable return on energy invested.

28 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

The leaves of lesser burdock growing in Ontario, Canada.

The leaves of greater burdock growing in East Sussex, UK.

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The leaves of burdock on the other hand are quite different to those of thistles. Burdock leaves are large, quite flat and heartshaped, with wavy edges. They more resemble rhubarb than thistles. Burdock has a wide geographical distribution in temperate parts of the world with these species being found throughout Europe and in Russia, the Middle East and Asia. Burdock is popular in Asian cuisine. Both lesser and greater burdock are thought to have been introduced to North America from Europe. Lesser burdock is by far the more common of the two in North America, where it is known as common burdock. One of the most important things to understand about burdock is that it is a biennial. This means the plants complete their life cycle over two years. In the first year they put out big leaves that act like solar panels, collecting energy from the sun by photosynthesis. This energy is stored as starch in a large root. The plant’s leaves die back over winter but in the second year of life, the plant uses the energy in its root to send up a tall flowering stem, on which will be the plant’s prickly seeds. These seeds are then spread and the twoyear process is repeated by new plants.

The reward for your effort is a significant amount of food

add to a stew or soup. If you are without cooking apparatus, you can cook them whole under the fire but it takes several hours for them to cook through.

Pignut

Removing burdock roots from the ground requires the use of a digging implement.

The pignut, Conopodium majus, is common in many parts of Europe and its range extends to North Africa. Pignuts grow in open woods and in well-established (and ungrazed) grassland. In the woods they like to grow in areas that receive a reasonable amount of sunlight. On bright spring days you’ll spot pignut leaves in areas of dappled sunlight, often right beside the trail you are walking along. The plant likes well-drained soil. Again, it is the underground part of the plant, specifically the tuber, we are most interested in. The tuber is edible all year round. Pignuts are one of the more palatable wild foods. The tuber can be eaten raw and is very tasty. In flavour and consistency pignuts are something like celery heart crossed with raw hazelnut or sweet chestnut and sometimes have a spicy aftertaste of the sort you get from radishes or watercress. Pignuts can also be added to soups and stews to increase carbohydrate content.

It is the root that we are interested in as food. This USO is a good source of the carbohydrates we are looking for. It will have most energy in it from towards the end of the first summer through to the beginning of the second spring. Plants with flowering stems – either developing or developed will be in the second year, so we will ignore these. Plants with broad rosettes of large leaves – and no flowering stem - are in their first year of growth and the ones we are looking for. The one downside of seeking out burdock as a source of food is that it can take a bit of effort to dig up. The plants typically like to grow in ground that is reasonably hard and the tap root tends to be long and very well fixed. You certainly cannot just pull it up! In the absence of a shovel, you should make and employ a digging stick. Break up the ground with the stick then scoop out the loose earth with your hands. Burdock roots contain a significant proportion of inulin – a form of plant energy that is indigestible by humans. But the roots also contain accessible energy, around 72 kcal per 100g (raw, not dried), with 17g of carbohydrate and 1.5g of protein. This is a very similar profile to the potato. You can eat burdock roots raw (like a carrot) but they are typically cooked. Cut them into batons then stir fry them or slice thin then

Leaves of pignuts beside a footpath in County Durham, UK.

Pignuts have been found at archaeological sites dating back to the Mesolithic era. There are also accounts of pignuts being utilised for food in times of famine during the eighteenth century. The first opportunity you’ll have to gather pignuts is in the early spring when you see the leaves appearing. As the plant flowers

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SURVIVAL PLANTS

in late spring/early summer, location and identification continues to be easy until the flowering stem dies back. After this time, however, there is no above-ground sign of the plant unless you leave markers.

If you keep the leafy shoot of the pignut connected with the tuber then you have a positive identification. Achieving this, however, is quite fiddly. The tuber is typically 10-20cm under ground and the shoot gets thinner and thinner as you get closer to the tuber. It is very easy to break it and detach one from the other. Pulling the nut out of the ground by the shoot is out of the question. Also, the shoot usually comes out of the side of the tuber then bends at right angles to continue its journey upwards and out of the ground. So as you follow the shoot down to the tuber, this makes it harder to identify the tuber itself as it is rarely where you think it might be.

The flowering stem of pignut. May, East Sussex, UK.

The pignut is in the carrot family, or apiaceae, and the leaves do bear some resemblance to carrot, at least in structure. As a general rule you should be wary of this family of plants as it contains some very poisonous plants such as Hemlock, Conium maculatum, and Hemlock Water Dropwort, Oenanthe crocata. The pignut is relatively easy to recognise from its aerial parts, partly due to their small size compared to other members of the carrot family. The leaves are finely divided, delicate and lacy.

Keep the leafy shoot of the pignut connected with the tuber for positive ID.

Even though getting a pignut out of the ground can be a little fiddly, it doesn’t take much energy. You also often find many plants growing in close proximity, so you can gather quite a few in a small area. To get the tuber out of the ground, carefully dig down next to the stem with a pencil-sized stick until you locate the tuber. The outer surface of the tuber is a maroon colour, although it will be covered in soil when first removed from the ground. This outer skin is easily removed, revealing the creamy inner flesh. If you do this properly, you don’t need to wash the pignut or employ any other cleaning. You can then just eat it straight away.

The finely divided, delicate leaves of pignut. March, County Durham.

Also, in terms of distinguishing a pignut from its relatives, the tuber is unlike other members of the family. Pignuts are very un-carrot-like, typically being roughly spherical in shape. Generally, the tubers are around the size of a hazelnut or a little larger but can be found to be around 3cm (1.25 inches) in diameter.

30 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

The outer skin is easily removed.

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Silverweed is both widespread and common, often forming extensive carpets. Usefully it can grow in relatively poor soils where other plants struggle. Again it is the underground storage organs of the plant that contain valuable starch. Like pignuts they are small but not particularly difficult to dig up – although harder to separate from soil than pignut – and also grow together with many other plants of the same species. The method of excavation is different to pignuts too. Using a larger digging stick, loosen a whole area of soil and separate the plants from the soil. In sandy or shale soil, where the plant often likes to grow, this isn’t so difficult. In heavier soils it can be harder to separate the roots from clumps of mud.

Ready to eat.

Silverweed Silverweed, Potentilla anserina, is native right around the temperate Northern Hemisphere. It is a low-growing member of the rose family with a five-petalled yellow flower similar to many other cinquefoils. The plant has long, creeping stems and the leaves are divided into as many as a dozen pairs of leaflets. The leaflets are serrated around their edges.

The plant forms one or more storage roots containing starch. These roots are individually quite small, averaging around 5mm in diameter and 1 to 3cm in length. Raw they are quite crunchy. Cooked they have a taste of their own that resembles parsnip blended with sweet potato. The best time to collect the roots is at the end of the summer/beginning of autumn as the leaves start to turn brown and wither. The roots are still available through the winter but with the plant leaving no above-ground indication of their presence, they are hard to find. Records indicate silverweed was until relatively recently a very important source of food from as far east as Yakutia in the Russian Federation to the Pacific coast of North America in the west. Silverweed was noted as an important food for Tibetans by travellers in the early twentieth century, who observed that the plant was often dug up and eaten or dried and stored for later use. Silverweed was a staple food for the coastal peoples of what is now British Columbia, Canada. Small amounts were steamed in a box while large amounts were roasted in a pit. The roots were also dried then pounded into flour. While not farmers as per the modern understanding of the word, these people cultivated swathes of silverweed.

Silverweed leaves are divided into pairs of leaflets.

Silverweed leaves are easily picked out here as they are caught by the wind. Co. Clare, Ireland.

Closer to home, in the Hebrides and elsewhere in northern Britain, silverweed was cultivated until the introduction of the potato. It was later fallen back upon as a food source during famines caused by potato blight.

History has proven these diminutive USOs can indeed provide an important survival food.

The silver-green sheen of silverweed leaves.

Silverweed’s leaves are what give rise to this plant’s name, being a silver-green on the topside while underneath, where they have a silky fur of fine hairs, they are grey-silver. This makes the leaves very easy to spot when the breeze catches and turns them over.

Stinging Nettle For most people stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, needs no introduction. Personally, my earliest definite memory of the stinging power of nettles is from when I was about seven and fell off my bike into a large patch of the plants. I’m sure I had been stung by nettles before this point, but this incident really stuck in my mind! Urtica dioica is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia and was

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 31

SURVIVAL PLANTS

introduced to North America by colonists. The plant likes nitrogen rich soils. You may have noticed old derelict cottages and farm houses surrounded by a sea of nettles. This is due in part to urination which increases the nitrogen levels in the soil in the area around habitation. This means that you don’t see stinging nettles as much the further away from habitation you get. But it is still a common and widespread plant.

To render the leaves edible, then, all you need to do is add them to boiling water for a minute or two, longer if you wish although they eventually turn to a green sludge. The taste of the leaves is somewhat like spinach although the texture is rougher. You can also add the leaves to soups and stews. The best leaves are the tender young shoots in spring which supply a welcome dose of greens at this time of year.

This is the only plant of the five in this article that we are not interested in for an underground storage organ. Nettles are high in protein for a green plant. Dried, the leaves can be up to 25% protein by weight. Nettles also contain a whole host of other nutrients, including iron. They are easy to collect, easy to prepare, filling and highly nutritious.

Later in the year, when plants are more mature, take the top four or six leaves. If you boil the leaves on their own, the water makes a good tea, which contains iron and other nutrients from the nettles. Beware as plants become older – particularly after they flower as they become gritty, containing particles that can cause urinary tract irritation. If you don’t have a cooking pot, you can simply wilt the nettles over a fire. Take plants that have stems long enough to hold them over the fire without burning yourself. Wilt the leaves over the fire then pick them off the stem. I find they are most tasty when a little crispy. The flavour is quite different to when the leaves are boiled. Even if you do have a cooking pot, nettles wilted like this can make a nice change from boiled leaves.

Tender young nettle shoots such as these are generally the best. Kent, UK in March.

It is the fine hypodermic-like hairs on the plant’s leaves and stem that allow histamine and formic acid to be injected into your skin and cause irritation. All it takes is a small time boiling or exposed to flame to wilt the hairs and disable the stings.

Five Plants To Get To Know The five plants in this article are easily identifiable, widely distributed, common, easily processed, between them provide food year-round and provide a very favourable return on energy invested. From a survival perspective, they should be at the top of your list of plants to learn. But before you put this article down and head out to forage, please make sure you follow the law. In the UK, unlike picking leaves from a plant, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 uprooting a plant is illegal without the landowner’s permission, even if you are collecting for personal consumption. This means for four of the five plants above you need to have the landowner’s permission if you are to practice your foraging skills.

Nettle stem and leaves wilted straight over the fire.

I would also recommend anyone involved or interested in collecting wild foods in the UK to read and understand the Botanical Society of the British Isles’ Code of Conduct for the Conservation and Enjoyment of Wild Plants, which gives a good overview of the relevant legislation and ethical considerations of foraging, found at this address www.bsbi.org.uk/Code_of_Conduct.pdf

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BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 33

TICK BITE PREVENTION

TICKS:VAMPIRESORJUSTAPIECE OFNATURALJIGSAW? by, Wendy Fox

of tick-borne disease charity BADA-UK shines a spotlight on ticks.

on skin Engorged tick

© Tobik

Wood Tick

As the warmer weather approaches, many of us will be more inclined to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Inevitably, there are health and safety aspects that we should be aware of, such as preparing for adverse weather or protecting against sunburn, but how many people think about ticks when it comes to getting out and about?

S

It was his own experience with the disease that persuaded Ray to become Patron of Borreliosis & Associated Diseases Awareness UK (BADAUK) in 2010. He's been teaching outdoor skills for almost 30 years but noted that in recent years more people around him, particularly outdoor professionals, were contracting the disease. "I feel © D. Kucharski K. Kucharska that there is not enough awareness of Lyme disease in this country, given the fact that in rare cases it may Tick under microscope become chronic", he warns.

ome have described ticks as "vampires" or "the scourge of the countryside", but are they really that dangerous? The press would have us believe so, with headlines such as, "Alert over rise in killer ticks", or "The European invader that's after your blood". Although not quite relatives of Dracula, lurking in every darkened corner, ticks are blood-sucking parasites and they can transmit a range of diseases to people, domestic animals and wildlife. Lyme disease (Borreliosis) is a bacterial infection transmitted via a tick bite. Cases have been on the increase for a number of years and research from the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, published in January 2012, suggests that the prevalence of Lyme disease bacteria in the UK tick population is considerably higher than recent estimates indicated. As a victim of Lyme disease, TV survival expert Ray Mears knows firsthand how debilitating an infection can be. "The pain I had in my back was so bad that if I sneezed I almost blacked out", he recalls. "I was getting to the point where I was going to have to think about doing something different for work".

But antibiotic treatment gave Ray a new lease of life. "I could go to the gym and exercise with no problem and do anything I wanted", he says.

34 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

Around 3,000 people contract Lyme disease in the UK each year. Many will make a full recovery but, if not diagnosed and treated promptly, the disease may cause permanent tissue damage resulting in long-term symptoms and, for some, disability. As Chair of BADA-UK, I have met a number of people who were left permanently disabled by Lyme disease and I can also speak from personal experience. My own infection was not diagnosed or treated promptly, so had the opportunity to become deepseated within my central nervous system, heart and other organs. Despite treatment, it caused irreversible damage, leaving me a paraplegic, visually impaired and with other health issues. From the bite of a tiny tick, that's a lot of consequences. For me, what is perhaps most difficult to come to terms with is the fact that these effects were almost certainly avoidable, had I known some basic facts about ticks. Like many people, I had been told that the most important thing about tick removal was to get the tick to back out itself, so that the mouth parts would not be left in the skin, but this is out-of-date advice. What I didn't realise was that burning, freezing or smothering a tick in substances such

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as petroleum jelly, oils and spirits, may result in the tick regurgitating infective fluids before it backs out or dies. It's a pity I didn't know that when I was merrily burning off ticks with a cigarette.

Tick and radiating lesion

Current recommendations for tick-removal are:

2. With fine-pointed tweezers (grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible and steadily pulling / levering the tick outwards without jerking or twisting. Twisting with tweezers exerts too much pressure on the mouth parts and they may break off, whereas some tick removers are designed to twist without this risk).

© Falk

1. With a tick-removal tool (studies have demonstrated the ones designed like a crochet hook to be the most effective, especially with the tiny sub-adult ticks) and the manufacturer's instructions should always be followed.

Tick removal with O'Tom

The retrospective knowledge that I and other founding members of BADA-UK gained was the catalyst for the creation of the charity. To date BADA-UK is the only proactive tick-borne disease public education programme in the UK. A self-funded and volunteerrun organisation, we take into account that not everyone lives in the digital world. Although we do provide a comprehensive website and use social media to disseminate information on disease prevention, we also take our educational materials to outdoors pursuit events, agricultural and country shows and pet shows across the UK. BADA-UK also organises Tick Bite Prevention Week, this year from the 24th - 30th March. The week promotes simple, sensible precautionary measures and features, amongst other things, 'Top Tick Survival Tips' from Ray Mears:

© BADA-UK

Removal with fingers may risk compression of the tick's body, squeezing out infective fluids, and squashing or scratching off a tick may spill these fluids. Additionally, some ticks carry infective agents which can enter through breaks in the skin.

2. Use a repellent reading the instructions carefully - there is currently no vaccine to defend against Lyme disease so prevention is key. 3. Carry a tick remover - by having a tick remover (and antiseptic wipes) with you, any attached ticks can be removed sooner, lessening the chance of disease transmission. 4. Tuck your trouser legs into your socks - this helps to deter ticks from crawling inside your trouser legs, down into shoes and through most socks. Wearing gaiters will also help to prevent this. Light-coloured clothing makes it easier to see ticks on it. 5. Take a walking stick with you - where you can’t stick to the centre of paths to avoid ticks on overhanging vegetation, you can use a stick to tap the vegetation ahead of you, knocking off any waiting ticks. 6. Check your body carefully for ticks after being outdoors, taking special care to check all over the body.

1. Know where to expect ticks - many areas in the UK with good ground cover and diverse wildlife (such as squirrels, hedgehogs, birds and deer) can pose a potential risk as wildlife feeds any ticks and allows their population to increase. Animals also transport ticks to new areas.

7. Don’t bring ticks home check clothing and pets for ticks to avoid bringing them inside. 8. Carefully remove ticks - use a specialist tick-removal tool or finetipped tweezers.

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 35

TICK BITE PREVENTION

Ixodes ricinus

9. Protect your pets - talk to your vet about tick treatments.

© Marek R. Swadzba

Of course the bite prevention tips offered by BADA-UK are a general guide as it is impossible to take h tick on finger Adult female and nymp all occupations and hobbies into consideration. Short of wearing a frog suit, it is impossible to completely deter ticks. We realise that taking part in activities like deer-stalking or wildlife watching, for example, mean the use of camouflage or darker clothing. However, this also means that ticks are not likely to be as visible as they would be on light-coloured clothing, but that's unavoidable. It is therefore advisable to check yourself as regularly as possible. A shower or bath at the end of the day is a good opportunity for a thorough look in all your nooks and crannies. The more you check, the more likely you are to find a tick before it attaches, or soon after. The longer the tick is allowed to feed the more saliva it pumps in to numb the bite area, keep the blood flowing and prevent inflammation. Each drop of saliva potentially carries a range of infective agents and some people can contract multiple infections from a single bite.

© BADA-UK

10. Be a ‘Tick Buddy’ - you can help your companions by checking for ticks in places they can’t see, such as the back of the head and behind their ears.

You may actually be happy wandering the countryside in a frog suit (each to their own) but for most of us it's preferable to just take precautions and to do a regular tick check. Prior to becoming infected myself, I was in the "it won't happen to me" and "I've been out and about all my life and never had a problem" club. But it can and does happen and maybe it could be you next time. I have not let my experience spoil my enjoyment of the outdoors and still like nothing better than a bit of wildlife photography.

Life cycle I. ricinus

© BADA-UK

Wendy Fox

natural body odour. They have also evolved with a unique receptor in their mid gut just for the Lyme disease bacteria. That's remarkable! Ticks are not the scourge of the countryside, they are part of the jigsaw which forms the natural world, but they can inflict a nasty bite - something we all should be aware of!

To learn more about Tick Bite Prevention visit www.tickbitepreventionweek.org Ticks, although repulsive, are fascinating. For instance, they have a special organ located on each of their front legs which intercept microscopic chemical molecules in the air from our breath and

36 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

To find out more about Lyme disease and other tickborne infections in people and pets visit www.bada-uk.org

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BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 37

PHOTOGRAPHY

PICTUREPERFECT Part 1 - Cameras & Equipment Over the next four issues I will be looking into the world of digital photography and sharing some advice to help you understand cameras and create better photos whilst you are out on your bushcraft adventures. I will be covering the areas of equipment, how to use a camera and its functionality, the basics of photography and finally we will delve a little deeper into advanced techniques and styles. In this issue I will start by looking at the five main different options of cameras available on the market, explaining the pros and cons of the specific types to help you understand what they offer, why one category is better than the other, and why you should be carrying one in your kit bag! I will also briefly look into the range of essential equipment needed to capture the perfect shot. Advances in digital photography over the last several years have resulted in cameras ranging from small to large, and all with amazing capabilities and very impressive image quality. The main advantage of digital over film photography is the ability to view instant results, and not have to wait for the images to be developed. While some would argue that this has taken a certain sparkle and magic away from today’s photography, as well as the main advantage of instantly viewable images, the reduced wastage created by not having to develop poor, incorrect shots is a real bonus and digital has opened up the appeal of photography to many new users. Unless you are a specialist or a true fan of the old-school film process, if you are looking to purchase a new camera today, your options will all be digital. With so many to choose from it’s important to understand what you are trying to achieve with your camera. Some people want simplicity and a way to capture family, friends and travel, while others see the camera as a creative tool to manipulate light to create wonderful and breathtaking art.

Although every camera is capable of capturing such achievements, there are a few main points you need to ask yourself.

by Andy Childs, Photographer/Designer ClockworkCloud MEDIA

• Do I want simplicity from my camera or a creative tool to create advanced photography, or maybe both? • What size do I want to print my final images? Am I looking to create a scrap book and share my images online, or do I want to create gallery size prints? • How compact do I want my camera? Is carrying my camera in my jacket pocket a must, or am I happy to carry a shoulder bag or even a large rucksack? • How much weight am I prepared to carry to create the photography I desire? Is the added weight of a heavy camera, lens and accessories worth the extra strain on my back, or is this a small price to pay for breathtaking images? • What is my budget and how much am I prepared to spend on a camera and equipment? Will this be a one-off investment or will I acquire my equipment little by little and build my dream setup over time? • How much time am I willing to invest to become a better photographer and make the best of my camera? • In what environment will I mainly use my camera? Do I require any specialist options from my camera? Will it need to be weather sealed, dust and shock proof? As you can see, asking these simple questions will certainly result in different cameras for different people’s needs and it is important to make the decision carefully.

Any camera can take great landscape photos, but its up to you to go out and find them!

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DSLR & LENSES The DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera is by far the most versatile and creative tool of all the cameras available. You can own a simple single camera body and one lens setup, or you can invest thousands on a multi lens setup with all the accessories to create a fully flexible, integrated camera system. It is possible to own a consumer level DSLR for very reasonable money, and with kit lenses (the lens that is usually supplied with the camera at purchase) now being very good quality, it is a serious contender for people who want to have maximum creativity, very high image quality and the ability to learn and advance their camera skills. DSLRs are equipped with very large and high quality sensors, offering many megapixels. Digital photographs are made up of millions of tiny, tile-like image elements called pixels. A megapixel is one million pixels, the more megapixels the bigger the image produced. DSLRs give superb image quality in most lighting situations. The lenses are interchangeable giving the owner the option to choose from a range of focal lengths and lens speeds to build a camera setup that suits them. The image is taken by looking through a viewfinder and seeing the exact image through the lens, the image is reflected using an internal mirror and pentaprism/pentamirror so the user can physically view what he or she is taking through the lens. It is also possible to view and compose images using live-view on the camera’s LCD screen as you would on a compact point and shoot camera or even your mobile phone camera. A DSLR is a camera that does require some skill to use. The user is in charge of controlling the camera settings to create the end result, either by making initial settings and leaving the camera to calculate the rest, or making full use of the manual settings to capture the image exactly how they want it to be. The amount of controls, settings and buttons on a DSLR can be at first a little overwhelming, but most people who own, or are interested in purchasing, a DSLR usually want to learn or progress their photography skills. It is however possible to treat today's DSLRs as oversized point and shoot-style cameras. While setting the camera in automatic mode and allowing the camera to create the settings for you is an option, it does take away the user experience of mastering the settings to capture the image for yourself. Whilst the DSLR offers the most creativity and image quality, it is the bulkiest and heaviest of the camera styles, a point worth considering.

Lenses: All DSLR cameras require a lens to be fitted to accomplish a picture. Spend money wisely on lenses, you don't have to buy very expensive lenses to have great image quality, but buying a very expensive DSLR body and then buying the cheapest lens possible is not the best idea. The lens is essentially the eye of the camera and the camera body is where the image is processed onto the sensor and saved. Poor quality optics will always result in lower quality images than putting a good lens on a basic budget DSLR. Areas to look at when considering a lens are: Focal length, wide-angle (how wide a view does the lens offer and how much of what you are seeing will it capture?) Telephoto (how much zoom does it offer and how close can you get to the subject without moving?) Maximum aperture (covered more in the next issue) how much light can the lens gather for fast low light shutter speeds and how de-focused can it make the non essential part of the image by pulling the main subject from its background? Image Stabilisation - some modern lenses now offer this option to remove camera shake caused by hand movement. This works very well, however it can only work to a certain degree and it is most important to keep the camera as still as possible at all times, especially when light is at a minimum. The DSLR and its lenses are by far the best option for the person who requires the maximum quality and flexibility from a camera.

MIRRORLESS INTERCHANGEABLE-LENS CAMERA This is a reasonably new member to the camera line-up, it is essentially a DSLR but without the pentaprism/pentamirror, the part that reflects the image to the viewfinder. The designers have removed this bulky top/centre part of the camera system, resulting in DSLR quality from a body almost as small as a compact. There are however a few disadvantages, smaller batteries result in less shooting time, auto focus has been known to be a little slower than a DSLR (although still very good) and my personal disadvantage is having no option to compose the image through an actual viewfinder. Removing the bulk from the camera has made a real viewfinder impossible to incorporate, and for me, the ability to hold the camera to my eye and compose an image in this way is essential to my shooting style. But for a lightweight portable option that offers a high level of image quality with all the control of a DSLR, a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera is a superb option!

magazine• •39 BUSHCRAFT&&survival survivalskills skillsmagazine 39 BUSHCRAFT

PHOTOGRAPHY

BRIDGE CAMERA

Bridge cameras in my opinion are a bit of a dying breed, but while there are still new models being released they are very much an option to consider. The bridge camera offers the user a reasonably large image sensor (resulting in good quality images), with full manual controls, letting you be very flexible and creative, as if you were using a DSLR. Offering a compact body, not being as small as a true compact

COMPACT CAMERA

The compact camera is a trusted companion to many. The ability to offer stunning images from a camera that slips easily into a jacket pocket, they will always be a friend to any keen snapper. Although technology has enabled these little cameras to be very creative, flexible and produce great image quality, they will never match (or at least not at the moment) the quality and creativeness of its bigger brothers. What you lose in image quality and creativeness, you gain in portability and size. Don't get me wrong, these little cameras produce excellent quality images and for a lot of people this is enough. But for the person who craves the best image quality and true creativeness, one of these just won't be sufficient. Lenses are fixed to the camera, so what you choose when purchasing is the lens you will have for the life of the camera. Most of these cameras offer a very broad lens, from very wide for landscapes through to long zooms for portraits and distant subjects.

but not as bulky as a DSLR, it consists of a fixed zoom lens, usually offering from very wide to a reasonably long zoom in one package. A good overall option, but it is difficult to have everything built into one single camera, so this system offers a lot, but trying to offer so much makes it good but not great in any specific area.

Although not as flexible as some cameras, a lot of compacts offer the ability to adjust and customise settings to create more technical and creative images. Most have a range of scene settings, making it easy to capture a specific photo situation with ease, ideal for when you just want to capture great but quick photos along the way. Most have large LCD screens, some even have touch screen resulting in a lot less physical on-camera buttons. Compacts offer a good lens, high image quality/megapixel sensor, great portability, built in flash and total ease of use. It is also possible to get a range of specialist water/shock/dust proof options that are superb for the outdoor photographer. This is all that many people will ever want from a camera and there is a compact to cover every budget.

TOP TIP

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VIDEO CAPABILITY Most modern digital cameras offer the user the option to create video as well as stills. Most produce fantastic results and offer HD (1280 x 720) and a lot even offer Full HD (1920 x 1080). The opportunity to have both a stills camera and video camera in one unit is a great way to capture both mediums without having to carry extra weight.

The one main disadvantage is the shape and ergonomics of the unit. A camera is specifically designed for shooting still images, so they feel a little awkward for shooting video, especially if you are trying to be very creative, or capture something for long periods of time. With impressive results they are easily capable of capturing your adventures and are a worthy addition to any camera.

Its important to have your camera with you on all your adventures to capture that one-off moment.

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CAMERA PHONES It is hard to find a mobile phone these days that does not incorporate a camera. Some of these cameras are very poor and are only really capable of low quality grainy images. Some however are very good indeed and are as effective as a compact camera. To many people it raises the question “why should I carry two items when I can carry just one?” Most offer a good range of options including scene modes, designed to make it easier for the user to get a good image for a specific scene and most have a built in super bright LED light that acts as a flash. The one main disadvantage is the lack of a zoom lens, which to some people is a must! The main advantage is its connectivity, being a phone as well as a camera (or vice versa)

the ability to attach images direct to email or send via facebook etc. is instantaneous. For some owners this is all they require from a camera and modern mobile phones, (especially ones found on the latest smart phones with big screens) are a very versatile and user friendly means of having a camera on hand at all times.

ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES Tripods - Essential for keeping the camera steady whilst shooting images and video. Especially useful for low light photography with a DSLR, when holding the camera by hand will result in a blurred image. They can be purchased in a range of sizes and materials and can be used with all types of cameras, from DSLRs right through to compact cameras. Also ideal for self portraits and timed photos to allow you to get in the image along with your friends and family. You will need to make sure your camera is equipped with a tripod mount built into the base of the camera. Camera Cases - It is a good idea to protect your expensive and much loved camera from damage by keeping it in a case. Some cases are intended for light use and others are built specifically for rugged outdoor use, with weather proof tough fabrics along with weather sealed zippers and impact resistant properties. Again, it depends on your use of the camera as to what level of safety you choose to go with. Some cases are fully waterproof and submersible making them perfect for wet weather adventures.

range of cards that can withstand very hot/cold and generally tough conditions. Batteries - Ideally try and choose a camera that uses lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries, as these will significantly outlast a standard set of AA/AAA batteries. Whilst spare batteries are expensive, buying a third party brand of battery can reduce the cost and still offer a very good quality battery. You never want to be in the position where you have the perfect shot set-up only to find your battery is flat, or your memory card is full! Cleaning kit – It is a good idea to carry a simple cleaning kit. Always use camera/optic specific cloths and cleaning fluids so not to damage your equipment. It is never good to have a dirty fingerprint or a splash of mud on the optics of your lens!

Memory - Memory cards are very affordable these days, so there is no excuse not to have a spare (or two) in your camera case. Some are designed to handle large amounts of data (great for today's high megapixel cameras) and some brands even have an extreme

CONCLUSION With all the wonderful cameras and equipment for sale, we can easily lose direction on what camera to own. Spending money on advanced and technical cameras will no doubt produce the best quality images, but the true image is created by the person. The camera is just the tool for the job; it is down to your vision and skill to create a beautiful photograph. Remember, the camera you have with you at the time is without doubt the best camera available! When the perfect photo opportunity arises just having any camera with you is going to create a fantastic shot and memory. With such a lot to consider when buying a camera, and with limited space for me to explain everything in great detail, I strongly suggest that if you are looking to purchase a new camera, get online and have a search around for some websites that offer more specific camera information and reviews.

You might find inspiration to further your personal photography skills by viewing some more of my work at www.clockworkcloud.com

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‘Where your hunger for adventure grows’ MYKEL HAWKE & RUTH ENGLAND STARS OF DISCOVERY CHANNEL’S MAN, WOMAN, WILD

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Saturday 25th May 2013: 09:30 – 22:30 (Trading ends at 17:30 for Hog roast, Story Telling, Cultural Dancing & Live Band) Sunday 26th May 2013: 09:30 – 22:30 (Trading ends at 17:30 for BBQ, Story Telling, Fire Twirling, Charity Auction & Musical Entertainment)

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HOW TO

MAKING YOUR OWN BARK CONTAINER During this month’s how to article I am focusing on a really nice and simple project that appeals to a wide range of age levels. Have you ever thought about making a birch bark container, but not been sure how to approach it? There are many ways in which to make a container out of birch bark and this simple design is an easy method that will take you probably around an hour to complete if you have never made one before… and a lot less if you have! The beauty of this kind of design is that it is quick, efficient, and self locking, so it needs no stitching or glue. It is also a single layer container and so finding enough material is quite straight forward. The obvious downside to this is that it is not very robust, so is not suitable for long term storage. Also it will not hold liquids. You can improve the construction should you wish by introducing glue, or indeed doubling the container up. However, for stashing a few trinkets in or as safe places to store your fish hooks around camp, these little containers are ideal and a joy to make.

When selecting and working with birch bark there are a few things that you need to consider. First of all what should I be looking for? Well you are looking for bark that is relatively fresh, but do not take it from a live tree. As you need both the by, outer and the inner bark, if you stripped this from a Jason Ingamells living tree, the tree would Woodland Ways die. Look out for freshly fallen trees. Birch bark can stay supple for quite some time due to the preservative properties within it, although the fresher the better as it is less likely to split.

The template provided here will enable you to produce a container 3 inches in height and approximately 1 ¾ inches in diameter.

You will need for this project • Some birch bark (more on this later) • A chopping board • Small knife or craft knife • Saw for cutting the base • Timber for the base • An awl (or method of drilling a hole in the lid) • Pencil/ scissors • Vegetable oil for finishing the container • Some string (or lime bark/nettle fibres for a handle) • A metal ruler is handy

What you will need

• The template below!

Dimensions: Height- 3 inches Diameter- c. 1 ¾ inches Cut out template and along the dotted lines

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I cannot emphasise enough that the choice of birch bark is paramount to success with these small containers. Too thick and it will not bend enough for such a small design, too thin and it will be prone to splitting along the grain. On the note of splitting you must pay close attention to what is happening with the lenticels (the horizontal lines on the bark). These are a considerable weak point, the grain of this bark runs along in the same direction as the lenticels, so you will notice if you tear along them the bark splits very easily, however if you try and tear across them the material is very tough. Unfortunately in the UK we do not have very thick birch bark and so you often see containers doubled up so that they can be stitched. If you work with the wood and let it tell you what it wants to do then, as you can see from the pictures, you can produce some very nice items. You should have to do very little to prepare the bark, although it is worth scraping off any excess material from the inside of the bark to give you an even surface. Don’t be tempted to sand it, as in my experience this is hard to judge and the bark will either split or your container will be very flimsy. Your first task is to cut out the template provided, and then use this to cut out your bark. I tend to cut around the template with a knife as drawing on the bark can sometimes be unclear, this is where a good solid metal ruler will help you as a guide for the knife. You will probably notice that the material curls as it is thin, but if you are clever and use the edge of a table to rest any curl on for the intricate cutting, rather than trying to force the material flat, you’ll increase your chances of it not splitting. One little trick before you fold the bark is if you have a laminator, laminate a copy of the template to practice folding it into shape, it will provide you with a more realistic feel rather than just going straight to folding the bark and splitting it by accident. Next step is to fold the container into shape. Here you are folding the bark so that the outer bark ends up on the inside of the container to follow its natural curl as it curls away from the dead limb.

On the template, the section with the dotted lines sits inside the container with the arrow sections sliding over the top and then through. It’s a bit tricky with the container being small but if you are gentle you’ll coax it through. Try at all times to keep the bark as level as you can without bending it in line with the lenticels. Once your tube of birch bark has locked into place, it is then time to draw around the base and the top and to start shaping your base and lid. Here I have selected appropriately sized rounds that need little work and then just finely chamfered them down using one of the cutting techniques very ably described in Ben Orford’s article last month, ensuring that the follow through of the knife is protected at all times.

1.

4.

2.

5.

3. 6.

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 45

HOW TO

It’s a good idea to ensure the base fits nice and snug to provide structure to the container but not over tight so that it splits the bark. The lid obviously needs to be a little looser to allow you to open and close the container.

Snug fit

Congratulations… you’ve made your birch bark container in no time! I would recommend you give it little coating of vegetable oil to really bring out the colour before first use. When you are ready to take your skill set on to a further level there are some excellent tutorials out there available on the internet involving double layered, stitched, and glued containers. Here is a small selection of different designs completed by my instructors.

The finished product

Here I used an awl to bore a hole through the lid and then widened it with my knife to attach a length of cord to the lid. You have to be very careful not to split the round (I split one whilst making this!). If you form a loop in the cord and then push it up through the hole your knot will prevent the cord lifting out when you pull it.

A selection of different designs you could try!

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BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 47

REVIEW

TIPI OR NO TIPI...? To some, camping is a bit like Marmite, some love it, some hate it, but can the experience be enhanced? A common complaint when sleeping under canvas is that you can’t stand up to get dressed, another is being cold. The replacement of many conventional tents with a tipi means that you can indeed stand up to get dressed and some are suitable for using a wood burner in to keep you toasty.

by SIMON ELLAR Editor

I

n this issue we are looking at a selection of tipis from budget models to higher end canvas models.

When we pitched the tipis there was about 8 inches of snow on the ground, over a few days this melted and the winds picked right up. Tested in snow, very strong winds, (32 mph at ground level, which is equivalent to 7 on the Beaufort scale!) and driving rain these tipis were really put through their paces. Each tipi will be rated for Quality – this is the quality of the materials, stitching and general workmanship. Features – looking at the ventilation, doors, pockets etc. Value for Money – determined by assessing the materials, workmanship and features linked with the cost. Storm Proofing – this evaluates not only the tipi’s ability to remain standing during high winds but also the risk of water ingress through rain and driven rain, or through flaps blowing open. And finally, Ease of Set up – as you would expect, this rating is for how easy it is to set the tipi up, based on you being on your own. Marks will be given out of five for each category.

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MFH Indian Tent "Tipi" Olive • £89.99 • www.military1st.co.uk

Spec: Sleeps: 3 (as stated online, I think this should be 4) Outer shell: 190 T Nylon PU coated, 1-ply Floor: non-slip PU material, waterproof Framework: 22mm metal Dimensions: 290x270x225cm Pack size: 62x15.5x15.5cm Weight: 3690g Carrying bag included The description on Military 1st’s website, ‘being ideal for summer camping or festivals’ is a good one, this tipi would be ideal for a summer camp, sleepover in the garden, night fishing trip or the like. It lacks the adaptability with venting, facilities for having a stove in the tipi and the option to add an inner tent etc. that the other models do, but at just shy of £90 versus hundreds, or even over a thousand pounds it is well worth a consideration!

this can fall apart when putting it up if you do not keep an eye on it. The pegs were just standard straight steel ones, which are not brilliant and can pull out easily in soft ground and when it is windy. The tipi came with some basic instructions and is very easy to erect, basically you peg the corners out, open the door and walk the pole in, you then need to guy the tent around the outside. It has guying points which are about 3 feet from the ground, with additional points at around 5 feet. Not an expedition spec tipi, but amazing value for money for general camping. This tipi is easy to set up and provides quite roomy accommodation for four to five people at a push but I would say comfortable accommodation for three with their kit. Quality: 4/5 Features: 4/5 Value for Money: 5/5 Storm Proofing: 3/5 Ease of Set up: 4.5/5

SUPER VALUE

‘Simple, super value for money, highly recommended!’

This ‘tipi’ is well made, there is a built in groundsheet rising approximately six inches up the sides as a mudwall with two pockets sewn into the inside at this low level. Three windows comprise of a clear panel at the bottom with a mesh panel above, both covered by an outer flap that Open window is kept closed with velcro tabs. The squares in the mesh are not very fine, being around 2mm. The idea of the windows and this option of ventilation is good, but the outer flap is only kept closed with 4 velcro tabs, not the most secure fixing and can allow a draught in. It would not be a big cost to run velcro all the way around the window to resolve this issue. It is nice to be able to look out and see around you and have the option to let light in and use this for ventilation on warm days. There is venting at the top which is permanently open, the mesh is covered by a good sized outer cone so shouldn’t be too draughty and the good covering of material should ensure that there is no water ingress. The triangular double door allows for a very large opening with the outer door zipping closed with a storm flap over the zip secured by two velcro tabs on the vertical flap and two along the bottom. Synonymous to this flap design used on many tents and tipis there is the risk that driving rain could find its way in through the zip. The inner mesh door zips closed. The pole is a standard tubular steel push together pole with a cap at the bottom to protect the groundsheet. Unfortunately

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 49

REVIEW

"When we pitched the tipis there was about 8 inches of snow on the ground, over a few days this melted and the winds picked right up"

With thank's to Paul for his help!

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Mil-Tec Pyramid Tent ''Tipi''

Olive • £89.99 • www.military1st.co.uk

Spec: Sleeps: 4 Outer shell: 190T Polyester, PU coated Groundsheet: 120g Polyester Dimensions: 290x270cm Height: 220cm Weight: 4750g Drawstring carry bag with handle/shoulder strap included Very similar to the model above but with much finer mesh all round and a few extra features detailed below. Again this model has a piece together pole but it has a push button adjustment system so that you can alter the tension on the fabric by changing the length of the pole. It has a short lifter pole at each corner, about 1ft in height, this is a nice idea as it creates a vertical wall of approx eighteen inches, enhancing the sleeping/ gear stowage area. As a result of this the there is a skirt around the outside of the tipi, this allows the watershed to be away from the tent slightly and there is a guy at each corner of the skirt to add to the structure of the vertical walls. Again there are guys at about 3ft, then further up at 5ft if needed.

Riser pole

Differing from the previous model this one has a single door with a storm flap over the outer zip that has a velcro tab at the bottom. The flap is slightly gathered at the top, so a bit better, but again driving rain could still find its way in. The other difference with this model, which is a shame, is that the cones that cover the mesh venting panels at the top are not really long enough and so wind and rain can come in easier. Quality: 4/5 Features: 4/5 Value for Money: 5/5 Storm Proofing: 2/5 Ease of Set up: 3.5/5

‘Nice design but not quite there!’

Mini Conclusion I have drawn a conclusion here as these budget models are worthy of their own conclusion. Whilst I like the idea of the skirt on the Pyramid to throw the water away from the tent slightly and the fact that the riser poles create a vertical wall in the tent giving a bit more room, this is not of enough significance. I think that the simplicity of the Indian model and the better ‘hood’ make it a better all round choice, the thing that lets it down a little is the size of the mesh. If this was addressed and the outer door had

zips along the bottom with a few more velcro tabs on the storm flap, and the windows had a strip of velcro all around then it would be super, scoring 4.5 – 5 for Storm proofing. To go a step further, if the pole was elasticated and of a lighter material, and the pegs replaced with some alloy v’s then this would be a serious contender for more serious camping trips.

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 51

REVIEW

Bergans of Norway 6041 Lavvo 6-8 Person

the vents. This is more of an issue if you want to have a fire or firebox inside your tipi. Versatility and the level of control you have is also a factor with this ‘hood’ system which will be clear when you read about the Tentipi Safir.

RRP £399 (floor £115, Mosquito netting £35) • www.bergans.com

There is the option to fit mesh at the top using a velcro band, although one length of velcro is longer than the other, so it doesn’t fit perfectly so insects could still get in.

Spec: Sleeps: 6-8 Material: 190T Rip-stop Polyester with a PU coating Dimensions: 388x408cm Height: 280cm Weight: 6kg Floor: 1372g Mosquito netting: 250g Carry Bag I had high expectations for the Lavvo from Bergans after being very impressed with the clothing that I have tried. The quality was not quite to the high standard I would have expected, some of the stitching in critical areas could benefit from some reinforcement, for instance where the ‘pegging point’ webbing attaches to the tent fabric where it may be weakened with wind movement. You can purchase a floor for the tipi which I would always advise where there is not an inner in use. You can also purchase mosquito netting to attach with velcro across the door, I find this a hassle and would really expect this as standard. Entering the tipi I noticed a nice addition to the zip pulls, there is a glow in the dark zip pull with reflective tape in the cord. This is the same for the guy lines so you can highlight them with your torch light at night. The lower guys (approximately 3ft from the ground) have mesh pockets to keep them tidy when packing/not in use. I am not sure why this is not the same for the guys higher up at approximately 4.5ft.

The door has a storm flap over it with three velcro tabs to keep it down, it is a long flap for just three tabs and does blow up, driven rain could get in here quite easily. It comes with a piece-together pole, this is good quality, it narrows from the base to top so some stability is lost, this enables the sections to slot inside each other but this is a bit fiddly to do. As it does not have any elastication the pole can fall apart when you are putting the tipi up and so can be a bit fiddly, particularly if you are on your own as you try and get the hood right too. The pegs are super sturdy Alloy V section pegs of a good length, the best in the review! There were no instructions, pitching involved pegging round the perimeter then walking the pole in, then adjusting the position of pegs if needed and tightening the straps. As you put the pole in you need to ensure that the hood is in place, then adjust the hood once erected to ensure a good seal. A flap folds into the tent, and then the optional floor snaps in. There is a skirt around the outside which is good to ensure that watershed is away from the groundsheet. I feel that this tent would sleep five people with kit, four comfortably, particularly if you have a small fire box in it.   Quality: 4/5 Features: 3/5 Glow zip pulls Value for Money: 3.5/5 Storm Proofing: 3.5/5 Ease of Set up: 4/5

‘Best pegs in the review!’

There are no windows in the sides of the tipi, which I actually think is an advantage as it adds weight and extra seams and places where wind and water could ingress. Ventilation is via three vents around the bottom, there is a cover over the mesh attached with velcro, they are more than adequate with a rain flap that pulls out on the exterior. A draught could get in as they do not seal completely. Further ventilation is available from what I will term the hood, over the cone at the top. This idea is the same on both Bergans models and the Green Outdoor Tipi and I have to say is not one that I favour. The tipi is open at the top with just the webbing straps going up to the top of the pole, this is covered by a piece of material (the hood) which straps around the top, overlapping to seal the tipi. If you want ventilation you peel back a portion of this hood to let the air in. There are a few reasons that I am not keen on this method, one is that on some models (this one was not bad) it is hard to get the hood to wrap around tight enough to provide a good seal, particularly if the wind is blustery and changing direction. The second reason is that, especially if it’s windy it is a hassle fitting the hood when setting up the tent; I have seen people chasing them across a field. Another reason is that you have no control over this method of ventilation from within the tent, therefore if the weather is inclement or the wind direction changes you have to go outside to open close or adjust

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BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 53

REVIEW

Green Outdoor Tipi £800 • www.greenoutdoor.co.uk

Spec: Sleeps: 6 Material: 55% Hemp, 45% Cotton Canvas Dimensions: 450x450cm Height: 300cm Weight: 19kg Hot off the sewing machine we test the pre-production model of the new Green Outdoor tipi. Green Outdoors ethos is to provide environmentally friendly tents, using environmentally sound processes, made in Great Britain. This tipi reflects just that with the bug mesh being made from recycled polyester and even the guy lines being made from recycled material. It certainly feels well made and durable. The quality of the materials and workmanship is very good although there are a few design elements that compromise this slightly. We were sent this tipi with the inner already attached, the groundsheet has a central reinforced patch where the pole stands and a cross zip so that you can peel the floor back to have a fire/ fire box. The inner tent has a finer mesh over the areas where the windows are. It also has some pockets sewn in at around 4ft from the ground, as the pockets are sewn onto side walls of inner tent I have concerns about what can be put in them, really a head torch is as heavy as I would go as the stitching could tear the walls. There is a drop down material cover over the mesh windows, which have finer mesh to better keep the insects out. There is a drawstring insect mesh panel at the top, which is attached to the inner for convenience.

pegging points on the outer skirt and inner tent are small webbing loops so you would struggle to get a good sturdy V peg through the hole. When pitching, peg out the mud walling and then walk the pole in, you need the guys really to keep heavier canvas in shape, with these in place you have a sturdy tent! This is the only tipi that had some evidence of water inside, it is fair to say that this may just be that the canvas had not yet had a good soaking and so the canvas and stitching had not tightened up. Overall, this is a good sturdy tipi that would provide a nice living space for up to 6 people, 4 comfortably with kit. A Tipi Stove & Flu Kit is available for this tipi priced at £465 Quality: 4/5 Features: 4/5 Value for Money: 3/5 Storm Proofing: 4/5 Ease of Set up: 4/5

'Best of British, a strong contender'

Ventilation

Tipi skirt

There are window style vents which have a zipped external canvas covers over the mesh, the mesh size is 1.5mm, not as fine as it could be. The vent covers can be guyed out right open or zipped to give a four inch opening. There are two lower level ones and one high level. Further ventilation and an exit for the stove flue is through the cone and hood method, I have described this in some detail for the previous tipi, so suffice to say here that I am not a fan of this method. The difference here is that the ‘spike’ at the top of the pole protrudes through the top of the hood, held in place to some degree with a rain deflector cap. I am always shy of things protruding out of the tent as there is scope for water ingress, however minimal. The outer door has a canvas flap over the zip with three Velcro tabs to keep it in place, this is effective but as with all models there would be the possibility of water ingress if the rain is blowing sideways… With the sections reducing in size, the pole is not the sturdiest, and again, a bit fiddly to pack away. The pegs are very small and not adequate for this tipi (this may change with the production model) there were some straight alloy pegs and some small semicircular ones (not v section), all about five inches long. That said, the

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Bergans of Norway 6051Wiglo RRP £525 reviewed here with 0654 inner tent • www.bergans.com

Spec:  

Sleeps: 6-10 Material: 190T Rip-stop Polyester with a PU coating Dimensions: W x L x H: 560 x 490 x 250 cm Weight: approx. 8.8 kg Inner Tent: 3.4kg Carry Bag Quality, again as per the Bergans Lavvo I was a little disappointed after having high expectations… the issues particularly relate to the stitching and reinforcing of vulnerable attachment points. One of the pegging out straps just ripped straight off, upon examination there was just a single (possibly double line of stitching, not crossed over or reinforced). The webbing band across the door base also tore away. A further idiosyncrasy of this model is the skirt, it does not fold into the tent as at the point where the poles cross you would be stressing the material to do so but it doesn’t peg out. Looking at images, the design is for it to be out but as there are no pegging points it just flaps around in the wind. The inner tent with built in groundsheet, is very nice, it is bright yellow, which adds to the light inside. In each corner of each pod there is a zip down triangle with mesh behind which is great for ventilation. The groundsheet has a small section that can be ‘ripped out’ (it is attached by velcro) so that you can have a fire. Additional ventilation is provided by some permanent mesh panels in the side walls and through the top. Again there is an insect mesh panel which velcros in, again as with the other Bergans model this is not the most effective method. There are some pockets in the inner that end at the seams, so these have a stronger design than the Green Outdoor tipi inner. Other ventilation comes from the hood and cone system at the top. With this model, due to the shape of the ‘tipi’ it is even harder to get a good wind and rain tight seal. On the outer there are some hooped ventilation points which when zipped open spring out.

of these points is a guying point with three guys attached that then merge into one guy line. I would be tempted to try modifying this and guy out with three separate guys from that point as they tend to pinch the side in and cause it to sag a bit. There are additional guying points around the tent and the guylines have reflective tape in them. The zip pulls are also on the same cord with glow in the dark ends. It is a shame that the negatives outweigh the concept of this tent. It is a super idea, the idea being that when you are inside the three hooped living areas provide roomier living space, increasing the height where the sides normally come down, so it in essence creates three pods that can comfortably accommodate two people in each pod with gear. I like the idea of the hooped/zipped vents springing out too. Quality: 3/5 Features: 4/5 Value for Money: 4/5 Storm Proofing: 3.5/5 Ease of Set up: 2.5/5

Good entrance vestibule on th e Wiglo

‘Great Space, ease of pitching definitely lets it down!’

Wind damage

Pintch point

Again the pole narrows so losing some stability and is fiddly to pack and can be awkward when pitching solo. There were no instructions again and it paid to have some experience of tents and tipis. To pitch you feed through three poles into the tent structure, then peg out, then walk the centre pole in. This model is best pitched with more than one person and does take some time. There are at least two of the points that need guying in order to give the tent its structure with the pod poles in place. One

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 55

REVIEW

Tentipi, Safir 9 man £1650 with Pro Floor • £525 (Comfort Floor £275) • www.nordicoutdoor.co.uk

Spec: Sleeps 10 BEST IN TEST Breathable cotton polyester fabric Weight 13.6 kg 5.3m diameter 3.1m high Pack size: 730x305mm Storage: Bag with compression straps for tighter packing The two smaller versions are priced at: 5 man £1195, 7 man £1450. We reviewed the 7 man version in issue 8 some years ago now and I have had personal experience of the 5, 7 and 9 man versions. Sweden is renowned for producing some great bushcraft kit and this is no exception, regarded by many as the flagship of all tipis The quality of the workmanship is unquestionable; it is of an exceptionally high standard with attention to detail being paid to everything from the guy line retention to the reinforcing on the door. Venting is via three vent points around the bottom, a two way zip unzips a section of the base material to reveal a mesh panel. Marrying up on the outside there is a peg out flap that you can guy out with 3 guys to create a covered venting channel. The two way zip system allows you to open the vents as much or as little as required. The top venting system is a feat of design and engineering! It is ingeniously controlled by a series of cords running through a concealed strip to the side which raise the ‘cap’ allowing you to adjust the amount and direction of ventilation with ease from inside the tipi. Built-in insect mesh toggles away if not needed. Unlike the ‘hood and cone’ systems mentioned above you can stay dry when adjusting the ventilation, there is no separate hood to worry about when erecting and no concern at all about getting a good wind and water tight seal!

where you want the centre of the tipi to be, loop the pegging cord over it, extend it and place a peg in the ground, place another one opposite it, then two either side to form a cross, then using the tape to show the locations place a peg in between each of these points, hook the tipis pegging rings onto the pegs and walk the pole in. A few minutes and hey presto! The pegging points can then be tensioned. The skirt folds internally and has toggles at each corner of it to give a nice shaped fit, then the floor clips in over this. The floor has a zipped T- section so that you can have various configurations to allow for an access area, fires etc. I have never actually needed the guys as the tent alone is very stable. The guying points (about 3ft and 5ft from the ground) with bright yellow guys already fitted are more than adequate for all but a full blown hurricane! When packing away, once you have bundled your cord tapes with bungees, sliding toggles secure them neatly out of the way. There is also a purpose built exit point for a stove in the roof, which closes with velcro, and, not surprisingly in terms of attention to detail, the Eldfell stoves are designed to fit and are available in steel (£560) and stainless steel (£800). This tent will sleep 8 in comfort and 10 if needed, 6 in real comfort with a reasonable amount of gear. Quality: 5/5 Features: 5/5 Value for Money: 5/5 Storm Proofing: 5/5 Ease of Set up: 5/5

‘The Safir really is the ULTIMATE tipi’

Well sealed

The design of the door means that this can be used for further ventilation, it rolls back to provide a good sized opening and there is a smaller panel that can be unzipped with the insect mesh still keeping out any unwanted visitors. When closed you can secure it shut with steel rings and toggles for security. The flap over the door is such that it sits well covering the zip but if there was horizontal rain and the wind blowing at the right angle then very minimal penetration may be possible. That said, a group of us sheltered in one in Sweden in very bad weather and this was not a problem. The alloy pole is elasticated, and, being the same diameter throughout makes for very easy pitching and good stability. The pegs are very good too, there are two lengths included in the bag and they are more than adequate in sand, stony soil or soft damp ground! The tipi comes with some very comprehensive instructions; there is a little pot with them in, along with a Tentipi memory stick! It comes with a tape for pegging, the process is simple. Put a peg

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Conclusion There is really no comparison at all, we have taken the top model from each brand, so this Tentipi model has no advantage in that respect, however even the cheaper Tentipi models such as the nylon Onyx priced at £665 for the 7 man version are manufactured to the same standards and even have internal cord adjustment systems! Whilst the idea is nice, windows/ vent points on the side of tipis create more seams and a potential places for draughts and water ingress. The simple, yet well thought out features of the Tentipi, in my opinion justify the price

of this tent; things such as having a zip to completely close off the low level vents, the cord management system, the adjustability of the cap and the exit point for a stove flue. These features have clearly been refined through use and testing in the field. As a runner up I would have to say that the little MFH Indian tipi represents super value for money, and an excellent purchase. It would be worth dropping it into a seamstress to add some velcro and possibly a zip to the bottom of the door to make it that bit better. Happy Camping!

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 57

MASSAI EXPERIENCE

LifeChangingExpedition Whilst sitting on my return flight from Nairobi, Kenya, I am attempting to assimilate and interpret the adventure that I have just experienced. It seems hardly believable that the last 13 days were real, now that I am surrounded by people from many nationalities with an equally diverse array of technology and ample food and drink throughout the flight. Although my body is on the flight homeward bound, my heart has been left behind and my mind and soul will never be the same again.

by Olivia Ellar

Sub Editor

the “Although my bodbyouisndon art flight homeward ind a,ndmymhe has been left behill never be ythe mind and soul w same again.”

58 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

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ou see I have just been privileged to attend Woodland Ways’ Massai Warrior Expedition set in the Rift Valley, Kenya, where for the last nine days I have lived in a Massai village. This is a not for profit trip with all proceeds going directly to the village where, in 2012 Woodland Ways helped to build a school. The proceeds from this year’s Expedition is financing the teachers’ salaries and buying educational equipment. Ever since I became aware that this expedition was going to take place I longed to attend and this year, Simon and I were determined to make it happen, and will forever be grateful for family and friends who helped out behind the scenes. Benjamin Franklin said ‘by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail’. I did all that I could to prepare myself for this experience. My kit was condensed and compact with all the essentials, including medication, desert boots and a water filter. I read guidebooks and learned about Kenya, the animals and the way of life for the Massai tribe. However, it soon would become quite apparent that no amount of preparation could prepare me for what I was about to experience over the next two weeks. Some of which I will share with you, while some experiences are just too precious to share.

introduce you into the Massai culture and spending time with Daniel, his lovely wife Ann and adorable family in their home was as much part of the experience as living with the Massai in their Boma. Whilst exploring the area where they lived, we travelled up into the Ngong Hills and were taught about the use of plants and learned about the geology and history of the area. What a welcome we received from the Massai people as we arrived at their village after completing our off road travels, negotiating wadis and some tricky terrain. As we began to unpack the 4x4, white men and Massai Warriors worked as a team without the need to speak one another’s language. An elderly Massai man hacked away over-hanging branches with his machete to create an area for our new home. They helped to clear the ground, set up our tents and cut down Acacia branches from nearby trees so that we could build a circular barrier around the edge of our camp to keep out wild animals. This was called a Boma and one surrounded each group of huts to protect the occupants and their livestock, which are brought in at night to be safe from leopards, lions and hyenas.

Simon and I were met at Nairobi, Kenya airport by Jason Ingamells, his instructors, other attendees and our guide Daniel, who I soon learned was an indispensible, integral part of the team and a wonderful man. The whole expedition is carefully designed to gradually

Ann & Danie l

Ann & Daniel’s lovely children, James and Grace Adam helping to build the boma

n'sgarden Ann's inAn erssin ower Flow Fl garden

Ann & Daniel's ho me

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 59

MASSAI EXPERIENCE

Once we were all set up, the village leaders gathered together to deliver an official welcome on behalf of the villagers. This welcome was opened with a prayer in the Maa language and then some of the village leaders shared their special and moving thoughts. We were invited to make their village our home and come and go as we please. Each day, we received specialist activities that were delivered and led by local Massai people which included; tracking wild animals, tree and plant ID, blood letting, bead work and off-roading. One experience that I will never forget involved trekking with the Massai women to collect water from a water source. We watched and attempted to assist the women load the donkeys with water barrels. The harnesses consisted of webbed straps and sacks bound together so that each donkey could carry two barrels. Some of the young donkeys came along so that they could get used to the journey and ‘learn the ropes’.

women ran ahead, ‘great’ I thought, we must be nearly at the water source. Little did I realise at this point what a great sense of humour the Massai people have. The two women had hidden amongst the bushes and rattled stones in their containers to scare the donkeys and in turn make me jump, as I was right behind them. I quickly gained control of the donkeys as the Massai women fell about laughing. They continued to giggle about it on many occasions during my stay. I’m sure it’s not the first time they have done this joke, nor will it be the last, but it was a laugh that forged friendships over the coming days.

The journey was a 10km round trip in the scorching heat, over rocks, sand, through wadis and over stony ground. Little did I realise that I would not be walking along with the men on the expedition but was swiftly passed a stick, given the commands and expected to herd the donkeys with the other women all the way to the water source. The women giggled and laughed at my pronunciation of their commands and my general herding style! Once I began to get the hang of it, the other women backed off and let me take the reins (so to speak) of herding 11 donkeys. Two

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My anticipation of arriving at the water source was that I would see a small lake, or at least a pond or maybe even a puddle. I did not realise it would be a stretch of sandy ground with a small trickle of dirty water rising from a spring. But their work to get water had only just begun. They dug away at the sand (with a little assistance from me) to create a pool and series of trenches. They then created a sandy filtration bank through which the water passed and while they removed jugs full of dirty water, clean water gradually filled the pool. This was a long process that first required exertion and then patience while they waited for the clean water. Once the task was complete, the women took a quiet moment to bathe in a stream further down which was generally used for livestock to drink from. During our visit, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit the school, which Woodland Ways, the villagers and the previous year’s trip had worked together to build. All the children and two teachers stood outside the school, a corrugated tin sheet construction with two classrooms, with smiles from ear to ear. It is customary for a child to lower their head towards you, when they greet you, as a sign of respect to their elders while the ‘elder’ places their hand on the top of the child’s head. We all touched around thirty children’s heads, while they gathered around us, touched our hair and white skin. A special meeting was held in the school with the chairman, a local man who is assigned to manage the proceeds of Woodland Ways’ Massai Expeditions to support the school and other initiatives. Jason Ingamells, owner of Woodland Ways presented this year’s donation at the meeting. Words could not express the emotion as

Daniel our interpreter struggled to say the amount with tears in his eyes. The children cheered and squealed with delight despite not having had anything to eat or drink for the five hours spent at school. The proceeds of this year’s trip may be used to install a water source at the school. By way of thank you, the chairman wanted to sacrifice a goat for us in honour of our visit and all that has been done to help the village…

Greeting the school children

I have just stopped at Doha International Airport to transfer to Heathrow, London and I witnessed numerous people bombard the duty free gold counter as if it was five minutes before closing time. The wealth and money exchanging hands is in sharp contrast to the experience I have just had and raises more questions than I have answers. One thing I do know is that this expedition is not trying to change the world, but to make a difference to a small pocket of people in the world, which would not be possible without people attending this cultural experience.

Emily, one of the school teachers

My personal opinion is that this unique experience is priceless and the expedition itself is great value for money. As well as enjoying an educational and cultural trip of a lifetime you have the satisfaction of seeing that the Massai peoples’ lives are improved, whether it be by the provision of a closer water source, a school teacher or educational resources, you are ‘paying it forward’.

Smiling faces all around

Anyway, I digress, back to the goat… The chairman’s goat had already been killed, butchered and was cooking by the time we arrived at his Boma. The Massai kill a goat by holding its mouth closed, with its nostrils covered to suffocate it. It takes a couple of minutes for the goat to die (which I witnessed later in the week) but the reason for this method is that they can preserve every part of the goat – nothing is wasted.

Jason Ingamells gives his donation to Joshua, one of the teachers

I felt like I was in the scene of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with the eyeball soup! On my plate were the best pieces of goat that were reserved for us as honored guests. The only downside was that the meat had been stewed in goat’s blood, which was then poured over, making a bloody, clotted gravy. The Massai men watched us eat their offering to us. I really did not want to offend and so I started to chew the bloody goat while I smiled and nodded to the Massai men. The women were further away, sitting in the shade of another tree waiting for some meat to be taken over to them as Massai men and women don’t often socialise together.

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 61

MASSAI EXPERIENCE

When the Massai showed us how to do it, they took it in turns to plunge in a cross-shaped wooden utensil in such a manner that the broth became frothy. This was then drunk by the mug load. As I get closer to home the world seems to be getting busier and the days of watching zebra, giraffe, eland and many other wild animals near our Boma or just sitting under an Acacia tree speaking with the Massai seem a figment of my imagination. The Massai people often gave us gifts of their beadwork throughout the trip and many would say, ‘this is so you remember me’. The Massai people do not want to be forgotten and I won’t forget them. For more information about the next trip in February 2014 visit http://www.woodlandways.co.uk/buyonline-massai-warriorexpedition--200.html or call Woodlands Ways on 01234 351006

Meet the Massai Dance Troop at The Bushcraft Show 2013 See p42 for more information.

The next course was sampled by two of the group, Kevan and Burt, it looked like mashed brains in a pan and was eaten by skewering it with an Acacia thorn. This was just too much for me, although the final verdict was that it was in fact intestines! The third course was roast goat that had been cooked over an open fire, this tasted good but within minutes it was covered in flies. The final course we termed ‘the broth’, which was made by boiling the goat’s carcass in water with some additional tree bark. This was then sieved and the remaining liquid frothed. This is a unique method of food preparation which some of the guys tried, soaking themselves and the Massai men in the process!

Warning: This trip is not for the faint hearted but definitely for the big hearted 62 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

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With thanks... Who's a Rogue?

Babies love Craghoppers too!

No trip would be the same without quality equipment! We would like to thank Kendrick Imports for sending us a Rogue Packer Hat (407D) in Sand and a Canvas Breezy Hat (306D), which kept the sun off our heads! To see the range of Rogue hats and other products visit www.kendrickimports.com Our thanks also goes to Craghoppers for outfitting Simon and I in their new range of NosiLife clothing, bursting with innovative travel features, the garments protected us from the sun, kept us cool and in style! Visit www. craghoppers.com to see their new range. Despite seeing them in the wild, we took our own selection of primates to Africa. Our thanks goes to Powertraveller who kept us online and in contact whilst we were completely off the grid, with products such as the Power and Solar Gorillas, the Power Monkey Extreme and the amazing new Solar Monkey Adventurer, winner of the 2013 ISPO Award. Visit www.powertraveller.com to see their full range of Apple approved solar and power storage products.

Lowa boots on the less rugged terrain

Lowa boots

rt Craghoppers NosiLife shi

Stuck for boots, I would like to thank Becketts Adventure www. armynnavy.com for stepping in at the last minute and getting a pair of Lowa Desert Elite Boots to me in time for the trip, which protected my feet on the rugged terrain and kept me safe from potential bites or snake strikes.

MSR tent caused a stir amongst the Massai...

Finally, a huge thank you goes to the guys at Cascade Designs, who, upon receipt of a kit list from us rallied around to send Platypus Hydration systems and an MSR Nearly there... Hubba Hubba HP expedition tent, which was to be our home for the trip. We needed a geodesic tent and as this was lightweight and specked to withstand the rigours of UV, wind and sand, with mesh panelling designed for use in warmer climates, it fitted the bill perfectly. The additional gear shed allowed us to store our kit effectively and the mud mats protected the base of the tent from the rocks Our house, in the that protruded through the sandy soil. They middle of our the also provided PackTowls desert! which are the ultimate travel towel and a selection of products from Thermarest, not all of which made it on the trip, but we will be looking at these in a later issue. We found the Prolite Plus mats with the down coupler to be super and due to the temperature didn’t really need anything else… except for the Thermarest Down Pillows, which I was extremely impressed with these and even took it on our flights! Visit www.cascadedesigns.com to find out all about these products and the entire ranges. Thanks guys, we were well equipped and had a super trip!

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 63

BUSHCRAFT ON A BUDGET

BUDGET HEAD OVER by, Ian Nairn

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1. Double over the fleece and chalk out Hello again and welcome to another budget article. In this issue I want to show you a very simple but useful bit of kit. I got the idea for one of these some time back at our friends Derek and Linda’s house. Derek had just bought one and I had a look at it and thought….. you guessed it; I can make one of those!

I

was reminded of it the other night whilst watching an episode of Dual Survival, with Cody Lundin and Dave Canterbury. They were doing an episode where they were showing the viewer how to survive in heavy snow and freezing temperatures. I noticed that they were both wearing these head-over type garments so it jogged my memory. The idea is you are making a hood with a neck baffle that can be worn to keep off wind and chills. As you will see later it can be worn in a few ways. So first to make the job a bit easier, if you have a garment with a hood that fits you nicely then get that and use it as a template to draw round onto your chosen material, I used my Swazi bush shirt as a guide. For material I used an old fleece blanket, I liked the colour and it will be good in the woods, plus we didn’t really use it, so it went for the chop. The fleece you will be using needs to be doubled over, the fold should be at the side that your face would be facing out of when done. Leave about a 1” gap from the fold, to allow a cut that will be folded back to form the seam around the hood for a draw cord to run through. Draw round your hood close to the garment, unlike previous sewing articles where I ask you to make allowance for the hem, in this you don’t need to as you will be using an over locking stitch which sews the two halves together flat so that there is no seam. But draw down past the bottom of the hood at least a good 6” – 8” to form the neck baffle. You need to make sure you widen out the neck baffle as you go so it fits over your head and spreads out on your shoulders once in place. Once you have your pattern drawn on you can cut out the material. If you are not too sure about measurements then use some scrap material first to have a play with before you commit to your fleece.

2. Use an over locking stitch to sew two halves together flat so that there is no seam 3. Put a safety pin in the cord, which makes it easier to feed it through

When you have cut out the material you need to cut from the top of the hood straight down the fold at the front to form the opening you will look out through. This will be dependent on your size; mine was about 12” long. Work off the size of the hood you used as a template. At the bottom of the cut down you need to make a cut inwards, this should be a downward sloping cut from the front edge at about 45 degrees. Once happy, take to the sewing machine and set it to the over locking setting. This is usually a zigzag type of stitch; again try it on a scrap first if you are not sure. The over locking stitch pulls the two sides of the material together without forming a ridged seam that may irritate your head. I started from the top of the head and sewed down to the bottom of the neck. Make sure you don’t sew too far and start closing up the neck hole. When you have sewn the top and back of the hood you can try it on for size. Now fold back the extra material that will form the seam round the front of the hood. You may find it easier to do this with the hood inside out. When you have done this you will be left with a little point where your chin will be, this too is folded over and sewn down again to the inside and sewn inside out.

4. Add a reclaimed toggle

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BUSHCRAFT ON A BUDGET

When you have done this sewing you can put in the draw cord. I used some old thin bungee type cord out of an old pair of walking trousers. I also got the toggle and grip toggle from the same trousers. To feed it in easily you can put a safety pin in the cord and feed it through. Once all the way round pass it through the grip toggle and tie it off. Of course you can use a different method if you like; this was an easy quick way, using kit I had. That’s it you are done. As I said earlier this is a very versatile bit of kit, it can be worn as a hat, neck warmer and a head over. If it gets really cold you can pull on the draw cord and close up the face opening, lifting up the neck baffle to cover your nose and mouth (that’s why you make the neck baffle a bit long so it still covers your neck even when pulled up). The only problem you may have is the same one I had. When I finished making mine, I had people saying “Ooohhh can you make me one of them too please?” As they are so quick and easy to make I am sure once you have made one it won’t take you long to knock up another couple for friends or family! And with the recent cold weather I have had good use out of mine already.

Budget Tip

Keep your e yes open for any clothing being throw n out or in c h arity shops that has bun gee cord in and the toggles and bungee grip s. Even if the clothing is tr ashed, rippe d or torn, the bungee and toggles can st ill be used for future ga rments or pro jects.

So happy sewing and I hope you enjoy this simple easy project. Until next time, keep it on a budget.

A simple and versatie piece of kit!

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next issue Retired U.S. Army Special Forces MYKEL HAWKE best known for his role in the Discovery Channel series Man, Woman, Wild, where he co-stars with his wife, RUTH ENGLAND, a British television presenter and actress – we find out more about this adventurous couple. Ben & Lois Orford teach you about Axe apps looking at their shape, design and individual attributes Find out what’s going on at The Bushcraft Show 2013

Paul Kirtley Helps you Harness the Hand Drill Carve your own kuksa with Jason Ingamells plus FREE cut and use templates and exclusive online design templates Making paper using leaves and nettles Take a visit to a Meadowland and explore this wonderful summer environment Swag Bags Tested Best wild medicines and the science behind how medicinal plant compounds actually work Lofty Wiseman’s ‘Survival Stories’ as never heard before Reviewed - Camp Cups, Plates and Bowls And much more…



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TRACKING

MORETOPTRACKING GAMES & EXERCISES NOSE BAG TESTING One excellent quick exercise designed to test the tracker’s sense of smell is the simple nose bag test. It is easy to create and is a great way of adding fun to tracking exercises. Start by gathering six porous sandbags and insert six different items into them, each of which have distinctive odours pertinent to the type of tracking training being completed.

Then identify a route or trail with six separate areas and deposit the sandbags containing the odours so that they can be identified without opening. The sandbags can be left secured on a trail or hung from objects such as trees, lampposts or buildings. The participants should then be asked to walk or run around the trail, locating the bags sequentially, smelling the contents and then writing it down on a note pad before moving onto the next sandbag.

USING ANIMAL SIGN Create animal sign either by using pre created animal signs painted or drawn on medium such as stones or wood, or, by gouging or drawing the sign making the image on the surface of the terrain being tracked by the participants. Variations on the animal sign can include differing animals, crossing tracks or you can introduce additional items like feeding sign, scat or traces of fur.

70 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

by Perry McGee

National Tracking School

The participant has to successfully track the animal to the finish point; you can introduce various scuffs and confusing sign along the way to make it harder.

ANIMAL SCAT EXERCISE Another option on the trail is to create differing animal scat deposit points where participants can identify the animal from its scat and estimate the time the scat was passed. Animal scat models can also be used. These are easily constructed using modelling clay or carving wooden sticks. Variations on the theme can be differing animals or different animal scat size. Perry McGee examining Kangaroo Identification as scat in Australia to the animal’s well being and dietary content can be assessed by the participants by the scat dissection. Further clues can be associated to the exercise by leaving food sources near the scat, for example, hazelnuts broken up and chewed with jagged edges or gnaw marks on the outer surface being indicative of a British squirrel.

BASIC PROGRESSIVE TRACKING EXERCISES One of the best techniques to learn basic visual tracking is to follow a live subject(s) through a series of changing terrain and environments. These exercises can be separated into differing skill levels and is dependent on the advisor’s imagination and the ability of the participants.

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Leaving sign, crossing obstacles and marks for the participants across a trail should be made interesting for the participants and be designed to become progressively harder. Rewards or a point collection process can be added for the more advanced. All participants should have the ability and facility to read and use a map and compass and be in possession of food and water. All of the exercises listed can be carried out as an overt or covert environment and for the advanced at night or with restricted vision equipment.

Types of progressive tracking training • Tracking in pairs • One on One (rural) • One on One (urban) • One onto Four man hunter • Four onto One man hunter

TRACKING IN PAIRS Especially useful in the younger tracker training development, tracking in pairs increases teamwork and communication. It should be stated to the participants that every sign identified must be indicated and approved by both participants before moving onto the next one.

ONE ON ONE MANHUNTER EXERCISE (RURAL)

obvious sign, drag marks etc every 10 meters and increase the distance as you meander in the woods. Leave obstacles advising the participant to establish. Try and create a circular trail to lead the participant back towards the start area. From experience, on basic courses participants invariably get lost so intermittent communication every ten minutes should be made to establish safety. If the participant fails to communicate then the exercise should stand down and the participants and advisor should re group at the start/exit point.

ONE ON ONE MANHUNTER EXERCISE (URBAN) Dentical to the rural tracking exercise, however designed to enhance urban tracking skills. Obvious urban signs should include obstacles and awareness of urban difficulties.

FOUR ONTO ONE MANHUNTER EXERCISE This exercise is designed to enhance the skills of a tracking team following one subject and is considered far safer than the one to one exercise. Implemented in the same manner, but with four participants, this exercise is often far quicker than others, as the participants often encourage each other on the follow. It highlights the necessity for “fresh eyes”, and the requirement of tracking tactics.

ONE ONTO FOUR MANHUNTER EXERCISE Similar to the others but this time the tracking unit is alone and follows a group of four or more. The exercise highlights and increases the skills of the individual tracking unit and is invariably easier than most exercises. Ensure that the participant has the relevant safety precautions prior to the exercise.

FOUR ONTO FOUR MANHUNTER

Start by assessing the participant and ensure that he is in possession of at least two litres of water. Then ensure that he has a watch and that it is set "One of the best techniques to learn basic to the same time as the advisors. If visual tracking is to follow a live subject(s)" possible give the participant some Designed for speed this activity form of communication (radio, mobile) should commence at a slow a map and a compass and ensure that speed and increase as the trail it is in working order. Inform the participant that in the event of any unfolds. It is designed to highlight the need to rotate the loss to regroup at the start point and ensure that the grid reference lead tracking unit and the need to assess the trail prior to the number is written down. follow. Other aspects and variations can include booby traps, smoke screens, or diversionary tactics designed to throw the Then advise the participant to sit down for ten minutes and set following tracking units off track. off on a route or direction through a wooded area. Initially leave

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 71

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BEST IN BUSHCRAFT

Best in Bushcraft Awards 2012 Some words from this year’s Winners & Finalists In the last issue, we announced the results for the six categories of Best in Bushcraft 2012. This year, we received more votes than ever and we are pleased to see entrants from all over the world including the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Netherlands and even Australia. Having an online entry form facilitated easier and quicker responses and the array of nominees throughout the industry was extensive. We contacted the winners and finalists about their achievement and here is just some of the feedback and comments we received…

Best Bushcraft Course Winner: Bushcraft and Survival Foundation Course – Frontier Bushcraft

recognition for the third year running for the quality of our courses. Of the 81 different course titles, and 428 actual courses delivered in 2012, The Woodland Ways Weekend is our flagship course. This course covers a huge variety of skills, with an innovative approach to instruction. we advance you from not just the basics of shelter, friction fire lighting, water and food, but take you on a further journey to awaken a true variety of bushcraft skills honing natural navigation, tracking, wild food foraging, game preparation, axe and knife use, woodcraft and so much more.” www.woodland-ways.co.uk/buy-online-woodland-waysweekend-6.html

Wild Food Forage – Wilderness Survival Skills

The Bushcraft and Survival Foundation course is an engaging, hands-on and enjoyable one-day course in the woods learning bushcraft and survival skills. Participants describe leaving with a sense of achievement and an increased confidence formed on the basis of new knowledge and skills. The course was designed to share broadly applicable foundational skills of bushcraft and survival. Topics covered are grouped under fire, shelter, water, food, outdoor safety and equipment. Increased knowledge in these areas has proven time and again to help keep people safe and comfortable in the outdoors. Because these foundational skills are very important, the course is always led by one of Frontier Bushcraft’s top instructors. Visit: http://frontierbushcraft.com/courses/bushcraft-and-survivalfoundation-course/

Finalists: Woodland Ways Weekend – Woodland Ways

Kevan Palmer, Senior Instructor at Woodland Ways says, “We were delighted to once again receive

74 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

Our countryside is packed with wild foods and useful plants – if you know where to look! Almost every flower, tree and mushroom has a use and a story attached. On this twoday course you will be shown how to identify edible and poisonous plants, learn which species are good for food, medicine, cordage, making fire, insect repellent, natural glues, soap and even dyes. There will also be the opportunity to prepare and cook wild game and fish using various wilderness cookery techniques.  Because of the changing seasons we run two foraging weekends, Spring and Autumn.  The wild game, which accompanies your foraged food also changes depending on which course you attend. Visit: http://www. wilderness-survival. co.uk/wild-foodforage/

Best Bushcraft School Winner: Frontier Bushcraft Frontier Bushcraft was established in 2010 by Paul Kirtley. His aim was two-fold - first, to pass on bushcraft skills via accessible, well-structured and enjoyable training courses; second, to guide people in wilderness areas where these skills can be employed, consolidated and built upon. Paul’s shared his vision, “At the heart of what we wanted to do was to share, enthuse and enable. We want to share skills and knowledge with people, get them really enthused about the possibilities and enable them to go out and Follow Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine on Facebook

achieve things they wouldn’t otherwise have done.” About being voted Best Bushcraft School, Paul says, “Frontier Bushcraft was a finalist in 2011. To receive this accolade after being established for only a year was a big boost to our confidence. Now to have been voted Best Bushcraft School is a fantastic recognition of how hard everyone at Frontier works. I’m over-the-moon for the team. And I’m very grateful to everyone who voted for us.”

With a team of 14 people who work to deliver courses and expeditions, including amongst them renowned canoe coach and expeditioner Ray Goodwin, Frontier Bushcraft run a range of bushcraft courses in Sussex and the Lake District along with their overseas expeditions. With a team of 14 people who work to deliver courses and expeditions, including amongst them renowned canoe coach and expeditioner Ray Goodwin, Frontier Bushcraft run a range of bushcraft courses in Sussex and the Lake District along with their overseas expeditions.

for winning the best bushcraft school, well done all and let’s carry on keeping our skills alive!” Visit: www.woodland-ways.co.uk

Wilderness Survival Skills Pleased to be a finalist, Wilderness Survival Skills is a well established, fulltime bushcraft school in Wiltshire, running a wide selection of fun and informative courses combining up-todate training and outdoors know-how with traditional skills and crafts. Our site is mainly old hazel coppice surrounded by almost 2,500 acres of mixed woodland, much of it ancient. Friendly and experienced instructors run one-day courses, bushcraft weekends, five-day foundation courses, wild food weekends, primitive skills and traditional crafts courses and an advanced hunter-gatherer week for the serious wilderness living enthusiast. Bespoke and private group bookings can also be arranged.

Best Bushcraft Instructor

Visit: http://frontierbushcraft. com/

Finalists: Woodland Ways

Winner: Paul Kirtley -

We managed to grab Jason Ingamells, owner of Woodland Ways and steal a few minutes between expeditions and courses for a quick chat. Jason said, “The whole team at Woodland Ways were overjoyed to be nominated for the Best Bushcraft School award again for the third year running and to have received recognition in all of the categories. Employing the largest team of fulltime permanent instructors comes with its own unique set of challenges. In 2012 we delivered over 900 days worth of instructional training in the most extreme of environmental conditions both here and overseas resulting in our busiest year ever. To receive the thanks of those who have attended courses with us is the highest accolade we could ask for. My thanks go to each and every one of you that voted for us to make Woodland Ways the success that it is. My sincere congratulations also go to Joe O’Leary, a true legend of instruction, for his success in this year’s awards. Our congratulations also go to Paul Kirtley at Frontier Bushcraft for a truly overwhelming achievement in such a short space of operation

Paul Kirtley is owner and Chief Instructor of Frontier Bushcraft Ltd. He was previously Course Director at Woodlore Ltd. Paul spent 10 years studying and training under the guidance of Ray Mears, first as a student on his bushcraft courses and then as an employee. He is one of only a few people worldwide who have been recognised by Ray Mears as a bushcraft instructor, being awarded the celebrated antler-handled Woodlore instructor’s knife. Paul also holds the Mountain Leader Award. Paul puts strong emphasis on real-world application of bushcraft skills and this has been cemented by travels in Europe, North America, Africa, Australia and Asia. As well as having his own adventures, Paul divides his time between teaching bushcraft, leading expeditions, and writing a popular and well-respected bushcraft blog. About being voted a winner in this category he said “I’m truly honoured to receive this recognition from the readers of Bushcraft and Survival Skills Magazine and all my students who voted for me. I’ve always done my best to share as much knowledge with as many people as possible. I hope that being highlighted in this way, allows me to be even more effective in sharing knowledge in the future.”

Frontier Bushcraft

Visit: http://paulkirtley.co.uk/about/

BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 75

BEST IN BUSHCRAFT

Finalists: Jason Ingamells - Woodland Ways Jason Ingamells is one of the most well known instructors in the industry, with many years of both instructional and personal practical applied experience around the world under his bushcraft belt. His passion for his subjects is infectious, his attention to the absolute detail of instruction is legendary, but he remains one of the most down to earth people you are likely to meet around the campfire. On his nomination this year for best bushcraft instructor Jason said, “It really is an honour to once again be put in the category of Best Bushcraft Instructor… quite humbling really. I pride myself in doing what we do well, I am blessed to have the privilege of working with some of the best instructors in the industry, my own instructors such as Kev, Adam, Martyn, Joanne, Jay and more, but also into the wider industry and this recognition is theirs, not mine”

Best Bushcraft Retailer Online Winner: Woodland Way Woodland Ways has for many years now provided an online resource for sourcing the technical equipment that could save your life whilst either on expedition in the UK or overseas. After all, who would you trust other than those instructors that use this equipment for real, in real situations. To win the award this year is a fantastic reflection of all the hard work the instructors have put in over the years. Thank you to everyone who has supported us via our online shop and voted for us as a result. Visit: www.woodland-ways.co.uk

Finalists: The Bushcraft Store

Visit: http://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/instructors.html

Joe O’Leary – Wilderness Survival Skills Joe O’Leary is the author of The Wilderness Survival Guide and has been professionally involved in teaching survival and bushcraft courses since 2002. Following a lifelong passion for the great outdoors and an overwhelming desire to learn everything there is to know about self-reliance in the wilderness, he started his own school in 2007, Wilderness Survival Skills which goes beyond basic survival training and further towards advanced bushcraft skills and primitive technology. He prefers to lead by example, practicing what he preaches and so as a result, teaches real skills from personal experience. Starting his working life as a soldier and combat engineer, then becoming a self employed carpenter and craftsman and even being involved in the food industry as a partner in his wife’s business, his varied life experiences have produced a unique teaching style – relaxed but always striving for the highest possible standards. He also cooks a mean pancake!  Visit: http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/joe-oleary/

76 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine

It is always rewarding knowing that our customers value our service and products and this is shown by being voted finalist in both categories for 'Best Bushcraft Retailer Online’ and ‘Best Bushcraft Retail Store'. We always strive to provide the best for our customers, and readily welcome suggestions for new products, which they find hard to source from other sources. With new and exciting products on the way we know we will surpass our customers’ expectations in the future. Visit: www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk

Greenman Bushcraft

Greenman Bushcraft has been supplying the very best in Bushcraft and outdoor equipment for many years. They have several thousand sq/ft of floor space, which is solely dedicated to your favourite brands and outdoor tools. Greenman Bushcraft is predominantly an online presence, but customers are welcome to book an appointment to visit any of their locations and talk over requirements with one of their team.  Visit: www. greenmanbushcraft. co.uk Follow Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine on Facebook

Best Bushcraft Retail Store Winner: The World of Bushcraft

In 2012 Woodland Ways set up the first bushcraft experience centre to open in the UK. Joanne, operations manager for Woodland Ways explains. “Jason’s brief to us all was quite clear from the start. We were to open the UK’s first physical centre as a resource for bushcraft studies, a place where you could come and speak to fulltime instructors about their work, have a free cup of tea and undertake research into far flung places around the world, a place where you could buy kit that will last, the best equipment for the task in hand. To buy well and buy once! To be voted the Best Bushcraft Retail Store is a fantastic achievement and a true reflection of the sheer grit and determination of our team to buck the current trends in the retail sector. What we have created is truly unique… but don’t just take our word for it!” Visit www.woodland-ways.co.uk/world-of-bushcraft.html

Finalists: The Bushcraft Store

Best Bushcraft Online Content Winner: Visit: frontierbushcraft.com

The hub of Frontier Bushcraft’s online content sharing is its blog. The blog is written by chief instructor Paul Kirtley along with other members of the Frontier instructional team. There are also guest articles from Ray Goodwin who collaborates with Frontier Bushcraft on all of their canoeing trips. The blog features beginner’s advice, tips and tricks, bushcraft skills tutorials, outdoor safety advice, equipment recommendations, competitions, Frontier Bushcraft news and trip reports as well as highlighting aspects of traditional skills from around the world. Paul says, “The ethos of Frontier Bushcraft is one of passing on knowledge. We don’t own this knowledge, nobody does. The Frontier Bushcraft blog is another way in which we can share what we know, highlight things we’ve found out about and share experiences that we and our clients have had.” About winning Best Bushcraft Online Content Paul said, “We really enjoy creating the blogs. We love it when people respond to what we’ve posted and a conversation gets going as a result of it. In winning this award, it tells us that others really appreciate what we’re doing here too, which is fantastic!” Visit: http://frontierbushcraft.com/frontier-bushcraft-blog/

Finalists: Visit: www.woodland-ways.co.uk It is always rewarding knowing that our customers value our service and products and this is shown by being voted finalist in both categories for 'Best Bushcraft Retailer Online’ and ‘Best Bushcraft Retail Store'. We always strive to provide the best for our customers, and readily welcome suggestions for new products, which they find hard to source from other sources. With new and exciting products on the way we know we will surpass our customers’ expectations in the future. Visit: www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk

Ronnie Sunshines Fantastic service is all about fantastic people and at Ronnie Sunshines we have a fantastic team of highly dedicated professionals working together to give all our customers the very best service they can. We are also very lucky to have an amazing team of customers who we would like to say a big thank you to.

“I recognise that people want information to both research and make informed decisions. It’s quite a challenge to provide up-to-date, current information for our thirst for social media whilst out in the woods or overseas on expeditions. To receive recognition for the sheer graft and determination on getting this information out there is thanks enough. We can assure you there is nothing more funny than seeing a wilderness instructor finishing a day’s work in the woods only to run off to the highest ground in order to reach a 3G signal so they can upload their blog! It’s the weird world of a survival instructor that we live in!” Jason Ingamells

Visit: www.bushcraftuk.com

Each winner will receive a handcrafted award, which will be presented at The Bushcraft Show 2013, Elvaston Castle and Country Park by the legend, John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman. Visit www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk

Visit: www.ronniesunshines.com

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OUTDOOR LEARNING

MAKING A RUSTIC GARDEN CHAIR

by

Jo Schofield & Fiona Danks

The majority of bushcraft books and TV programmes focus on extreme survival, which many of us are happy to simply absorb from the comfort of the sofa. We believe that young people, in fact everyone, should be able to have a go themselves even if it is just in the back garden! We all need to reconnect with the natural world and that involves opportunities to touch it, taste it, and play in it. Wild places ease the stresses and strains of modern life, providing a sense of freedom and exuberance. Outdoor crafts can show children that technology is not just about pressing keys on a keyboard but can be about making something that is practical and useful. We need to look at what nature has to offer in a new light, appreciate the potential of diverse raw materials such wood and discover how to use nature’s free, renewable resources to make anything from a cricket bat to a woven basket.

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uch activities may take a long time, and they may be difficult; but we have found that young people value the finished products all the more for having made them themselves, and feel a sense of pride in their achievement. This not only brings them closer to nature but also connects them to ancient civilisations and technologies. Wood in all its forms used to be the commonest and most inexpensive material for many household and garden items; it was easily available, versatile and renewable. Many of today’s so-called wild woodlands were managed and shaped over hundreds of years to produce a range of wood products. In recent years there has been something of a revival in woodland crafts, but it is perhaps the growth in popularity of willow weaving which has been most dramatic. Wood has always appealed to children; a dead stick can be anything from an imaginary sword to a magic wand, while green wood can be whittled to make a pea-shooter or carved into a bow and arrow. Generations of young people have used wood to enhance their games or make their own toys so we set out to try and find an activity that would keep our teenage sons engaged. We have to admit that it has sometimes been challenging to get our teenagers outdoors. Teenage inertia can be hugely frustrating and tough to break. Keep persevering: unplug them from electronic gadgetry and get their friends involved. For generations teenagers haven’t complied with their parents wishes, so don’t be put off if they ignore your well meaning ideas. Our idea to go on a course to make these rustic chairs didn’t go down well initially but once they realised it involved using large dangerous tools they threw themselves into the task at hand. They produced two distinctive chairs and we had to literally drag them away at the end of a totally absorbing day! Making these chairs requires some competency in dealing with sharp tools; this isn’t an activity for young children. Rustic furniture is eco-friendly and cheap, but don’t expect it to last all that long. Each piece will be different and you could be really creative and incorporate quirky design features. Remember to supervise all children using tools and show them how to work safely (see safety tips below).

You will need: • Freshly cut green wood is better as it’s less likely to split when nailed • 2x long back legs (approx 3-5 feet/1-1.5m x 2.5 inches/7cms) • 2x short front legs (approx 18 inches/45cms x 2.5 inches/7cms) • 8x short rungs (approx 18 inches/45cms x 2 inches/5cms) • A variety of thinner branches for the seat, back and arms • 30-40 long nails minimum 3 inches/8cms (depends on the thickness of your wood) • Loppers, bow saw, hammer and some good imagination!

Making the chair Place the two long back legs on the ground parallel to each other and about 14 inches/35cms apart. Join the legs together by nailing a rung at the height you want the seat. Nail another one below this to form a square. Place the two short front legs on the ground parallel to each other and join with two rungs as in step one. Make sure the rungs are at the same height on both pairs of legs.

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OUTDOOR LEARNING chair and Jake found some lovely shaped twigs to make more of a throne. Sit down gingerly and see if your chair survives! Have a go at making other pieces of rustic furniture; for example, join together a series of straight thin logs by binding with rope or nailing into place, then add some legs to make raft-type benches or tables.

Safety tips Tool safety is about knowing how to use tools responsibly and appropriately as well as being aware of the potential dangers and how to avoid them;

Stand the front and back legs beside each other on level ground and ask someone to hold them so you can keep everything parallel. Nail rungs on to each side to make the basic structure of your chair. To increase strength, add two cross pieces on to each side. Add branches for the seat and back. There are many different ways of doing this – make up your own design. Edward added arms to his

This activity requires close supervision by an adult. Always have a first-aid kit handy and ensure someone present knows how to use it. Make sure everyone is aware of the potential dangers of using sharp tools - accidents usually happen when people are messing around. Before using a knife, make sure there is an imaginary no entry zone all around you. To check you have enough space, stand up with your arms spread out and turn around – you shouldn’t be able to touch anyone or anything. Think about follow through – in other words, where is your blade likely to go if it slips? Is there anything or anyone in the way? Never cut over your lap – the femoral artery in the thigh carries large volumes of blood, if severed you will lose a pint of blood a minute. Work the blade away from your body, and away from the hand supporting the wood. Never cut towards your hand until you can use it with great control. Always cut on to a firm surface such as a steady log. If you need to pass a knife to someone else, always do so with the handle pointing towards the other person. Always put knives and axes away in their sheaths when not in use; never leave them lying around. At the end of each activity session we always collect knives and other tools and put them in a bag together. Young people need to realise that knives should only be used when participating in craft activities; a knife is a tool and never a weapon. Give knives and other sharp tools the respect they deserve: always stick to the rules. Copyright Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks January 2013 www.goingwild.net

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Book Reviews The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz By Beau Beakhouse

Price: £7.99 Author: Slavomir Rawicz Publisher: Robinson Publishing ISBN: 978-1845296445 “The first headlong rush slowed to a steady, racking lope. We jogged along for hours, into the dawn and beyond it to another snow-filled day, our packs bumping and pounding our backs as we went.” The Long Walk tells the true story of Slavomir Rawicz’s escape from a Russian-controlled gulag in Siberia. It takes place after the German-Soviet invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II, and begins with the capture and arduous physical and mental interrogation of Rawicz by the Russian secret police. After being given a long sentence at a corrupt trial, Rawicz endured a gruelling transportation to ‘Camp 303’ in Siberia, alongside thousands of other prisoners and quickly began to plot an escape. His eventual 4000-mile journey, alongside six other escapees, encompassed subarctic climates, deserts and the Himalayan Mountains as they struggled towards British India. All they escaped with, through good fortune inside the camp, is an axe and a knife, forcing them to survive with the bare essentials of Bushcraft, relying upon the ever-changing wilderness and the assistance of native people.

Primitive Technology II Ancestral Skills By Jack burgess

Price: £16.99 Edited by: David Westcott ISBN: 978-1-58685-098-2 This is a great book, I enjoy “trying” to practice primitive skills and this book gives fantastic examples of just how primitive technology can be used very effectively in today’s world. Alarmingly the book also demonstrates how rapidly we are losing these skills that were once commonplace and a given for every man, woman and child to learn, know and live with. It is terrible to think that in our modern society there are tribes throughout the world that were once unrivalled experts in such skills and now even they have to be taught these forgotten skills by a small group of folk who refuse to let these skills die. The book is broken down into sections including; Searching the Past, Food Sources, Containers, Projectiles, Buckskin, Transportation, and Back to Basics, each of these sections being further broken down into relevant subsections. There are photos, cartoons and pictures a-plenty within the pages to illustrate and elaborate on the text. My only negative comment on the book is regarding the photos, all are black and white, which in

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It is a gritty visceral story, which shows the atrocities of war, and the innate instinct to survive. Rawicz tells it in a unique way, and puts a focus on the welcome, kindness and hospitality showed to them by the indigenous peoples once they exited Russia, without which they would never have survived. This contrasts with the declining prevalence of these positive traits in countries such as our own. This book leaves the reader with a desire to experience nature in its most basic form without the supporting luxuries of everyday life. A regular Bushcrafter is often familiar with this desire and it encourages the undertaking of expeditions into the wild. Overall this book portrays many of the elements that make up Bushcraft, with the author putting them into practice through sheer necessity. It is definitely a recommended book for anyone interested in the real outdoors. The Long Walk is a moving, inspiring book, which depicts the hardships of life and the skills needed to survive whilst 'on the run'. There are claims that Rawicz was not the true author and that some of the facts in the book are incorrect, the authenticity of the book is believable and there are elements unaddressed by the detractors so it is left with the reader to decide. Aside from this, this book is an informative, gripping and absorbing read.

itself is not that bad, but unfortunately some pictures are very grainy and not too clear. But other than that comment the rest of the book is great. The section on dietary requirements and food sources was very interesting, as were all the sections, but it’s funny how we call our ancestors “primitive” yet they didn’t suffer from obesity, diabetes and many other food related illnesses that we seem to be plagued with in our “modern” society. I am sure if we took a greater interest in our ancestors and their skills we could make a better future for ourselves and our children than the one we seem intent on making now. I could go on about how we are heading, but I won’t as the book goes into this subject itself. There are some great bow making tips and methods in the hunting section and I am definitely going to have a go at one of them. In this section it tells of how the skills of making an Eskimo bow were passed back to a village that had forgotten how their ancestors made these bows. The elders of the village recall seeing these bows when they were very young, but none had shot them or retained the knowledge and skills to make them. I could go on and on about this book and the stories and skills within, but I think you get the picture. I am extremely pleased to now have this book in my collection and I am sure it will be read over and over to hopefully allow some of the knowledge and skills to be absorbed by yours truly.

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