For those who are not taking part in the project you'll be pleased to hear that one of our primary goals is to use all of the skills gained over the week's course to help us provide stimulating bushcraft camping events for children who wouldn't normally be able to experience such things - the idea being that we provide it without cost to parents and that it can be run on a volunteer basis. Sounds good huh?
Details of our site location have now been re-confirmed after the first site fell through. The real plus side is that this site is much closer to home in Devizes and has been provided to us by the Braeside Conference & Education Centre. This is a real bonus as it gives us a good base to also tramp up to Roundway Hill and the surrounds - brilliant!
Our schedule has altered due to the change of site - what I've done instead is to block what we'll be covering into 5 different days - that'll give us a bit of flexibility with the weather.
Arrive Monday 26th 1.30pm - Day A:
After setting up the modern camp first we'll have a look at:
Shelters - a look at some of the most basic and effective shelter types culminating in a group shelter being built by everyone, depending on available resources. It may also be necessary to move off site to pick up other resources (extra wood for fires and shelters, foliage for bedding etc). Well also look at some of the basic fire lays and test them along side each other.
Day B:
Fire Lighting - modern day cigarette lighters, matches, through to battery and magnifying glass fires, and then all the way through to fire by friction
Fire Lays - what type of fire for when (including wood selection and collection)
Back Country Cooking
Day C:
Navigation - from compass & maps, to stars, sun and moss
Tracking - silent movement and sign tracking
Game Trapping - investigation into simple dead fall traps through to snares and more complex trigger traps
Game Dressing - how to gut and skin your food so that it can be safely eaten
Day D:
Wild foods Identification and Uses - including some new ways to look at finding food
Tree Identification
Carving Techniques
Tools and Maintenance
Knots
Day E:
Water Collection, Storage & Purification
Wilderness Safety & Hygiene
Kit & Equipment
The Psychology of Wilderness Living
Some of the above will also change and swap around a little depending on when people with different expertise and skills can make themselves available.
Anyone who has not contacted me but wanted to take part should email me by Wednesday evening - after that I'm away until Sunday… you can always bell me.
Don't forget tents, warm clothes, warm bedding and waterproofs. Torches and knives are also necessary. Food, tea and a cookout would also be a good plan. See you there.
