Bushcraft, survival and wilderness skills courses

After the resounding success with Arlington courts oven I have been asked by a few visitors on the day whether I run Earth oven building courses.

Not something I thought would attract too many people however I did promise that if we could find a minimum of 6 people then we can run a one day course that will cover all you need to know on the basics of building an earth oven. So you can return home and start your own project in the back garden.

Yesterday was the opening day for National Trust Arlington Court Earth oven, and although we got off to a wobbly start its safe to say it was a great success and the start of a whole new era of pizza cooking in the woods.

I had arrived at 10 am  to find that the oven was still quite damp after its soaking on Tuesday, every credit to the rangers/wardens who had done their utmost to dry it out, leaving parrafin burners and camping stoves gently heating it through all day Thursday. I decided to start a small fire in the oven asap and gently build it through the morning so we would be ready to cook pizzas for lunch.

It was a first for me to fire up such a damp oven so with the constant fear of seeing a large fissure streak through the top I slowly built up the fire and heat.

Well it has been a busy few days and a long time since I sat in front of a computer, all for good reason and Im back to report on the most recent event, building an earth oven at Arlington Court.

There is not a great deal to building an earth oven and I think its the sort of thing everyone should get involved with once in their lives, there is a real sense of achievement when you get the first whiff of cooking bread and pizza and even with the odd gritty bit there's no taste like a true al fresco meal. home baked in the great outdoors. They can be built as a temporary bushcraft project or with a little thought and planning something a little more permanent that can sit next to the barbecue for years to come.

This is one of my favourite recipes to cook for vege. friends who want a wild food dinner and would probably be my first choice if I was forced to host an episode of come dine with me. Tasty and filling it looks great on the plate and there is always something a little daring about the concept of eating stinging nettles.

As a rule I serve it with a couple of salads or new potatoes and a warm tomato sauce but its versatile enough that you have plenty of other options to experiment with.

Like my Cat nettles don't like being stroked the wrong way but with a little care in handling its easy to gather nettles without gloves and still not get stung. Remember the stings grow pointing upwards and outwards so to pull in the direction of sting growth  means that the tips can't penetrate and break which is what gives that painful effect that we have all experienced

I should point out in the photo the white flower is three cornered leek a slightly milder wild Garlic

Meanwhile back in the kitchen...........

What a perfect Day for a introductory wild food foray into the wilder side of  Arlington Court, a National Trust venue just outside Barnstaple North Devon. On the day I was running regular walks following their wilderness trail and pointing out some of the more popular wild foods and throwing in ( I just can't seem to help myself.) the occasional bushcraft tip, and recipe.

Feedback so far has been very positive and it looks like there will be similar events going on throughout the summer so please check their website for more details.

A few of my fellow foragers on the day asked for some recipes and a book list so over the next few weeks Im hoping to add some of my favourites here and would suggest you experiment for yourselves as your wild food recognition improves.

First off, I cannot emphasise too much that you must be 100% positive of your plant identification before you do anything with a wild plant. 99% sure is not good enough so before the recipes a few of the books and other resources that I use include:

Well it started as a suggestion to Arlingtons head ranger and gone up the chain from there.

Whilst scouting new locations at the venue I mentioned how many people come on my courses then don't have a place to go and practice their new found skills. We spoke of the suspicions that some landowners have of anyone who might choose to spend free time smelling of wood smoke and avoiding power tools and other gadgetry. I suggested a dream I have had for a few years now, that once a person has proven themselves able to spend time in the wilds as  a true woodsman, living by the leave no trace code then that should be somehow recognised and rewarded with a series of venues throughout the land where they are welcome to camp and practice bushcraft.

Was pootling along the beach doing my usual tracking of the various dogs and grockels. when my other half got a text from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)

 Turns out just up the beach someone had reported seeing a stranded seal pup. So we headed on up to see what we could do.

Well you've been out and cut your stick, saved a few lambs from emasculation and you are all set to do some tracking.

For the start we will concentrate on man tracking. Although once you have the concept in your tracking tool box the theory can be applied to most walking animals. Of course this isn't an all seeing eye or magic pointer there is still a great deal of dirt time necessary to learn to interpret the tracks and see the stories they tell.

You will be using the stick to guide your eye to the next probable imprint. Just the same as Quantum mechanics this is about probabilities. so always consider the "what if ?" factor; your subject may speed up, slow down or take more stealthy evasive action. However as you read the spoor you will come to see that all changes will be shown in the track.

Many a time has my trusty stick got me out of a fix whilst Ive been tracking, and my mentor Max's words still ring in my ears from the day I passed my advanced tracking course and earned my silver feather "trust your stick."

Tracking sticks come in many forms from striped down ski poles and traditional walking staffs to custom made purpose built sticks. However my preference is for a personally made stick. I have found that as years have passed I have developed a bond with my trusty apple wood stick from the day I cut it to the next time I take it tracking. I know I am not alone and every tracker I know will go to great lengths to make sure their stick is close to hand.

The stick is used to estimate the next foot fall in a track whilst also gauging your following the right track, and with a little pimping giving a good idea of direction of travel.

Well just back from another fun weekend at the head of Canonteign falls, with max and the Shadowhawk trackers.

As always it was an awesome weekend with equal parts instructing , tom foolery and learning. The group was, for a change, mainly made up of bushcrafters so it was nice to see such an advance in skills from clients who on occasion arrive in the woods for the first time wide eyed and looking for guidance. I was a little surprised at the speed in which bushcraft has become so mainstream, only last year I would say that 50% of max's clients where new to the concept of wild camping. Although Novembers course may have a few less bushcraft savvy folk on it.