Foundation Bushcraft Course (4 day)

Duration: 4 full days: The course begins at 19.00 on the first day and ends at 16.00 on the last day.
On most days lessons will be approximately from 09:00 - 17:00 except for the last day.

Camping: Recommended

Course content: cutting tools, firelighting, water preparation, bushcraft cooking, shelter, plant uses including cord making, navigation, wildlife tracking

As the name suggests this course gives you a firm foundation in a range of key bushcraft skills. The main difference from a weekend course is the depth in which we cover the subjects and the amount of guided practice time provided. This is extremely valuable in assimilating the skills. While camping over the four day period you also get the chance to really settle into the woodland environment. Additional components to this course are navigation and bushcraft cooking.

The course is highly recommended for both beginners and as a valuable step forward for those who have attended shorter courses. You will learn the safe use of sheath knife and saw and can use these tools to make up your own bow drill set. You will also learn about firelighting, including bow drill, sparks, fuels and firelays. You will have the chance to collect and purify water, build a leaf shelter and string up a hammock, do some bushcraft cooking (for example, gutting and preparing fish - either clay baking or grilling on stick), learn about plant uses including foraging and cord making, and learn basic navigation methods, including natural methods of direction finding. You will also get an introduction to animal tracks and signs.

During your stay we encourage you to try out sleeping in leaf shelters, cook by the fire and get to know your fellow bushcrafters!

Learning outcomes: At the end of the course you should:

• Know how to use a knife and saw safely
• be able to tie some basic knots required to string up a hammock
• know how to build a leaf shelter
• understand how to find water and make it safe
• understand the basic principles of responsible firelighting and fuel collection
• have succeeded in lighting a fire with sparks and/or bow drill
• have learnt some bushcraft cooking techniques
• know how to recognise some of the plants that can provide food and other valuable materials
• have a basic understanding of navigation with a map and compass
• have increased your ability to notice, identify and interpret animal signs

Client quotes:
"The course has given me a practical base on which I can improve my skills and has increased my enjoyment of the outdoors. There's more out there than I thought" - G. Walker
"Excellent, all round foundation in bushcraft" - J. Rolf
"I now feel I can overcome any obstacles if they appear in the field"- J. Adams
"Makes you aware of our real place in nature and how we've lost our way" - P. Lovegrove
"Course content and delivery was given in such a clear, concise manner it was easy and enjoyable to participate in" - C. Lang
"An obvious life-time of knowledge and interest which the instructor was willing and enthusiastic about sharing" - A.Krutz