j ry feats irself Be aguksi & . 4 ~ ety Felting for -. field 7 ioe ATS Codi) pate 8 ead =e | \ erate forage and mac 1)¢: plus Star Lore, Weather Lore and more...Bushcraft Magazine courses for Spring 2012 ‘Our one-day taster courses cost Keep up to date and book online at www.bushcraft-magazine.co.uk fear You may camp overnight at out farm in Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Kent if you wish, at no extra charge. We > wi providetes and coffee and a hot ‘vegetable soup as part of the day Bushcraft Magazine May Meet Book in for a weekend of courses and a chance for bushcrafters and adventurous families to share skills, and swap stories. Taster courses, demonstrations and mini-workshops include Animal ‘Tracking, Atlatls, Archery, Catapults, Ferreting, Fire and Forge, Fire-by-Friction, Foraging, Green Woodworking, Spoon Carving, Star Gazing, Storytelling, Wild Cooking, and much, much more. Special guest on Saturday: Mark Dunn with his trained birds of prey. See our . website for full details. Costs for the weekend, including 3 courses/ workshops/ demos per day, camping and firewood: €75 per person, £125 family of up to five. Single all-day ticket £35 per person (accompanied single child under 11 FREE); Family of up to 5, £60. Intermediate Leatherworking Lear techniques to make and decorate your own personal items under the experienced iia a fae lier oc yay ae ces ere er ‘here wil be 3 small aditional charge of 6 for mater Fire and Forge (max. 6 people) Fe et eet teeter eee ee eae are ears tera tsrotcig ca sae a ce Wee ran thee ne ose a His famin Kent. There lle a small addonal charge of fr metal Spoon Carving Leam the sills and try out the tools under the guidance and tultion of our skilled F craftsman Paul Bradley at our farm site in Egerton, Kent. Make and take away your ‘own spoons. Saltmarsh and Rocky Shore Foraging ‘Visit contrasting habitats on the north Kent coast with a view to discovering the foraging possibilities. Shellfish. and seaweeds at Tankerton with samphire and salt marsh plants at Oare Marshes. Discover the habitats and identify your finds under the guidance of Steve Kirk.“re-connecting to the landscapi Volume 8 Number 1 Spring 2012 ‘We beseat Magne publ “The Busheraft Egerton House Cottage, Egerton, Ashford, KENT TN27 98D Founder: Huw Woodman Editor: Steve Kk Advertising: Matthew Selfe Webmastar: Paul Bradley Soup Dragon: Cathy Hill E-mall info@busheraft-magazine co.uk Advertising: mafro@bushcraft-magazine.co.uk CONTENTS 6 GUKSI - THE SAMI COFFEE CUP Kevin Warringion makes a proper cup for coffee. 12. GET OUT, FORAGE AND COOK Caro! Hunt & Steve Kirk urge you to cook wild this Spring. 17 FELTING FOR THE FIELD Jaci Legge-Elliot is excited about getting felt outdoors. 20 GALLOWAY FOREST PARK Matt Fletcher finds himselt in solitary unconfinement. 26 WALKABOUT TO WOOMERA Craig Grant goes not to the place in Australia, but to Australia in the place. 28 “MY LORDS, LADIES AND DEVIL'S GENTLEMEN” Steve Kirk introduces you to a strange plant. 30 VISION QUESTS AND MEDICINE WALKS Sarah Howcroft is your spirit guide. 35 THE LAST WORD Lioyd Hooper has it REGULARS EDITORIAL 2 COURSES Spring isa time of transition and change. Buds are bursting dormice, hedgehogs, bats and busherafters are emarging from hibernation. The good nevicis that there icplenty to eat and 4 CAMO PAGES plenty to be getting on with, The First things to get out, forage and cook, you won’thave to go far. There isa seasonal banquet spread out between these pages with detailed help on how to 10 WEATHER LORE prepare it yourself using common and familiar wild plants. Then, before you take care of any thirst, you might prefer te carve yourself acup. Our Lapland correspondent shows us the Sami 24 STAR LORE way to do just that. With hunger and thirst satisfied, time for exploration. Whether itis the wilderness outside, the Inner self or the creative process, we can provide you with a guide to take you on the journey, The state of seasonal switchover also means that everything isin motion, anyway, so simply being still and watching provides a favourite travel option: we can observe some curlous «rowing green plants, changeable atmospheri opties or wandering planets, for example. The Bushcraft Magazine takes the holistic view. As well as reading about these things, you can join us for some participation, | particularly recommend our May Bank Holiday weekend festival of busheraft (see the courses page, left) where you can do all ofthe above and much more. That is when these pages really come alive Steve Kirk. editor@busheraft-magazine.co.ukrae 7 er eed My Favourite Bit of Kit The use of campfices was once a necessity for cooking and warmth ‘4 and those who practice bsheraft know all about the history and tradition of fire. Some | people would not think of camping without a campfire. Yet, the natura appearance of ‘many areas has been degraded by the overuse of ites and an increasing demand for firewood. The development of lightweight efficient camp stoveshas encouraged a shift away from the wadtional fie Stoveshave become essential equipment for ‘minimum-impact camping. They are fast flexible, and eliminate frewood ‘valabilty asa concern in campsite selection. Stoves eperatein almost any weather condition, and they leave no trace. However, dan think we should give up on thousands of years of depending on fires for our survival and take away that sense of wellbeing that aie provides, There- fore, was delighted whon | discovered the leave-no-trace mound fire method a fev years back. In order to uuly leave no wace of your fire, you need my favourite bit ofbusheraftit.. fire blanket Purposefully designed fire blankets for the bushcraft enthusiast can be ordered from ‘America. The original “Fire Blanket” product was created by a company called 4K ‘Outdoor Supply. itis currently difficult to source the 4-K fice blanket, so recommend Using a standard 3 foot x3 foot kitchen fire blanket which can be bought in any hard- ware or household store and do the job just as wel, “he blanket islightweight and easy to carry. To useit, just collect some inorganic material such as mineral sol, sand, or gravel from an already disturbed source. ‘The blanket can be used to transport the material. The root hole ‘of a toppled tree is one such source for mineral sol. Lay the blanket on the fire site and then spread the soil into a circular, lat-topped mound atleast 3 ta 6 inches ‘The thickness ofthe mound is critical to insulate the ground below from the heat of the fire. The fire blanket is important in that it also insulates the ground and makes cleaning ‘up the fire much easier. The circumference of the mound should be larger than the sizeof the fire to allow forthe spreading of coals. As arule of thumb, when we are collecting wood for a Teave no trace fire we should only collect wood thatsless than the thickness of our wrist. When wild camping, | always burn all of my firewood down to ash, 50 as not to leave any evidence of my fire. It takes an hour to do thisnormally and can be an enjoyable task before bedtime. The following morning, | return the contents of the mound fire, including the ash to ‘where found them and deposit the material so that it willbe camouflaged. have tested my blanket on many occasions and regularly use! while teaching busheraft cours firstheard of the method, people told me that mound fires were only suitable for Fecoking with the mound fre and have actually found using afire blanket makes.us become more skilful and creative with how we cock with and manage fires Wiltar O Heflarar of ‘Will and Away’ outdoor education company For further information visit. For adventure courses to France, survival in ireland and a mountain quest to climb ireland’ shighest mountain, Carrauntuathail, visitOld Spring Sayings... Con eee Eat leeks in March and ramesans (Ramsons) in May And then the doctor can go and oe If they would drink nettles in March, Cae eas Se ene The Morel of the Story. Not many fungi fruit in the Spring. Among those that do, morels ‘make prized eating. There are about7 different kinds and the good news Is, they are on the increase, especially in urban areas. The proliferation of woodchip mulch to suppress weeds in municipal flower beds, supermarket car park borders, hospital grounds and the like has provided a favourite substrate for this family. Indeed, the widespread use of woodchip has increased the overall total of fungi species found in Britain and made formerly rare kinds much more © ‘can be abundant. one flowerbed potentially yielding seve tbodies Before you clamber all over a supermarket shrub border, always double check your Identification and make sure whoever has the ~« say is happy for you to harvest. You may find that they are only too pleased for them to disappear. Morels. after all, are not the best-looking objects to have poking up en masse — among your pansies, : > Four Seasons by Cathy Hill. Clockwise from top left Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. www. busheralt-magazme.co.ulk S|. lagazineGuksi (pronounced gooksee) is the Sami name for their wooden coffee cup or a scoop to drink from. In the Swedish language it is called a Kasa and in the Finnish language it is called a Kuksa. It is made from a hollowed out birch bur; a gnarly growth on the trunk of the birch tree. A guksi has a gently rounded shape with a curved or flat bottom and is well balanced to avoid tipping when it is placed on the uneven ground or on the birch twigs covering the floor of the kata (traditional bushaah | 6 g & magazine Sami tipi). They are often decorated and the handle can have an inlay of antler that is engraved with decorative pattems. It is through generations of making handicrafts that the Sami design patterns in reindeer & moose antler, bone and wooden items have developed. The patterns are engraved by hand using a small, sharp knife. The design and composition of the engraving give a per- sonal touch to the item. Someone well-versed in S4mi handicraft can determine if it is of www. busheraft-magazine.co.ukoffee cup Sami origin or if it is just an imitation, by looking at the pattem composition. It used to be that each person had his or her own guksi. They hung it from their belt or had it in their backpack. Food bowls are a similar shape, but are usually bigger and have longer handles. ‘The Sami name for their traditional crafts is “Duodji” and the duodji is an important part of the Smi culture. The word duodji refers to the artistic handi- crafts made by the Sami, which are based on Sami traditions, designs, patterns and colours. Nowadays duodji is also used as a “trademark” of authentic Simi handicrafts, It relates first of all to the handicraft itself and in second place to the Sami way of life. Every duodji item has a historic cae background. It might be crafted with techniques dating back to the time the utensil or fimnctional artefacts began to be used, or it might be omamented with ancient designs. VN Historically, the Sami people produced the most necessary utensils demanded for survival. There was a need for many strong, long-lasting vessels, bowls and scoops. Round bowls and oblong trays were used for meat, fish, porridge, dough, etc. They were made from birch wood and three different techniques were used: 1) Moulded birch splints Photo © Hakan Nilsson 2) Hollowed out wood/bur Photos © Kev Warrington 3) Woven birch roots Today, the making of handicrafts has become an important source of part- time employment, along with reindeer Bu@eoeent ty herding, for some Sami people. ee Busharalt www. bushcraft-magazine.co.uk 7 \2% iagazi4 Pra SURE! Protos Kevin Wo & Bushcraft & Magazine the author, hard at work Recor Resear Rates wood reifioved ‘There are tio main designs of wooden cups, the more traditional shape is shallow, but broad with rounded sides and with a broad, thin, curved handle or the more modem design, more typically used in Finland that has a deeper cup with straighter sides and a deep hendle, with one or two finger holes through it Thave made both types using birch and Alder bur, as well as birch and cherry wood. Themothod I use for making both designs 1s basically the same, but T am sure th r meth I stast by oreating a fat su away a piece of the bur ¢; by splitting a log in half or cutting ‘Then I merk out the design of the cup and handle and use a saw and axe to remove excess wood from the outside of my design Once I have roughed out the outer shape I use a gouge sometimes a crook knife to remove wood cup. Tse a wooden batten to hit the end of the chisel larger pieces 0 hisel use the chisel in my hané to do the finer shaping of the inside of the cup and once I am happy with the shap: outside of the cup and the handle with my knife C als: knife to make the holes in the Finnish styl ‘occasions Ihave glued pieces of reindeer horn to the wood to create a horn handle. Iuse the same glue traditionally used here, Cascol polyurethane wood glue Both surfaces have to be wetted before the glue is applied Tetum to shaping the ‘use my fingers to feel around the cup to achieve an even thickness and also hold it up to the light to ensure the wood is not too thin ‘When Tam happy with the cup Tbegm sanding using three different grades of paper, coarse P80 sandpaper, then much finer 320 wet & dry and finally P500C wet & dry paper To achieve a really smooth finish to the cup, Tuse the very fine paper and between sanding I polish the wood using cotton cloth Guch as a shemagh) Finally I soak the cup in oil for 24 hours and after removing it from the oil, remove any excess oll using a piece of cloth ‘The slow growing, close grained wood here in Lapland rarely splits, but the faster growing woods in the UK can split, so work: the cup as quickly as possible and keep it ina sealed plastic bag when not working on it It takes me about $ hours to make an average sized cup 8 www. bushcraft-magazine.co.ukf you love trees and wood, you'l love yep | stein Santo your ovmn woodland, you'l love Living Woods. If you crave the peace of ‘een woodwork, or yearn to build with timber you'll love Living Woods If you aim to heat your home with wood, you'll need Lving Woods for our advice ‘on woodfuel Regular features include + Reducing energy bills with woodfuel wv to buy a woodland of your own ads of courses to lear a new sill * Activities and projects for children ‘And you can try Living Woods for ust £5 for tree fsues, saving you more than 50%. it could change your Wiel Subscribe at wwwuliving-woods.com Busherafl & ‘Woodland Skits Be a part of: Essential Busheraf | Fire Lighting | Sheller Building | Feld Archery Natural History | Tee and Plant Identification |Family Experiences Woodland Cookery | racking | Caring | Axe Workshops Weekend or midweek om a fully catered woodland camp! renjakivcbcook Weare located in Challock, Kent i. Pee ee ee nan Area of Oulstancing Natural Beauly 1. sreutunineee wiyw.busherafi-magazine.co.uk 9 | 2 NoaineTANNER BATES TRADI IONALENGUSLLE THERITORK. SUN ARCS AND RINGS Joe crytal-laden clouds, passing between the sun end an hserver will fequently spit and refrac the sun's cays into glittering opal eects, The most daziing dgyleys nod to boreorred Docpolar ce moyiaiooes eae Rate Teather Seer Tere ere eee aoe Oak Bark Leather Belt ‘variety of crystal shapes that in tum generate more Hand Made to Last ges to lacey ewer agt teat ide fee eee eg oe bide lat peor ars clade a gat a a feared age est armas ora ‘The most common is undoubtedly the simple ring around the sun or moon, known as a 22*halo (see ‘Weather Lore TBM Vol. 3No. 4 Winter 2007/08), Hal followed closely by sunddoge — bright patches of rainbow coloured light on either side of the sun a distant, or more, that are also known as pa ‘mock suns (see Weather Lore TEM Vol 5 No. 3 ‘Winter 2009/10) Both these phenomena have less frequently observed, but still relatively common, companion effects that arise from the same conditions and are worth I degrees ‘An npper tangent are is a gr of light that just touches the directly above the sun The tiny, hexagonal, Pe ecco eee ean - www Shark-Tindorbox.com ete eran) ‘What you see also depends on the elevation of the sun ‘When the sun is low, the UTA ts more or less shaped @ busnerat | 1G ww. bushcraft-magazine.co.uk Magazine=i i like @ freehand inscribed V but as it climbs higher the ‘wings’ of the are spread, elongate and et r UCe.. ‘As est s j iS @ ame) eee ee & eee & oa erga ned i eMcmetuT ut ie on Ie y:he wie ‘WalnutSan aCETTE) 11) Pea ear rears Pee ead Cr handful of Ramsons Peters rs on re eer ery es ey Peel and chop potatoes. Boil in a pan for 20 minutes until soft. Drain and mash with a generous dollop of butter, milk and seasoning to taste. a eey pee ed oe eee rea eee) eee re es eet Seon Cee enor ry Prepare bulgar wheat following instructions on packet Caer eee ey bowl. Finely chop parsley and Ramsons and thoroughly mix them, along with the anion, tomatoes and cucumber ee Ts ey ee ee] Pee eee eet en) Sn er ere ae Spring is bursting with a huge variety of leafy green flavours. To make the most of these don’t be tempted into bland salads and watery boiled vege- tables; apply a little ingenuity, in- stead. First get to know the flavours of every edible, both cooked and raw and then look to complemen- tary combinations. Stinging Nettle goes great with potatoes, that most versatile of tubers, while hogweed and egg love each other. Liken your leaf to something well known — the taste of nettle resembles spinach, for example - then Wash dock and nettles in bag and drain. Fry in butter and steam in any water clinging to them. Cover with a id to steam and soften, adding more butter to keep moist and cooking. When dane remove from pan, chop finely and add to mashed potato. Chop up fresh Ramsons and add to mashed potato, stirring in all ingredients thoroughly Crack one egg into a dish and beat it. Toast some bread and grate crumbs into a bowl. Take a handful of the mashed potato and hogweed mix and form itinto a Pee ee ee ae en ea breadcrumbs and cook slowly in a frying pan with alittle ol or butter. SK Lots of servings @ Busheraht & Magazine seek out some spinach recipes, there are dozens to choose from, but substitute your wild foraged leaf. Anything that garlic, spring onion or chives can do Ramsons can match or surpass and when a recipe calls for cooked celery switch to Alexanders. You'll be amazed They all taste even better when you have harvested and prepared the meal yourself, in the open air. So, get out, forage and cook!large baguette 150g butter handful Ramsons leaves with stalks Finely chop Ramsons leaves and stems. Warm butter until soft enough to blend with a fork. Mix in chopped Ramsons evenly. Slice baguette almost all the way through, every 2.5 - 3em (1 -1% inches). Spread generous amount of Wild Garlic butter in between the slices on both faces, covering to the crust. Wrap in fol. Bake in oven at 200°C for 10 minutes. Open foil and bake fora further 5 minutes to erispen the outside of the bread. SK Serves 2-3 people. steve irk Photos 11 good bunch Ramsons 4b pasta ribbons 2 thsp olive oil % small onion, finely chopped Tox smoked salmon, shredded Salt and pepper to taste 1 small carton cream Wash Ramsons and set aside to be shredded finely only when ready to be added to sauce. Bring pan of water to boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente (10 minutes or so) Heat tle ofthe ove ona smallpan and add onan, Cook until tender and transparent overaaw heat When ready ad ttmoked salmon and shredded Ramsons and conte a st ntl pe tsture thoroughly warmed though. Final, pour in cream thd bland ingretlents tngether and seaton to ste. Caver Ban and heep sauce warm whl you stan paste and pl ina dis. Top with sauce and serve. ci Busharaft Magazine eee azine.co.uk 15/2NecUele ete" | vad 4 1 carrier bag of fresh young Alexanders leaves, Ren ee Pe eee enc) eer a re) eee ras eg ney Arrowroot to thicken (optional) Puta knob of butter into a large pan and allow it to melt, but do not let it burn. Add the onion and cook till transparent. Drop the potato cubes in and let them cook a little, stirring continuously, then add just enough water to cover them. Puta lid onto ee eet your pan and leave to simmer for 10 minutes or so - until they are just getting soft. In the mea erences ‘Add the Alexanders to the pan, stirring them into the potatoes. Top up the water by a morsel and put the lid back on for an- other 5 -10 minutes. Once everything's cooked together for a while t bbe mashed with a fork, This allows the potato to naturally thicken the soup and gives ita ‘rustic’ texture, Pour in the carton of single cream, and season to taste" Simmer until the soup is warmed through, and serve with fresh (preferably warm!) buttered, crusty wholegrain bread. *Use a blender at this point if you want a really creamy texture and you're not out in the woods using only basic tools! Ce Ce ne ee a aed ee aa Fistful of Ramsons, washed and shredded Ceres Cn ee een ed saucepan, string occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the Juice of half a lemon. The milk should immediately begin to curdle and separate. Stir gently and add a little more lemon juice if necessary to Coreen eer Pour through muslin or a large jelly bag with a large bowl beneath to ‘atch all the whey. Hang the curds for a short while to drip. The longer they hang the drier the cheese. At lower temperatures the curds ree eee eet Coriander and Turmeric for a few minutes. Steam-fry some spring leaves and add to the mix or simply stir in the uncooked Ramsons. ‘Paneer’ Curd Cheese Tas with RamSons eS ee Bushcraft MagazineFelting for the Field . . One of the exciting things about feltins a Jaci Legge-Elliot possivitity of shaping something without the need for sewing, 3g is caused by the plates on the fibres meshing together nan treversble fashion ‘os cali ene bana en, eae we has los Dloved jumper tothe hetw ah/ceteral tumble-doer encounter! Congratulations, you have crete Now we are going to do it intentionally Although you could recycle your beloved jumper and sew it asa fray fice fabric into gloves or hotwater bottle covers, we are going to make a 3D-shaped fabric from seratch Felting wool happens really bit repetitive, but overall it still shapes up faster than spinning and knitting a bag You can make cloth the wool fibres layered in opposite directions to in. crease the opportunities for meshing. This creates a flat cloth, which ean have designs made into st with different coloured fleece. Large panels of this are used for insulative covering for yurts ‘The rolling can be a ISUNOA - LI- Od t By the use of a resist (where the fibres can’t to each other) we are going to make a spring-water bottle hholder to adom that lovely busherafter's belt or be slung around the shoulder as we stride off into the wilds II Photos © the author For this project [have used a small 500m! mineral ‘water bottle, This pouch also acts as an insulator, in that st will keep a cold bottle colder for longer = Materials Sturdy black plastic Wool topsiroring, in choice of colours Drawing around the Soap —Luse olive cil soup vwater bole to crete Large sheet of bubble wrap Sent extra space to allow Rolling pin or tube for shrinkage Elastic bands Towels ‘Warm water ‘Draw around the water bottle Then draw another line allowing about 2 inches extra Felt shrinks by up to 30% depending on the type of fleece and the breed that you are using, [fusing fresh -from:the-sheep “foraged’ wool you may wantto wash it gently Covering the resist first and card itto lose the burrs and other less delightful objects with the first layer of fiom being near your water source fleece The ress is made more visible Cut this shape (he resist) out ofthe piece of plastic, inthis case by a sheet of brown another sheet of bubblewrap, Lay cut the bubblewrap on the paper beneath it towels, and put the resist inthe centre ofthe wrap (withthe bottom of the bottle end towards you ) Puta layer of fleece over the resist in one direction, overlapping, the resist, then a layer in the opposite direction, and then the original direction again, so you have 3 layers in total. You can Busharalt Magazine www. bushcraft-magazine.co.uk 17/2‘Third layer, final Y Bushcraft & magazine ¥ First lay Laying net over to gently rub the fibres by hand. do just 2 layers if you want but be careful net to leave any gaps Equally, you can have 4 layers for a thicker felt, but its more unwieldy Lay net curtain carefully over the fleece. Gently wet, ‘with warm soapy water, taking care not to disturb the fibres too much. Gently rub your hand over the net, adding more soap if needed, until the fibres are slightly locked together Remove the net (Do this as well during the rubbing process, periodically, to ensure it doesn't become part of the design!) ‘Tum the whole thing over, fold in the edges and repeat the process Layer on the fleece, but don't overlap quite so much or you will end up with a Jump of uneven felt Cover with net and wet, soap and rub gently pes Why no!? r with not ed with war water and being gently rubbed www.busheraft-magazine.co. First layer ready to be tumed over and edges folded around resist. Brown paper used to light resist ‘Once you have done both sides, if putting e design, ‘on, do this now Lay the stipes around the circumference, ensuring that they match on both sides Cover with net sgain, soap and rub until there is no ‘movement of the fibres when you brush your hand overthe design. Remove thenet Folding the bubble wrap over the resist so tha it totally encompasses the piece, wrap it around the rolling pin and attach with the elastic bands. Roll, rll, roll, applying even pressure all along the roll Remove the piece and roll itup again at 90, degrees to the initial roll, Once again, roll, baby, rol ecking on the state of the rolled felt and tuming the sentation Cutting through the felt to make the opening where the Je will be snserted, e ukgreen the pictures of the bubblewrap resist. ‘The felt should start shrinking up at this point. Measure it against the bottle. If it has shrunk sufficiently it i time to cut it open! Carefully cut the TOP of the resist open. Pull out the black plastic and feel how felted the fibres are Ifneeds be, gently rub the inside fibres until fully meshed Put the cover on the bottle and keep rolling and rubbing it until it gives in to your masterly skill and becomes a fitted cover for the bottle Pay attention to the ‘comers’ so that they also give up and become smooth and round. Ifall else fails, try altemating very hot water and then cold water to shrink it Or hurling sthard at the draming board! Rolling the felt with the battle inside Removing the resist www. bushcraft-magazine.co.uk Second layer going on Tused 0 it would show up in Gently pulling the fibres felt i back down to continue rubbing fibres together: off before Another layer of white fleace applied, edges wrapped and then the whole thing turned Rinse the soap thoroughly out ofthe felt. Let it dry naturally, ideally on the bottle to keep its shape Once dry, you can make small cuts to allow for belt loops or to add a strap for carrying Per- haps using that natural cordage If you too become addicted to making felt, check out the international feltmakers website ‘wwe feltmakers com or a growing number of books. Gillian Harris's Complete Felt Making covers wet, dry and knit felting Allowing the felt to dry naturally oa the bottle Busharalt Magazine 19/2Galloway Forest At 300 square miles (483 km?) Galloway Forest Park is the largest forest in the UK. Itis a collection of large pine forests punctuated by moorland, lochs, rivers and the occasional bothy. Located just north of the border in Dumfries, itis a forgotten part of the country, tucked away in its own little comer. There are very few roads running through the park and those that are there are not well travelled. The park is managed by the Forestry Commission Scotland and thanks to the Land Reform Act (Scotland) 2003; all of it is open to the public provided that the Scottish Outdoor Code of Conduct is followed. The forest has a few active logging operations within its boundaries and these must be avoided for @ Busheral @ Busherat & Magazine 20 wwrw.busheraft obvious reasons. The park is more than large enough for this not to be a problem. The Land Reform Act (Scotland) 2003 is almost as though it has busheraft in mind, it allows you to go virtually anywhere on both public and private land; you can camp, light fires and do pretty much anything else that you can think of, provided you do it in a responsible manner. Lighting a fire in a dense pine forest in the height of summer, for example would be something that is highly frowned upon and considered dangerous, due to the high risk of forest fires That said, while I was there in February the most overriding feature of the place was that everything was saturated, soaking, drippingwet. Lighting a fire was a challenge even for the seasoned woods person! Based in Newton Stewart on the western edge of the forest, you can take on supplies in the local shops and prepare to go into the woods. It is ideally located to provide a launch pad for day trips into the forest. The more adventurous among you can head straight in, the more wary wt head to the visitor centre located in Stronord just a mile down the road. Istrongly suggest taking a wary approach to the forest at first. It is a huge, wild and potentially dangerous place to be. You can be up to ten miles from the nearest road, mobile reception is a rarity and passers-by are even scarcer. What kes this place special is the same thing that makes it dangerous and unforgiving — isolation. ‘There are marked trails to follow if you choose to. These are marked to a degree, but it is not immediately clear what they are telling you to do, as the trails merge and cross and the signs are few and far between. There are more junctions than there are signs, so a good OS map (Explorer 319) and compass are essential. Off the beaten track you will find a more natural and more ntouched feeling landscape. Thickly planted spruce and pine of various species mixed among more naturally spaced trees make for a challenging and sometimes rewarding bushwhacking exercise as you come across beautifil clearings that, surely, nobody else has ever been in. The ground is interspersed with burs, streams and drainage channels. These are Negus t 21 ISSHANAAC TIM Busharalt Magazinesorely needed to allow the water to run off the hills _ needle tea is plentiful, as is Old Man's Beard, and mountains; there was a serious amount of water Usnea, an abundant lichen, that can be boiled and there in February. rinsed to make it edible, ifthe worst came to the worst. Old Man’s Beard is high in Vitamin C and is The forest floor gonsists mainly of a deep and known for its medicinal properties (Usnic Acid is abundant covering of sphagnum moss; useful for an antibiotic) and it also makes good tinder when filtering water, dressing wounds and other tasks that dried. require something absorbent. It is like walking on a giant, water-soaked sponge and takes some getting In terms of hunting for food, local laws apply used to, In other parts of the forest, mereifully, Check with the Forestry Commission formore. there aré areas of traditional pine needle debris on information. In a hypothetical survival situation\and the ground, whieh allows for better drainage and the this is one of the few place in the UK where you possibility of somewhere dry.to sleep. could find yourself in one, your priorities will be s shelter (it is Scotland, after all, and the Weather can and does-change rapidly and with little waming) fire (a challenging prospect in a sodden land), food and rescue: Water will not bea problem; you will not ~~ be more thaiva few paces from drinkable water, ‘There are rivers and'fakes that hold fish. This is your best chance of finditta. food in the winter monthis in a placelike this. There are Deer but you will need @ close to them. Once you have managed that_ you will needa way of taking one down, which if yon are a law-abiding citizen (a0 ‘se rifle) is going to bea challenge! Your best bet is to the patk is allowed, finding the ideal ensure that you have enough food with you for your oweveris a cllengel Tmuggesthau slay, this is uot theplace tobe ying olive off the tarps to get you up off ofthe ground, If land, : \ to sleep on the groung ‘our options \d far between, at least they were in. Feb- There are very few peop! ad managing t0 coats a m = § living from Taner -, there are more abandoned _ and crumbling bothies and farms out here than there resting animal species can be found are working farms wh ‘Deer are common and widespread There » how difficult ee , Red Squirrel, Wild Goats, r couse, to name afew. T c Trerethar oh Ue, eally something, In the here are ‘space of one hour L experienced, hail, rain, snow. sleet; high wind and then sunshine. Dress ae ately and wear sturdy boots. =e 4 cepa amma . x 2 Bushcratt “ i *Fieamsine o www. bushcraft. mapazite.co.ule ak a a Wr, EX wt of skilllto track them and even more to get ~ SThere is a real feel of wild isolation in joway Forest Park. Although it is managed, the balance is just right. Forestry Commission Scotland have worked hard to open up some of the park'to the less adventurous members of the public, as well as mountain bikers, anglers, canoeists, walkers and bushcrafters. There is more than enough open wilderness for us all and you can spend days there without seeing another soul There are a handful of bothies in the park, ‘open to anyone who wants to.tise them year round. Not all of these are in a good state of repair and sadly Some have been rendered uninhabitable by careless and undesirable people. Eventually, they will be restored by volunteers, so itis-vital that, if you use the bothies you leave them as you would like to find them: If you: can spare it, leave some long lasting food, firewood and matches; you may save someone's life one day if you do. Pack tip all your rubbish and take any that you find solely with you and you will help to maintain an extremely useful and free resource for ns all ‘You are free t0 practice busheraft here, as there are plenty of resources fora wide range of projects, all of which ean be found without damaging the forest. This is cotie of the last of the UK’s large forests, it is vital that we go the extra mile to ensure that it is still there for our children and our children’s children to enjoy. Galloway Forest Park is a wonderful, wild and beautiful place. On the trails it will soothe and calm even the most tense city dweller, off the beaten path it will test your. Busheraft and navigation skills and will a reward your efforts with stunning views, ah total peace and quiet away from barking Py ae ° dogs/and a list of nules'as long as your arm. I Jove ithere and I think that you will too. . B ae |eri Pere mun er} fourth brightest sky objects in the sky, in eR ae nea Ce meek Ley Creo UR ey eae eet een Serco nae Ret triangle. In the days and weeks following Tearueiniae eeu continuing to climb up the heavens before starting to fall back and Jupiter moving ea anes The whole planetary dance illustrates the Tinie hoavenly bodies in the night sky. In reality enn Oe un na Wenn Serena eee alignment of unequal sized bodies seen in Pe eeu e era) eee nomena crs Nee alte gag aor Cy ett eure Na) Seimei etm = Rea TE Rue uae Ree Gea eer uae SiR he ery De UCC keen ene nunc} Preaek! Venusian year) in 224.7 (Earth) days. Pease ane Mie m nae norte usar planet in a different part of its orbit the Dien un arm reat} Cet accom) orbital periods of Venus and the Earth et ea mun ee Ma ce REM CeIn Cryo ree Peers Pee ae ree ea oun tear ee) the same position in the sky at any given 8 aa mR} vu you may be remembering the night sky of 2004. During that cycle it will be a Cn Cae u eae ue ae} pony errs Tee Cu near) the 8 year synodic cyclo. Nee amu AAO AN Ce RSS ts pivnnosBT (en Venus f cea? a ea Pree Wun ete eg eI were arranged at the time of closest conjunction De eos against a bright sky than against a dark one when eer emt a eae er Cem eerye onary seen cot DOCU Ou cS CUE Ce Cuore SOOM eo uae cay arly June. the planet will disappear from sight. It COI un eC aaacn ea uC ce od ere) Cee au Ret ee The transit of Venus, June 8th 2004 of tho Sun. This time, however, for short a while in Pee Are eee CaN PUP ae UCR al are tether eet gn’ rather like a large sunspot. Alas, from Britain th transit will be nearing its conclusion as the sun rises ERI a Una Rene) Cee eM tae ue ome lifetime. It happens in pairs. A transit of Venus oR ate Runnin at ae Rcd Seana c lode weariness Reena nnn canta clita|some years ago, I was privileged to examine a number | of aboriginal spear throwers or |“Woomera”. The range in shapes and styles and multiple uses of them fascinated me and T wanted to make one Aboriginal Woomera were used as digging sticks, as |dishes, and for making fire as | well. In some examples, blad: |fitted to the handle make a cutting tool. So many uses! You could say they were one of the first multi tools. with other s over. Similar throwers were used b} ing European ex often decorated with anim erm at that time, such a: birds and fish da splint fom natural cury on my rout a decent length fairly ed and suitable tomake into age or beused as tinder A. of thumb in busheraft you “ne pass up an opportunity”. Thi processed the bark on my jour the wood, spl Bushcraft Magazine g éto Woomera fibres as I walked This new cordage was already in my pocket! It is good to keep the hands busy on colder days I call this “walking work’ ‘Thegen shaping the spear-throwrer by removing the bark from the wood splint. The wood was seasoned, ry, but not brittle, and ‘spalted’ by fungus This staining gives an attractive appearance and natural camouflage, or can be used simply as decoration. Teommenced carving atthe tapered end, where the peg was tobe fitted Axe first, slowly, then moving to the knife. Once this was even, I cut small nocks in the end of the thrower to take the cordage [1] Ishaped the thrower oval in cross section, and rounder in the handle, the edges were rounded off and scraped ‘The handle end was tapered into an hour glass shape with enough wood left to receive the Mint blade Using pine resin and lime bark, the blade was first gummed into place with resin then tightly bound with, the cordage The binding was then sealed with more resin [2,3,4] Some time before, whilst tracking the herd, Thad found the skeleton of a female Sika Deer. Ttook a few bones that time and used them for awls, needles, and barbs for hooks The rest I left as they were Irevisited the site and collected another leg bone to use as the peg for the thrower ‘removed a section of bone and carved it into a peg, ‘using a nie, thea smoothed end ground it down us- ing a nearby stone. The peg was then fitted and bound tothe live end of the thrower{5] TLis very important to get the angle ofthe peg correct before sealing with pine resin and Imade small adjustments as I bound st tightly [6, 7] Fer the spear or dart I coppiced a piece of Hazel 5° (1.6m) long. The thicker end was form the point. I removed the bark and any knots, smoothing off the dart As it was cut green, I straightened it, and lef. it stored away horizontally in a nearby tree to season, (On my return, naturally enough, Thad to re-straighten. before I began the next process ‘At the back of the spear T cut and drilled a small depression to receive the peg at the end of the throvrer. ‘After testing it for a fit [8], I charred both ends of the spear to herden them I then bound the dimpled end with the cordage [9] and sealed it with a small amount of resin [10] This gives the end of the spear more www. busheraft-magazine.co.uk 27 strength and reduces splitting when in use The dart was left without fletchings, Aboriginal style, and the point end of the dart rounded and blunt Simple spear throwers can be mode from the limbs of trees, they are quick to make but have limited life due to the forces that are ap- plied to them. During the time I was making this one, the very same herd of deer that the leg bone had come from were often less than SO m away from me and well within range of the hunting equipment I'd made They were relaxed in my presence and two young males even practiced sparring for the rut They made pleasant sound in the wood during those days As departed, walked with the tools in a carrying > position and thanked the woods aa for the day. Thad taken modem, hand tools with me but used techniques thousands of years old ‘Making things is as mach about the joumey as the end product Using netural materials allows us to experience the sounds and smells of our ancestors and se-connect with old traditions Sometimes, busheraft is about translating material to methods and about adapting methods to suit ur own environment ‘My spear thrower represents the wood itself It is made entirely from the materials in that valley, the wood, bark, resin from the trees, bones of the deer living in that place that could be hunted there. It represents the landscape from where it came. From this ithas a deeper meaning tome as its maker ‘This thrower will be used in my teaching When itis old and worn Imay take it on ancther use —as a fire Doard for friction fire lighting So it will begin a new part of its life & Busharatt = magazine@ Busherat & magazine “My Lords, Ladies and Devil’s That a plant should have as many local names as Lords and Ladies does, (over one hundred), is a sure sign that it has been noticed, is easily identifiable and has a long history of human interaction. many of those appellations must have been uttered with a nigger as they refer tothe suggestive shapes ofthe spadix spathe, the curious spice and its embracing sheath oirapping, that have a distinct male and female serual symbolism. ils and Cows, Adam and Queens, Ladies Gentlemen and even Devil's Ladies and Gentlemen. ‘The impudent purple spike attracted a lot of attention on its own and is responsible for one of the common names widely 28 www. busheraft in use, which, over time, has come to be erroneously pronounced Cuckoo Pint, as ina pint of milk ~ when it should be shymed with mint, for its actually short for pintle. If you dor Took it up. As a consequence merly termed Cuckoo Pintl Pintie, Priest's Pintle and Pintelwort. But what about the ‘cuckoo’ bit and the ‘wake’ bit that recurs in the name Wake Robin? Well both are derived from the Anglo-Saxon cwic, cucu, and Low Germ, quek, meaning ‘alive’, or lively'— owing to its upright state You getthe idea Other names show how ob- servant the country people were, too Dog-bobbins, Dog-spear, Dog’s Dibble, Dog's-tausle. Perhaps good Cl folk applied the names minds celebrate the pl nature with the endurin Pulpit; Jack being an alternative name for the Devil Wild Arun contains high levels of calcium oxalate crystals, a volatile, acrid poison, (see Death By Leaf TBM Vol. 6, No 1 Spring 2010) but, nevertheless, has been used historically as both food and medicine and had a somewhat surprising role in Elizabethan society. The acrid principle is greatly reduced upon drying and so the powdered tuber and the fresh, was sometimes used, in desperate circumstances, as an antidate to poison and the plague, in sheep's milk to treat Uleeraus intestines, while the bruised leaves were used externally to treat plague sores and other festering ulcers. The pigeon egg-sized brown tubers, when properly racessed, are capable of produemg en edible starch For a , iLwas manufactured, on a small scale, on the Isle of Porlland and around Weymouth, whence it became known as Arrowroot and Portland Sago. This product was popular or feeding to invalids as gruel, st seems, and was highly sought after in the London markets. On the island, it was customary to crop the lands every other year, leaving them fallow in between, at which time the locals would seek permission from the landowners to dig up the arum roots ‘These would be taken, crushed in @ mortar, then the starchy. sediment (known as fecula) was stirred in water, before ig stramed off and again washed and dried A peck (approximately 9 litres volume) of tubers was said to yield about four pounds weight of starch. The industry gradually dwindled, until by 1853 a solitary old woman was the sole surviving producer -magazine.co.uk Photo © Steve KinkGentlemen... Nigh on three hundred years earlier, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the starch from the arum roct had been in use for a very different purpose ~ stiffening rruffs, Yes, without it, those extracrdinary neck adomments, some of which were over a foot (30cm) ‘wide, would have been floppy and lax. Sadly, Starch- wort, was not kind to hands and the laundresses of the day suffered for their labours. Gerarde in The Herball of 1597, remarks, ‘The most pure and white starch is made of the rootes of the Cuckoo-pint, but most hurtful for the hands of the laundresse that have the handling of it, for it chappeth, blistereth, and maketh the hands rough and rugged and withall smarting" By the time Nicholas Culpeper published his Complete Herbal in 1653, however, the practice was a thing of the past. He comments, “The root thereof was anciently used mstead of starch to starch linen with ‘The root, tamed by being dried and pow dered was at one tume used by the French as a cosmetic, known as Cypras or Cypress Powder, popular in the early 19 century . Roasting, baking or boiling is said to render the tuber edible — but take care if you try this, as there is no guide to the degree of cooking required. Milk, it seems, imuitigates the prickling effect somewhat (though by no eR SM Nasal Duteh Poncho pearl from £2500 ‘only £5.00 Swesich ao cleat rom £6.50, Swedish lip” Franch ape Como et ‘eam 5.00 ae Swedsh Stove fom sess PEN aa ce 0 Cech Bedrot 6999 Dutch army 2° Steve Kirk introduces you to a plant of many guises ‘means completely), and as well as formerly being used ts a country antidote when children mistakenly sampled it, the plant was distilled with cow's mull to remove freckles and cleanse scurfy skin, especially among fashionable ladies in Italy, ‘A final curiosity is thatthe spadix (the central purple poker) generates a detectable degree of heat — up to 15 degrees higher than the ambient temperature! This serves to atlzact small flying insects which, upon attempting to land, fall from the slippery hood, down the narrow neck, where they become trapped beneath hair- like projections on the stalk below. During their imprisonment they transfer pollen from the male flowers that are arranged around the upper stalk to the female ones below. Once fertilised, the multiple stigmas slowly ‘ansfonm into a spike of first the green, then scarlet, poison berries that 1s revealed as the surrounding sheath withers and the insects are finally freed Amazing! SASS SSS MY Al suhesale dO} INVId Scanian ale £Vision Quests an Medicine Walks Sarah Howcroft cial ways, rituals and rites for connecting In every earth based culture, huntans have alwayshad sp Pee an Cn tren tt ena Cece a an ee Cm) Cen eae eee necro asceticism, severance from the community, and trials of courage and perseverance. These are used erate ha transition in a person’s life - from child to adult, beginner to initiate, old life to new life te pragma go throu outdoors, we are never far from the world of our ‘sion quest” was 2 term first used by 19th-century ancestors The Picts and Celts walked the hills of anc ologists to describe the rite-of passage ceremonies Britain, Australian aborigines go walkabout, Indian of certain Native American cultures, but these are not saddhus and Buddhist monks retreat alone to caves in the unique - there are similar rites to be found in Afficen, mountains, and Native Americans fast on Vision Quests. Tabetan, Celtic, Scandinavian, and many other societies ‘esus spent forty days and nights in the wildemess, and throughout the werld. In traditional Lakota Sioux culture ‘Mohammed spent much of his time alone in the desert in the word for the Vision Quest is Hanblecheyap! whi meditation The human quest for spiritual meaning is en- translates as "crying for a vision, Traditionally, the seeker acted constantly in religious pilgrimages and mythological would be overseen by an elder or Medicine person, and go tales. Go outside and close the door, leaving technology to find thear own sacred place, where they would sit for the and easy comfort behind you, and walk away from the duration of the quest in a 10 foot cirele, bringing nothing into the forest, along the beach, or onto the hills but water in from outside. In Australia, the Walkabout Look, listen and ask ‘The sound of the river, the call of the refers to a quest during which adolescent male Aborigines raven, the seagull, the wind in the trees, the rhythmic ‘would joumey and live in the wildemess for a period as thrash of waves on the beach, will spe long as six months, wandering and tracing the mystical nnglines that their ceremonial ancestors mew, and being guided in their survival by the spints, leaving as boys and retiring as men, @ Bushcraft © magazine‘These traditions are very varied but have been found to mevitably follow three stages, arising from the natural processes in herent in human nature They are described as severance, threshold and incorporation, Typically a Vision Quest would go through the three stages over 11 days, but the length of time spent varies greatly from a medicine wall of a few hours, to much longer “Severance” is the process of preparation to leave everything behind, to die tothe old life, and move forward with trepidation and trust into the unknown It starts the ‘moment a person feels the inner call to quest (so may go on for a long time) and Degins formally in the first days ofthe quest. Itisa lume of gathering and pre- paring the practicalities, as well as the body and soul, for the joumey ahead “Threshold” is the time when the seeker moves into that liminal place of Spirit, between the worlds of old and new, and between the worlds of ordinary and nen-ordinary reality. The old has been released end reburth is m the future This is @ period of simple existence in nature, fasting, exposure to the elements, and solitude Physical hardships and asceticism serve to break down the ego, ‘which opens the person both to the processes within themselves, and to a deeper connection te nature and their spirit allies. They encounter both fear and boredom} as they move deeper into themselves with the help of the spints of nature all around During a quest, the rhythms and ways of nature - animals, birds, plants, insects, trees, the elements and the weather, may all play their part in teachings which come to the seeker (Old emotions and unresolved personal issues are likely to emerge and clear, this is part of the healing When the person finally surrenders to themselves and to nature, the mind chatter ceases, and they become more fully present At this time ‘visions, inspirations, and clarity will come to them naturally Photos © Sarah Howcrott Tncorporation” - or embodiment -takes place as ‘uch www. bush the seeker leaves the place of vision and retums to their community. Several days may be spent recounting the experiences of the Vision Quest to the elder or medicine person who hes guided it and held the space The insight, new knowledge, and vision that have been found need, somehow, to be manifested in everyday life ind this can be the toughest and most courageous part of the quest! A person's Vision Quest isa gift for their community too Many people from all walks of life now undertalee vision quests, with the intention of healing of emotional, and physical disease, to commune with nature, connect ‘with spirit guides, power animals and ancestors, to bring clarity about thes purpose here on Earth, to marie important times of change sn thetr lives, and to ‘metaphorically die to their old ways and be rebom into the new. Ifyou like the idea, but feel unnerved by it, or donot have the time or resources for a full scale vision quest, a Medicine Walk is a simple way to seek insight and guidance from nature It's an interesting way to spend time outdoors and will give you a good introduction to the concepts involved In Native American tradition every being - human or otherwise ~has its own Medicine, meaning its own essence and purpose, Medicine is also anything that ‘will help you feel more connected with your true soul and in harmony with nature and other life-forms. Any: thing that is healing to the body, mind or spirit is Medicine Traditionally, the Medicine Walk might last a whole day, and include fasting which helps to increase clarity, but it's possible totale a much shorter time and get satisfying results. It is often easier to find food plants and track animals when you have an empty belly, and this may be down to the altered state of mind Busharalt Magazine 31 Thebrought about by emptiness, as well as hunger! You can do your Medicine Walk almost anywhere, depending on how much time you have and your proximity to wild places Tecan be a whole day in a national park or a forest, or half an hour ina city park Obviously you will need to be adequately prepared on the physical plane before you go, with suitable clothing, and water Choose somewhere that you feel strongly drawn to, preferably away from human activity and traffic - but if you're using a city park, that may not be the case - and the sounds and other people around will become part of your ex- perience Go there and begin by closing your eyes, breathing deeply and centering yourself, and put out the thauight tare. spectfully ask the place if it would be willing to help you If you feel a positive response this is your guidance to continue. Set a clear intention - think of @ question or situation which ‘you need insight into, this can relate to any area of your life Intention is the most important part of any shamanic work, and the more specific you are, the clearer your guidance will be. ‘Tum your attention back to nature, end ask your question to the place and the creatures within it Is good to do this eloud ‘When you're ready start to walk, staying silent, taking your time, emptying your mind of chatter, and letling go of any ex: pectations about what you should find Follow your impulses and walk wherever you feel drawn, observing 4s you go, and when something attracts your attention, stay with it for a while ‘You'll find it helpful to walk with your eyes adjusted to periph- eral vision, this 1s relaxing and lowers the brain waves into @ meditative alpha state which quiets the mind and allows you to perceive more. Notice how st makes you feel, and what insights ‘come to you - the medicine walk uses your imaginative and intuntive abilities, and your answers may not be verbal or it~ eral, Move on as you feel ready, and walk for as long as you like or as long as you have! ‘When you feel you have completed the medicine walk, take a ‘moment to thank the place for the guidance you've received, and maybe leave an offering of some kind, Then you can return to your everyday life - but remember to stay open to further developments - nature can be a vary revealing mirror and sometimes dramatic insights come to people later, often in dreams Vision Quest, From Wallace Black Bik, Oglala Sioux holy man This is part of @ Vision Quest 1 was told to share with all who may be interested. Once, Iwent to pray atthe top of the sacred mountain of my As Telimbed to the top I heard voices singing as the wind Dlew the leaves. At the top I saw, made from many ston: cross inside. ‘a large circle with a I knew from my teachings that this represented the circle of 1ipe and the four directions. Isat down by the edge of this circle to pray I thought “This is onty a symbol of the universe. @ Busherat & magazine 32 "True," avery soft voice said, "Look and you will see the Centre of the Universe. Look at every created thing. As I looked around I saw that every created thing had a ‘thread of smoke or light going from it The volce whispered, "This cord that every created thing has is what connects it to the Creator. Without this cord itwould not exist.” As I watched I saw that all these threads, coming from everything, went to the centre of the circle where the four directions were one place (the centre of the cross). I saw that ali these threads were tied together or joined here ar this spor, The voice spoke again, " This is the Centre of the Universe. The place where all things join together and all things be- come one. The place where everyting begins and ends. The lace inside everything created.” That's when understood 1 the unseen, was ail related. all of ereation, the seen and The voice spoke one last time, "Yes, now you know the Cen- tre of the Universe.” Ipray t0 the four directions... hear me. Ipray to the West which gives us rest and reflection. I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live. Ipray to the North which gives us patience and purity I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live. Ipray (0 the East which gives us energy and emotions. I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live. I pray t0 the South which gives us discipline and direction. I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live. Grandmother, share with me your wisdom, and I thank you for this gift Grandfather, share with me your strength, and I thank you mate as RT www. bushcraft-magazine.co.ukeS we at & Yoodland ‘Skil Carving Workshop 1 Swedish knife and axe carving 92122 day workshop % Qualified insiructor 18 All tools and materials supplied 2 Fally catered % Based in an Arca of Outstanding Natural Beauty www: jackravenbusheraftco.tk info@jackravenbusheraftco.uke 07553 763397 A © Thitiop p Flip and see! retihtiog apd forged green eae ‘© Complire cooking utensils) loalel © Decorative iropwork = Apfage fool and Hades rs) [8] picmeslermany. uk 1650 SUZIS info@piewestermapy. co.uk www.busheralt-magazine.co.uk 33 Busharalt Magazine2 z é Bushcraft Magazine SA This Spring’s Contributors Man Fletcher is both « student of and a teacher of Busherat.an ‘baced inthe South Bact of England but alzo teaches in North Walec and Scotland. ‘environment isthe urgle, which developed afer jour month stay in Central America. Hic all time favouante thing to do te a pring time canoe expedition in the West Highlands of Scotland. Matt operates hic own busheraf training school ae well ae working for other schools and centres ‘on a freelance basis, www.bushcraftandsurvival.com Jaci Legge-Eltiot {Like many readers ofand contributors to the Bucheraf Magazine, Jact has abweays enjoyed out- ntures and loves being in nature. She grew up in a playground of 2 acres, developing them She started her own her’ garden i this interest to date, enjosing making cosmetic: and other potions. A member of the Guides and Scouts, her fir bush Book was ‘How to Survive' (Brian Hildreth), which to her father's ironic amusement got lat ide i the rain, doubled in sce and fll apart. Happily che has recently been rewnted witha ‘She lives in Dorset with her tolerant husband and their three childron. Kevin Warrington “Prov ta leaving the UK I mavaged three National Nature Reserves for Natural Bugland and ran my own company called Natural Lore ‘and nature awareness. gaching and demonstrating traditional shils & crafts Jn February 2010 lef the UE to begin « new life wath nay gl frend, Teves, and her children, 100lem incide the Arctic Circle. We live in a emall village called Nattavaara By (By meanang village in Swedish), where we now offer activinee and accommodation.” Contact Kevin at the Arthur Leidgren Nature Center, Dotkas, Swedish Lapland wor alne se arthurleidgren natur ecenter@ gmail.com Carol Hunt ou could eay Ive Bean busherating and foraging for at long az Iean remember, but two very fortonate things happened to me. First, [found an old Book of my father's called The Book of Woodcraf and Indian Lore, by Br n Seaton. A book Idevoured still treasure to this day. Secondly, my father -to his eternal credit - trusted me well enough atthe age of ceven or eight 1o wander freely and explore the nearby wilds and wood: lands entirely on my own. No child could have had a better introduetion tothe natural world. Thank you De Cook Wild with Carol Hunt ia regular feature of he mage=ine. Coig Grant Craig was born in Plymouth, Devon. Fie spent the majority of his youth wn the woodlands in and around Dartmoor National Park, This is where he began to learn Js bushcraft skills and his passton for Native American cultures began. Craig works freelance providing and backgrounds. smonstrations, Sarah Howereftic.a chamanic healer and teacher who runc her company, Wildernece Spirit,» ‘the Brecon Beacons National Park. Her teachings include cour Questz, and ceremonial crajtwork Sarah qualyied asa busheraf instructor in 2 Woodcraft School, and her biggect pascion te to travel the world. She createe Bespoke ceremonies meluding handtannge, and makes Beautiful painted deeralan drums, beachsork, and other craftwork rah can be co ted through her website: www.shamanism-wales.co.uk www. bushcraft-magazine.co.ukThe Last Word Lloyd Hooper What a Crackling Weekend! tos © Uoya Hooper try something new, practice a forgotten skill o have a goat something I i always fancied trying? Well, on a weekend in March there was an abundance of them all rm Our little Busheraft group had invited Karl Lee along for the weekend, to teach us flint knapping skills and Mark Oriel of Forge Fieldcraft to teach us butchery skills, but as it happened we combined the two and after Kat! had done a demo and produced a hand axe, Mark used it to butcher a young carcass. Mark’s first impression on using the flint tool was; “This is seriously sharp!” and sliced through the carcass as easily as any knife, A few of us tried and were all impressed. After the butchery it was our tum for the flint knapping, all making a scraper to get used to the techniques. ‘Then after the daylight had gone, we took the pork out of the “Hangi” and finished it off on the grill over the fire, to get the crackling just right, then a and pine resin oung lad who had On reflection, Iearned loads, ate some seriously ancient skills I had always fancied trying. But to really reflect, you see a group of friends of all ages, learning together skills from ancient times, all enjoying sharp things, fire and good food; like an old mate used to say, “You couldn't beat it with a stick” How to Subscribe to The Bushcraft Magazine One year - 4 issues, PEL RUE mes including postage - £19.00 for 36 packed pages on quality a SUC eM (2) stock. Seen ka ese Rei ig SOM Ree eects made payable to SOU Ree ses an errs ‘The Bushcraft Magazine’. a CE ae Cun oe Teer ele ur Cee a rau Crt ne heron Egerton House Cottage See our website for details of every Le Ta ol Coe Te Kent. TN27 9BD www. busheraft-magazine.co.uk 35 | 2 fushoat MagazineSAN FRONTIER STOVE COMPETITION re “if u've neve ‘been to the Gathe ering Serer id z the — [brings together families all those interested in »y of knowledge sharing ina | and family friendly atmosphere” BOOK ONLINE: www.wildernessgathering.co.uk