Ne’er cast a clout til May be out
- Published in All Blog Posts, Edible plants, Flowers, Fruits, Gather, Nature and Conservation, Outdoor Skills, Plants, Skills, Trees and Shrubs
Early Spring Foraging in the UK
- Published in All Blog Posts, Edible Fungi, Edible plants, Flowers, Gather, Herbs and Roots, Mushrooms, Plants, Trees and Shrubs, Videos
Watching James Blunt get “Cold” in North Wales
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Watching James Blunt get “Cold” in North Wales
Behind The Scenes on James Blunts’ new music video
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Although Original Outdoors is primarily a training and adventure business, we get asked to help out with all sorts of projects that require our unique combination of skills, experience and connections. A recurring theme is helping out with location scouting, location safety and consultancy for media projects in North Wales.
We took a call from a producer working with international music video and film production company Great Guns to help out with finding locations for their new production – the music video for James Blunt’s new song “Cold”. We launched straight into recommending, shortlisting and then recce-ing locations for them along the coastline of North Wales on Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsula.
We were also asked to come up with a plan and a team to keep everybody on the production safe – and as it involved thrashing around in the a (cold, obviously) sea, climbing on a sheer rockface (where bits kept falling off it) and working with a helicopter on a rocky headland – the team had to be good.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10854″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10855″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10856″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10867″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]
We had two days of production to cover at multiple locations, landowners to liaise with and some very Welsh weather to deal with and I relied on the skills of Chris Jackson, Luca Celano, Gav Emmerson and Dilwyn Sanderson-Jones to keep everything running smoothly from our side.
We watched ex-Army songster James Blunt battle through waves, scramble over granite boulders and through dense vegetation and literally sing through a storm on the side of a mountain for the first day, then set up ropes and dislodged some unsafe rocks from a quarry above the beach for the climbing segments.
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There is always a lot to keep an eye on for jobs like this – the on-camera star who will happily put himself in harm’s way for the shot, the team immediately behind the camera ( DoP Max, Director Calum, 1st AD George and Producer Dale) plus the rest of the production crew (Sally, James, Tom, Gareth, Zac, Hannah, Sam, Ben, Luke and anyone else I have forgotten) who need to be kept informed about the likely hazards of the non-studio environment we are shooting in.
There is also a balance between keeping everyone safe and making sure that the shoot actually goes ahead – this means working closely with the Director and Assistant Director to ensure they get the shots we needed whilst managing their expectations about what we can do, where we can do it and how we can do it. When the cameras are rolling, the drone is in the air and the international music star is hanging around on a rope on a wet and loose rockface everything needs to happen quickly, smoothly and in a controlled manner.
For the first day Chris and Luca ran things whilst I led a foraging course and then attended a photo shoot for an upcoming collaboration with a brand. For the second day we split the roles between Chris keeping an eye on everyone for the last mountain shots whilst Dilwyn, Luca and Gav setup the quarry face with ropes, anchors and established safe zones for themselves, the crew and anyone else who needed to be there. [/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”10851″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”10852″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”10853″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]
For the climbing sequences James needed to be lowered down to a ledge, then climb back up via a greasy traverse and up onto a rib and corner. He was roped on and belayed by Luca and Gav with Dilwyn acting as coordinator between the rope team and myself as we worked with the director to get James into exactly the right place for the cameras and the drone (piloted by our friends Off The Ground). This took several takes, including a sequence where a sizeable chunk of granite detaches from the rockface and crashes down past James’ feet to the rocks below.
Next we needed to get Director of Photography Max Witting down onto the adjacent face to get shots of James climbing on the exposed rib, which was no easy task considering that he would also be holding an incredibly expensive RED camera with the associated lense, filters, monitor and everything else that shouldn’t really be dangled off a rope over a sheer drop. Max did a fantastic job though, and didn’t seemed to be fazed at all by the edge transition over onto a vertical face. Sideways….[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10858″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
So did James Blunt do all of his own stunts? He certainly did – and without even the hint of a raised eyebrow or question about what we asked him to do. You would have had to pay me a substantial sum to clamber around on a loose quarry face in wet, floppy trainers and a pair of tatty old jeans, especially after day and a half of standing around in the rain or lying in the Irish Sea. He is also a thoroughly nice, polite and friendly guy to work with. He took time for a cliff-top photo with us all, listened attentively to all safety briefings and did exactly what Dilwyn, Luca and Gav asked him to when we needed him to.
And then it was all done, and the circus rolled on to their next production and we all went back to living in possibly the finest place in the world – North Wales.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/xU4wN8WbTfE” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Company News, Mountain General, Videos
Axe Safety Basics – Simple rules for using an axe safely in the woods, at camp or at home
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The Basics of Axe Safety
Simple safety rules for all users of axes at camp, in the woods or at home
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Axes are great. I use them every week, and have been swinging them around for at least 20 years. They are versatile tools, and as important as a crafting item as an outdoor safety/survival tool. I couldn’t do my job without one.
They’re also (potentially) bloody dangerous, and one misplaced swing with an axe could leave you with a bit more room in your gloves for the rest of your life, or with an extra hole in your leg (and a lot less blood in your body than you would like).
Anybody who has attended one of our North Wales bushcraft courses knows that when the cutting tools come out for the first time we spend a bit of time refreshing those safety basics. For any of our ‘safety rules’ I try and create one simple message that is unchanged throughout the sessions, something that works for users of all experience levels.
In the video below I go through what that safety rule is, and discuss a few other techniques and considerations for using an axe safely, such as The Blood Circle and how changing your body position will greatly affect how ‘safe’ your cutting action is.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/DeQ9PwLvGAo” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
The Three Safe Places an axe can come to a stop
The key message for that video, and the baseline standard I try and use for anytime I pick up and use an axe, is that when you are swining an axe of any size, in any way, it can only come to a complete rest at the end of that swing in one of Three Safe Places:[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]
In The Workpiece
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In The Cutting Surface
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In The Air
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10721″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]If your swing of the axe, and any mishap or problem that might occur during it, means that your axe blade could hit something else before coming to a complete stop in one of those Three Safe Places then you need to stop and reassess what you’re about to do.
A simple change in body position, in the way you are holding the workpiece or the axe, or just slightly changing the orientation of how the axe and the workpiece are interacting will normally fix most problems.
Don’t rely on leather boots to save you – an axe will happily cut right through them.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”10724″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”10719″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10734″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
Axes get put away after use
All cutting tools should have a designated place that you keep them when not actively in use, and should have a sheath/mask/cover to both protect the cutting edge of the blade, and to protect you FROM that cutting edge.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”10718″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
Respect the Blood Circle
You need to create a safe working area around you, with enough room for you to safely work and do what you need to do with that axe. You also need to communicate that to those around you, and they need to respect your working space. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Ad:
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Why is there an ad here?
We place ads on blog posts and articles that reach a wide audience, especially visitors from overseas who probably won’t get a chance to come along to one of our skills courses or trips. By running ads alongside the more popular articles and blog posts we can help cover the costs of running the website and the blog.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Some Safe Axe-use Techniques
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10732″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”10730″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”10733″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”10729″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”10728″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]This is the video where we make a mallet from a single piece of wood with green woodworker Doug Don.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10725″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
It’s not rocket science
That rule should work for all axe users, in all use cases. There are many elaborate ways to use an axe for carving, shaping, splitting, snedding and felling. Different axe styles, different wood types and even different user sizes will dictate exactly which technique is best for that time and place, but all safe uses of an axe should mean that the axe only lands in one of those Three Safe Places:
1. The Workpiece
2. The Cutting Surface (or the ground)
3. The Air
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Related outdoor skills courses in North Wales
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- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, EST Framework, Original Outdoors Tutorials, Videos
We went foraging with VICE and Max Halley
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Foraging with VICE Media in North Wales
Hunting for wild food with VICE, Munchies and Visit Britain
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Back in November 2018 I spent a couple of days working on two articles for VICE – one was taking renowned sandwich chef Max Halley foraging for edibles on a North Wales beach, and for the other I wandered around a damp forest with writer Angela Hui and photographer Elijah Thomas. Each piece was part of a wider project promoting the idea of ‘microgapping’ in the UK.
I have been doing media pieces on foraging here and there for the past few years, and they often end up in the same places:
“Can I eat this? Really?”
“How did you get into foraging?”
“What’s your favourite food?”
This is, of course, absolutely fine. Foraging and wild food can be a vast and nebulous subject to deal with, and the point of most of the articles and projects I’ve worked on have been approaching foraging from a beginner’s point of view. It is what I have come to expect, and to be perfectly honest it was what I expected from the various members of the VICE team I spoke to…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10318″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”10325″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The two days I spent flinging journalists and presenters at edible lumps of landscape for VICE were different though. I had seen a couple of the videos Max had appeared in for VICE’s foodie brand “Munchies” and knew I should expect a vibrant and energetic personality – but right from the start he was genuinely interested in not only the food, but the reasons people choose to forage. He is a fascinating person to talk to, and even though our section together in the video embedded below lasts for just a couple of minutes we filmed for a couple of hours. We somehow managed to ramble through paleoanthrobotany, the subject of what constitutes ‘appropriate’ footwear and the trials of trying to navigate across North London on a Sunday.
We met on the long, stoney beach of Dinas Dinlle to look for some protein, a bit of seaweed and to explore the shore together then to cook something. The crew have done a great job of making the windswept and slightly bleak foreshore of Dinas Dinlle look actually rather pleasant!
For the second trip out I met Angela and Elijah for a lengthy wander through a mixed woodland, talking about fungi, the rise of foraging awareness in the wider public consciousness and working out the balance between personal freedoms and social responsibility.
I think I may have even used the term ‘post-modern foraging’ at one point.
I promise not to do it again.
Angela has broken my ramblings down into something coherent, and Elijah’s use of film captured the subdued-but-glorious feel of a Welsh woodland in late autumn.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I think the public perceptions of foraging, wild food and how we interact with the landscape around us are changing. There was a period not too long ago where digging around in the hedgerows and fields for your dinner was seen as a pastime of the eccentric, crusty or impoverished. To forage was to be a bit of an outsider, even if TV shows (and their producers) were starting to get the idea that this COULD be a mainstream activity.
The meteoric rise of the internet at the turn of the century, the rise of social media and the new-found ability to connect with groups and individuals who share the same ideals changed all of that.
Now groups can come together online from across the world to shard plant IDs, ask questions and be inspired to get out there and find their food in a different way – but they can also miss important steps, be misled by over-enthusiastic amateurs with large social media followings and get stuck in online echo chambers.
We have entered a new period for wild food education, and it’s going to be an interesting time.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJ2aWRlb19fZW1iZWQlMjIlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0NpZnJhbWUlMjB3aWR0aCUzRCUyMjU2MCUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjMxNSUyMiUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdmlkZW8udmljZS5jb20lMkZlbl91ayUyRmVtYmVkJTJGNWJlMmQ3ZGZiZTQwNzczMGUzNTZjNjU5JTIyJTIwZnJhbWVCb3JkZXIlM0QlMjIwJTIyJTIwc2Nyb2xsaW5nJTNEJTIybm8lMjIlMjBhbGlnbiUzRCUyMmNlbnRlciUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”4″ orderby=”menu_order title” order=”ASC” category=”foraging-courses-uk”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Company News, Foraging, Videos
17 Different ways of making fire
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17 Different Ways of Making Fire
A selection of natural and artificial ignition sources, tinders and accelerants to help with your next fire
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Anybody who has attended one of our bushcraft, survival or campcraft courses will know that when we teach the skills of firecraft and firelighting we break it down into two distinct halves – ignition and architecture.
There are many ways of making that first flame – the ‘ignition’ phase – and the video clips below show 17 of those methods.
Each video segment is set to begin at the relevant segment in the video, but the entire video can be found here on our YouTube channel.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Butane Lighters
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Butane lighters (the type with liquid fuel and a spark-wheel) are one of my favourite ways of achieving the ‘first stage’ of a fire. They are reliable, have few moving parts and even if you break the casing and lose all of the fuel – you can still use the miniature ferro rod and the spark-wheel mechanism to ignite a suitable tinder that way.
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Windproof Lighters
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These gas-fuelled lighters are effectively mini blowtorches. They are very powerful, and not susceptible to wind. They are however a little more delicate or finicky than their simpler butane cousins – and are very heavy on fuel. For short trips they work well but don’t rely solely on them.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Safety Matches
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It’s becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of the traditional style of matches (the ones that rely on friction), and instead safety matches (that rely on a chemical reaction with the striker strip) are becoming the default option when you look for them in shops. This is fine, but you need to make sure you protect the striker strip when storing them in your kit.
Matches are a good low-tech backup to keep in your firecraft kit, but it’s worth making sure you have developed a good match-striking technique so you don’t waste them when out in the field.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Lifeboat Matches
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A Lifeboat Match (AKA Flare Matches or Storm Matches) differ from ‘normal’ matches in that two thirds of the length of the match is made up of the ‘head’, i.e. the part that initially combust when struck. These matches are almost always ‘safety’ types, and need to be used with the supplied striker strip to work. They are issued in some military ration packs and survival kits and can also be purchased in waterproof boxes.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Cotton Wool Pads and Petroleum Jelly
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This is two methods, because the addition of petroleum jelly does significantly affect how useful this is as a technique.
Cotton wool (either in balls, or pads) can be easily lit with matches, lighters or ferro rods. As long as they are kept dry and grease-free they will light easily – but also burn away very quickly without producing much usable heat.
The addition of petroleum jelly (a very small amount, less than a teaspoonful) will significantly change the amount of potential energy in the tinder and allow it to be released steadily – producing a steady, hot flame that will burn for several minutes.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Tampons
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Tampons are essentially compressed cotton wool surrounded by vaguely flammable material. They come in waterproof pouches and can be easily opened, spread out and ignited. They don’t burn as well as other improvised tinders, but do work. This is probably something to keep in your emergency kit, but is a useful technique.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Bicycle Inner Tube
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Butyl rubber bicycle inner tubes (the cheaper, more common type) are handy for several things. They can be made into improvised lashings and add extra grip and storage options as Ranger Bands – but also make very good components for lighting fires in wet, humid conditions. I have used thin strips of inner tube to light fires in the pouring rain, or after travelling through wet and humid places where everything in my kit was possibly going to be saturated – they are fully waterproof and don’t absorb moisture.
They work best when cut into tapering strips and being lit from the thin end.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Go Prepared Survival Tinder Strips
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This is a commercial product marketed as a ‘survival’ tinder, but could be used as a regular firecraft resource if it suits your needs (and your budget!). It is included in some NATO military survival kits, and has the benefits of being easily stored and tucked away with no weight or packed-size penalty. It does however need a flame to light directly, to use a ferro rod you will need to combine it with cotton wool (supplied in the purchased/issued kits).[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Hammaro/BCB Tindercard
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Another commercial product, but a little cheaper. Rather than being a woven fabric this is a paper-based product and a little bulkier. It will light with a flame or a ferro rod, but for the latter I find it helps to warm it in my hands for a minute or so, then to create some fibres/particles by scraping with the striker of my ferro rod (as you would with birch bark).
This is one of my favourite ways of quickly and reliably starting a fire – even if it’s just embedded in a larger bundle of natural tinder.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
BCB FireDragon Fuel
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We have used BCB FireDragon fuel blocks for several years now and they are very useful – it’s easy to see why they have replaced the famous ‘hexy blocks’ as the solid fuel source issued to UK military personnel.
These solid blocks of ethanol are easily divided into smaller segments and will light with a flame or a ferro rod. They can also be blown out easily, but do melt and turn to liquid whilst burning so be careful with your placement.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Sisal String
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Sisal string, made from the fibres of Agave, is pretty terrible for any serious lashing or other cordage uses – but if you have some to hand it can be unwoven and separated into fibres that will ignite from a flame or a ferro rod.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Daldinia concentrica (Fungus)
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Daldinia concentrica, AKA King Alfred’s Cakes, Cramp Balls etc, is inedible but quite useful as a way of creating then preserving an ember. It is flammable, but won’t burst into flame – even with strong encouragement. It will however glow brightly like a piece of charcoal, and can be embedded into a ‘nest’ of natural tinder which will ignite from the heat created by the glowing fungus.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Fatwood
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Fatwood – wood from resinous pine trees that has been infused with that flammable resin – can have shavings taken from the surface which will ignite either with a flame or several strikes from a ferro rod (if the shavings are thin enough).[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Birch Bark
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There are several varieties of Birch with flammable outer barks (the type in the video is Betula papyrifera – Paper Birch), but a similar technique is used for all of them. Scrape away several small shavings of the outer side of the bark and then strike firmly with a ferro rod to produce a good shower of sparks. I will always try to have a small handful of thin strips of bark ready to add to the flames once they have begun.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Honeysuckle Bark
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More Information
The type used in this video is Common Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) and was collected shortly before filming the video so isn’t the best example – it is slightly easier to work with when completely dry. If torn into thin strips it will light easily with a flame, and can be coaxed into combustion with a ferro rod if dry and thin enough.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Potassium Permanganate and Glycerol
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Potassium Permanganate is a chemical with strong oxidizing properties, and is often purchased as a fine powder. When combined with glycerol (or other substances) it will oxidize and combust, producing a short-lived but bright and smokey flame. This can be used to ignite other tinders, but is pretty useless on its own.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”4″ orderby=”rand” order=”ASC” category=”bushcraft-courses”][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”4″ orderby=”rand” order=”ASC” category=”survival-courses”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, EST Framework, Firecraft, Videos
The Six-Bundle Fire Lay
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The Six-Bundle Fire Lay
A stick-bundle method of lighting a fire
This fire lay requires six bundles of dry, straight dead wood and a good ignition source. It relies on good airflow at the beginning, and the fire lay ‘collapsing’ in on itself in the later stages to ensure a good bed of coals and ash to cook over.
It is also a good option for making a ‘One Match Fire’.
The thickness of the wood in each bundle increases as the fire develops, staring with match stick-sized twigs, moving through pencil-sized ones and finally finger-sized branches.
This is one of the first ways we teach new clients to arrange kindling and fire wood for a simple, reliable camp fire. It works particularly well in the areas we use to run training courses (mature Western Hemlock Spruce woodland) where there is an abundance of dry and easily-accessed materials that works particularly well with a stick-bundle fire lay. It would also work with dry/dead-standing Birch branches and some other straight, small branches.
This video is part of the training materials given to clients participating in training courses under the EST Framework
Learn more at:
OutdoorProfessional.co.uk
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Some of our North Wales and UK Bushcraft Courses
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2018 UK Knife Law Changes
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2018 UK Knife Law Changes
Changes to UK Knife Law and what it means for the outdoor enthusiast
In the past weeks the news has featured several stories on UK knife crimes, knife law and the perception of knives as weapons as well as tools. This was followed by the announcement of a new Offensive Weapons Bill which will begin the process of changing of what is considered a legal knife, where they can be used/carried by the general public and how they can be acquired.
Last year a consultation on offensive and dangerous weapons was published, which caused a lot of discussion online from knife makers, owners and collectors from all sectors.
Whilst this is currently a bill (not yet an Act of Parliament, see the differences here) it is likely that some significant changes are coming for those who collect knives or purchase them for outdoor use.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]
Knives Purchased Online
The big changes are mostly about the types of knives and ‘weapons’ that can be owned in private and where they can be carried, but one change that is likely to have an impact on an outdoor user is a ban on knives being bought online being shipped to a residential address. Exactly how this will work and what workarounds can be created (shipping to a work address, pickup from a nominated place and so on) remains to be seen, but it will add a layer of complexity for those buying knives online.
Flick Knives and One-Handed Opening
Something mentioned in the original consultation document was an update to the definition of what constitutes an (already banned in the U.K.) flick knife:
England, Wales and Scotland
The current definition of flick knives in the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 is
outdated and refers to the mechanism that activates the blade being in the handle. We will
delete the reference to the switch blade mechanism being in the handle, as manufacturers
now place the mechanism in a part of the knife that can be argued is part of the blade.
This means the prohibition on the sale, manufacture and importing of flick knives cannot
be circumvented through changes in their design.
Will this include knives with a thumbstud that can be opened with one hand? If so this will include knives that are very useful as rescue tools for climbing, mountaineering and canoeing/kayaking where one-handed operation could be crucial for a lifesaving cutaway from a rope entrapment.
UK Knife Law and EDC
This isn’t the first post we’ve put together on UK knife laws for the outdoor user, but it’s important in a country with strict knife-carry laws to be aware of any changes made and, potentially, how your useful outdoor tool is perceived by someone else.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
UK Knife Law video on the Original Outdoors Youtube Channel
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- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft, Bushcraft General, Foraging, Law and Ethics, Mountain General, Personal, Skills, Tools and Equipment, Videos
The mystery of the Cwm Tryfan ice axe
The Mystery of the Cwm Tryfan Ice Axe
We found something long-forgotten on the slopes of Tryfan…
So, New Year’s Day 2018… chasing the last of that patch of snowy weather we decided to welcome in the new year with a gentle scramble to the summit of Tryfan (917m) via the Heather Terrace and then the South Ridge. This is a familiar route and we started late, quickly gaining height and feeling the force of the first storm of January.
Rather than Three Men in a Boat we were three men and an ecologist (who is also a girl called Rhian). We didn’t have a dog called Montmorency but we did make do with a cocker spaniel called Darcy.
The trip to the summit and back was uneventful (apart from my stirring rendition of Auld Lang Syne on the South summit), but as we descended the path out of Cwm Tryfan alongside the stream leading to Gwern Gof Uchaf something strange occurred…
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The Discovery
The exact moment of discovery wasn’t quite captured on camera (although it was faithfully recreated for the GoPro in the video below), but it went something like this:
Tom, also known as Dr. Tom (mostly because he claims to be a doctor, but we rarely see evidence of it) ventured a short distance from the well-worn path to relieve himself in the heather. As the rest of the group reached his general location he finished and strode back up to the track. About a metre before reaching the track he spotted something sticking out of the heather and bilberry:
It turned out to be a Grivel ice axe, showing some considerable signs of weathering. It was buried, shaft downwards, in the vegetation and there is nothing to suggest that it had been placed there recently.
So, had Tom just discovered a vintage axe in the vegetation right next to a fairly busy Snowdonia footpath?
After a bit of examination on site Tom shoved it in his pack and we continued our descent – hastened onwards by the promise of hot chocolate at the Siabod Cafe.
Later that evening we examined the axe (aided by beer). It is definitely a Grivel axe, and the wooden shaft showed some significant aging and was consistent with a few decades in the elements (albeit protected by a screen of mountain vegetation). Some very gentle research (aka asking Alex Roddie) suggests that it’s a 1960s model but modified for a slightly dropped pick to suit the changing style of winter climbing in the last half of the 20th century. The surface corrosion wasn’t total so I don’t THINK it can have been left out there longer than a couple of decades, but my knowledge of the corrosion rate of mountaineering gear alloys is sadly lacking.
Tom is claiming stewardship of the axe – as he found it, and he is now armed with a vintage ice axe so probably shouldn’t be argued with…
So if you’re reading this and have any information on either this particular axe (which hundreds of thousands of mountaineers have walked within inches of and not noticed) or just the model or anything else we will happily pass it on to Tom. Please get in touch through the comments below or via email.
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Location
I was too distracted by the thought of warm sugar and milk served by a grumpy landscape photographer to remember to grab an accurate grid reference, but it was approximately SH 669 595 (although I am happy to be corrected on that).
This is the general area – not far above the fenceline that is crossed near Tryfan Bach:
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Dramatic re-enactment of the discovery of the axe
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Gallery
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Behind The Scenes, Personal, Skills
A Private Adventure on Anglesey
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A Private Adventure on Anglesey
We pulled together a private ultramarathon for one of our clients
Every year we are asked to put together a private training day or adventure for somebody. This particular client first came to us in 2016 and asked for a 50km day in the mountains of Snowdonia for him and his friends – which we put together and executed one cold day in November.
This year he wanted to push it a little further, and asked for something a little more exciting. After compiling a few route options they picked a run along the Anglesey coastal path – but how to get them to the start?
We had spoken to the team at Rib Ride earlier in the year at a North Wales outdoor tourism event where we were both delivering sessions. After a bit of planning and holding out for the weather we came up with a plan – a dawn pickup on the Menai Straits and then hooning it over to a point 51km further up the coast where we could jump (literally) ashore and start the run.
The morning of the trip promised calm weather on our side of the island and everything was set for the trip. We climbed aboard and set off along the Menai Straits out past Beaumaris and Penmon before turning westward, the sun breaking through low clouds over the Carneddau behind us.
As we pulled away from the relative shelter of Red Wharf Bay and Moelfre the sea became a little rougher, crashing over waves and steering into the swell as we neared our destination – Point Lynas and the hidden cove of Porth Eilian.
We motored into calmer water as we entered the cove, and our skipper carefully placed the bow on the beach, giving us a short window where we could disembark and get safely ashore before the waves carried him over to the rocks. Once on dry land we set off – retracing our outward route on through the fields, dunes and beaches of the western shore of Anglesey.
The rest is a bit of a blur, as they put down a good pace from the very start. We dodged falling pheasants and were showered by lead from a shoot next to the Dulas estuary and fought through overgrown paths above Moelfre. We hit the halfway point at Red Wharf Bay in good spirits, refuelling on everything from chicken soup to marzipan stollen (doing events this close to Christmas does make food shopping a little more interesting). I had thought that the big climb from Traeth-coch to the hillfort of Bwrdd Arthur was going to be one of the most challenging sections – but I hadn’t reckoned on the energy-sapping boulders of the beach section before Beaumaris.
With only 6km to go and a 10.5hr finishing time in sight they put on a burst of speed that neither myself or fellow guide Jan could match (both of us no strangers to endurance work over rough ground). We jumped into the support vehicle and shadowed them as they powered through the final few miles to the finish at a hotel in Menai Bridge, metres away from where we had boarded the rib.
Private events like this always stick in the memory for us – probably as much as they do for the clients. There is a lot of planning work that goes into pulling something like this together, especially when weather forecasts and liaising with outside partners comes into play. They really are special days, and we’re glad that those clients come to us with the grain of an idea that we can help breathe life into.
If you think we can help you with your own challenge or adventure then please get in touch.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-5Kqny18mk” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”7788″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”7789″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”7790″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”7791″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”7795″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”7792″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, Course Reports, Microadventures, Mountain General, Videos
VIDEO: Choosing an Air Rifle Scope
Choosing an Air Rifle Scope
Over the last 12 months or so we have made a couple of visits to Tonys Camo in Saltney to take advantage of his generosity and create some short videos on buying an air rifle, choosing an airgun caliber and how to zero a scope.
In this video I ask Tony about buying a scope for an airgun, what all of those numbers mean and how much you should spend on a scope.
This is the last video from the footage we have shot so far – but we will return soon to film more!
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Original Outdoors Tutorials, Videos
We’ve hit 1,000 YouTube Subscribers!
We’ve hit 1,000 YouTube Subscribers!
On Tuesday morning I noticed that we’ve just hit 1,000 subscribers on our YouTube channel. That’s not bad considering we were on only 138 this time last year!
Thanks for your continued support – here’s to the next 1,000!
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Intruders at camp!
Intruders at camp!
Well, they were there first so…
We have a few trail cams set up at the sites we regularly use for training courses – to keep an eye on equipment we leave there and catch those who occasionally visit with less than honourable intentions…
This pair of Tawny owls shelter from the rain under one of the parachute shelters, perching on a couple of the tripods and gear hangers setup there.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Videos
How to put together a first aid kit for the outdoors
How to put together a first aid kit outdoors
Wilderness personal medical kits
How do you put a first aid kit together for the outdoors? Or a bushcraft first aid kit? Are first aid kits for mountain biking different to ones for kayaking?
Carrying a first aid kit in your rucksack or in your personal kit is pretty difficult to argue against. The problem is – how much do you carry, and what exactly do you carry? Once you start going down the road of visualising every possible emergency medical scenario and wanting to ‘be prepared’ for it. Before long you end up carrying several kilograms of equipment that in all likelihood you will never use – but you somehow feel that you need to.
The reality is actually a lot simpler. There are two important points to remember for outdoor emergency first aid:
- Training is the absolute most important thing you can put your time and money into. Knowledge weighs nothing and the most important lifesaving techniques require good personal skills but little to no equipment.
- If you are on your own in the middle of nowhere then the options open to you self-treatment are actually very limited.
With that mildly-sobering thought in mind – how do you put together a first aid kit for the outdoors?
The answer is dependent on several factors:
- The environment you are travelling too/through and specific hazards it may contain
- The length of trip
- Distance/time to evacuation and medical care in case of emergency
- The number of people (and animals) in the party
- The existing medical conditions of those in the party
- The training and skill level of those in the party
- The activities you are performing
- Your carrying capacity (rucksack, canoe, vehicle, porters etc)
For example – the medical kit for a 5-week sailing voyage to the Lofoten islands would be different to that of a solo lightweight backpacker on a 3-day summer trip in the Cairngorms. For the former a Bag Valve Mask (BVM) and full suture kit would be appropriate but would a little ridiculous for the solo hiker.
I have used various medical kits in my work over the years. In my time in a Mountain Rescue team I carried a small personal first aid kit that contained a minimal number of items and drugs – but it was designed to be pooled with the other kits carried by fellow rescuers to form a larger and more comprehensive kit. I supplemented this with items purchased myself such as Tuffcut shears and nitrile gloves. When working as a remote-area medic as support on long-distance races and outdoor challenges I was either carrying a very comprehensive kit issued by the company employing me, or I was given a budget to supply my own equipment at my own specification. I have also put together my own for various trips, plus also kits for Original Outdoors staff and freelance contractors to use when working with our own clients. Each case has been slightly different…
The easy answer to “what’s the best outdoor first aid kit?” is – they all are. The real skill is choosing or building one that suits where you are going, what you are doing and what you’re doing when you get there. To that end I’ve put together a video on the decision-making process that I go through for any trip or scenario, and the items I carry in one of my personal kits:
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First Aid Kit Contents
The list below is based on the items shown in the video, with links to buy them directly from Amazon. Some of the brands or sizes are slightly different or only a few representations of what I carry. The items are not listed in order of importance, just to roughly match the order from the video.
I’ve also put a link to the Lifesystems first aid kit which is a very similar off-the-shelf kit that I can personally recommend – even if it’s used as a base to add other items to.
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Nitrile Gloves
Get them in any colour other than red or black – you need to be able to see if blood suddenly appears on them when giving a primary or secondary survey as it will steer you towards a major bleed you may have missed.
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Resus Face Shield
An item of personal safety that should be somewhere easy to reach but can also make your CPR technique more effective.
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Anti Bacterial Wipes
Great for cleaning up after dealing with a minor wound and preventing your kit contaminating everything it touches.
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Alcohol Hand Gel
Be aware that carrying alcohol in your first aid kit may cause issues when travelling to countries where alcohol is banned or severely restricted
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Normasol Sachets
Sterile topical solution in sachets for careful application over wider areas.
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Sterile Eye Wash Pods
Sterile topical solution in pods for washing foreign bodies from eyes.
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Fabric Adhesive Dressing Strip
Adhesive dressing strip on a roll for making custom plasters/band-aids for tricky areas like between fingers.
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SteriStrips
Temporary adhesive suture strips for wound closure.
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Blister Plasters
Being able to treat or manage a blister can make the difference between carrying on or turning around to go home
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Non-Adherent Dressings
General use dressings without any adhesive.
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Triangular Bandage
I have yet to use one of these as a sling, but they are quite useful for holding other dressings on or wrapping over wide areas.
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Wound dressings (Various sizes)
Absorbent wound dressings in various sizes
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Travel Mirror
Great for reaching places that the eyeball can’t!
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Glucose Gel
Glucose gel for hypoglycemic emergencies.
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Round-Tip Scissors
Small scissors with rounded ends for safety
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TuffCut Shears
Tough shears for emergency clothing removal
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Tweezers
For removal of small foreign bodies
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Microlance Needles
Tiny sterile needles for making small holes to drain blisters etc
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Disposable Thermometer
Of limited use in a first aid environment but helpful for long-term monitoring of a patient
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Tick Removal Card
For safe removal of ticks
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CAT Tourniquet
Not for general carry and must be trained in use
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SAM Splint
Useful but heavy and other items can be improvised to replace it.
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Lifesystems Mountain Leader First Aid Kit
A comprehensive and well-designed outdoor first aid kit.
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- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Emergency and Safety, First Aid, Mountain General, Personal, Skills, Tools and Equipment, Videos
Crib Goch – a realistic view!
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Crib Goch – A realistic view
Scrambling on Crib Goch with a GoPro
The knife-edge ridge of Crib Goch is a legendary route in the mountains of Snowdonia – and for good reason. In parts it really is less than a metre wide and with a drop on either side long enough to really make you regret falling off.
The thing is, most videos showing a traverse of Crib Goch make it out to be steeper, narrower and longer than it really is. Fisheye lenses and shaky camera placements will always give videos a certain look, and it gives an unrealistic view of what walking along Crib Goch is actually like.
A few weeks ago I strapped a GoPro Hero4 to my rucksack shoulder strap and set off across the ridge with a group of clients. In the video below I have sped through the boring sections and focused on the areas of the ridge that need more attention…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/2ve03WrLXjo” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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UK Knife Law Explained
UK Knife Law Explained for the Outdoors
UK legal carry law discussed with a former police officer
What can I carry in the UK? Is my knife illegal? What knife can I carry for bushcraft?
The above is a good example of questions we’re asked with regards to knives, axes and what we can carry for working in the outdoors in the U.K.
We of course discuss all of this on our bushcraft courses, but sometimes it’s easier to listen to a discussion than a lecture. For that reason I got one of our instructors, Kevin Field, to talk through his understanding of the current UK knife laws and how they might affect a bushcrafter or other outdoor enthusiast or professional.
Kevin was formerly a police officer, and I am an experienced outdoor instructor – but neither of us is a solicitor and we cannot give formal legal advice. The content in the video is our best understanding and interpretation of the current laws, but it is down to each one of you to do your own research and make sure that what you have in your pocket or bag is legal for your situation.
UK Knife Law Key Points:
- The legal length for a non-locking, folding blade is 3inches/7.62cm
- A knife with legal length can still be deemed an offensive weapon if it can perceived as such by someone else
- Locking folding knives, fixed blade knives and knives longer than 3inches/7.62cm are all illegal for carry in a public place without a further defence
- It is the duty of the person carrying the knife to know and understand the law – ignorance is not a defence
- Access land and public footpaths are also public places
- More information can be found on the gov.uk website
So what can I carry?
Well, the broadest answer is a folding blade, without a locking mechanism of no more than 3inches/7.62cm. That leaves you with something like the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife – however, even though it is not illegal necessarily to carry this as a knife, you could still be accused of carrying an offensive weapon.
The actual wording is:
“It is an offence for any person, without lawful authority or good reason, to have with him in a public place, any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed except for a folding pocket-knife which has a cutting edge to its blade not exceeding 3 inches.” [CJA 1988 section 139(1)]
There are specific defenses listed for the carry of knives outside of the definition above – including use for work, for religious reasons or as part of a national costume. The crucial part here is “without lawful authority or good reason”. What constitutes a ‘good reason’ is very subjective, and can depend on everything from how you act and behave with that item in public to how a member of the public perceives it. It is also not limited to knives, but hatchets, folding saws, ice axes and other sharp/bladed articles that an outdoor enthusiast may use.
Whilst it is impossible to give cast-iron guarantees and advice on what knife or other item you may carry, and how you can carry it, there are some generic situations where it is common for knives to be carried in public space:
- A small, folding locknife with a serrated blade on the harness of a climber or the PFD of a canoe/kayaker for the purpose of cutting through rope, webbing or line in an emergency
- A fixed-blade bushcraft knife being used by somebody camping on land where they have legal permission to do so, and ensuring it is being used safely and responsibly
- A multitool with a locking blade in the toolkit of a mountainbiker at a trail center
- A long filleting knife in the tacklebox of an angler on a pier where the public has access
All of those are fairly common scenarios, and there is a very good chance that a police officer, the Crown Prosecution Service and potentially a judge agreeing that it is a ‘good reason’ for that item to be carried or used in public, in that way, at that time.
But what if that climber still has that knife in their pocket when they sit down to a bowl of goulash in the Siabod Cafe later that day? Or if that bushcrafter forgets they have a knife on their belt when they pop into Tesco on the way home? Could the mountainbiker get into an argument with a stranger whilst adjusting their derailleur and threaten the stranger with the knife on the multitool? Can the angler drop into the pub when walking back home, dropping their tacklebox under the table?
The short answer to all of the above is that they are much more likely to have committed an offence. By making poor decisions, not paying attention to how they are handling the potentially illegal item in their kit and being complacent or just foolish they have moved outside of their (potential) legal defence.
One also needs to consider if they are trespassing, which in itself is a civil matter not a criminal one – but if you are found to be in possession of an offensive weapon then it can possibly become armed trespass.
There are so many variables that it possible to turn any hypothetical scenario into a situation where a law has been broken.
Seriously, what can I carry?
The best advice I can give – as an instructor and somebody who was once the victim of knife crime – is to make sure that the knife, axe, saw or whatever you are carrying is:
- appropriate to the activity you are conducting, or about to/have been conducting and there is no other practical way to transport that item
- not being used or carried in a manner which can cause distress or alarm to a member of the public
- not likely to be accidentally carried on from your place of lawful use and activity to a public place (on the belt of your trousers etc)
- not an item otherwise prohibited from being carried or owned (including flick knives, butterfly knives etc)
- transported and stored in a way that cannot be misconstrued as being a weapon (i.e. in a rucksack in the boot of a vehicle, not in the cupholder next to you)
You also need to ask yourself if you REALLY do need to carry that item. Is there a ‘good reason’ for carrying a machete-like survival tool on the PYG Track of Snowdon? Do you need to have a £500 craftsperson-made bushcraft knife on your belt at the local game fair? Do you actually need a knife to go foraging, or will a pair of scissors or secateurs be more appropriate? There is a world of outdoor media, from Instagram to old episodes of Ray Mears shows on Youtube that may trick the unwary into thinking that anything is allowed because you’re being ‘outdoorsy’…
So please, make sure that if you are carrying a knife or bladed item in the U.K., no matter what the style or length, that you are aware of the rules and laws around the use and carry of those items. More importantly, you should also be aware of how your behaviour and actions could be seen by another person. You know that you are a safe, responsible person who is a student of wilderness skills and want to try out your new knife and axe – but has the person walking their dog just seen a threatening-looking scruffy person heading into the woods with camouflage gear and a Rambo-knife?
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Axes and Saws
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Zombie Killer Knives
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- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Foraging, Law and Ethics, Mountain General, Videos
How to camp in the woods – a time lapse tale!
How to camp in the woods
Setting up tarps and living by firelight with Kevin Field
In this short time lapse bushcraft instructor Kevin and I set up two DD Hammocks 3mx3m tarps, light a fire between and settle down for the night in a simple woodland camp.
The next morning we carefully and quickly pack things back down, making sure that we properly extinguish the fire and return the forest floor to its previous state.
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For this camp we rigged the two tarps in similar ways, with ridgelines stretched taut between trees. The fire was a long, thin fire designed to give out heat along the length of our shelters and provide space to cook on.
The easiest way to tidy up in the morning after a camp like this starts when you first arrive the night before:
- Identify the area you need for your fire and shelters/tarps
- Clear the floor area of any leaf litter or debris, back to bare soil
- Set up your tarps or shelters, with consideration to wind direction
- Gather enough firewood for the night before you light the fire
- Light the fire, cook your food and enjoy the evening
- The next morning, consider if you actually NEED a fire
- Make sure that the fire is properly extinguished, even if it burnt out the night before
- Clear away any burnt wood, then scatter ashes across the forest floor by hand
- Once the shelters and your equipment have been safely stowed away you can scatter the leaf litter back across the forest floor. If done properly it should look like you had never been there!
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Original Outdoor Moments, Videos
RSBC on Ben Nevis – with Jon Culshaw
RSBC 2016 Ben Nevis Trek
Raising money for RSBC – featuring Jon Culshaw
Back in October we helped organise a trek to the summit of Ben Nevis with RSBC – the Royal London Society for Blind Children.
This is the accompanying video of the trek, featuring RSBC ambassador and celebrity impressionist Jon Culshaw:
- Published in All Blog Posts, Company News, Course Reports, Mountain General, Videos
VIDEO: The new Paramo Velez Jacket
Paramo Velez Jacket
Having a closer look at OTS 2016
Last year I spent a bit of time speaking with Helen from Paramo at their stand at OTS 2016 about their Alta 3 jacket, and we were drawn back over their for this year. The new Paramo Velez Jacket looks like a good heir to the legacy of the tried and tested Velez Adventure Smock that I’ve used for years (to the point where it’s faded from UV damage on mountains and torn from climbing but still going strong).
As well as a full-length zip and different pump-liner there are a few other refinements that bring it in line with the recent changes we’ve seen to the Paramo range.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, Mountain General, Outdoor Gear News and Reviews, Videos
How fast is the incoming tide?
How fast is the incoming tide?
Don’t get caught out on a beach
Last weekend we took the dogs for a walk at Talacre beach on the North Wales coast about 90 minutes before high tide. It’s a wide, sandy beach that shelves off into the edge of the Dee estuary at one end and guarded by dunes on the landward side. It’s a notorious spot for flooding on a Spring tide, and the car park is often closed due to risk of flooding.
I shot this short video after seeing the incoming tide swiftly and silently fill in a channel behind where we were walking, turning our patch of beach into an island (and then swallowing it a few minutes later).
In the video you can see just how quickly an incoming tide ‘moves’, covering the height of the GoPro Session camera (about 4cm high) in under a minute.
Sandy beaches, estuaries and muddy areas of coastline can quickly become cut off from the shore and eventually be covered in minutes, and you should always be aware of the tide times, movements and have a couple of escape routes planned if walking on the shoreline. In this case we just stepped through the water and to the dunes behind – but if it had been a small cove or secluded beach bounded by cliffs we could have found ourselves in serious trouble.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, Videos
MindShift Gear Rotation 180
MindShift Gear Rotation 180
Innovative gear bag for outdoor photographers
At the Outdoor Trade Show at Stoneleigh Park earlier this year we stopped and had a good look at the photographer bags and accessories that Snapperstuff.com had on offer. Helen from Snapperstuff was kind enough to give us some time to go through the range, and one thing that really stood out was the range of bags from MindShift Gear – particularly the MindShift Gear Rotation 180 series of bags. They are outdoor adventure rucksacks that conceal a top-loader DSLR waist pack.
I’ve used Nikon DSLRs for over a decade and finding a way to carry them which protects them but keeps them accessible has always been a problem. My current solution is either a bulky shoulderbag under my rucksack straps, or a drybag clipped to the rucksack straps – could this be the equipment solution I’ve been looking for?
- Published in All Blog Posts, Mountain General, Outdoor Gear News and Reviews, Videos
VIDEO: How to zero an airgun scope
How to zero an airgun scope
Setting the sights on your target
Tony from Tony’s Camo and Airgun Centre in Saltney comes back for this second video on the use of airguns. In the shooting range adjacent to his shop he shows me how he teaches people to setup the telescopic sight on an air rifle, for consistent and accurate shots.
A scope isn’t strictly required for accurate shots with an air rifle, but it does make the job a lot easier and allows for greater consistency.
The steps for zeroing an air rifle scope at 25 yards
- Find a safe and legal place to shoot over the distance you wish to set up your scope for
- Set up a target that will clearly show where you have hit it (a piece of white paper works well)
- Mark a point on the target (a dot will do)
- Set yourself up in a comfortable and safe shooting position
- Fire three shots with the centre of the crosshairs lined up with your dot on the target
- Your group of shots will likely be off to one side and above or below your target dot
- Carefully unscrew both dust covers on the adjustment turrets on your scope
- Decide if you are going to adjust the up-and-down (elevation) or side-to-side (windage) turrets first
- Most scopes use a system where each ‘click’ as you rotate the turrets will translate to 1/4 of an inch of change in the place the pellet hits a target 100yards away
- As your range will is closer than that you will need to perform some calculations to set your scope
- For a range of 25 yards each ‘click’ will move the ‘aim point’ 1/16th of an inch, or 16 clicks will move the ‘aim point’ one inch.
- If your first three shots are half an inch below your target dot you will need to move the elevation turret 8 clicks in the direction marked on that adjustment turret
- Once you have made your adjustment fire another three shots. Your grouping should now be on the same level as the target dot, but may still be off to one side
- Repeat the above process for the side-to-side error (windage)
- If you can repeatedly shoot a pellet through the same hole at that range you have ‘zeroed’ that scope
Tony’s Tips for Successful Zeroing
- Be consistent with your choice of pellet brand and types
- Zero from a safe and stable shooting position
- Only adjust for windage or elevation at a time, not both
- Don’t try and zero on a windy day
- Take an average of three shots after each adjustment, not just one
- Only ever shoot where it is safe and legal to do so
Finally, remember that you are doing this with a potentially lethal firearm, and the responsibility is on you to make sure that you are shooting in a safe and legal manner, and that you are behaving as a safe and responsible airgun owner.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Foraging, Original Outdoors Tutorials, Videos
VIDEO: How to choose an airgun
How to choose an air rifle
Buying your first airgun
Tony Dobson from Tonys Camo and Airgun Centre in Saltney kindly gave us some time to explain the basics of buying an air rifle in the UK.
The video details the different types of air rifle commonly available in the U.K. including break-barrel, underlever, CO2 and PCP rifles and their relative merits. We also touch on the information that all airgun owners and users should be aware of (see links below for more information) including the laws on using and storing airguns.
This is a relatively long video for us, but we only just touch on the information you need to know. If you are considering buying your first airgun (for target practice or hunting/pest control) you need to visit your local airgun dealer or airgun club to find accurate and up to date information for your area. Be aware that the law is different in Scotland (as of 31st October – see HERE) and that whilst you do not need a licence for an airgun under 12ft/lbs power in England and Wales you still need to stay within certain rules on the storage and use of that air rifle. The British Association of Shooting and Conservation has a very useful section for airgunners on their website.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, Foraging, Original Outdoors Tutorials, Videos
Moments – Doug’s Acorn Whistle
Doug’s Acorn Whistle
Instructor Doug Don hijacks the Foraging and Wild Foods Course to show off the shockingly loud whistle you can make from the cup of an acorn.
This was shot on the last Foraging and Wild Foods Course of 2016
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, Foraging, Original Outdoor Moments, Videos, Wildcrafts
Diary 1 – Mountains, photos, TV work and MTBs on Snowdon
Diary 1 – Mountains, photos, TV work and MTBs on Snowdon
The start of a new project – regular vlogs and video diaries showing what we get up to week to week.
In this first episode I talk about working with clients on Ben Nevis, landscape photography in the Highlands, meeting up with friends, working with clients on Snowdon, mountain bikes on Snowdon, litter on Snowdon, the Real 3 Peaks Challenge, working with TV companies and a few other things.
Links:
Real 3 Peaks: https://www.facebook.com/Real3Peaks/
Ben Nevis Charity: http://rsbc.org.uk/
Snowdon MTB Voluntary agreement: http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/snowdn_volunt.htm
Snowdon Charity: http://www.gosh.org/
The Unexplainers: https://www.facebook.com/theunexplainers/
Z Team: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/the-z-team/
Snugpak: http://www.snugpak.com/
Helko Axeworks: https://helko.co.uk/
Nick Livesey: https://nickliveseymountainimages.wordpress.com
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, Company News, Mountain General, Original Outdoors Diary, Videos
Moments – A82 Journey
Journeying on the A82
A roadtrip with mountains on the A82 through the West Hgihlands
This (very) short film is pulled together from clips that didn’t make it into a film for a charity client on a trip to climb Ben Nevis.
They just didn’t fit into the narrative of the finished video, but on their own they remind me of the same feeling I got when I drove across Rannoch Moor and down into Glencoe quite a few years ago and, to be honest, the feelings I still get now. A mixture of excitement and calm, and suddenly slowing down to enjoy the scenery.
Shot on a GoPro Session and Nikon D7200
- Published in All Blog Posts, Microadventures, Mountain General, Original Outdoor Moments, Videos
Snugpak Torrent Jacket and Travelpak Sleeping Bags
Snugpak Torrent Jacket and Travelpak Sleeping Bags
We went back to the Outdoor trade Show at Stoneleigh Park to chat with a few of our favorite brands – and the first we bumped into were Snugpak.
Snugpak are known for their sleeping bags and insulated clothing but their venture into waterproof layering with the Torrent jacket looks quite impressive, and we might get tot try one out in the UK winter walking and climbing season in a few months time.
The Snugpak Travelpak sleeping bag range has been around for a little while now, but the 2016 addition of mosquito netting at the head end adds some genuine functionality to a product that already had a light weight and small packed size.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Outdoor Gear News and Reviews, Videos
How to make a spatula (flat spoon)
How to make a spatula (flat spoon)
In this video I spend some time in the woods with Doug Don learning how to split down and process a log into a useful kitchen implement. Even if you aren’t interested in making a spatula there is a lot of useful information in here on working with green wood, processing timber into planks and general knife, axe and drawknife safety.
We’re working with green woodworker Doug Don of Heartwood Treen for this series of instructional videos and to run green woodworking and axecraft courses for Original Outdoors in the coming months. If you want to be notified as the new videos go online please subscribe to our Youtube channel.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Original Outdoors Tutorials
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