Axe Safety Basics – Simple rules for using an axe safely in the woods, at camp or at home
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
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10723″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]In The Cutting Surface
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10722″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]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:
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
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
Related outdoor skills courses in North Wales
[/vc_column_text][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”4″ orderby=”menu_order title” order=”ASC” category=”bushcraft-courses”][/vc_column][/vc_row]- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, EST Framework, Original Outdoors Tutorials, Videos
Wild Camping Food – What should I take?
Wild Camping – what are we going to eat?
A short guide to the food options for wild camping trips in the UK
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This is a common question from clients who are heading out for their first ‘wild’ camping trips in the mountains and forests of the UK – what am I going to eat?We have normally gone through the laws of wild camping and taken a good look at the other parts of the equipment list, but food can sometimes be a bit of an afterthought. Wet or dry, bought or made – and just how much do I need to bring?
In this article I am going to look at two different aspects of packing food for a wild camping or UK backpacking trip – the type of food carried, and the amount. Pack weight and volume come into it, as do cooking options, access to water and just how much energy you are going to expend.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”7663″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Camping Food Types
When I am looking at food for camping and backpacking it comes down to three things:
– Weight/packed volume
– Taste
– Nutrition
It’s easy enough to find foods that can be carried in a rucksack for a day or two and will be perfectly edible once reheated in a pan over a stove – but if they are the heaviest and bulkiest items in your kit then you won’t get very far. The food also needs to be tasty enough to eat when you are cold, wet or tired – it’s not unusual for an appetite to disappear when fatigued and a warm sleeping bag is calling to you, but food is fuel and your physical and mental performance may start to suffer when you miss out on the calories. The mountains and wilderness regions are not the places to take up intermittent fasting or the 5:2 diet.
Nutrition is another key factor; sugar and simple carbohydrates are both lightweight and tasty – but not much good for a slow, steady release of energy or for long mountain days.
If you can keep an eye on all three of those factors when considering the food on your kitlist then you can start to make decisions on which type of foods you’re going to choose. They can be broken down into the following types:[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]
Pre-Prepared ‘wet’ Meals
These are the types often found in soft, foil pouches on racks in camping shops, or as components in civilian or military ration packs/MREs. They are pre-cooked and can be safely eaten cold, or heated up in the pouch by dunking the (unopened) pouch in boiling or hot water.
Because they are ready-to-eat when cold and without additional preparation (a bit like a tin of baked beans – edible unheated, but not the best) they are also heavy, and quite bulky. Sometimes referred to as ‘wet’ food, packs and pouches like this contain a substantial amount of water/fluid in the accompanying sauces which makes them fairly heavy. They are often about twice the weight of dehydrated/dry meal pouches, if not slightly more.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Good because
- Can be eaten cold or with no preparation
- No mess, can be heated without dirtying a pan and eaten straight from the pouch
- Good selection available
- Long shelf life
Not -so-good because
- Heavy due to water/liquid content
- Often high in sugar and palm oil
Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Meals
Over the past 20 years or so this type of camping meal has become more popular, and there are lots of new companies springing up every year. We reviewed the Firepot range last year, and a review of the TentMeals range is coming in a few weeks.
The two main methods for removing moisture from these meals are dehydration and freeze-drying. Dehydration involves passing warm air over the food and removes around 90-95% of the moisture, whereas freeze-drying involves lowering the temperature of the food, then removing the ice by sublimation – this removes about 97-99% of the moisture. Freeze-dried meals have a longer shelf life, but there is minimal weight difference between dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. A lot of people claim that dehydrated foods taste slightly better, but I personally don’t notice much of a difference.
Whatever the method for removing the moisture in the food, the method for rehydration is often the same. As the food is already cooked before being dried it can be safely rehydrated with cold water, but taste and consistency is always improved by using boiling or hot water. [/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Good because
- Lightweight (roughly 100-200g per meal)
- No mess, can be eaten straight from the pouch once rehydrated
- Often healthier than ‘wet food’ pouches
- Long shelf life
Not-so-good because
- Requires some preparation and additional resources to be edible
- Gas/heat source consumables need to be considered
- Clean water needed for every meal
Supermarket Dried Meal Ingredients
Although broadly similar to the dedicated dried food pouches for camping and backpacking, these food types are sold for domestic use. With a bit of careful thought and creativity they can be used by wild campers and trampers – indeed, dried noodles and instant cup-soups have been a staple of my backpacking menus for nearly two decades.
The main drawback is the extra preparation and mess that comes with buying individual ingredients – they will need to be rehydrated in a pan or container of some sort, so you run the risk of accidentally welding it to the inside of a pan. There is also potential problem of calculating portion sizes and measuring it out at camp and avoiding the problem of inadvertently eating more than your daily allocation.
If you can live with that extra hassle then you can create some elaborate and varied meals with a short list of ingredients, and combining dried ingredients with small amounts of ‘wet’ food (such as adding a tin of tuna to cooked dried pasta) gives you even more variety. It is worth exploring the dried goods aisles of your local supermarket to see just what you can pick up easily – but always remember that you are limited to a stove and pan in your preparation equipment.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Good because
- Lightweight
- Much cheaper
- Variable combinations and portion sizes
Not-so-good because
- Requires some careful preparation and measurement
- Takes longer to shop/procure
DIY Camping Meals
Although combining various off-the-shelf dried and long-life foods is a DIY solution, there are plenty of other ways you can prepare your own camping meals – even if it’s just putting cooked leftovers in tupperware and throwing it into your rucksack.
Domestic counter-top dehydrators are surprisingly cheap and easy to use (something like this), so cooking meals at home and then dehydrating them to take with you on trips is a realistic option. If you combine a dehydrator with other gadgets such as a vacuum-sealer then you aren’t far off making your own long-life camping meals.
As well as the extra work involved in preparing and experimenting with your own camping foods there is another factor to consider – food safety. You may be quite happy eating leftover food two days after cooking it when it has been stored in a fridge, but what about when it has been festering in a ziploc bag in your rucksack for a day or two? This is much less of a problem when dehydrating food yourself, but when carrying fresh food and ingredients you should give careful consideration to how you are going to store and transport it.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Good because
- Cheaper (after initial outlay)
- Lots of variation and choice
- Comfortable/familiar food from known sources
Not-so-good because
- Experimentation and preparation needed
- Requires cooking skills
- Potential food-safety risks
Snacks
This is a little easier than finding main-meal options for backpacking and wild camping as bars, biscuits and nibbles often come in smaller packets and are made for reasonably long shelf-lives. Chococlate, cereal and biscuit bars are the obvious choice, along with dried fruits, nuts and small sweets. The infamous mix of those fruit, nuts and small pieces of chocolate and sweets has proven popular with many trail hikers and long-distance backpackers (me included…).
Homemade biscuits, bites and other small foods are easy to make and there are thousands of recipes online on blogs and forums – from peanut-butter balls to Lembas bread for the Tolkein fans.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9176″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
How much food will I need?
The very short answer is “slightly more than you expect to eat”…
There are many possible approaches to this, and my strategies for food and eating for a short or medium-length backpacking trip are very different to what I would take for a day trip into the mountains or forests. For single-day trips I tend to take food that I can nibble on at various points throughout the day – specially if I am going to be moving all day without stopping for longer than 15-30 minutes at a time.
When backpacking the pace slows right down, and I take advantage of the fact I have more time and don’t have to return back to the valley by stopping for a meal somewhere in the middle of the day.
With that in mind, I calculate how much food I will need by how many meals I will be consuming whilst walking/moving, and then work things out from there. If I am heading out for a two-night trip my food list might look something like this:[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_column_text]
Breakfast (x2)
- Breakfast bar
- Instant oats/porridge
- Coffee
Lunch (x3)
- Oatcakes
- Peanut butter (squeezy tube)
- Instant soup
- Dried fruits/nuts
Evening Meal (x2)
- Dehydrated meal pouch
- Chorizo (sliced) or tuna
- Instant soup,or noodles if a particularly long or hard day
Snacks and Drinks
- Cereal bars
- Peanut balls (homemade)
- Dried fruit/nut/chocolate mix
- Coffee (either instant or ground depending on weight and length of trip)
If you are working your way up to your first wild camping trip then you’ll probably have a good idea of how hungry you are, and how your body responds to more or less food. For your first trip it is better to err on the side of caution and carry plenty of food, but not enough to slow you down.
If you are concentrating on calorie intake then the previously recommended adult guidelines of 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men is a good starting point. How you acquire those calories does make a difference of course – too much sugar and you will be on a constant cycle of peaking and crashing on a glucose high, but your first overnight backpacking trip is not the time to experiment with the paleo diet. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][product id=”7606″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][product id=”7267″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][product id=”9519″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][product id=”7338″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Camping, Mountain General, Skills
Examining a wild camp site – tracking and reading the ground
Examining a Wild Camp – Tracking and reading the story the ground is telling you
A story of tracking, site interpretation and a lesson for investigators
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]So there I was, wandering through the woods with the dog. This is one of several woodland sites that we occasionally rent to run some of our bushcraft, survival and other wilderness skills courses in North Wales. I am far from any of the footpaths, both the public ones and the ones made by locals through the trees. It’s about 15 minutes after sunset and the light is poor – nearly time for the head torch.After ducking past a couple of low branches I come to a more open area near the top of a small hill. There are a couple of mature oak trees, a dead-standing Rowan and a surrounding screen of Western Hemlock Spruce enclosing an area roughly 5m in diameter. Something seems ‘different’ about this site, and I pause to quickly look around. I’m fairly sure that I haven’t visited this particular glade before, but something is tickling my senses in a way I can’t vocalise…
Down at the foot of one of the mature spruce trees is a short, blackened and partially burned length of wood. This isn’t unusual near the areas where we run courses, but out here in this relatively untouched corner of the woodland it stands out – there is a reason for it being here, and I am suddenly compelled to investigate further.
A little bit of background information
As I have mentioned on this blog before – a good portion of the work that I do as an instructor and consultant in various outdoor fields doesn’t end up on the website as a public course or event – we even have a seperate website for that kind of thing: outdoorprofessional.co.uk.
Something that we do occasionally is to create bespoke training events for clients who want to be trained in a particular skill or activity. Following a series of connections and conversations we were asked to create training events especially for AFOs (Authorised Firearms Officers – armed response Police officers) and those they work closely with. They specifically wanted to have some training in tracking of subjects through woodland and mountainous areas – and particularly how to perform Site Exploitation (SE, other common terms are also used depending on the force or role) on areas where people had created camps or bivvy sites in conjunction with other criminal activity. Anybody familiar with the Raoul Moat incident in 2010 will have an understanding of why these particular skills were of interest to these particular clients. My own experience in SAR/Mountain Rescue and subsequently teaching tracking for search operations combined with experience teaching people how to camp in the woods without leaving a trace probably puts me in a good place for this kind of training.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Other Notes
This is, of course, just a bit of fun and in no way is an example of how to examine a site like this. The photos taken are quick shots on a phone camera, illumiated by an LED torch. There are no in-shot reference items or scale, and no other records taken.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10017″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
The Tell-Tale Log
So this was the item which first drew my attention – other than that weird, tingly spidey-sense that trackers and searchers get when they get close to something interesting. It’s a small lump of wood, partially burned on one side and cut to length with a saw of some kind. The marks on the end of the log suggest a chainsaw rather than bow-saw or similar, so it was probably lifted from a log stack elsewhere in the forest.
Partially burned firewood is a common piece of evidence in these kind of sites and disposing of these blackened, charred logs is a key problem for disguising a camp fire site. Best practice to burn them all away completely, gradually reducing the size of the fire until only ash and small lumps of charcoal are left behind.
This log was my IPP (Initial Planning Point) for the site analysis, but I knew that I would probably change that once further evidence was uncovered.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10018″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
The Circumference Sweep
I look over at the dog, who is now whining gently in the softly-falling rain. It’s pretty dark now, so I break out a small-but-powerful LED hand torch and start walking slowly around the edge of the small glade that the log is on the edge of. I want to see what there is to find in the transition zone where the ‘clearing’ stops and the dense woodland begins. This is the area where something may be thrown to, or placed ‘out of the way’ whilst activity occurs in the camp.
On the opposite side of the clearing I find a few more charred logs – longer, thinner pieces that have been burned through at some point.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10019″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
Gridding it out
The rest of the circumference sweep revealed nothing obvious, at least not in the conditions and using this search method. Now it’s time to move into the clearing and methodically move across the area to identify any key features that may remain – specifically the site of the fire that charred those logs.
The easiest way to do this is to walk directly across the site along one edge, carefully stepping on the leaf litter rather than pushing it to the side and potentially covering something that is lying on the surface. Once you reach the other side you move across slightly and sweep across in the other direction, parallel to the first track.
I repeated this, moving slowly and sweeping with the torch, until I had covered the entire width of the clearing. One area interested me in particular – where some stones were clustered together at one edge – but I wanted to sweep the rest of the area before starting to mess around with the leaf litter and uncovering the stones.
Next I repeated the series of parallel sweeping motions – but at 90° to the original tracks. This gave me a different perspective on the terrain and made it more likely that I would spot anything unusual – the ‘break in the pattern’.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10020″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
Examining the Point of Interest
Nothing else was coming up in my cursory examination, so it was time to investigate that pile of stones. It was made up of shale, very common locally but not often seen in small piles like this. The pile is partially covered by fallen leaves, and easily missed.
Kneeling down to get a closer look I could see that some of the stones were fractured and had slightly blackened edges. Common advice is to “surround camp fires with rocks to prevent the flames from spreading”. This is terrible advice with rocks like shale – they have a tendency to explode like grenades when heated by fire. Whoever made this fire had probably never experienced it before – but evidently had some knowledge of how “things should be done”. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10021″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
Digging deeper
Under the layer of stones I found the blackened soil and vegetation residue that is always found around fire scars like this – something well known to archaeologists looking for evidence of human activity in the layers of excavated soil. There was no residual heat, dryness or any other sign that this fire was recently burning. In fact there were insect larvae/egg cases under some of the stones and other evidence that these stones had been undisturbed for several months at least.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10023″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
Spiraling Out
Satisfied that I have discovered the likely fire site I can create a new IPP (IPP2) in my mind and base my search from that. The most effective method here is to ‘spiral’ out from that focal point and uncover anything that may be left under the leaf litter – scraps from food packets, pieces of foil or discarded plastic or maybe something like a cigarette butt.
Or a knife…
Yes. A knife. A folding, locking-blade knife with wooden scales and brass trim. It was buried under the leaf litter, roughly 100cm from the centre of the fire scar. It was open, laid out as it is in the photo above.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10028″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
Closer Examination
As this is not a forensic analysis (but a fun way of practicing skills for real) I can of course pick the knife up with my bare hand and take a closer look.
It’s an inexpensive, Chinese-made stainless steel knife with wooden scales and tarnished brass trim. It’s quite well made for the type, which suggests an older knife rather than one of the modern, flimsier types that you will find on the market today. Maybe mid-1990s vintage?
The blade itself has been modified by the looks of it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10029″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
Modified Blade
It has been significantly shortened, and is now around 60mm in length. It looks like it has been re-shaped to make it into a slightly narrower profile, and a longer tip. There are scratch marks where it has been sharpened with something coarse, possibly a rough file or dry oilstone.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10032″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][vc_column_text]
Moving Out
Nothing else comes up after removing the leaf litter for the surrounding 3m or so, and the dog is still gently whining (in the way that only a German Shepherd can). It’s time to cast the net wider and look up rather than at my feet.
The spruces surround the clearing have been trimmed of their dry, dead lower branches – probably for kindling in the same way that I do it in this video. A little further out there are signs that larger branches have been snapped off, and marks where a few tentative swings with a hatchet or large knife have been made against a dead tree.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10025″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10027″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”zoom”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Reading the rest
A wider sweep reveals more of the same – broken or sawn branches and evidence of firewood collection. There is no apparent sign of shelter-building from natural materials, so if somebody did sleep out alongside this fire then they probably used a bivvy bag, tarp, tent or hammock. There was no obvious evidence of rope marks on the trees, but I only gave them a very cursory examination – there were certainly quite a few that were substantial enough to support a tarp or hammock setup.
Just how much detail one would go into for a site like this depends very much on the reason for you searching it. If it is a possible crime scene then a forensic analysis must be made and records taken of all associative, trace and transient evidence found. The records of the movements and actions of the initial searchers will need to be accounted for too – Locard’s exchange principle still holds true, even in the middle of nowhere.
If however the site is discovered whilst in active pursuit of a subject where time is critical then a rapid analysis to discover if it is relevant to the current investigation can be made within a few minutes. This will at least help those officers decide if it is worth further investigation and exploitation, or if it is just an unrelated or historic site.
This particular camp was probably made sometime between late 2016 and autumn 2017, judging by the depth of leaf litter covering both the knife and fire scar. This is based on my experience in this particular woodland though, and of course is a very vague estimate. As sites like this age it is increasingly difficult to accurately age them as time passes, especially without other evidence that could be used to date it (expiration dates on discarded food packets maybe, or algae/moss growth on items moved or used during the camp activity).[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Anybody missing a knife?
It looks like somebody has gone to some significant effort to modify or repair this knife, and if you think you know who owned it then please get in touch directly.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Our Courses
If you work in a law enforcement, investigation or security field and think that we could do something to help you do your job then please get in touch directly.
Not all of our tracking courses are open to the general public – but the courses and events with public dates should be listed below:[/vc_column_text][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”4″ orderby=”rand” order=”ASC” category=”tracking-courses”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, EST Framework, Mountain General, Tracking
UK Wild Camping Laws Explained
UK Wild Camping Laws Explained
The laws and rules about where you ‘can’ and where you ‘cannot’ camp in the hills, mountains, forests and countryside of the United Kingdom always provokes a little debate when discussed. It’s something we talk about on our wild camping course and other campcraft courses, and if you have been following our blog for the last few years you might remember this post where I argued AGAINST the signing of a petition that wanted to legalise wild camping in England and Wales. In that post I wanted to point out that although wild camping is legally difficult, it is possible.
This post explains the laws and rules around wild camping in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as to the best of my understanding as an outdoor professional. I’ve also tried to include some other legal issues that may be worth considering when heading out to camp in the mountains and forests.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]
Can I Wild Camp in the U.K?
Good question. I suppose it depends on what you mean by ‘can’.
If you mean ‘is it physically possible to find somewhere to camp?‘ then of course the answer is ‘yes’. I wild camp somewhere in the UK about once per month and have a decent success rate. I have been camping in the mountains and forests and on the coastline of the UK since I was about 18 – a time that seems to be getting further away at an alarming rate!
If however you mean ‘am I legally entitled to wild camp where I want to in the U.K?‘ then the answer is probably going to involve a sucking of teeth and a ‘well, it depends…’
The problem is that for most of the U.K. we do not have a ‘wild camping law’. The legal rules pertaining to camping on somebody else’s land aren’t clear and are bound up in historic assertions of property and personal rights dating back centuries. Current legislation for most of the U.K. focuses more on the actions of travellers, gypsies and other migratory groups that may park on land with vehicles and caravans – as you can see in this PDF.
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (CJPOA, particularly sections 61-80) conveyed powers onto the Police and created offences relating to various forms of trespass – but again the focus is away from the hiking and camping community and more towards other groups – the examples often cited are ‘hunt saboteurs’ or those participating in a free parties or raves. Quoting the CJPOA in the case of ‘true’ wild camping in the mountains doesn’t really help though, as in the vast majority of cases the trespass on the land would be a civil matter rather than a criminal one.
But that’s about as clear as a mud smoothie, so let’s look at the individual cases for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9958″ img_size=”medium”][vc_single_image image=”9031″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Wild Camping Laws for England and Wales
Almost all of the land you can walk across in England and Wales is owned by somebody. It may be an individual, a company/commercial organisation (including The Crown Estate), a charity (National Trust etc) or even the government or similar authority. These are almost always referred to as the ‘landowner’ and I will do the same throughout this post.
In England and Wales you do not have the right to pitch a tent, tarp, hammock or bivvy bag on the land belonging to somebody else without the permission of that landowner. To do so without the permission of that landowner means that you are committing trespass – which is a civil offence (i.e. non-arrestable). However, if you do not immediately leave when directed to do so by the landowner or somebody acting on their behalf (such as a gamekeeper or land agent, or security guard) then you may be committing a criminal offence (Aggravated Trespass) – something that a Police officer can arrest you for. There are also a few places where you will be immediately committing criminal trespass as soon as you cross onto that land – such as railway lines, some education establishments and of course sites vital for national defence and security.
This all still applies if you are in the middle of nowhere, stood on top of a mountain in Snowdonia or the Lake District, and cannot see another human or even a road. In the vast majority of cases it still belongs to a landowner, and legally speaking you would still need the permission of the landowner.
The Countryside Rights of Way Act (CROW Act 2000)
This was a landmark piece of legislation that opened up huge swathes of the English and Welsh countryside to the general public, creating what is often referred to as the Right to Roam. This means that within certain, designated areas (often upland and large areas of forest or heathland) the general public can walk over the land, away from Public Rights of Way. This opens up most of the mountainous and remote areas of England and Wales for recreation and exploration on foot and effectively ended disputed access over certain areas, such as Chrome Hill in the Peak District.
One thing that wasn’t included in the Right to Roam was the ‘Right to Camp’ – it did not change the fact that camping on land without permission of the landowner is civil trespass, and in fact says quite clearly that camping is not permitted under the CROW Act:
1. Section 2(1) does not entitle a person to be on any land if, in or on that
land, he:
…
(s) engages in any organised games, or in camping, hang-gliding or paragliding,
That’s pretty clear – the CROW Act changed a lot about where we could walk, but not about where we were legally allowed to camp.
Hang on, what about Dartmoor?
Right Dartmoor. That is a different case.
16th Century English poet John Leland said that “Dartmore is muche a wilde Morish and forest Ground“. He wasn’t wrong, although there is a bit less forest now than there was in his day.
This fairly wild and expanse tract of moor in the South West of England abounds with myths and literary associations (watch out for The Hound of the Baskervilles), and is also home to various Ministry of Defence (MOD) training sites and a few other places of interest. It’s also pretty much the only place where you can legally wild camp in England without first checking with the landowner.
There are local byelaws that permit camping within certain areas of the Dartmoor National Park (see interactive map below) as long as you do so within the following rules:
-
No person shall knowingly use any vehicle, including a caravan or any structure other than a tent for the purpose of camping on the access land or land set out for the use or parking of vehicles except on any area which may be set apart and indicated by notice as a place where such camping is permitted.
-
No person shall knowingly erect a tent on the access land for the purpose of camping:(a) in any area listed in Schedule 2 to these byelaws;(b)within 100 metres of any public road or in any enclosure.
-
No person shall camp in a tent on the same site on the access land for more than two consecutive nights, except on any area which may be set apart and indicated by notice as a place where such camping is permitted.
Wild Camping Laws for Scotland
In Scotland the situation is a lot simpler. The Land Reform Act (Scotland) was enacted by the Scottish Parliament in 2003 and took the idea of the CROW Act and developed it even further. It created, amongst other things, a legal framework for land access in Scotland and included the development of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
One of the guiding principles of the Land Reform Act was that everyone has the right of access to the land and inland water of Scotland for recreation so long as they do so responsibly and without impinging on the the rights and freedoms of others. The ways in which responsible access can be exercised is laid out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and quite clearly says that wild camping is permitted under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and that as long as you:
- are not camping in enclosed areas (i.e. fields with crops or animals) or close to buildings and historic monuments
- are camping away from roads
- leave no trace (including good guidance on campfires)
There are some byelaw restrictions on camping in certain areas, most notably and controversially the restrictions on camping around parts of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Wild Camping Laws for Northern Ireland
In some cases you find that the laws for Northern Ireland are slightly different from those of England, Scotland and Wales for one reason or another. However, in the case of Northern Ireland wild camping rules it is pretty much the same situation that existed in England and Wales prior to the introduction of the CROW Act in England and Wales:
- There are Public Rights of Way but no ‘Right to Roam’ as such
- There is no right to ‘wild camp’, and to do so without the permission of the landowner would be considered trespass, as it is in England and Wales (mostly)
Wild Camping and Campfires
The association between a roaring (or even quietly burning) campfire is about as strong as you can get, but the issue of lighting fires on somebody else’s land is as complex as that of trespass and wild camping.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Here you would need the permission of the landowner to light a fire and you do not have the right to do so. This also includes Dartmoor, where wild camping is legal in certain areas (see map and description above).
Anybody lighting a fire on somebody else’s property without their permission needs to consider how it can be construed in a legal sense – trespass is a civil offence and you simply being there without permission and leaving immediately once asked to do so is a civil, not criminal matter. However – would lighting a fire (and presumably, gathering firewood from the immediate area and burning it) be considered criminal damage? There are so many variables to consider that it is impossible to give a clear answer – but it is wrong to assume that you ‘have the right’ to light a fire, just because you saw somebody on YouTube do it… For further reading take a look at the Criminal Damage Act 1971.
Scotland
As outlined above, camp fires are technically permitted under the Land Reform Act, but all (legal) access to land under the Land Reform Act needs to be done whilst adhering to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. There is a strong recommendation that you use a stove, not an open fire, to cook over – and with good reason. See the tweet below from Ben Dolphin, AKA Countryside Ben:[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]
Wild Camping with a Knife or an Axe
This is an often overlooked problem, but in the bushcraft, survival and forest wild camping world you will find an endless range of photos and videos of people using axes and other cutting tools to fell trees, make shelters, process firewood and so on. It’s natural for somebody to assume that if they are wild camping then they can bring along a camping tool such as a knife, or a hatchet – right?
Welllllllll……
Consider this – in England, Wales and Northern Ireland you will need the permission of landowner to camp on their land. If you camp and do not have that permission then you are trespassing – a civil offence in most cases. But what if you have a very sharp, well-maintained and lovingly sharpened Gransfors Bruks hatchet or axe strapped to the side of your pack? Or a fixed-blade knife (or locking blade, or folding blade of longer than 3″ etc etc)? Is it still JUST trespass, or is it now armed trespass? Or possession of a bladed article without lawful reason to do so? In UK law the onus is generally on the person carrying the axe/fixed-blade/locking blade knife to justify WHY they are carrying in that place, at that time. If you do not have a lawful excuse for being in that forest (i.e. you are illegally wild camping without landowner permission), then does your reason for carrying a ‘camping tool’ no longer stand?
Again, there are many variables to consider here and I have no clear answers. The Police officers I work with as clients, the ones I have as friends and others working in the legal professions in the UK I have asked about it all have slightly different interpretations of what “they would do in that situation”.
It’s down to the individual to make their own decisions about how they carry a knife or axe when wild camping in the U.K.- and if they actually NEED to do so.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Wild Camping in the U.K. – my own experiences
I have wild camped in countless locations around the British Isles. I have yet (fingers crossed) come across a landowner or been asked to leave. There is a generally-accepted tolerance to wild camping in the more mountainous areas of England and Wales – if you arrive late, leave early and camp above the highest fenceline or wall then you are unlikely to come into conflict with a landowner or their representatives.
I try to be careful with where I select a spot to pitch a tent or lay my bivvy bag if wild camping in England and Wales – I go for spots that are set back from the edge of a slope where possible, and far away from roads and houses. I also try and move away from busy footpaths or popular areas – the middle of Cwm Idwal or next to Glaslyn on Snowdon might seem like a perfect place for an ‘epic’ mountain camp but you’re going to cause visual pollution for the tens, if not hundreds, of people who are going to spot you if you are a little bit late in striking camp.
There is also the issue of your ‘impact’ – what trace are you leaving by camping there? Ideally it will be a small patch of temporarily flattened grass and some easily-missed tent peg holes. But what about your toilet arrangements? The excess noodles that welded themselves to the bottom of the pan? The scrap of plastic that escaped from the tent when you unzipped the flap in the morning?
Worrying about being ‘caught’ by a landowner is just a small part of wild camping in the mountains of England, Wales and Northern Ireland – your environmental and ecological impact needs to be considered just as much – if not more.
Did you really need to fell that dead-standing birch and have a fire for 6 hours? Would a gas or meths stove have boiled your water just as well?
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A Wild Camping Code of Practice
The below is a code of practice I try to adhere to when wild camping ANYWHERE in the U.K.:
- Arrive late and leave early, and move on every day
- Avoid visual disturbance where possible – don’t be the big, orange shining beacon visible for miles around
- Be considerate of others – be them landowners, fellow campers or other people who seek solace in the wild places of the UK
- Leave No Trace other than footprints wherever possible, and go to great lengths to hide any trace you might have to leave
- You are going to need to poo at some point – do it at least 50m away from paths, water sources and other common features. Further if possible (other rules apply for other countries)
- If you carried it in, you carry it out. Banana skins, orange peel, tissues. The lot.
- Use a stove where possible. Campfires use resources and leave a lot of residual evidence if not managed correctly.
A Wild Camping Video
[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/DZsFUK-8tOI” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]UK Wild Camping and Campcraft Courses
[/vc_column_text][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”4″ orderby=”menu_order title” order=”ASC” category=”campcraft-bushcraft-courses-uk”][/vc_column][/vc_row]- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Camping, Law and Ethics, Skills
The Six-Bundle Fire Lay
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
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/aQLeFTp6x9Y” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Some of our North Wales and UK Bushcraft Courses
[/vc_column_text][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”4″ orderby=”rand” order=”ASC” category=”bushcraft-courses”][/vc_column][/vc_row]- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft, Bushcraft General, Camping, Emergency and Safety, EST Framework, Firecraft, Skills, Videos
COURSE REPORT: Woodcrafter Course July 2018
COURSE REPORT: Woodcrafter Course July 2018
The Woodcrafter – our original and long-established 2-day bushcraft and campcraft course – remains one of our most popular courses. The July 2018 course was a mixture of rain, sun and smoke – but everyone seemed to survive and have a great time!
The other course photos and report from the July Woodcrafter course can be found over on our new partner site – outdoorprofessional.co.uk.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”9207″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”9211″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”9213″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”9210″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_btn title=”Learn more at OutdoorProfessional.co.uk” color=”warning” align=”center” button_block=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Foutdoorprofessional.co.uk%2Fcampcraft-bushcraft%2Fcourse-report-woodcrafter-l1-campcraft-july-2018%2F||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]
Upcoming Woodcrafter Course Dates
[/vc_column_text][product id=”7338″][/vc_column][/vc_row]- Published in All Blog Posts, Behind The Scenes, Bushcraft General, Course Reports, EST Framework, Skills
Course report – Wild Camping Weekend June 2018
Course Report – Wild Camping Weekend
Photos and notes from our June 2018 Snowdonia Wild Camping Weekend
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Last weekend I was joined by Richard, Allan and Amy for our 2018 Mountain Wild Camping course in the hills of Snowdonia. This course has two learning outcomes – planning and preparing for a wild camping trip in the British mountains and going through one or more iterations of the essential skills of this part of mountaincraft – finding a camping site, sourcing clean water, dealing with weather, dealing with toilet issues and everything else.We keep the group ratios fairly low on this course to make sure that we don’t have too much of an impact on the mountain environment, and to ensure a better experience for the course participants.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9011″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9016″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9031″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Day One
We met up at one of our favourite North Wales eateries- the excellent and friendly Moel Siabod Cafe and sat down with the maps to discuss our options. This is an intrinsic part of the course, and route planning and the logistics of plotting a circular or linear route needed to be looked over. We went through the options of walking from the cafe itself, of catching a bus to a different valley or even some convoluted system involving shuttling cars back and forth to walk between two points. In the end we settled on a circular route, starting from a little further down the road. The combination of time available and a mixed forecast (rain/wind and poor visibility at either end of the trip with a relatively dry and settled overnight period) led us to choosing a route that kept us at a fairly low altitude for the first part of the day before climbing up to somewhere a little more remote later on.
After going through our respective kit choices – and a shake-down of my own kit to show how I could remove 300g or so of unnecessary weight (my pack weight as a leader was around 13kg ‘dry’, and about 16kg ‘wet’/including food and water) – we set off into the hills.
The first section followed the track (Sarn yr Offeiriad) over the hill from Capel Tan-y-Garth to Dolwyddelan, climbing up through oak woodland and skirting the remains of slate quarries before descending back down amidst deep, dark forests and mossy boulders. We diverted off into some overhanging trees for lunch, hiding from the rain and going through a ‘Hudsons Bay Start’ by testing out stoves, filters and a few other key bits of kit before we traveled too far from civilisation and the option to fix/solve any problems caused by faulty or missing kit.
As we arrived at the edge of the village of Dolwyddelan the skies cleared, the sun came out and we took the opportunity to dry our bags and waterproofs out for half an hour in the beer garden of Y Gwydyr. Years of walking in wet places have taught me that if you have the opportunity to ‘reset’ and dry off equipment you should always take it – you’ll be glad of it when you’re sorting through your kit inside an otherwise dry tent later that evening!
The next section of path took us up behind Castell Dolwyddelan and into the woods under the southern flank of Moel Siabod. We dodged fallen trees, performed a river crossing or two and started to discuss the plans for the evening – camp low alongside a lake and risk the midges but avoid the wind, or go high and hope to find a flat, sheltered spot? We chose the latter option and strode on into the bogs and tussocks of Cwm Edno.
We headed out for a small stand of trees partway along the cwm, hoping to find a flat spot in the lee of the pines. In the end we found a near-perfect spot; close-cropped grass, relatively flat and with a decent water source not too far away. Crucially we were also well out of sight of roads and habitation where we could practice a true leave-no-trace ethic and leave only some flattened grass as signs of our overnight stay.
With a few hours left until sunset we pitched the tents, cooked dinner and watched the clouds scud by over the Moelwyns and Moel Siabod.
Our camping spot was about 1 km short of the crash site of Douglas Dakota EI-AFL at Bwlch Y Rhediad. This airliner crashed into the side of the mountain here in 1952, killing all 23 passengers and crew on board.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9039″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9036″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9015″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Day Two
The night passed peacefully, with some gentle rain at around 5am finally forcing me to close the tent porch. The weather was deteriorating though, with the forecast rain and stronger winds looking almost certain. The visibility had also dropped down to a few hundred metres and the low clouds scraped over the top of Carnedd y Cribau just to our north – time for a quick breakfast and careful packing of kit to make sure everything important stayed dry!
After striking camp, and making sure that we had left nothing behind, we set off once again into the marsh and tussocky grass on the floor of the cwm, heading for the sanctuary of the sides of Carnedd y Cribau – dry ground, shorter grass and easier walking with heavy packs.
Next up was a gentle rollercoaster of rocks, small ponds and handrailing a fenceline over to Bwlch Rhiw’r Ychen in slowly worsening weather and visibility down a dozen metres or so. This continued as we climbed up to the summit of Moel Siabod, strong winds buffeting us from the south-west and turning this section of the trip into something verging on Type-2 fun.
We topped out on the 872m summit, hanging around long enough to touch the top of the cairn and grab a photo before starting the descent back to Capel Curig, dropping below the clouds and enjoying the views down over Plas y Brenin and the rest of the valley.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9042″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9013″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9043″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Mountain Wild Camping Course is slightly unusual in our range of skills courses in that most of the content is not taught in the abstract – it’s done for real. We’re not discussing key subjects with theoretical scenarios, we’re doing things in the same environments that the course participants will be visiting and working in. We’re plotting a route into the mountains of Snowdonia, responding to the conditions that are presented to us and practicing good mountaincraft to keep ourselves safe.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]- Published in All Blog Posts, Course Reports, Mountain General
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:
[clear]
[clear]
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.
[divider]
[two_third]
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.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Resus Face Shield
An item of personal safety that should be somewhere easy to reach but can also make your CPR technique more effective.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Anti Bacterial Wipes
Great for cleaning up after dealing with a minor wound and preventing your kit contaminating everything it touches.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
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
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Normasol Sachets
Sterile topical solution in sachets for careful application over wider areas.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Sterile Eye Wash Pods
Sterile topical solution in pods for washing foreign bodies from eyes.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Fabric Adhesive Dressing Strip
Adhesive dressing strip on a roll for making custom plasters/band-aids for tricky areas like between fingers.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
SteriStrips
Temporary adhesive suture strips for wound closure.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Blister Plasters
Being able to treat or manage a blister can make the difference between carrying on or turning around to go home
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Non-Adherent Dressings
General use dressings without any adhesive.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
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.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Wound dressings (Various sizes)
Absorbent wound dressings in various sizes
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Travel Mirror
Great for reaching places that the eyeball can’t!
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Glucose Gel
Glucose gel for hypoglycemic emergencies.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Round-Tip Scissors
Small scissors with rounded ends for safety
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
TuffCut Shears
Tough shears for emergency clothing removal
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Tweezers
For removal of small foreign bodies
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Microlance Needles
Tiny sterile needles for making small holes to drain blisters etc
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Disposable Thermometer
Of limited use in a first aid environment but helpful for long-term monitoring of a patient
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Tick Removal Card
For safe removal of ticks
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
CAT Tourniquet
Not for general carry and must be trained in use
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
SAM Splint
Useful but heavy and other items can be improvised to replace it.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
[divider]
[two_third]
Lifesystems Mountain Leader First Aid Kit
A comprehensive and well-designed outdoor first aid kit.
[/two_third]
[one_third_last]
[/one_third_last]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Emergency and Safety, First Aid, Mountain General, Personal, Skills, Tools and Equipment, Videos
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?
[divider]Full Video
[divider]
Axes and Saws
[divider]
Zombie Killer Knives
[divider]
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Foraging, Law and Ethics, Mountain General, Videos
Hunting for the Welsh Bigfoot
Hunting for the Welsh Bigfoot with The Unexplainers
About a year ago we were contacted by a production company producing a show for BBC Radio Wales to provide some training in tracking for the two presenters on a show called The Unexplainers. This isn’t too unusual for us – we provide assistance to radio and TV productions most years for foraging, bushcraft, survival and so on. The subject of that episode was a bit outside the average requests – to train them to hunt big cats in the UK. Zoocryptology isn’t part of my skillset, but I could easily teach the two presenters (Mike Bubbins and John Rutledge) a few simple tips and the sort of things we are looking for when tracking a subject.
Fast-forward to early April 2016 and I found myself out with them again, this time to escort them into the mountains of Northern Snowdonia (specifically the the Carneddau) to hunt for the Brenin Llwyd, which is pretty much the Welsh Bigfoot. There is a similar story of a grey ape-like creature stalking the mountains of Scotland in the ‘Grey Man of Ben Macdui’, AKA Am Fear Liath Mor. Compelling stuff.
We were tasked with safely escorting Mike and John to Dulyn Bothy in the next valley, a secluded mountain hut maintained by volunteers from the Mountain Bothies Association. In my bag I had the usual clothes, sleeping kit, stoves and safety kit expected of someone escorting clients for an overnight trip – and 10kg of coal for the stove in the bothy to keep us warm – and hopefully keep any large, grey and hairy visitors away.
We gradually made our way along the access track, pausing along the way for the usual delays in recording a show that involves setting up microphones and cameras. As darkness approached we descended the final slope to Llyn Dulyn, picked up some lake water for our needs and approached the bothy, alone in our corner of wilderness, with nobody else for miles around.
Apart from the Paul Poole and some candidates on their final days of their Mountain Leader Assessment, about to head out on a night-navigation session. Bugger.
And they had brought a massive bag of coal already. Bugger.
After a few salutaions and explanations we settled in for the evening, cooking and warming ourselves by the industrial-grade multifuel stove that Dulyn Bothy boasts.
As midnight approached we went back out amongst the rocks and scrubby grass to continue our search, armed with a few ‘specialist’ tools tactics that John had prepared.
So did we find our quarry? Did they all make it out alive? Were we silenced by government agents for what we had learned?
To find out you’ll have to listen live on BBC Radio Wales, download the podcast on iTunes or come find us in an undisclosed location, doing undisclosed things…
NOTE: We didn’t set fire to the bothy, we swept the place out afterwards, removed some rubbish left by others, made a few running repairs to the door and left a massive bag of coal behind! The production company also made a donation to the MBA.
- Published in All Blog Posts, Bushcraft General, Company News, Mountain General, Top Ten Tips
Wild Camping – Why I am not signing the petition (yet)…
Wild Camping Petition – Why I am not signing (yet)…
This petition has found itself in my various email and social media inboxes over the last few weeks. It isn’t a new idea – it is at least the second attempt I have seen to lobby parliament to change the laws surrounding access in England and Wales to make ‘wild camping’ legal.
The current situation is this:
- In Scotland the Land Reform Act (2003) says that you can camp on most unenclosed land if care is taken. There are conditions and recommendations in the Scottish Outdoor Access code but generally speaking you are free to camp anywhere away from towns, gardens and arable land.
- In England and Wales, although we have the right to roam over ‘access’ land it is illegal to camp without the landowners permission. The exception to this is certain areas of Dartmoor with some fairly strict conditions.
The petition we link to above requests that:
[clear] For most of our courses that involve an over night stay we use land that we pay a fee for, and have a genuine commercial relationship with the landowner. This gives us access to areas and natural resources that we would otherwise be unable to use. It helps make our bushcraft courses more authentic as we can roam around a 90-acre site of mixed mature woodland complete with limestone gorge, fast flowing river and a wide selection of wild food to be harvested. We occasionally head into the mountains to ‘wild camp’ (away from roads and houses, high into the hills) for both courses and personal trips – always practising the ethics of the true outdoorsperson – “arrive late, leave early and leave no trace”. I’ve been wild camping in one form or another since I was 8…“The law should be made similar to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 covering open land & national parks in England & Wales. Wild camping enthusiasts are not a threat to our national parks & open spaces.”
So why am I not signing this petition? It would mean that our wild camping activities would go from being ‘illegal but tolerated’ to ‘legal’ – how could anybody be against such ideas?
The problem is the difference between an ideal world where everybody values and respects our limited outdoor spaces, and the world we seem to live in. Ten years or more of exploring, working and living in the outdoors has shown me that there are a significant number of outdoor users who only seem to want to litter, steal and destroy.
I could take you to a dozen or so sites within an hours walk of a roadside parking place that were once rather nice camping spots but are now homes for broken glass, burnt fence posts and discarded BBQs. Several are actually quite good places to pick up tent spares – when a tent only costs £15 from Tesco or Go Outdoors you may as well leave it behind rather than carry it back down the hill, right?
This problem isn’t unique to Loch Lomond – you can find similar examples across the country, even far away from parking access where a thoughtless backpacker may gradually lighten their rucksack by leaving food containers and toilet paper behind. Certain spots are hotspots for wild campers, and one small pile of rubbish quickly becomes a vast sea of litter in the most popular areas. This isn’t just because of over-use of an area, it is because people seem to have no problem with leaving things behind rather than carrying them out.
The creator of the Legalise Wild Camping petition wants to allow wider access in England and Wales so that the general public can learn to respect our green places. By making wild camping legal it would encourage more people to go and do it, confident that they are acting wholly within the law…
I applaud the spirit of this petition, and I really do hope that it works out in the way that most who have signed it want to. However I can’t lend my support to it – as I suspect that what will actually happen is that those who currently abuse our landscape and wild places will continue to do it, confident that they are now ‘legal’. More people will head into the hills and learn how to enjoy them responsibly, but they will still be the quiet, unobserved majority. The destructive and disrespectful minority will become more confident and brazen and we will see more of the littering, waste and damage that we already see.
[clear]
In the U.K. our wild spaces are limited, particularly south of the Scottish border. They should be protected, and the use has to be managed carefully ensuring that no one group of users is excluded, but that the needs of all groups are recognised. This isn’t just the job of law makers, landowners and public bodies – we all need to look after our natural resources. The current situation, with tolerated trespass, is not ideal but it is better than some of the alternatives. I believe that education is the key (hey, there is a reason I chose to do this as a career!) but we need to tread carefully. When outdoor education centres are closing around the country and funding for outdoor activities in schools is virtually non-existent the chances of passing on a respect and love for the outdoors to the next generations seems slim. There is a solution out there, and plenty of us are working towards it but I fear that if wild camping were legalised in England and Wales in the next year or two we would see a repeat of the Loch Lomond problem in Wales, the Lake District and the Peak District.
Now, if you are talking about river access….
[divider]
Update – Video…
Last year I recorded this video. Yesterday I went to visit the same site, and it is in pretty much the same state again:
- Published in All Blog Posts, Articles, Bushcraft General, Camping, Law and Ethics, Mountain, Skills