Gallery

One of those ‘wow moments’. Just tidying up, whilst in our woodland camp and this magnificent Buzzard flew over my shoulder and in to the nearby stream . I took advantage and quickly snapped off a couple of photos . Nature and the outdoors have the propensity to keep on gifting us all with magical moments..”Get outdoors”!

Interestingly … I acquired this old and ‘iconic’ book a few years ago . The Book of Woodcraft by Ernest Thompson Seton . On the ‘off chance’ I looked in to the identity of the boys who gifted and received this book . The Woodhouse’s. What I discovered , in summary, was a story of family turmoil and loss , the devastation of World War 1 , Squires, Gentry , Misadventure and a family responsible for inventing Marsala from Sicily .
This book has taught me more than it ever intended to !
#woodraft #ernestthompsonseton #outdoorreading #antiquebooks #woodhousemarsala #mosleywoodhouse #ww1 #bushcraft #countrylore

Knifecraft : First aid / cut kits , Historical time lines in knife development, flint knapping , knife designs , safety protocols, legal carry , knife sharpening , knife grips , knife carry …..
Another fantastic part of our ‘syllabus’ . Learning to use a knife both safely and effectively is so ‘enabling’.
#bushcraft #knifecraft #knifeskills #bushskills #wildernessliving #firstaid #scandigrind #countrylore #somerset #wiltshire #outdooreducation #survivalskills

Autumn’s at its finest right now . Golden hues, fungi , cold mornings and nature feels ‘supercharged’. The world’s gone mad , ever changing backdrops , mans worst enemy is man … Thankfully Nature always grounds and heals us !
Get out there and experience the beauty of nature . #nature #greentime #bushcraft #wildernesslivingskills #countrylore

Our second day with our latest ‘intake’ from @springmeadschool . Today we studied , discussed and explored the world of ‘Firecraft’. Historical timelines, fire uses , leave no trace , fuels , tinders , the fire triangle , thermal columns , Mors Kochsnski ‘hug size bundles , preparation………a full on day !
#bushcraft #bowdrill #firebow #frictionfire #fireflash #fireignition #fuel #firedesign #campcraft #fireuses #outdooreducation #bushcraftschool #countrylorebushcraft #survivalskills #protection #fireasatool

More beautiful ‘craft’ from @lucyhot99 , post ‘biscuit firing’ and awaiting some glaze . All well beyond me , she’s got the talent and patience .
#ceramics #pottery #claycraft #glaze #biscuitfiring #kiln #bushcraft #countrylore #perterra #ruralskills

From ‘Bush to Jar’ , Lucy’s amazing Hawthorn jelly ! Gathered on our own land and curated at home . It’s something Lucy’s done a lot of this Summer and Autumn . Potatoes , Tomatoes , Corn , Green beans and so much more . Opening the jars at meal times rekindles the senses and takes us right back to the fruits . Sumptuous !

The Hawthorn trees are ‘bowing’ under the weight of their fruit this year . A fantastic plant steeped in folklore , a forager’s favourite , superior fires are built from its wood and it has medicinal ‘benefits’.
Undoubtedly Lucy will produce some more amazing Hawthorn jelly this year . We’ve had a frost so it’s time to gather up a crop . #crataegusmonogyna #haws #hawthorn #maytree #heraldofspring #breadncheese #medicinal #strong #circulationandheart #fruitleather #firewood #coals #wreath #bushcraft #forage #plantid #botany #ethnobotany #jelly #teas #countrylore #folklore #countryways #rurallife #hedgerows #wildernesslivingskills

It’s amazing to be back with our latest group of students . Today we started with identifying and thoroughly understanding the subject matter. We then discussed ‘ethnobotany’ and how important the relationship between plants and mankind is.
The students carried out a ‘scout’ of the landscape and constructed a resource wheel . Again we discussed plant id , plant uses and their importance to man … but not forgetting we, like our plants are only a part of nature .
The day was ‘topped off’ with a spot of fire lighting . The journey has begun !

Fantastic few days down in Cornwall experiencing Nature at it’s best . A place we both love, it never fails to enthrall and exhilarate us.

You can sense the change in energy in the woodland. There’s a ‘nip in the air’ and Autumn 🍂 is arriving . The woodland ‘floor’ is sprouting beautiful Parasol mushrooms 🍄‍🟫. A new season is with us !

A beautiful Summer spent enjoying our surroundings but also ‘appreciating’ how little rain has fallen here . Much of the hedgerow has provided a bounty of fruit , a ‘mast year’. And yet our fields have remained quite ‘barren’. Countrylore equips us with skills to understand and work with the changes that nature confronts us with .

Just a few photos from the Demo day … We @lucyhot99 and I took workshops teaching :
Firecraft , fire by friction ..
Sheltercraft …
Traps and Baskets …
Plant ID and Art…
Knifecraft and whittling..
Cordage and plant uses …
So rewarding to see pupils interacting both positively and naturally . Lucy’s fire by friction ‘team effort’ showed everyone what can be achieved with real effort and positivity.

A warm and superb day this year @springmeadschool putting on a ‘show’ with our Exhibition and Demonstration day . Fantastic pupils fully engaging with our bushcraft and nature workshops . Bushcraft , nature insights and wilderness living skills really bring another dimension to these young peoples life’s.
#bushcraft #nature #plantid #demoday #bushcraftworkshops #bushcraftexhibition #outdoored #noticenature #greentime #education #bushlores #gogreen #inspire #teachingfundamentals #countrylore

We strongly believe in an equal split of practical and theory ‘learning pathways’ in our sessions with both younger and older students. Recording and ‘journaling’ is an amazing way to both absorb knowledge and in quieter moments to reflect on your ‘bushcraft journey’.
This year our students have produced some excellent journals … superb content and images . It’s a reflection oftheir commitment, our content and @lucyhot99 ‘s board presentations .
Thank you students @springmeadschool fantastic work . We hope this proves to be springboard on your journey towards understanding nature and your place in it ✅ #bushcraft #outdoored #countrylore #topexperience #classroomwithoutwalls #wildernesslivinglearning #bushcraftschool #bushlore #campingout #passingonknowledge #raymears #morskochanski #paulkirtley #bushcraftexperience. Thank you @raymearsandwoodlore for setting us on our journey over 20 years ago !