Bushcraft & Survival Skills - Issue 96 - July-August 2022

102 Pages·2022·60 MB·English

Issue 96
July/Aug 2022
WIN
Chris Murnin carves with kids A
Family Weekend
Women in bushcraft by Sylva Fae Ticket to
Seashore survival with Lofty Wiseman
Show 2022
Paul Donovan considers camoufl age clothing
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“If I were dropped out of a plane into the ocean and told the nearest land was
a thousand miles away, I'd still swim. And I'd despise the ones who gave up.”
Abraham Maslow
When it comes to wilderness survival we oft en focus on equipment and skills, ignoring the one factor that oft en
makes all the diff erence between those who survive and those who don’t. Sheer bloody-minded determination to
keep pushing forward, regardless of the diffi culties, will always give you a fi ghting chance. Giving up and feeling
sorry for yourself will, unless you get very lucky, result in the worst possible outcome.
I’ve noticed the same philosophical approach can be applied to many other aspects of our lives. As the world lurches
from one crisis to another it’s never been more important for us as individuals and as a community to maintain that
momentum to keep moving forward decisively. We are living through ‘interesting times’ as the old Chinese curse put
it. A constant barrage of bad news stories can overwhelm us and make us feel powerless to do anything to improve
our situation.
Of course, there are many situations over which we have no control, but there are also many things we can do to
help weather any storms. The fi rst and most important is to maintain our health; without good physical and mental
health everything becomes more diffi cult. Keeping fi t doesn’t have to involve expensive gym membership or extreme
endurance events. Regular walks and stretching exercises are better than nothing. I like to make my exercise relevant
to the activities I enjoy, so when I’m training, I oft en wear a backpack fi lled with the kit I plan to use. This helps keep
back and leg muscles ready for expeditions and spontaneous adventures. The idea of spending time and energy at
the gym seems like a complete waste to me, so I try to plan my exercise around the real work: splitting and stacking
fi rewood or moving earth and gravel. Nothing beats a day of hard physical labour to help you sleep soundly.
Being physically fi t makes it far easier to maintain our mental health too. Cutting down on junk foods and alcohol
(and other) intakes are also signifi cant steps to improve overall health. Spending time in nature can also be hugely
benefi cial for our wellbeing, so get out in the woods and surround yourself with nature at every opportunity.
Finally, remove negative infl uences from your life. This could include toxic people who drain your energy and
reduce your self-esteem, or the endless barrage of depressing news that create division and negativity. Choose your
information sources wisely, and remember if a news item creates an emotional reaction within you, there’s a good
chance someone intended it to have that eff ect.
Now with summer upon us I’ve been busy running bushcraft courses and leading foraging walks on the Gower
Peninsula. The Welsh coastline has always provided an abundance of wild foods, and right now we’re fi lling our
foraging baskets with wild coastal greens such as marsh samphire and sea purslane, as well as the national delicacy
of Wales, laverbread, made from the seaweed Porphyra umbilicalis. Some people can’t stand the stuff . I’d happily eat
it by the bucketful.
With two outstanding events planned for the end of July, the Bushcraft Show and the Global Bushcraft
Symposium, I’m hoping very much that our paths will cross. For those unable to attend, please send an
email (andrew@bushcraft magazine.com) to let me know what you’ve been up to with your bushcraft adventures.
Until our paths cross next, I wish you all the very best in your outdoor adventures.
WIN
Show 2022
A Family Weekend Ticket
(2 adults & up to 3 children)
including camping, worth around £400.
To enter the competition email:
Andrew Thomas-Price [email protected]
(T&Cs apply)
Global Ambassador
BUSHCRAFT | 3
Contents
3 Andrew’s Message
6 Readers’ Letters
18 In the News
84 Voyageur Canoes
57 Subscription Off er by Rich Harpham
63 Next Issue
10 Reading Woods by Marc Cox
22 The Gurkha Way of Life by Kushal Thapa
26 Dartmoor Camping by Tim Gent
32 Camoufl age Clothing by Paul Donovan
40 Never Judge a Book By its Cover by Mal Ingham
46 W omen In Bushcraft by Sylva Fae
54 Manhunt by Kyt Lyn Walken
40 Never Judge a
58 Carving With Kids by Chris Murnin Book by its Cover
by Mal Ingham
64 Seashore Survival by Loft y Wiseman
68 Tin Tent by Tim Gent
76 Sub Zero Crew by Kathryn Clover
84 Voyageur canoes by Rich Harpham
90 Gunstock Club by Ian Nairn
94 Do you own an outdoor education business? by Di Hammil
Dartmoor Camping
by Tim Gent
22 The Ghurka Way of Life
by Kushal Thapa
3 Win Bushcraft Show 2022 tickets
4 | BUSHCRAFT
Voyageur Canoes 76 Sub-Zero Crew
by Rich Harpham by Kathryn Clover
Never Judge a
Book by its Cover 10 Reading Woods 58 Carving with Kids
by Mal Ingham by Marc Cox by Chris Murnin
32 Camoufl age Clothing by Paul Donovan
26 Dartmoor Camping
by Tim Gent
BUSHCRAFT | 5
readers'letters
Hi Andrew. Dear Christine and Cymon
I hope that you are safe and well. I just wanted We all loved hosting the Show in the stunning
you to know that we recently took our caravan grounds of the Chillington estate, but I
to Stanford Hall - it is so lovely! We took the completely understand why the distance
latest version of Bushcraft magazine with us between the camp ground and the Show
and both read it cover to cover. It is yet another made things diffi cult for you. It can be quite
top notch edition. Thank you. a logistical challenge to run a show at a
We have been to Beehive Farm, and last year completely new location.
to Chillington, which was lovely, but with the Hopefully everything will be much easier at
little ones the walk from the camp fi eld to the Stanford Hall, and I'm sure I speak for the
activities was a bit too far. Looking at the online whole team when I say that we can't wait to
site map for Stanford Hall I can see that the see all those old faces (and a few new ones)
camp fi eld is so much closer and everything is at TBS2022.
nice and compact. This should mean less tired
I look forward to meeting you both there.
little legs, and therefore less whinging :)
All the best
See you all very soon, and thanks again to all
of you for what you do, Andrew Thomas-Price
Christine and Cymon Faulkner.
6 | BUSHCRAFT
Hello All. Hello Pauline
Do you agree it would be a good idea to make a That really is an excellent idea and something
bumper edition of Bushcraft magazine? I do! we have discussed in the past. With all the
It could be released in November in time for uncertainty over the past few years, ideas like
the Christmas market. Have a think about it. this have been put on the back burner, but
Meantime, keep on doing a fabulous job. with things slowly returning to something
resembling normality it may we be time for us
Thanking you,
to give it some serious consideration again.
Pauline Venables
Watch this space.
Kind Regards,
Andrew Thomas-Price
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BUSHCRAFT | 7
Dear Andrew, Hi Chris
Just received my latest copy. Nice one Thanks for getting in touch and for your words
Bushcraft Magazine. Not just the of encouragement.
content either! The decision to include the Ukrainian fl ag on
As an ex Marine some of the things we the front cover isn't taken lightly. The fl ag was
had to do took courage. I am so happy displayed in solidarity with those citizens of the
that you had the guts to put the Ukraine Ukraine who are enduring the horrors of war, but
fl ag on the cover. I guess you will receive we also recognise that many in Russia will be far
some fl ak, but not as much as the poor from supportive of what is happening.
b*****s are receiving over in Ukraine Bushcraft is a pursuit with a truly international
though eh? appeal. One that seeks to unite everyone who
Right on you guys. Respect, shares our interests, regardless of nationality,
Christopher Chapman. under the banner of peace, shared knowledge and
love for the natural world.
All the best,
Andrew Thomas-Price
We always enjoy hearing from the people who make this
magazine work - our readers. If you have something to ask,
or a message you’d like to pass on, Andrew Thomas-Price,
our Global Ambassador, would be delighted to hear from you.
Just email [email protected]
Let us know about your bushcraft projects too!
8 | BUSHCRAFT MAGAZINE
ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE
OOFFFFIICCIIAALL SSPPOONNSSOORRSS OOFF TTHHEE BBUUSSHHCCRRAAFFTT SSHHOOWW 22002222
Show 2022
At The Bushcraft Store we are always striving to bring you the latest
and best products available on the market today. Check out our New
Products category every months for all the latest high quality gear.
TBS Knives have been going from strength to strength
with new models in development with the NEW Mark II TBS Boar,
The Fox and the Wildcat now available on-line and in Store.
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Reading Woods
Whenever I enter a new woodland my mind races back in time to the
people who may have spent their lives tending the trees, laying the
hedges, digging the ditches or practising their craft; in essence using
their hands to physically shape the landscape around us.
by the history books - the foresters and farmers,
Marc Cox
bodgers and hedgelayers, pigherds and peasants.
With a background in archaeology,
They all may have left their mark in one way or
Marc has always had a passion for our
cultural heritage. He gave up academia another. As romantic and nostalgic as all this
nearly ten years ago to follow a life in
may sound, it also has a very practical function.
farming, forestry and wood working.
He now combines his interests by running It becomes important because by spending the
a woodland centre focussed on traditional
time working out a forest’s story, we can understand
crafts and experimental archaeology.
its present state and best fi gure out its future.
We can anticipate what resources may be available
And it really was with hands. We live in the age of to us; what plants or fungi may be growing, the
big machinery and instant change, but you only need geology and soil types underfoot, what trees are
to step back a couple of generations and it was all thriving and how they’ve grown, what birds and
a lot more subtle; shovels moving earth, billhooks animals may be lurking within.
laying hedges and axes felling trees. The world was This process has become extremely relevant
altered on a human scale. for me over the last twelve months as I’ve been
It’s that relationship between humans and the hhuunnttiinngg ffoorr aa nneeww llooccaattiioonn;; ssoommeewwhheerree ttoo uunnlleeaasshh
environment that allows us to begin reading the mmyy ddrreeaamm pprroojjeecctt aanndd bbeeggiinn bbuuiillddiinngg aa uunniiqquuee ooppeenn
past and telling the stories of those people forgotten aaiirr mmuusseeuumm tthhaatt tteellllss tthhee ttaallee ooff BBrriittaaiinn''ss wwooooddllaanndd
10 | BUSHCRAFT