Bushcraft training

Ray Mears has popularised the term “bushcraft” with the British public. Indeed, in one of his recent series, Mears showed his audience just how old bushcraft knowledge is, stretching back to our Stone Age ancestors. But the term “bushcraft” can be misleading in a British context- as the term is associated more with Australia or Africa. The term “bushcraft” and “woodcraft” can be used interchangeably and refer to the skills and knowledge required to live off the land, but in harmony with it.

Many woodcraft skills have been lost in the modern Folk and part of the project’s intent was to revive them and give young members an opportunity to not only learn them, but also to appreciate what camping “in a woodcraft manner” meant in the 1930’s.

Many of the Venturers attended a week long course in the essential camp craft run by Woodcraft School Ltd in 2004 and others took part a weekend at Plumpton College in March 2005. One of the essential skills revolved around fire building and maintenance, safety and cooking on wood. Other skills included wagan sticks and knife use.