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Bushcraft Club thread

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  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Good job lads. Its good to see you out when conditions are less than ideal. This is when your skills are tested. Its always a learning experience.

    Ill post an update from Beautiful British Columbia when I get photos together

    Hick, welcome aboard mate!

    That river had a good flow going. When it comes to river crossing, its always a good idea to air on the side of caution. The Mountain Leader syllabus will teach you that a river at knee height should not be crossed. Ive crossed similar rivers at waist height in a decent flow. Bad idea but we had no choice. We ended up using a group wedge to stabilize ourselves and got across at a slow steady pace. We loosened all bag straps and used the tallest person on the leading edge to judge the depth.


  • Registered Users Posts: 780 ✭✭✭hick


    Guys Check this out if it's true it may get even harder to find spots!!
    Looks like there's an initiative being explored with regards to selling off large portions of Forrestry in Ireland to private investors, there's info on the site and a petition

    http://www.woodlandleague.org/

    http://www.woodlandleague.org/documents/Save%20Ireland's%20Forests%20Petition.pdf


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 37 Le Loup


    The government were going to sell off forests in England too until recently. Now apparently they have changed their minds. Whether or not this was to do with the petition and all the signatures or not I can not say, but I suggest you chaps sign that petition ASAP.
    Good Luck.
    Regards, Le Loup.


  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    After a wet weekend out last month we were hoping that we would get some dry weather for our trip to Cavan. Unfortunately for us we seem to have attracted the wrath of a rainman ... Friday night was wet and cold but we managed. On Saturday morning it snowed but luckily for us our rainman had to leave early on Saturday and the sun came out ...:D

    Looking back at the photographs food seems to have been the theme for this weekend. This was not planned but we did eat very well this weekend. We did get to practice some skills though in between eating :)

    TonyBowdrill.jpg
    Tony gave a bowdrill demonstration

    bowdrillsuccess.jpg
    Fire by friction ....

    Vegetarians may need to look away now ....

    steakonstone.jpg
    Steak cooked on a hot stone

    salmon.jpg
    Gearoid brought down this salmon and ponassed it for dinner

    Groundovenprep.jpg
    We decided to cook in a ground oven again

    lamb1.jpg
    Leg of lamb ready to go in the ground oven

    lamb2.jpg
    This is what came out ...

    P1010771.jpg
    We identified some wild foods ... Burdock

    birchsap.jpg
    We tapped a birch for sap ... a refreshing breakfast drink ...

    hammockvillage.jpg
    The hammock village

    All in all it was another sucessful club meet. We had a good mixture of old and new friends with plenty of craic around the fire ...

    Andrew


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 37 Le Loup


    An excellent post, thank you.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 780 ✭✭✭hick


    was a shame to miss the saturday evening, looked like great craic,
    I have a nice hock of ham in the freezer that could suit a April meet!!
    Thanks to Roberto for the pics!

    In the meantime I'd also like to thank Tom for the lift home that afternoon, just wish he'd lay off the whole religion stuff!!! :D
    27.media.tumblr.com/iAEgbmoSti7eq0opNTpE8pCxo1_400.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3 PBrady223


    Thanks for a great weekend great food and great crack.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 The Ambassador


    Hi guys,

    have room around the fire for one more? I can be useful, don’t eat too much and can be relatively well behaved when I put my mind to it. Mmmmmm, lamb. Now, where would one find the mint growing to make the jelly and what kind would it most likely be?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭IPNA


    Looking back at the photographs food seems to have been the theme for this weekend. This was not planned but we did eat very well this weekend. We did get to practice some skills though in between eating :)

    Andrew

    Hey Brother, I think that Bushcraft IS about eating good food, sitting around a warm fire and having a hot cup of tea!

    Nice weekend out lads. Great to see things happening.

    Aebhric


  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    Hi guys,

    have room around the fire for one more? I can be useful, don’t eat too much and can be relatively well behaved when I put my mind to it. Mmmmmm, lamb. Now, where would one find the mint growing to make the jelly and what kind would it most likely be?


    I recognise that accent ...:D

    Andrew


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  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    IPNA wrote: »
    Hey Brother, I think that Bushcraft IS about eating good food, sitting around a warm fire and having a hot cup of tea!

    Nice weekend out lads. Great to see things happening.

    Aebhric

    Hi Aebhric ... if bushcraft is about eating good food and drinking tea ... we do work hard at perfecting those particular skills... :D

    Andrew


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 37 Le Loup


    Hi guys,

    have room around the fire for one more? I can be useful, don’t eat too much and can be relatively well behaved when I put my mind to it. Mmmmmm, lamb. Now, where would one find the mint growing to make the jelly and what kind would it most likely be?

    Don't know which country you are in, but welcome.
    Keith aka Le Loup.
    http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/


  • Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭neolithic


    I recognise that accent ...:D

    Andrew

    You have me interested now, are there any ferrero rocher involved?


  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    neolithic wrote: »
    You have me interested now, are there any ferrero rocher involved?

    I don't think that this particular Ambassador will get the reference to Ferrero Rocher Tony ;)

    Andrew


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Since you lads are milling about quite a bit of late, ill throw my hat into the ring. Thought Id send an update from BC although its more along the lines of mountaineering. The skills still apply.

    Canadian winters are harsh and unforgiving, making Canadians themselves rugged outdoors people...in general. However there are those who venture foolish and ignorant into the wilderness only to learn the hard way. A concept we dont have to worry about back home, is the Avalanche. The biggest winter killer of the Canadian mountains. The Avalanche is a sudden rush of snow caused by natural or man made circumstances. Avalanche terrain is something that must be shown the utmost of respect in Winter conditions as it threatens to bury you and your entire group in a matter of seconds.

    P2261140.JPG

    To my surprise, a persons survival time after being caught in an avalanche can be up to 30 minutes. After that, their chances of survival drops dramatically. However, people have been know to be rescued after 90 minutes. When travelling in avalanche terrain, it is important not just to carry the right equipment but also everyone in the group should have some form of avalanche training. The basic equipment for avalanche terrain is

    P2261139.JPG

    Avalanche probe - this is a long foldable pole usually ranging from 240cm to 350cm in length that connects together like a tent pole. The pole is not only used to find potential avalanche survivors but also to test the snow conditions and potential shelter areas

    Snow shovel - normally a light weight, break down shovel that is used to dig in the snow. This is probably the corner stone to travelling in the snow. The shovel ideally must be rugged, extendable and have a detachable blade. The reason for this is because it should be carried inside the rucksack. No avalanche equipment should be stored outside. The reason being, in an avalanche, this equipment gets ripped from the bag. The shovel builds your shelter, is a rescue tool,digs you latreen and kitchen. Without it, travel in the backcountry is illadvised

    Personal transceiver - This is basically a homing beacon. Depending on the model, it can range up to 40 metres. The transceiver has both a Search function and a transmit function. This is used to locate avalanche survivors. It is important at the begining of each day to ensure that each persons transceiver is working correctly and set to transmit. It is worn close to the body and not taken off.

    Snow saw - This can be used to build shelters but is also used in testing the avalanche risk of a slope.

    For anyone thinking of doing any kind of back country Skiing or Snowboarding, this equipment and the knowledge on how to used them is essential.

    The course I took was 2.5 days with 1 overnight in the Coastal Mountain Range. These mountains are North Vancouver, BC. The mountain we camped off, was called Pump Peak, just off a popular Skii resort called Mount Seymour. The course was run by the West Canada Mountain School. Our instructor for the weekend was Jasmine, an experienced teacher in Mountaineering and Climbing all over North and South America. She was very knowledgable and obviously vastly experienced in guiding. It was interesting to see how my experience in Sweden differed to Canada.

    The first day of instruction was an evening lesson on Equipment. This covered what to bring and what not to bring and the basic iteninary for the weekend. Having lots of packing experience, it could be easy to switch off and think 'Well i know this' but I found that this is where the experience gaps show. It is interesting to see how people pack their gear. What they bring. What they find useful. What works for them. I took the opportunity to ask Jasmine as many questions as I could on her gear and how she packs it. These minor details are the ones that often take years of experience to pick up. Getting someone elses perspective, especially someone of her experience, was a great opportunity.

    Day one of the Weekend involved a brief introduction to maps, the beacons and the rescue gear. I was interested in how the Canadian map varies to our own. In fact they are very similar. Most maps are metric (in distance at least. Sometimes they are imperial in height). They are mostly 1:50,000 which is the standard map used in Ireland. The only differences were in the map details, such as contour intervil, colouring of features and symbols in the legend. I had many questions on how they gauge timing, pacing and their system of navigation. What I found interesting was that they werent as strict on assessments when it came to navigation compared to Ireland and the UK.

    P2261148.JPG

    After an hour of class work, we geared up and headed out. Except for Jasmine and one other student, we were all on Snow shoes. I had bought a set of Atlas 1030 shoes. Initially I had found a cheaper pair before the course and boy was I glad I went for the better ones. The snow shoes were definitely something you didnt want to fail out there. Unlike the skiis in Sweden, the shoes require little getting used to. The only point to note on them was that they are not as effective for moving across a slope. Up and down hills, great! Traversing, not so good. They are quite wide and cumbersome for this. Our hike took just over 2 hours. We stopped regularly for water breaks. Very important in cold conditions as it is harder to detect dehydration and avoid sweating too much. We also examined avalanche slopes and did some beacon and probe work

    The hike in was challenging but well doable by anyone. In fact, the course had a hardy 14 year old girl called Jen. She went through the whole course without a single complaint. I had huge admiration for her. A course full of 30 plus year old lads. She knew no one, carried the same gear as all of us and did a fanatastic job keeping a smile on her face. Kudos.

    P2261145.JPG

    After the hike in and a bit of Avalanche work, we set up camp. It is important to check the immediate area for avalanche risk and make sure you know where you are on the map. An avalanche slope could be 50 meters away from you and you wouldn't know it. I didnt really experience white out in Sweden but a white out in the mountains is lethal. You could walk straight off a cliff and never know it. Unlike normal conditions in Ireland, the theory behind survival when lost is different. Here, when you are lost, you go uphill, not down. You try and avoid the biggest risk which are avalanches.

    P2261156.JPG

    The snow shelter, no matter what the configuration, is a fantastic piece of ingenuity. With little more than a shovel and a few hours, you have your home. This protects you from the elements, gives you a place to plan and keep much warmer than a tent. Its something that despite the effort, is always fun to build. For this trip we built snow caves. Note the jagged roof in the picture, this should end up being smooth. There are lots of tricks and tips for building these but I am certainly no expert. It is one of easier skills to learn from a mountaineering perspective but it has a high return. Its one everyone who travels through the snow should get to grips with. The only advice I would offer, is that they take time to build. Plan ahead, if you are going to stop and dig camp. Do it early

    P2271166.JPG

    One of the coolest things I had never seen before was the kitchen. It is import to build this with shelter, as cooking should not be done in the snow cave. The kitchen was similar to a domestic kitchen, it had counters, seats and cupboards for food storage. There was a side for cutting drinking water and a side for waste water. At night, all the food was stored in the kitchen and cupboards sealed with blocks of snow. This was to prevent animals getting at the food. Birds like the Whiskey Jack would often come and pick at open food. No food was stored in the caves

    P2271170.JPG

    At night the temperature would drop close to -20. During the day we were lucky at about -10 plus the wind chill. So temperature wise it wasnt too bad. Day two involved an avalanche scenario and rescue and some more theory on winter camp craft.

    P2261152.JPG

    P2271167.JPG
    Boots including laces frozen solid

    The most important lessons I took home from this weekend were on personal administration and preparation. Although I felt I did well on both, I can always improve. At one stage in camp, a pair of gloves fell out of my jacket when I was trying to warm them up. 5 minutes later the snow had covered them. One of the lads spotted the draw string and dug them up. I was lucky. I did have an extra 2 pairs but small mistakes like these could be very costly. Your personal camp craft must be very good in these conditions. Know where you kit is. When its not in use, put it away. Keep everything in waterproof sacks. Make sure the important items are accessible. When you are cold, do not stand there. Do something to improve your situation. I got cold in the kitchen as the wind swept in. So I got out and built a wall on the windward side. This improved the situation and warmed me up. Its funny that both Jasmine and Pontus mentioned the same phenomenon to me. Some people when they get cold, all they want to do, is stand still to conserve energy. Keep yourself in check and keep your group in check.

    P2271175.JPG


  • Registered Users Posts: 13 WDD


    Ah ... I remember the days .... new packages arriving weekly ... pretending you've had the gear for years ... hiding the credit card statement ....:D

    Andrew

    That's exactly what I'm doing at the moment!!! Don't tell my wife lol. Had to wait for the postman everyday for a month to intercept my Opinel no.7 and Mira Knives ha ha!


  • Registered Users Posts: 13 WDD


    Hi Andrew, Does everyone use the "Hammock/Tarp" sleeping arrangement?? Or do some people use tents??? I've never used a hammock/tarp before, just wondering????


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,676 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Just wondering if people have any tips on reliable supplier of bushcraft/survival gear? UK Ebay suppliers look good, but postage can be an issue. Any tips gratefully received.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    if you check out the www.fellclub .org.uk go into the links page you will find some excellent outdoor shops there used by the the fellclub members.;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    Crapbag wrote: »
    Since you lads are milling about quite a bit of late, ill throw my hat into the ring.

    Nice one Donal ... great post ... that's a cool looking course ...

    Andrew


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  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    WDD wrote: »
    Hi Andrew, Does everyone use the "Hammock/Tarp" sleeping arrangement?? Or do some people use tents??? I've never used a hammock/tarp before, just wondering????

    Hi WDD ...

    Not everybody uses a hammock and tarp set up. Some of us sleep on the ground in a bivy bag under a tarp and occasionally people bring tents. I prefer the ground myself but a hammock is very comfy once you get used to it.

    I think most people get their hammocks and tarps here ...http://www.ddhammocks.com/

    No connection to seller etc. etc.

    Andrew


  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    Tabnabs wrote: »
    Just wondering if people have any tips on reliable supplier of bushcraft/survival gear? UK Ebay suppliers look good, but postage can be an issue. Any tips gratefully received.

    Hi Tabnabs,

    Without knowing specifically what you are after I can't link directly to products on sites I've used but these are some good sites I have used.

    http://www.ddhammocks.com/
    http://www.survivalschool.co.uk/
    http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Products/
    http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/

    No connection to sellers etc. etc.

    Andrew


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,676 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Thanks Andrew, appreciate the links!


  • Registered Users Posts: 13 WDD


    Thanks for that Andrew :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 jamesieboy


    Hey Donal,

    Great post on your experiences with Canadian Mountain Skills. Really interesting stuff!

    Jim


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,676 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Further to my earlier enquiry about good places to get bushcraft gear, I fully appreciate that I was too vague etc. and thanks again for Andrew's suggestions.

    I also joined the BushCraftUK forum as there is a wealth of information (and some familiar faces ;)) over there.

    So it turns out my budget is very much at the military surplus end of the scale and this is grand for the amount of actual time I'll spend out and about.

    Just wanted to have a little moan at the fact that every time I find the gear I'm after when I apply the postage rates from the UK to Ireland they invariably cost more than the goods do :mad: One place wanted £40 for a nice selection of things that would weigh just over 3 kilos. They also wanted £57 to send this over :eek: I got a family tent and assorted gear sent from the UK last year (just under 30kg weight all in) and that cost me about £12! I'm just a bit miffed at the moment and tired at searching high and low for the gear only to find I can't afford double the price.

    On the other hand, I did strike it lucky and was advised to stay clear of one outfit who had a great selection of gear at a decent price and reasonable rate to Ireland. Turns out the things take literally months to arrive. :(

    /moan


  • Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭irishlostboy


    one crowd i can recomend is Endicotts.
    http://www.endicotts.co.uk/
    done business with them. very good guys. their p+p costs are whatever it costs them. there are very few good irish suppliers of things bushcrafters would be interested in.
    if you think england has some crazy post-gougers, you should see some of the american guys. one order i placed for light, small items (knife) were charging 50 euro p+p per unit. at that they better have been getting their own seat on a plane.


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Hey guys,

    The website is down because I feck up I made. It will take me a few days to get it up and running again. In the mean time,if you have any enquiries please email the club directly

    Hopefully I can get it back and running soon but it involves a rebuild of the site.

    P.S Nice to see you posting again Tim :-)

    EDIT: Website is back up and running. Turns out I didnt remove the whole thing by accident. Have you ever spent forever looking for your glasses only to find they were on your head? Same thing with the site :-)


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,676 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    one crowd i can recomend is Endicotts.
    http://www.endicotts.co.uk/
    done business with them. very good guys. their p+p costs are whatever it costs them. there are very few good irish suppliers of things bushcrafters would be interested in.
    if you think england has some crazy post-gougers, you should see some of the american guys. one order i placed for light, small items (knife) were charging 50 euro p+p per unit. at that they better have been getting their own seat on a plane.

    Endicotts - I've heard the name mentioned many times and always in a positive light, unfortunately they don't have what I'm after.

    I have emailed two shops in England directly and they have agreed to reduce the postage (from 50 to 27 in one case) and the other will bundle together to reduce. So if I can't find elsewhere, then will bite the bullet and pay these rates.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 14 deergrove


    i'd like to o along to a campout / bushcraft event
    if the bushcraft club are organising something in the next couple of months ??


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