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Bushcraft Club thread

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Hahaha nice one Hick. Hope you lads had a brilliant time. I look forward to seeing you all in October. Someone better do a dam good review of that Norway trip.

    Just back from Alaska myself but I aint no thunder stealer, so I wanna hear your stories first :-)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭hick


    Well we're back and all I can say is it tops the queens visit and then some :D we had a craicin time and it will be hard to get it down in a post, suffice to say that we gave serious consideration to not coming back on Monday!!
    I know many will be keen to hear the details, rest assured I'll be working on it over the next few days and I'll try to have something up by the weekend. Reality is a tough place to come back to but that's what makes these trips so great. Hope yer all well,
    B

    Ps crapbag look forward to the Alaska stories I hear you can see mamma bears and Russia from up there! :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭hick


    [Post 1 of 3 on our trip to Norway Herdangervidda plateau]

    Folks

    apologies for the wait!!! been mental busy at work.

    Anyhoo, Noway was fantastic from start to finish, in fact we all agreed we had a Helle of a time (sorry in joke!). So it was a long time coming and all the planning (or at least new kit purchasing) and waiting was finally over. It was an early start with the flight being at 7:00. We were giddy as school girls.
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    We arrived early in Moss Rygge airport and got our car which fit us and our gear just right. We had a 3 hour drive to hit Rjukan which was the town at base of the range we were going to spend the next 5 days on. We stopped on the way to admire just how beautiful the scenery was.
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    Once we got there we picked up the maps from the tourist office and the last few supplies and hit for the cable car. When we arrived we found it closed for the week for maintenance but that didn't stop us, we used are whit, charm, ingenuity and some cash and we were whisked up the first 800m of our new home.
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    After taking in the scenery and a quick cuppa we took off up the hill to find our first camp and water source.
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    We really weren't disappointed, we probably only covered about 6-7km the first day as we were all blown away by the vista, we found a great spot over looking the valley and Telemark power plant.
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    We had been warned on the way up by the cable (car) guy that the weather had been a bit harsh and the temps very low of recent so we got all the jokes out of our system and decided on a group shelter for those with tarps. Andrew had brought his brand new and much envied Tent teepee, also referred to as the penthouse :D
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    We sat back and enjoyed the views for the evening whilst savouring our ration packs [note chilli con carne should come with a warning label]. We headed off to bed around 12 and it was still bright, the sun had gone down round 10.30. but it never really got dark for long. I awoke with bird song at around 4am and it was bright, I reckon it was only dark for about 2 hours. Despite that it was cold as you can see from the ice that lay on the tarp
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    The next day we headed off for our first big hike, and we covered a lot of ground, the higher we go the more snow and ice we came across, the landscape became more bare as we came up out of the tree line. We crossed rivers from the melting ice fields and it really was enjoyable, it was easy to forget about the packs on you back for the most part as everywhere you looked it was stunning.
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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭hick


    [Post 2 of 3 on our trip to Norway Herdangervidda plateau]


    We bed down in a craicin spot on the friday night, we came upon a cabin in the most remote part, true bliss right on a lake in the middle of the plateau. We hadn't seen another soul since the cable car, it was really nice knowing we had the whole place to ourselves. That night was by far the coldest, we had camped behind the mountain so the sun dropped early and with it the temperature. By 20:00 when we got set up and were cooking it was -2, it was -4 by 23.00, we reckon it got down to -6 that night. We hit the sack early as it was just too cold to stay up and chat, (see the ice on the inside of the tarp!!). We awoke to another savage day, the sun in the early morning was great for heating you back up after the cool nights. Sitting and having your porridge looking out over the terrain really beats the day job!! :cool: We had visiting wildlife that morning a small stoat swung by looking for scraps
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    The next day we took on our longest hike heading off our trek and then on up the saboteur route, which is partly why we came all this way ( see http://www.visittelemark.com/Adventure/Active-in-Telemark/Hiking/(ProductID)/?lang=en&id=36588 ) No matter how tough we thought it was, it was hard to imagine doing it in the depths of winter after being holed up and starving on the mountain for 4 months, hauling kit and explosives all the while being hunted by the nazi's. It was impressive to see what these guys did and we got a small taste as the whether turned and the rain came down at lunch and stayed for the day and night. We made it down to the plant and were even more impressed when we saw the ravine which the team had climbed down and then back up to blow up the plant, we were just happy we only had the bridge to cross. We also came across Norways only poisonous snake. This was our most challenging day and we had Aretha Franklins 'Ain't no mountain high enough' ringing in our ears all evening! We were tired but very satisfied with our trip and reaching our goal.
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    ....................................cont..............


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭hick


    [Post 3 of 3 on our trip to Norway Herdangervidda plateau]
    We hadn't thought we'd make it the whole way that day, so we were a day ahead with no real thoughts on where to camp, you can't camp at the station, though with the rain not stopping we considered taking our chances :rolleyes: We hiked to the car which was a few km away and began to look out for a spot for the night. It took a while as you can't camp to near housing and we were down in the valley but we found the perfect spot after a fair spin. I spotted a lane up behind a bus stop leading to a wooded area and it worked a treat.
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    We headed back to Rjukan the next morning to get a spot of breakfast but then we discovered something about the Norwegians, they like to sleep in on Sundays. The town was empty! Like really empty! Nothing was open, not even the local sports shop :eek: We eventually found a little shop to get something to eat before we headed back to the airport. We scooted back to Rygge a happy bunch after a great trip, but our adventure wasn't over just yet. We had to find a spot for the night for our 9am flight the next morning. No hotels or hostels for us, no sir, we wanted lake shore property with stunning views in a full forest....right at the end of the airport runway :D
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    We went out the way we came in, a happy bunch.
    Would we do it again.........in a heartbeat! :cool:
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    There’s a few more pix here http://pix.ie/hick/album/412764


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Great trip report, really enjoyed the photos.

    Did you have any problems with sharps in your bags and the airports or with Ryanair?

    If you're headed back to Rygge, then have a look at this site, all the main trails marked off.

    http://ut.no/map/page/maptool/df415269-cb24-41ee-abbf-144c836bf207/#ost3


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Great stuff lads. Congratulations on the first foreign trip of the club :-) Ill get a post up on our Alaskan road trip. Currently in Vancouver trying to do some repairs before heading east. On the look out for a cheap Canoe


  • Registered Users Posts: 13 WDD


    Great Trip report on Norway, It looks like it was an unbeleivable trip. Well done.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14 deergrove


    Jon [army medic] and myself checked out a site in east galway recently and we seem to have the go ahead , i believe tony is checking things out himself . but jon seems to have a positive responce to the fire ect ect ,
    it really looked like a good spot there was deer droppings and has a lake nearby ... hope this spot works out .


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  • Registered Users Posts: 294 ✭✭eoinkildare


    hey guys,
    I was in kerry last week and checked out a site near killarney but unfortunately i dont think it was suitable.
    Ah well, maybe next time!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭IPNA


    So when are you lads returning to IPNA? You can use our campus for one of your weekends.

    If you are looking for a place somewhere in Kerry to have your monthly meeting the come on down to our place and have a nice classroom and a bit of woods to play in.

    Cheers,

    Aebhric


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭hick


    Hey Folks, it's been a while, sorry for not posting but the real world has been getting in the way an awful lot recently!

    Thankfully we managed to get out for a meet on the 11-12 of June. You might all remember it as being one of the wettest weekends of the summer but I reckon we got away with murder up in Cavan, the rain god was obviously smiling on us ;)

    We had some new folks up with us and unfortunately some of the regular members weren't able to make it, some excuses were just not up to much (Kevin!) and we barely got to see any new kit at all (Jim) and detailed demonstrations and advice were at an all time low (Andrew) but we made do all the same.

    The Friday evening was clear and camp was set up early round 16:00, the place was looking great, really full and green, and about as dry as the camp gets. We had a good mix of folk on the ground and hammocks and 1 tent. We were due to have up to 11 on the site for the weekend which is near capacity, great to see the growing interest in the club.

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    The newest member to the camp came in the form of a kettle, not just any kettle but probably the largest kettle ever to exist, apparently Greenpeace have requested to use it as a replacement to the sunken Rainbow Warrior :D
    It took a while for it to get into it's first stride, rumour has it the first boil took 17 hours but by the end of the weekend it was well settled in. The camp was very comfortable that night, the air was still and warm and there was good time for stories and talk of our Norwegian trip, where we went to Norway and climbed a Norwegian Mountain prior to returning from Norway, amongst other things.

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    Saturday was a busy day though and would make any bushcraft camp proud.
    Seeing as there was several new folk we did a few tours of the camp and greater site, there was some good tracking and even a bit of foraging done which came in handy later. I found the last of the pignuts and was disappointed they were past being edible, the wild ramsons were on the way out too.

    Then we got down to it. Firstly there was cordage for the cooking tripod and then Tony knocked up a very impressive bow saw, very reminiscent of Dick Proenneke from Alone in the Wilderness, only the blade was brought in.

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    There was also an impressive run at primitive tools started by PB, Harpoon, Spears and a very impressive fishing spear with barbs held in by resin glue made from the camp.

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    Roberto presented a much grateful group with a leg of lamb and it was decided quickly that a ground oven was in order. That wasn't it though as a brown trout also went in the ground along with spuds and root veg, Gearoid also provided us with some ostrich steaks as well as Rainbow Trout which was hung over the fire. There was even a bit of Wild Boar! A giant Puff ball mushroom which was found on the site was fried up. For desert the earlier foraged Strawberries, bilberries and a whole pot of lovely raspberries were enjoyed by everyone. it was interesting to see the heat of the stones from the ground oven was still very apparent and we were able use them to boil water in a pot a good time after (nearly 4 hours later!!)

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    Roberto's shelter got some use again three months after it was first built and the report card stated, warm cosy and almost perfect! It looks as good as it did on the first day and if it wasn't for the door it would blend right in to the surroundings. We had a fair night round the fire, there was some light rain during the evening which meant we stayed round the fire and there was some good carving done. I gave some serious consideration to taking my boat idown to the lake!

    The next morning was good and relaxed and everyone appeared to have a good nights sleep. Breakfast was had and then it was off to FbF school, Gearoid was delighted with himself and brought good cheer to the camp with his first fire from a bow drill.

    All in all a great and very productive weekend. And as always we look forward to the next one. Take it easy folks!

    Hick


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭hick


    IPNA wrote: »
    So when are you lads returning to IPNA? You can use our campus for one of your weekends.

    If you are looking for a place somewhere in Kerry to have your monthly meeting the come on down to our place and have a nice classroom and a bit of woods to play in.

    Cheers,

    Aebhric

    quoting this so it doesn't get lost behind my most recent update
    Hick


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 featherstick


    Another great post Bryan with gorgeous photos too. I was really disappointed not to be able to make it, even more so now that I've read this!! Foraging, earth ovens and tool making - that bucksaw is brilliant! Sounds like a fab weekend! Good to hear Woody Woodpecker's shelter was still standing too ;-)
    I'm off on a Woodlore tracking course next week - looking forward to putting it into practice next time I join you guys :D
    Alison


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


    Lads/lassies can i just ask do any of you use a hennessy hammock and if so what the verdict good or bad,
    great photos btw.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    IPNA wrote: »
    So when are you lads returning to IPNA? You can use our campus for one of your weekends.

    If you are looking for a place somewhere in Kerry to have your monthly meeting the come on down to our place and have a nice classroom and a bit of woods to play in.

    Cheers,

    Aebhric

    Thanks a million Aebhric, Tony is on holidays at the moment but I'm sure when he gets back he will be in touch to see what dates suit you and us. It would be nice to get back down to see ye again.

    Andrew


  • Registered Users Posts: 276 ✭✭RandomUsername


    Hey guys sorry to butt in
    I've a woodmans pal for sale over in the shooting section

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=73662240#post73662240


    If a mod wants to delete this thread they can
    It's just there isn't really any where to sell bushy gear


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    Lads/lassies can i just ask do any of you use a hennessy hammock and if so what the verdict good or bad,
    great photos btw.

    None of us have one now but crapbag used one for a while so maybe he can help you. Do a search on BCUK http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/ or Hammock Forums http://hammockforums.net/

    Hope this helps.

    Andrew


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


    None of us have one now but crapbag used one for a while so maybe he can help you. Do a search on BCUK http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/ or Hammock Forums http://hammockforums.net/

    Hope this helps.

    Andrew
    thanks Andrew i was just curious to be honest like how much better that sleeping on the ground in a tent of course.
    anyway cheers.
    fsl;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    thanks Andrew i was just curious to be honest like how much better that sleeping on the ground in a tent of course.
    anyway cheers.
    fsl;)

    I prefer a bivy bag and tarp on the ground myself ( just because I dont want to carry the extra weight) but some of the lads swear by hammocks. They are definitely very comfortable once you get the hang of them (no pun intended :)). If you just want to try it without spending big bucks you could pick up a cheap hammock and tarp from DD Hammocks http://www.ddhammocks.com/

    Andrew


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


    thanks andrew for that link very helpful.
    cheers
    fsl;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Hey,

    Yes ive used them a bit. They are a great piece of kit, if a little expensive. Hence why I havent bought one as I have the equivalent and dont need to fork out.

    Id advise going for the old school expedition one. The light weight one seems a bit like a Mach 3 blade. Use for a while and then throw away. The expedition is a little cheaper if I remember correctly.

    The biggest complaint ive heard is in the tarp size but I believe that has been changed recently. People were complaining the tarp was not wide enough but I never had this problem when using them.

    I liked the mossie net integration which is worth the money alone. Also the bottom velco entry was a great system and its one of the easier hammocks for those with back problems. It greats a thumbs up on functionality and a sideways thumb on price

    EDIT: Great photos lads. I look forward to October.
    Lads/lassies can i just ask do any of you use a hennessy hammock and if so what the verdict good or bad,
    great photos btw.


  • Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭neolithic


    IPNA wrote: »
    So when are you lads returning to IPNA? You can use our campus for one of your weekends.

    If you are looking for a place somewhere in Kerry to have your monthly meeting the come on down to our place and have a nice classroom and a bit of woods to play in.

    Cheers,

    Aebhric

    Hi Aebhric,
    Thanks for the kind offer, We were thinking about you around the summer solstice ,we had a couple of good weekends down with you over the last couple of years. We will have to organise a visit.
    Tony


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 jamesieboy


    Just another nod to Aebhric to say thanks for the invitation down to Caherciveen. Was down with the other BCI members at the 2010 solstice open weekend and really enjoyed the hospitality. Looking forward to visiting again soon.

    Jim


  • Registered Users Posts: 14 deergrove


    james what was the name of the sharping tool you ussed on my hatchet in cavan

    DC4 ?

    thanks chris


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag




  • Registered Users Posts: 65 ✭✭irishtear


    Hello Lads, How did the last outing go ? I got the text but was in pollino Mountains in Italy.But will be waiting for the next invite,specially after all those photos.I have a teardrop trailer,must show it off.:D


  • Registered Users Posts: 14 deergrove


    That's it thanks


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 jamesieboy


    Hey Chris, as advised correctly by Crapbag it was the Fallkniven DC4 that I used on your axe. It's a brilliant sharpening stone and is the best value for money of any sharpening system (in my opinion). Don't forget to give your blade a good stropping on a leather belt when you're done with the stone. At least 100 alternating strokes will turn an already sharp edge into a scalpal.


  • Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭neolithic


    Thanks to all the Guys who turned up for the meet this weekend. The weather was interesting but with only a few showers was better than expected.
    A great time was had by all.
    T.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3 PBrady223


    Another great weekend
    Thanks lads


  • Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭neolithic


    For our October meet The Irish Bushcraft Club headed to Co. Galway. We have been given a permit to camp in a beautiful mixed woodland. I would like to thank all involved in getting this permit for us. Another great weekend was had by all with plenty happening . There will be a full review to follow.
    T.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6 BantryJohn


    Any people in Cork/Kerry regional interested in meeting up to practice bushcraft?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 alan whelan


    Have you any location in mind, woods?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6 BantryJohn


    Haven't found an exact spot yet but i'll try and find a few, there are loads of coillte forests around, i can think of a few spots like comerkane valley near glengarriff, there's a coillte forest beside loch bofinne near bantry, i've walked through it and i think it could be a good spot, there are forests near castletownbere as well, also between durrus and ballydehob theres a big coillte forest with tracks going through it, can you think of any others? I'll look at these places and let you know what they're like


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Well it was my first weekend back in the club in a year. So I decided to do the write up. It was good to meet the clubs new members and catch up with the old and crusty. Our meet was in our new location in the West of Ireland. We were lucky to get permission for our second site which means that our Connaught members get an easier journey for once. The forest has a great mix of new and old growth and is perfect for us. After a brief debate on the best place for the camp fire, we quickly went about setting up and settling in. There was much to see and we were quickly treated to the sights of fallow deer ambling around the area.



    Mixed forests mean great diversity of growth and after setting up the camp area, a few of us set out to explore. The foraging was great with many of the easy to recognise species in plain view. Blackberry, Blackthorns sloe's and Crab Apples were a short walk away. Chickweed, Wood Sorrel and Silverweed crept underfoot. We spotted a healthy amount of red squirrels readying for winter. It was brilliant to be in a new forest this time of year. The rain was rare and light, so not a problem at all.

    7F31F72133C74C0B9AEDC8425737E810-0000326051-0002593917-00500L-9D528B59F2F34F3BAA4668320EE00B38.jpg

    The ground oven and Bannock are always a hit so Kevin and Paul set to work preparing both. Paul was lucky to get his hands on a lovely cut of venison from a friend which he intended to use in the oven. Tony had his favorite fire making toys and Jim had his head buried in the mushroom I.D books. Unfortunately we had to inform him that the King Alfred's Cake he picked up, was indeed, Fox sh*te. Which, in typical club style, he will never hear the end of. In fairness it was dark at the time and he claimed it still tasted great.... :-)

    7B6D1DEC7E23436DB32DE15C7BBDE605-0000326051-0002593910-00500L-E1097964DB584DA29E5EDC5A72638195.jpg

    However the star of the show was not our King Alfred's sh*te or the charred venison. Entertainment for the evening came in the form of a fox who visited our camp. This fantastic little fellow had little fear of us and with a golf clubhouse near by, was well used to human contact. Probably being fed by a local, this little guy would sometimes get within six foot of us before brazenly strutting away paying little heed to the distance we were. It was all uh's and ah's until the little fecker decided to make off with one of my runners, stopped only by Eoin's quick shouts. However we didnt get away scot free. He decided to pay poor Bryan a visit in the night and made off with a leather sheath from my axe, a perfect and expensive chew toy. Luckly he didnt make it far with the axe itself. He obviously wasnt a picky eater and tore Bryans sit pad which sat by the camp as we slept. We didnt mind as it was a small price to pay for seeing one that close. The craic was 90 and we had a great laugh.

    P1080357.jpg

    It was a great weekend and another fantastic new spot. Im already looking forward to November


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Great report an pics, thanks for sharing!


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 jamesieboy


    In my defense, we were in an ash forest and King Alfred's Cake loves ash. How was I to know that it was in fact a piece of poo that was on the said tree stump and not a piece of fungus?

    Great post though!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 102 ✭✭RICHIE.39


    Great write up! Would love to join up with the group at some stage next year! Do ye camp near the midlands at all?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭neolithic


    Thanks RICHIE, Drop us a line and we will let you know when the meets are happening.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 102 ✭✭RICHIE.39


    neolithic wrote: »
    Thanks RICHIE, Drop us a line and we will let you know when the meets are happening

    Cheers Neolithic where will I get the contact numbers? And do ye do much around westmeath / Roscommon at all?


  • Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭neolithic


    RICHIE,
    E-mail the Club at thebushcraftclub@gmail.com and I will send you on details.
    We travel to different places ,Our main site is in Cavan but we have acquired a new site on the Galway/ Offaly border.
    http://www.irishbushcraftclub.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=18


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 bowe


    neolithic wrote: »
    RICHIE,
    E-mail the Club at thebushcraftclub@gmail.com and I will send you on details.
    We travel to different places ,Our main site is in Cavan but we have acquired a new site on the Galway/ Offaly border.
    http://www.irishbushcraftclub.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=18

    Great posts and photos indeed. I'm based in Laois and would be very interestetd to join this club to learn more. I have already sent a mail to the club and would be interested to attend the next meet. Thanks


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


    can i just ask what goes into the backpack for a weekend bush crafting
    if i was cycle touring i would know exactly what to bring but your game is much different so i'm dead curious as to know what would be the proper kit
    thanks.;).


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    The weather was good to us this weekend. The sun shone for the majority of it and at night the moon lit the forest in an eerie light that had us wondering who had left a head torch on. Day time temperatures were mild and drop sharply in the evening. Our task for the weekend was to construct some primitive traps of different varity and for different prey. These traps were not deployed or used in any way during the weekend other than for demonstration and practice. No animal or person for that matter was subjected to them. Although the thought of having someone upside-down dangling from a tree had crossed my mind.

    Each one of us took on the task of constructing a different trap either from memory or a book that could be used in a wilderness setting.

    One of my favourites is the Arpuca trap mainly because it is a live trap and allows you to release the bird unharmed. Good for practicing what baits work for which birds.

    P1010127.jpg

    Jim went for a twitch-up snare. The trigger was cool and I personally hadnt seen that type of trigger used before.

    P1010121.jpg

    Kevins one which was interesting because it required no carving. Great for when you wouldn't have a knife to hand but still had some cordage, like a boot lace.

    P1010131.jpg

    Tony went for the more traditional twitch-up, with notched triggers.

    PB120137.jpg

    Andrew had a go copying the Arpuca but using scavanged cord instead of making some. Initially we thought he stripped someones car for the wire but he assured us he didn't :-) He proved a good point, the material to hand is more valuable, rather than having to make it.

    PB120135.jpg

    Another few tricks in the bag and cups of tea in the belly. The weather is certainly getting colder but debates about snow this year was on the topic list. Our next meeting is in December but is only open to current members. January will be our next meeting open to new members.


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


    can i just ask what goes into the backpack for a weekend bush crafting
    if i was cycle touring i would know exactly what to bring but your game is much different so i'm dead curious as to know what would be the proper kit
    thanks.;).
    NO Takers then.:(


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    NO Takers then.:(

    A good post and explanation here
    http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60498


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


    Tabnabs wrote: »
    thanks for that very interesting except for the backpack and knives and axe i could go into the wild in the morning very similar to cycle touring.:cool:


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭Crapbag


    Hey. Sorry about that I hadnt seen this post and wasnt online for a few days. My advise for anyone starting is not to buy anything specialized. Take out standard camping equipment and then just bring a knife as extra. Forgot axes and large saws until you know what you want to practice.

    Anyone coming on club outtings for the first time is advised not to bring anything extra besides a knife of any kind. You can talk to members and see what they have when you arrive


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 jamesieboy


    In the belief that you can never see too many fire lighting demonstrations here's a few pics taken of Tony getting the fire going at the last meet.

    The fire source used was a magnesium tinder block and ferro rod. Spruce resin was used alongside the magnesium.

    The first step was to shave a decent amount off the magnesium block.

    a.jpg


    Next he struck the ferro rod with the back of a knife

    b.jpg

    This produced sparks

    c.jpg

    As this was not the telly it took more than a single attempt for one of the sparks to ignite the tinder, but soon there was a small and consistent flame as the magnesium and spruce resin burned together. More than adequate to ignite a couple of stick bundles.

    d.jpg

    The end result was very helpful in allowing us to enjoy a November evening outdoors.

    e.jpg


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