Here at The Bushcraft Company there are certain things, certain places and certain people that we really admire, and we thought we might share some of them with you. One of these people happens to be James Cracknell, double Olympic gold medalist turned adventurer and explorer, and champion of all things, well, challenging.

As if being an Olympian wasn’t already enough, Cracknell has since successfully rowed across the Atlantic, raced to the South Pole, and remains the highest placed Briton to finish the Marathon Des Sables.

Having time and again conquered feats of not only physical endurance, but mental too, we don’t think there are many others like him. And seemingly, never happy to cease pushing the boundaries of human existence, Cracknell has recently embarked upon a new set of challenges, aptly named ‘World’s Toughest Expeditions’, for The Discovery Channel.

Spanning the globe from Brazil to Africa, New Zealand to America, James traces the footsteps of some of the world’s most legendary explorers. It’s these sorts of adventures which remain the inspiration behind much of what we do and believe, and drive The Bushcraft Company to keep bushing the boundaries of outdoor education.

Indeed, a special mention must go to a personal friend of The Bushcraft Company, Ross Bowyer, who has been providing Cracknell’s team with invaluable bushcraft advice and support throughout the process.

So, next time you’re sat inside on a rainy day, think of James grappling with snakes deep inside the jungle, put on your wellies, grab your jacket, think outside and start your own adventure.

Alex McBarnet

Last week we came across the fantastic news that there are now over 10,000 young Scout Leaders throughout the UK, and you can take a look for yourselves here.

We were thrilled to see that the number of teenagers taking part in these leadership programmes is at an all time high, and really admire the Scout Association for working so hard to get young adults out into the countryside.

In the face of a bleak economic climate and the highly competitive world of employment, many teenagers are seizing the opportunity to develop leadership skills in the outdoors that transfer into highly desirable qualities on their future CV’s. 

Outdoor adventures have always been the stuff of legends, but with high profile support from explorers such as Chief Scout Bear Grylls, and the continuing progress of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, facing all that the elements can throw at you is fast becoming the acid test of a young adult’s metal. 

Here at The Bushcraft Company we’ve always tried to instill and promote the same values in our leadership and team development courses, and firmly believe that the skills learnt in just a matter of days can prepare young people for the trials and tribulations of adult life. Designed to create a strong sense of team work, whilst letting natural leaders build and develop their ability, our courses allow all participants to develop invaluable and highly transferable future skills.

With employers seeking evidence of work experience from future staff, we’re currently in the process of pioneering a new scheme with our young leaders from Caistor Grammar School, whereby a group of the 17 and 18 year old students can effectively use our courses as a ‘miniature apprenticeship’. By coaching and guiding the younger students, and effectively becoming a member of our staff whilst they are with us, they can gain invaluable experience on their CV’s as well as future references. 

In the future we hope to be able to extend these opportunities to school leavers, whether they be moving on to higher education or taking a gap year, or looking for some vital experience before their first foray into employment, so watch this space for more information…

Alex McBarnet

In case you haven’t heard, vast swathes of the country are officially in drought. I’m not confusing us with New South Wales or the Atacama; the hosepipe bans are coming and as an island nation the word’s of Coleridge are perhaps most pertinent: ‘Water, water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink’!

See for yourselves here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17690389

Perhaps even more amazing is that experts believe the drought may last until Christmas…But surely not? Whatever happened to the ever reliable April showers, barbeques in mid-July ruined by sudden downpours and Autumnal strolls interrupted by ferocious thunder storms? Undoubtedly British exports have dried up over the last few decades (please forgive the pun!), but surely one of our greatest assets is our consistent drizzle?

Whilst front lawns and flower beds suffer, our new Tribe Leaders are loving the dry conditions. Having been put to the test for a number of days deep within the Forest, dry clothes and dry shelters make for far happier bushcraft aficionados!

And yet, as if Mother Nature was watching us with a mocking glance as we attempted to decipher this conundrum, we stumbled upon further geographical madness…Seven thousand miles away straddling the borders of Pakistan, India and China the glaciers in the Karakoram mountains (home to K2 for all those mountaineers amongst us) are doing something very odd indeed. Instead of gradually creeping back up the gigantic paths they’ve forged, the glaciers are throwing mud – or in this case ice – in the face of science, as they’re actually growing.

Having been confronted with more and more disheartening ‘then and now’ photos – usually depicting what was once a crashing tidal wave of ice which is now a mere stony graveyard – we couldn’t believe our ears that these titans of the mountains could actually be bucking the global warming trend.

So is this proof that the fear of global warming is perhaps an over reaction? Or is it all far too good to be true? Check out the article and come to your own conclusions: http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2012/04/glaciers-in-karakoram-have-gro.html

We don’t know what to make of it all, but with the possibility of another hot summer and the threat of bush fires, we might be doing a communal rain dance very soon…

Alex McBarnet

Here at Cotswold Outdoor we are proud to be working with The Bushcraft Company to offer our customers 5 unique and exciting outdoor skills courses covering everything from helping you prepare for an overland trip across Africa to cooking in a pit oven.

Each of our courses are available in a 1 and 2 day format (the 2 day involving an overnight camp), and include hearty meals and training from some of the best instructors in the business. Each course is run on our beautiful secluded site set amongst ancient woodlands in rural Oxfordshire, which is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. ‘Relaxing’ and ‘getting back to nature’ don’t even begin to describe this place…

Some of the team from Cotswold Outdoor got to take part in tester courses in August, and the feedback was amazing, and not only because they got to use knives and axes (although it’s surprising how quickly the inner caveman comes out once you have to start making fire with a couple of twigs), but because of how much we all learned. The group had a mixed amount of experienced with Bushcraft type activities, but everyone took so much away from the event. Weather it was learning how to build a water-tight shelter without manmade materials or being taught how to track rabbits, it’s amazing how many tricks and techniques your instructors will know to help you get the most out of being outdoors.

The range of courses available mean we truly have something for everyone. Know someone who loves to cook but also has a penchant for the outdoors? Wilderness Cookery will help them take their skills out of the kitchen. Maybe you have a friend or relative going off traveling and you want some extra piece of mind? Our Gap Year Essentials course will enable them to look after themselves wherever their ticket takes them. Want to go one step on from family camping holidays? Camp Craft is the course which will teach you how to wild camp and take more adventurous trips under canvas. Love being outdoors but have never been totally confident navigating off the beaten track? The instructors on the Navigation course will teach you everything from the basics of map reading through to finding yourself if you become totally lost. Finally our Bushcraft course does what it says on the tin. We all know someone who loves watching survival experts on TV set traps and build shelters, and this is the course for them.

The courses can be purchased from any Cotswold Outdoor store, prices start from £99, and the memories and skills you learn will last a lifetime.

For more information visit www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/bushcraft or visit any of our stores.

Ben, Cotswold Outdoor

You can also

Every year, there comes a time when all our hard-working staff take an evening off to celebrate in true Bushcraft Company style. Take a look behind the scenes at all the unexpected glitz, glamour and giddiness which happens when bushcraft meets black tie.

The paparazzi crowded the red carpet, armed with full rolls of film and an insatiable thirst to snap each star-studded celebrity as they swanned into one of the most exclusive settings in planet Hollywood. All the while, just across the pond – and unknown to the world’s most blood-thirsty news hounds – an entirely different kind of celebration was exploding into life.

Deep in the Oxfordshire woodlands, nearly a hundred of The Bushcraft Company’s most prolific movers and shakers dug out their finest tweed and smoothed out their rarely worn LBDs (Meaning Little Black Dresses for those outside the glitzeratti) for a night of awe-inspiring bushcraft glamour.

The hog roast span at full rotation and filled the grassy plain with a delicious scent reminiscent of a Viking banquet. As time passed, more and more of the company’s most idolised faces appeared from the woods in everything from full velvet blue tuxedos to certain outfits which might have been more appropriate at a Bognor Regis bird-watching convention.

True to bushcraft form, enough bell-tents and yurts were set up to house a small army; thankfully erected earlier in the day by those certain members of staff who seem to enjoy spending almost all of their free time in the woods.

As glasses and plates were emptied, the cameras kept snapping and the sounds of laughter exploded across the ancient woodlands. Just when everyone thought the atmosphere must have surely peaked with excitement, the evening amazingly jumped up another gear into fully blown A-list momentum as everyone huddled together for what was one of the most hotly-anticipated and professionally organised Bushcraft Company Oscar Ceremonies to ever occur.

Once the votes had been counted, and the impressively fruity champagne had been handed out to the lucky winners, the party faded into the night in a truly professional and elegant manner. But not before everyone gracefully enjoyed all the wonder of one of the world’s greatest celebration tools… A 50-foot long slip and slide.

It all started with an email that I opened one morning expecting a polite refusal. After all the assessment day had been good fun, but it was all too good to be true. But it wasn’t an email thanking me for my time or efforts with the inevitable punch line of better luck next time; it was inviting me to attend two weeks of bushcraft training. I had to read it twice, and possibly a third time.

My name is Peter; I’m 22 and was born and raised in London. Being the son of a policeman and microbiologist it doesn’t sound like a recipe for a bushcrafter, however I can pin point the exact moment I became obsessed with Bushcraft. Watching a documentary about the Rocky Mountains in Canada and hearing the words “There are still places where no man has set foot before” immediately began an explosion of possibilities in my young mind.

I wanted adventure. This hunger for adventure has taken me to Canada, USA and into deepest darkest Wales. Developing a love for the wild places still left on Earth and the subject of Bushcraft my chosen path, I contacted The Bushcraft Company.

One cold February morning at Cornbury Park, after an inspiring talk from Alex who laid out what the company is and where it is going , we set out into the woods.

After one last glance of the week’s schedule before shoving it in my day sack, I wondered if they had been brave with the menu. As we walked the path down to the woods, people quickly bunched into their assessment day groups as they were familiar faces, in my group I talked to Will, Stephan, and Rob. We discussed other candidates from our assessment days, people who were better experienced or perhaps more qualified and we came to the conclusion that The Bushcraft Company doesn’t want endless paper qualifications, they just want people who are passionate about the outdoors.

As we turned the corner, the little child inside all of us came bursting out at the sight of the parachute with a roaring fire under it, the huge tepee that stood proudly to its right and the impressive presentation of the camp site that had a real ‘wild’ expedition feel to it. The dream was a reality, and I thought if a child could see this then they would have long forgotten their game boy. Alex had to quickly calm us down as we were sat under the parachute.

Rory was keen to start the training and we were quickly playing memory and leadership games. There was a lot to learn over these two weeks and we were briefed on what was expected of us and what we could expect from The Bushcraft Company. Lunch on that first day set a precedent of what to expect and the stash of Haribo that adorned some hidden compartment of all our bags was forgotten, as the food was spectacular.

The rush of creating fire by friction really is a highlight of not just these two weeks but in my life. I can’t tell you why its means so much to me, its possibly something primal but after hours of drilling and the amount of cuts and scrapes that covered my hands, cuts that we all possessed and walking off into the woods, calling my girlfriend and explaining the reason I was so angry was that I couldn’t make fire because my hearth had snapped and now I needed to make another one. I must have sounded crazy.

Everyone bonded well and had a unique and interesting personality, all leaders but in different styles. But the main points of excellence for the group and our training were the staff teaching us. Rory, who led the training, was clearly passionate and obsessed with the woods and it quickly came apparent that Rory’s love of the woods solidified his sheer excellence in Bushcraft and his teachings.

The excellent cooking was spear headed by Ed, the company’s Operations Manager. Ed lightened up the camp with his singing – a jealousy of his relentless enthusiasm was shared in the group.

After being presented with our Mora instructor knives we were pointed back into the direction of civilisation with the promise of showers, beer and our partners as we left the woods. I am really looking forward to putting the skills I have learnt to the test, and teaching them to a new generation. Delivered with confidence and enthusiasm that personifies The Bushcraft Company Product.

Pete

Want to work for The Bushcraft Company?
We provide REAL OUTDOOR ADVENTURES for schools across the UK and abroad. We run trips to France, Morocco and the Caribbean – no we are not joking! We are looking for enthusiastic and talented staff to lead our outdoor adventures and teach the very best in outdoor education. Click here for a link to our careers page or email us a careers@thebushcraftcompany.com. THINK OUTSIDE.

To learn more about The Bushcraft Company follow us on Facebook or visit our website http://www.thebushcraftcompany.com

5 day Autumn Harvest
October 24th – 28th 2011 – Click here to book online
Ages 7-15

3 day Autumn Harvest
October 24th – 26th 2011 – Click here to book online
Ages 7-15

Our Autumn Harvest Camps are for children aged 7-12 and are running at Cornbury Park this half-term. What better way to enjoy this Autumn than to spend five days playing conkers, lighting fires, carving pumpkins, scavenging for different plants, and using all sorts of exciting autumnal foods to cook up a storm over open fires.
Each evening the students will play games like catch the flag and stalk the lantern before settling down for a delicious meal and roasting marshmallows over the fire. The children will be sleeping in beautiful bell tents, for a warm and very comfortable stay in the woods. They will not only have the kit they bring but also thick military blankets, and a layer of thick spruce on the ground for added insulation.
 
Activities
Camp-Craft
Wild Food
Workshop
Shelter-building
Scenario SOS
Camouflage and concealment
Wilderness cookery
Wilderness trail
Fun-range
Bushtucker Barbecue
Fire workshop
Navigation workshop
Wilderness first-aid workshop
Wilderness Survival workshop
Prize-giving
Marshmallows around the fire
Orienteering
Wide games
Leave no trace
Pumpkin Carving
Catch the flag
Pizza Kitchen
Tribes Got Talent
Stalk the lantern
Hot chocolate and marshmallows
 
Booking
Booking is easy –
Just click here to book online – you will be asked to enter your email address to begin. Once you have entered all your child’s requirements you will be emailed a pack containing everything you need to know! (kit list, timings, FAQ’s and so on)
 
If you would like a brochure please click here to download one! if you have any questions please feel free to email us at camps@thebushcraftcompany.com or call us on 01608 811 380. If you would like to arrange a call back, where we call you to discuss your requirements, please click here.

Use the code ‘harvest’ to get a 10% discount!

CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE
 

THE ISLAND

Discover a treasure trove of idyllic beaches, blue lagoons and tropical rainforest on our own private Island in the heart of the Caribbean. Immersed in this vibrant landscape, your students will encounter an abundance of wildlife, explore The Island’s vibrant culture and put their Bushcraft skills to the ultimate test.

This non-stop adventure starts off amid the hustle and bustle of St Georges before we delve into the labyrinthine rainforest, and finally set up camp on a private desert island for the ultimate Shipwreck experience.

Living in this diverse environment will give your students a chance to apply their skills in a broad range of contexts and gain a unique insight into life in the tropics. From jungle navigation and primitive fishing techniques, to making shelters out of bamboo and engaging in our thrilling Shipwreck survival scenario, no two days on The Island are the same.

With links to the National Curriculum, the programme explores the rich environmental and agricultural history of the island, from its world-renowned spice and cocoa production to its history of slavery and colonisation.

Working with the island community on an organised project for part of their trip will also give students a chance to socialise with local children, learn about their culture and share new experiences. All of our projects are sustainable and guided by in-country experts to ensure maximum benefit to the local community.

Food
All of the food is freshly prepared on site and the students will cook at least one meal a day. A typical menu might include red snapper, a traditional callaloo soup and fried plantain.

Accommodation
The students will construct and sleep in traditional bamboo longhouses with woven Atap roofs and mosquito nets.
They will also have the opportunity to sleep in hammocks; a favourite in the tropics.

THE FOREST

Our adventure in The Forest visits the ancient woodlands of Western Europe, exploring the ethnobotany and ancient survival methods of our ancestors. With a strong focus on plant identification and wilderness cookery, your students will learn how to live off the land and develop a sense of belonging in the natural world

The trip is wholly immersive and throughout the trip they will retrace the steps of our Neolithic ancestors, setting up traditional feasting sites and learning how to bring food from the wild to the plate.

By taking students into this unfamiliar environment and exposing them to new experiences, we teach them to believe in their abilities and give them the confidence to explore avenues of learning outside the classroom.

Whether they are foraging for edible plants, looking for animal tracks in the undergrowth, wild camping under the stunning canopy, or feasting on fresh salmon and wild boar cooked over an open fire, your students will discover a newfound self-sufficiency.

Food

All of the food is freshly prepared in site, and we use as many locally sourced ingredients as possible. A typical menu might include rabbit stew, traditional bean cassoulet, and fresh fish.

Accommodation

The students will sleep in Native American teepees in a private woodland camp, with a separate tented area for teachers.

Every day spent working at The Bushcraft Company is far from typical. I’ll usually awake at dawn with a jump as my mobile phone sounds an alarm just next to my head. Peering through my sleeping bag the bright morning sunshine will usually offend my vision, and all around me I’ll hear the familiar mumblings of my fellow tribe leaders coming to life. The sounds of muntjac deer barking through the otherwise silent night are now replaced by the cheery bird whistles of a full woodland scale morning chorus.

First things first. Caffeine. We need fire wood, a kettle and a grill stand. Done.

Next step. Check we have all the food we’ll need over the next 36 hours. Done.

Next, full english breakfast for fifty hungry children, four teachers, and six members of staff. Brilliant.

Until working here, I always assumed camping was cold beans and bread, or the highly esteemed bowl of plain porridge. Safe to say my culinary camping prejudice was turned upside down when I discovered The Bushcraft Company menu featured everything from a hearty full-english breakfast to a tantalising dinner of panassed salmon and steamed crayfish.

Lunch today is pizza, served by the lake. I’m dropped off about three hours before the scheduled serving time to prepare all the toppings and collect a huge bundle of firewood for the massive clay oven. Once the oven is roaring at about 400 degrees, the campers line up and watch their pizzas cook in less than a minute. Despite such light-speed cookery, I’ll still hear the all too familiar ”Is it ready yet?” from a select few.

While travelling, I’ve worked as a chef deep in the French Alps and high in the Canadian Rockies. Standing in the heart of one of the largest private woodlands in the country, wearing camouflage trousers and waterproof boots, I’m now armed with a a grill, two cast iron skillets, two large Marika frying pans, two dutch ovens, three saucepans, and a foot-tall wood-fuelled fire. Preparing a 50 strong banquet three times a day, even in a modern kitchen can often be a struggle, and at first the prospect of cooking so much with so little was a little daunting.

However, I soon discovered by drawing upon time-honoured bushcraft techniques from all over the world, each mouth-watering meal can be simple in it’s execution, but masterful in taste and flavour

Be it everything from a simple jungle goat curry left to stew in its own juices for hours over natural flame, or seasoned venison haunches buried under ground in a Polynesian ‘Hangi’ style pit oven, the resulting flavour is always unique and delicious.

Dinner tonight is Beef Fajita’s followed by pineapple upside-down cake. As tiredness starts to kick in, I’m offered a boost of satisfaction when the whole camp eagerly races forward to queue up for second helping.