Bushcraft skills have kept humans alive in the wild for millennia. It was bushcraft that enabled us to leave our caves and build huts. It was bushcraft that enriched our knowledge of fire, fishing, foraging and hunting! These are not skills that everyone has but you can learn them, just as you learn how to drive a car.
The Bushcraft Basics series will explore the world of wilderness survival. Whether you are preparing for the worst or love the great outdoors, Bushcraft Basics could teach you what you need to know to be comfortable and even thrive in the wilderness. Keep reading. There is a lot to learn, starting with the basics.
What Does Bushcraft Mean?
Bushcraft is an umbrella term which loosely encompasses everything we learn about staying alive out in the wilderness. It features all the survival skills you need if you ever lose yourself in the forest or mountains. Bushcraft encompasses key skills that will keep you alive when you suffer the elements.
Big names in bushcraft include; Ray Mears, Ed Stafford, Bear Grylls and Mors Kachanski
What do you do during Bushcraft?
Good examples of bushcraft skills include:
- Fire lighting
- Learning to cook on an open flame
- Earth skills & Woodcraft
- Finding natural resources to craft tools & supplies
- Building shelters (natural or otherwise)
- Finding and purifying water in the wild
- Navigation
- Learning about the plants you can eat and the animals that will eat you.
Fortunately for our UK based audience, there are fewer things that can eat you in the wilderness than there is in the US or Australia. For our foreign bush crafting brothers and sisters: tread lightly and get home safe.
Is Bushcraft a Hobby?
Although the skills you learn when you decide to practice bushcraft are transferable, there are other benefits. Studies show being out in nature improves both our mental and our physical health. It is a hobby, yes, but it is a hobby that might save your life one day. It is a hobby in the same way that learning to swim or ride a bike is a hobby. If it happens to relax you in the process, where is the harm in that?
Bushcraft is Easier with Equipment
As you may have noticed from our list above, certain bushcraft skills are easier when you have equipment. Typical equipment includes items that we just-so-happen to sell in our family-run bushcraft trading post.
Let’s draw your attention to the Antler Firesteel sets we stock. These are ideal for creating the sparks you need to light your fire. They are dependable by comparison to lighters, which run out of gas. They are waterproof, compact and easy to store.
Fire making requires tinder and kindling. A good rule of bushcraft is to collect the resources you need as you go. One of those resources is tinder. A leather or waxed pouch makes tinder collection easier and keeps it dry.
Ultimately Bushcraft is about knowledge above all else. Need a good place to start? why not check out our Firecraft pocket guide to carry with you on your next adventure and trial some traditional fire lighting techniques.
Join us for Bushcraft Basics and Learn Bushcraft Skills for Yourself
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