Here are some lovely words and pictures from Woodlore student Tom Wilson, who attended the Woodlore Fundamental Bushcraft course on 27th May this year. He felt inspired on the train on his way home to write the following:

A leaf litter shelter built on the Fundamental Bushcraft course

From the tarps and the shelters we did rise,

With stretches and yawns, our smiles reached to the eyes,

And so one by one we all made our way,

Back to where last night our fire was laid,

Awoken the embers from their ashen bed,

To their breakfast of wood, good, dry, wholesome and dead.

So soon was the kettle put on for a brew,

Talk began on what we were to do,

Though to some these could have been dull chores,

Relaxing and enjoying a brew on the Fundamental Bushcraft course

We relished in our task and were never to be bored.

We built our comforts from roots, barks and sticks,

Under the instruction of the wise who taught skills but no tricks,

And attentive students we all tried to be,

For they shared out their knowledge so that we could be free,

From modern day gimmicks and overweight packs,

They filled up our heads to spare us our backs,

They taught us to respect and leave not a trace,

For the land which we love is so hard to replace.

And so in this way the days too quickly passed,

But friendships were formed that are destined to last,

And though there came the time to take our own trails,

We are left armed with the knowledge so we should not fail.

The group at the end of the Fundamental Bushcraft course

Thank you to all the Woodlore team and especially to Nick, Ross and Callum for all their time, patience and effort they put into making the course what it was.

– Tom Wilson