Author Archives: Woodlore Team

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About Woodlore Team

Woodlore, The School of Wilderness Bushcraft, was founded in 1983 by the British Bushcraft expert Ray Mears.

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 4

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The sight that greeted me on day 4 of our Birch Bark Canoe Building Course was a huge leap forward from my previous visits. Despite being the hottest day of the year so far, the group continued to work hard and were clearly enjoying seeing their efforts pay off, with the canoe already framed, pegged and being sewn together. Traditional tools and natural thread were used throughout and, as you can see below, the results were striking. Meanwhile, Ray unveiled a special, ceremonial sweat lodge which had been crafted earlier in the week, and students continued to carve their very own canoe paddles.

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith - Day 4

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 4

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Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 3

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Day 3 of our Birch Bark Canoe Building Course saw the group move out of the dense woods and into open space, giving them the room they needed to begin assembling the canoe itself. With the unveiling of two beautiful rolls of Canadian birch bark, the team started to build the basic framework from the materials they prepared earlier in the week. Once in place, we get our first real glimpse of the craft that is just a few days away from completion.

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 3

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 3

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Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 2

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Day 2 was the first full day of our Birch Bark Canoe Building Course and spirits were high; despite the hard work ahead, the anticipation and excitement was clear to see in the students. Seeking shelter from the sun, the team worked together with master canoe builder Pinock Smith on hand and, by the end of the day, they had achieved a great deal of preparation work for this momentous project.

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith - Day 2

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 2

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Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith – Day 1

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This week sees an incredibly unique course taking place right here in the UK, in celebration of Woodlore’s 30th Anniversary. The Birch Bark Canoe Building Course started yesterday afternoon, and has brought together some highly influential figures from the world of Bushcraft.

Birch Bark Canoe Building with Ray Mears and Pinock Smith

Ray Mears begins carving his canoe paddle

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Ray Mears Close Encounters – The New ITV Series

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Ray Mears while on location for Close Encounters

Ray Mears while on location for Close Encounters

The first episode of Ray’s brand new series, Ray Mears Close Encounters, will be broadcast at 9:00 pm on Wednesday 17th July on ITV1. 

In this new two-part documentary series, survival expert and presenter Ray Mears follows two of Australia’s most iconic animals, the Saltwater Crocodile and Tasmanian Devil. By studying these animals up close and in the wild, Ray gains a privileged insight into their unique habitats, in Australia’s Northern Territory and Tasmania’s wilderness. Continue reading →

Leg of Lamb à la Woodlore

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Students of our Traditional Living Skills course were treated to a fantastic bit of al fresco dining one evening last week. In between shelter building and hand-drill practice, our Woodloreans were presented with this juicy, slow-cooked leg of lamb, courtesy of our experienced instructors:

Supper time on the Traditional Living Skills course

Supper time on the Traditional Living Skills course

Supper time on the Traditional Living Skills course

Supper time on the Traditional Living Skills course

Building and expanding on the skills of the Fundamental Bushcraft course, Traditional Living Skills is designed for those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of Bushcraft, and is ideal for those preparing for our Journeyman course.

Introducing the Ray Mears Leaf Cutter Rucksack

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It gives us great pleasure to introduce to you the Ray Mears Leaf Cutter Rucksack, the first ever pack to have been designed and tested by Ray Mears himself:

The Ray Mears Leaf Cutter Rucksack

The Ray Mears Leaf Cutter Rucksack

Manufactured in small numbers right here in Great Britain, the Leaf Cutter Rucksack offers 58 litres of packing volume in its main compartment despite weighing in at just 1.8 kg.
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Order Your Signed Copy of Ray Mears’ Autobiography, My Outdoor Life

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The first ever autobiography by Ray Mears, entitled My Outdoor Life, is now available to pre-order. Each copy sold through Woodlore will come individually signed by Ray Mears himself – a service that is not available through any other stockists.

Please click here to pre-order your copy today

My Outdoor Life - The Ray Mears Autobiography

 

*All orders will be dispatched following the book’s release date of 12th September 2013.

Three of the Best: Waterproof Jackets

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Your jacket is often your first line of defence against the elements, so it’s important to choose one that isn’t going to let you down. Woodlore stock a wide range of premium outdoor jackets – here are just three of our favourites:

1. Swazi/Ray Mears Tahr XP Anorak

First in line is the legendary Swazi Tahr XP Anorak – an unmistakable piece of outdoor gear that has become Ray Mears’ firm favourite over the years. Originally designed for use by the farm workers of New Zealand (a people who see more than their fair share of rain), news soon spread of its unrivalled wet-weather performance and the anorak was quickly adopted by bushcraft enthusiasts and outdoor professionals around the world. With its extra-long cut, world-renowned hood design and highly breathable AEGIS fabric, the Tahr XP is the cream of the crop when it comes to staying dry.

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How to Sharpen Your Knife or Axe with Ice Bear Waterstones

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For anyone interested in buying a set of Ice Bear Japanese Waterstones, the following video guides from Ray Mears may prove to be very useful. They’re especially helpful if you are not already familiar with the different techniques involved in using these larger benchstones.

Ice Bear Japanese Waterstones - Sharpening Set

The Ice Bear Japanese Waterstone Sharpening Set

Each video shows Ray using the comprehensive Ice Bear Sharpening Set (which includes both 800 and 2,000 grit stones, a clamp and nagura stone), as well as an additional 1,200 Grit Waterstone.

First up is the Ray Mears guide on how to sharpen your bushcraft knife:

Second is a guide for owners of Gransfors Axes:

Click here to view the full range of Sharpening Tools at Woodlore