Some of you dedicated Woodlore blog fans may remember an interview that took place with Dan Hume back in August 2011, that comprised of questions asked by you. This year we are offering you the chance to put questions to our recently appointed Instructor Keith Whitehead. Keith has very kindly offered himself up as an interviewee, and will be answering a selection of your questions on topics chosen by you.
Woodlore Instructor Keith Whitehead
In the heart of winter, it can seem that the long, dark nights are closing in around us. But the forest, seemingly asleep, is already making preparations for the most spectacular of its annual displays. The days are already starting to draw out again as we are blessed with crisp mornings, and soon we will feel the excitement of change in the air. Look closely and you will see that buds of many trees are already formed, holding close their furled treasure; spring is waiting.
The magic of the British woodlands in spring is the wonder of transformation and new life. The leaner times of winter are washed away in a flood of colour, scent and sound. Once again we can rest in coppices bathed in the deep perfume of ramsons; walk beneath the cathedral bowers of the beech, fresh in the succulence of their new leaves; drift slowly to sleep, lulled by the heady perfume of bluebells, and wake to the serenade of birdsong. These are the experiences that form our year and bring renewed vigour to our love of the forest. There is an irrepressible thrill, a deep connection with the life of these very special places, which wakes the soul and sets our pace into the coming year.
As the sun’s weak rays start to muster their strength and bring warmth to our forest home, the plants that surround us respond with generosity. The sap will rise in the birch, giving us a short-lived opportunity to enjoy this invigorating draft. The willow will loosen its bark, allowing us to harvest the fibres needed for cordage at this time of year, and many other plants will provide their fresh, young leaves, ready for salads: a welcome repast which speaks of the freshness of the season.
The following post was kindly written by Woodlore customer Tim Farrington, seen below in his finished birch bark canoe: 
Having first seen Aaron York’s Abenaki canoe in Ray Mears’ book Bushcraft, and then watching the César’s Bark Canoe documentary on the National Film Board of Canada’s website, I was eager to find out more about these amazing crafts.
You can now watch the sixth and final episode of Ray’s latest series, Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears, online. Simply click on the image below to be taken to the official ITV Player website:
Ray on location on the Isle of Skye
Ray’s latest series comes to a close this week, with the sixth and final episode of Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears hitting our screens at 7:30 PM on Tuesday 30th December, on ITV1.
In this episode, Ray journeys to the magnificent Isle of Skye in search of Britain’s rarest bird of prey, the spectacular sea eagle. Yet, it is a golden eagle he spots overhead which truly inspires him. He says: “I could watch that bird all day. It’s so majestic, and it makes our puny efforts at moving through this landscape seem completely ridiculous. It’s wonderful. You know, native people all over the world considered eagles to have a special affinity with the creator because they flew so high – I think they’re right.”
If you missed episode five, in which Ray explored Borrowdale in the Lake District, you can still catch up on the ITV Player here.
You can now watch the fifth and penultimate episode of Ray’s latest series, Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears, online. Simply click on the image below to be taken to the official ITV Player website:
Ray Mears in Ontario (photo by Goh Iromoto)
The latest issue of The Great Outdoors magazine includes a feature on Ray’s recent canoeing trip in Ontario, Canada. Ray gave his own first-hand account in a previous blog post of ours, but it’s interesting to see the trip from another point of view. Peter Coombs joined Ray and Becky Mason for a portion of their adventure, and his article can be seen in the January issue of The Great Outdoors, which went on sale today. To whet your appetite, here’s an excerpt: Continue reading
Ray with the book’s author, Martin Hayward Smith
A new book has been released this autumn, chronicling the captivating lives of one of Britain’s most recognisable native species. My Year with Hares records one man’s amazing year-long obsession with this fascinating animal, from his addiction to finding and photographing them through the seasons, to rearing a rescued leveret.
The book’s author is one Martin Hayward Smith, a professional wildlife cameraman and photographer, who has travelled the world extensively for the BBC and Discovery, among many other companies. Ray and Martin first worked together during the filming for Ray’s Wild Britain series, and it was this chance meeting that ultimately led to Ray writing the foreword to Martin’s beautiful book.
Read on for Ray’s foreword in its entirety, along with a selection of Martin’s images, taken from My Year with Hares:
If you want to see wildlife you need to dress warmly and in colours that blend in with your surroundings. Then go outdoors when others are indoors and sit perfectly still. Remain perfectly still even if it involves suffering. Continue reading
Having returned from an extremely successful expedition in Namibia this year, we wanted to share with you a small taster of our experiences:
Isaac, one of our San Bushman guides
Ray Mears on location in the Lake District
To those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the next episode of Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears, we would like to thank you for your ongoing patience. Episode five, which sees Ray travelling to Borrowdale in the Lake District, will be broadcast at 7:30 PM on Tuesday 23rd December, on ITV1.
The Ray Mears & Woodlore Bushcraft Blog 