As we look ahead to our next Namibia expedition in 2016, Woodlore’s Dan Hume unearths some unseen photos from his last visit to this remarkable country.
Isaac, one of our bushman guides, and Ray pause under the shade of a tree for a few moments before continuing to look for leopard tracks
Keeping your knives and axes sharp is important for several reasons. Not only does a sharp tool make carving one of the greatest joys of bushcraft, it is also safer. When working with a blunt knife or axe you have to exert more pressure; this increases the chance of a slip and means that any ensuing cut will be more severe. As such, the ability to sharpen your tools to a razor’s edge is an essential skill. This classic clip from the Bushcraft Survival days shows Ray’s preferred method for sharpening his axe whilst at camp:
Keeping your tools sharp is important for several reasons. Not only does a sharp tool make carving one of the greatest joys of bushcraft, it is also safer. When working with a blunt tool you have to exert more pressure; this increases the chance of a slip and means that any ensuing cut will be more severe. As such, the ability to sharpen your tools to a razor’s edge is an essential skill. This classic clip from the Bushcraft Survival days shows Ray’s preferred method for sharpening his knives whilst at camp:
In addition to the above video guide, we’ve also included Ray’s written guide below, taken from Essential Bushcraft:
We Belong To It, a short film featuring Ray Mears exploring Ontario by canoe, recently won top honours in the Canoeing category at the 10th annual Reel Paddling Film Festival 2015. Created by Goh Iromoto, this wonderful film follows Ray as he journeys into the heart of Wabakimi Provincial Park in northern Ontario, Canada. We Belong To It explores the visual beauty of the Boreal forest landscape, and delves into Ray’s reflections on nature, and his mastered skill set in bushcraft. Continue reading
Ray Mears has been confirmed as the Saturday night speaker at this year’s Keswick Mountain Festival, where he will be giving two talks from the revered Theatre By The Lake.
From their 400-seat Main House, Ray will be sharing tales from his time spent surviving, and observing wildlife in some of the most beautiful and challenging wilderness areas of the world. These talks will take place at 17:15 and 20:15 on Saturday 16th May 2015. For more information, or to book your ticket, please click here.
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
The Ray Mears & Woodlore Bushcraft Blog 