With the upcoming course season celebrating our 35th anniversary, the Woodlore field team assembled to share tales of adventures over the winter and maintain skills and knowledge in preparation for a very exciting year, with Ray leading a selection of time-honoured courses.
Fundamental Bushcraft with Ray Mears
Woodlore Aspirant Instructor and Quartermaster David Southey recently enjoyed some well-earned downtime following his trip to Finland, assisting Ray on the Woodlore Winter Bushcraft in the Northen Forest Expedition and before the busy course season gets underway in April.
Winter Bushcraft in the Northern Forest
Ray has been interviewed by several newspapers, magazines and radio presenters over the past few months as we are celebrating Woodlore’s 35th Anniversary.
Ray Mears
Our final instalment from Senior Assistant Callum Hilder, of his recent solo trip to the Cairngorm National Park:
So lunch over and a chill coming over me from sitting down I move on. As I continue around the base of the Forest of Mar I can see woodland in the distance. After a short while I cross the Lin of Dee river and see numerous signs stating ‘no fires’, quite rightly as it is very dry and the vegetation let alone the peaty ground is perfect tinder, sadly though I come across a ring of stones with a large old fire inside. This really spoils the countryside and I am so very glad that I have been taught to leave no trace wherever I camp!
Fire remains
Our second instalment from Senior Assistant Callum Hilder, of his recent solo trip to the Cairngorm National Park:
As I wake (a little late!) to the sun glowing through the walls of my tent, I climb out of my sleeping bag and have a simple breakfast by the side of the river – even more majestic in the dawn sunlight.
Tent in the morning
Senior Assistant Callum Hilder has started training for the Mountain Leader Award and shares his recent experience with us during a solo trip to the Cairngorm National Park:
Wilderness travel, exploration and its enjoyment are some of the principles that Woodlore was founded upon. Being a part of Woodlore has enabled me to begin making solo journeys and I have recently come back from five days in the Cairngorm National Park in Scotland, putting into practice many of the skills we teach and that I continue to learn.
Our Woodlore courses due to take place in 2019 are now available to book on the website. In celebration of our 35th Anniversary, Ray has offered his time to lead some of his usual courses, alongside some of our classics, giving everyone the chance to learn a range of bushcraft skills directly from Ray.
Ray Mears
Chris Boyton
It is with deep sadness that Woodlore shares the news of the untimely passing of Chris Boyton:
There are a few names that stand out in the history of British archery, King Henry I, King Edward I, Robyn Hode, King Henry V, Roger Ascham, Adrian Eliot Hodgkin and Robert Hardy. To these revered champions of Archery must now be added Christopher Boyton. Who sadly passed away on Sunday.
Over this past weekend, our Purchasing and Project Manager Paul Cook took part in the Crusader Mossy Match; an annual angling event for charity, which took place in Bedfordshire.
Paul Cook
The event was a real success, everyone enjoyed themselves but we were all gunning for the cup and took it very seriously. The conditions were very hot, with high air pressure, this combined with sixteen other anglers made the fishing particularly hard. I managed to take the lead halfway into the session and stayed there until the end.
During the competition I used my own homemade baits and various fishing techniques to raise the catch rate but persisting with my usual tactics seemed to do the trick.
I was lost for words when the trophy was handed over and I am looking forward to taking part again next year.
– Paul Cook
Gordon Hillman
It is with deep regret that Woodlore must pass on this sad news:
There is truly only one certainty in any human being’s life, one day our time on the earth will end. Sadly, that moment came for Professor Gordon Hillman on Saturday, when after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease he passes quietly from this world.
The Ray Mears & Woodlore Bushcraft Blog 