Tag Archives: Ray Mears

Wild River with Ray Mears – Coming Soon to ITV

Ray returns to our screens on New Year’s Day with a one-off hour-long programme on the natural wonders of the River Wye. Take a look at the official trailer below:

Regarded as one of the most stunning waterways in the world, the Wye runs for over 200 km between Wales and England, flowing through spectacular mountain gorges and forests teeming with wildlife.

Wild River will be broadcast for the first time on Friday 1st January 2016 at 17:30 on ITV1.

Ray Mears Tour Dates for 2016 – ‘Tales of Endurance’

We are very excited to announce that Ray Mears will be embarking on a brand new tour in 2016, entitled ‘Tales of Endurance’. Please scroll down to see the full list of dates and venues.

Ray Mears - Tales of Endurance Continue reading

Ontario Tourism Expedition – Winner Revealed

Thank you to everyone who entered the recent Ontario Tourism competition to win a wilderness adventure to Ontario with Ray Mears. Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership has now revealed the winner of their UK prize draw. Congratulations to Jonathan Armstrong (pictured with his wife below) from Manchester, who was drawn at random from over 26,000 entries to the competition.

Jonathan and Joanne Armstrong

Jonathan and Joanne Armstrong, winners of the trip of a lifetime with Ray Mears to Ontario

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Memories of Namibia

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.

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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

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How to Cook Outdoors: Hunter’s Stew

How to Cook Outdoors: Venison Stew

When we hunt for our own food, we can rest assured that the animal has led a free and natural life, that has come to an instant and humane end. Deer have been hunted in the woodlands of Britain for thousands of years and, as such, their meat forms a very natural part of our diets.

Venison is one of the leanest and healthiest of red meats, and a casserole provides a great way of cooking it outdoors. The Hunter’s Stew is a hearty, warming meal that is perfect for the cold evenings of winter and early spring. The dish shown here was cooked in a small Dutch Oven suspended over the fire, and served two people.

Ingredients:

  • 2 x small venison steaks
  • 1 x handful of flour
  • 1 x knob of butter
  • 1 x large onion
  • 2 x cloves of garlic
  • 6 x rashers of bacon
  • 1 x handful of mushrooms
  • 2 x sticks of celery
  • 2 x carrots
  • 1/2 bulb of fennel
  • 1/2 bottle of Merlot
  • 2 x bay leaves
  • 1 x sprig of thyme
  • 1 x tablespoon of honey

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Essential Skills for the Season Ahead

The following post was written by Woodlore Fundamental Instructor and Quartermaster, Keith Whitehead:

Last week saw the members of Woodlore’s field staff gathering in East Sussex for their annual training week. After a winter apart, this was an opportunity to meet once again, share stories, reaffirm friendships and get down to the serious business of preparation for the coming year. Every member of the team is expected to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to the subject that inspires us all and we were not left disappointed by the level of professionalism, leadership and skill that is the mark of our team.

Ray teaching during staff training week

Ray spoke to his field staff about the importance of first aid in wild places

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‘We Belong To It’ – A Short Film of Ray Mears in Northern Ontario

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 to Appear at Keswick Mountain Festival

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.

Ray Mears, Keswick Mountain Festival

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.

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Watch Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears – Episode 6 – Isle of Skye

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:

Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears - Episode 6

Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears – Episode 6 – Isle of Skye

Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears Episode 6

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.