Tarp Knots- The Evenk Hitch
Continuing our knots for tarps series here is the primary knot, tied first of all, against which we can pull our tarp out from: The Evenk Hitch, named for the indigenous siberian peoples who taught this knot to Ray Mears in the 1990's and who in turn applied it his book Bushcraft.
June's Walk Follow Up
Each month I lead a relaxed Sunday evening walk around the beautiful Grenoside Woods, we look at various aspects of tree and plant knowledge as well as some specific bushcraft knowledge. During June’s walk we had a couple of discussions which I wanted to summarise concisely here for those that attended, but also to those that haven’t been on a walk with us yet an insight into what we find when we’re wandering around.
Tarp Knots- Tarp to Tail
FOLLOWING ON FROM THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE IN THIS BLOG FEATURING THE METHOD I EMPLOY TO TIE A GUYLINE OUT TO AN ANCHOR POINT, I THOUGHT WE'D LOOK AT THE OTHER END OF THE LINE AND EXPLORE A COUPLE OF KNOTS I EMPLOY TO ATTACH THE GUYLINE TO THE TARP CORNERS.
Personal Carry Kit for a Canoe Trip
Following along with my prep for next week's canoe trip this quick article will highlight what I'll be carrying in my pockets and on my person. Generally I usually have a combination of all this equipment on me whilst in the outdoors, and it forms the foundation of my wilderness outfit.
Making Garlic Bread With Jack...
This time of year is an excellent time to begin an interest in foraging for wild food. I generally dip into natures larder to augment what's in the cupboards at home, and today I wanted to share a simple recipe for a garlic bread. Using three home ingredients and two foraged from a walk in the woods with my kids this morning, we'll smash out a amazing rustic loaf in about 30 minutes.
The Start of a Canoeing Adventure
Always the student of Nature, I've decided this year to increase my experience in canoeing... from not much to some! I also thought it might to useful to log my progress this year to see what it is I learn. Here, then, is my first attempt at a day pack for a two day trip I have coming up. Based largely on what I'd pack for hiking bag, with the addition of a 'ditch kit' for when (not if) I fall in the Loch. So, what's in my pack:
The Adjustable (slippery) Guyline Hitch, stay flexible!
Knots can seem daunting, especially when you're new to them, and knowing which ones will be useful to you when faced with a bookful is enough to put anyone off; so in this and the next couple of articles I'll highlight the knots I use most often. Here we'll look at the Adjustable Guyline Hitch.
Home is where the tarp is...
Hot flask, binoculars, waterproof jacket, lunch...all essential for a walk in the backcountry true but many a lunchtime break has been damped by rain and soggy, soggy sandwiches.
Carrying a tarp in your rucksack when outdoors has become a habit for me, being from the island paradise that is Great Britain has meant I've had to grow up with a constant watch on the horizon for rain even in the summer, and a good lightweight tarp in my pack has saved many a lunchtime from an otherwise miserable fate
Round House Weekend Build
In collaboration with Tom Bardon at Greenman Learning we'd planned to build a small scale outdoor classroom of sorts, a kind of multi functional space of utility and humble beauty. As we planned the build we realised there would be a fair amount of practical joinery work and tool use which could be useful for other outdoor practitioners to learn. Thus we embarked on designing a weekend around delivering basic methods of round wood building and hand tool skills. Importantly we wanted to give participants the opportunity to spend some time in the woods without having to look after their usual groups, and work towards learning new skills on a substantial project. A fully catered night in our private woods it was then!