David Willis is a teacher of Bushcraft and Wilderness Living Skills. He can be found baking bread and rustling up tasty meals over a campfire, whittling spoons, foraging for edibles, walking in the woods and soaking up everything nature has to offer.

He has served with the Royal Engineers in Belize, spent time living alongside the Maasai in the Rift Valley and learning from the Bushman of the Kalahari, motorcycled around Europe, built and paddled his canoe along British rivers, and loves heading out on adventures.

Escaping the corporate world was his best decision ever, with a long career in technology development and consulting, David now loves teaching adults and children, sharing the skills needed to enjoy living life and having fun outdoors!

Press, Media, Publications

David the teacher

David enjoys teaching adults just as much as he does children and teenagers. So whilst one day he may be teaching adults the skills needed for a team building exercise, the next may  be teaching young children how to safely light a fire or teens how to  whittle with a knife.

From an early age, David loved being outdoors. In those formative years, he had fun exploring the local parks and woodlands, building camps and lighting fires with his friends. Camped out, they were always slightly nervous about who would find them and spooked by the unfamiliar sounds of wildlife.

Now, years later it’s wonderful to help others regain some of those often lost childhood experiences, become confident living outdoors and reconnect with nature.

Professionally accredited and qualified

David is a professionally accredited / qualified Bushcraft instructor of 12 years standing, with a former career in the information technology industry after serving with HM Forces in The Royal Engineers.

Trained in First Aid and an expedition leader for lowland Britain, David is a ‘Certificated Practitioner’ with the Institute for Outdoor Learning and active member of the Bushcraft Professional Practice Group (PPG) – both as a participant and in workshop delivery.

David achieved the Bushcraft Leadership & NCFE qualification in 2009/2010, covering: outdoor living skills, natural history, woodland crafts, leadership and instruction (and a whole lot more – you are welcome to ask!). A fabulous and challenging year of education under the instruction of John Rhyder (formerly instructor for Ray Mears), living in the wilds of West Sussex at his Woodcraft School.

As a professional Bushcraft instructor, David maintains public liability insurance for the protection of students and the woodlands where he teaches and for when he works with children or vulnerable adults he has a current enhanced DBS / CRB certificate.