Scout leaders having fun down in the woods – the Back to Bushcraft – Scout Leaders sleepover provided the opportunity to learn new Bushcraft skills, sharpen up old ones and put them all into practice.
Enthusiasm for practical skills by Scout leaders has been fantastic, I’ve had to add extra dates to meet demand and there is already a keen following for courses in the Spring!
Here is our classroom; early morning sunlight shining through the parachute. Fire lighting included fire steels, batteries and wire wool, flint and steel and here you can see a Scout leader creating an ember by compression using a fire piston!
Putting it all into practice, building a small fire; note a raft to keep the fire above the cold damp ground and stacking the kindling and small sticks in a ‘v’ shape, creating height and allowing the breeze to oxygenate the fire.
Fantastic experience, learning basics for outdoor sleeping without the use of tents, cooking on open fires and not relying on gas
Team work certainly pays off, fire-by-friction can be a little bit of a challenge, especially when it’s your first time. Scout leaders worked in pairs, using a bow drill to achieve fire by friction. I was pleased to see Leaders from my Scout Group being the first to get their fire going – well done!
One of the shelters that were built with natural materials – lovely with the leaves around the door! Scout Leaders slept out in these warm leafy shelters for the night.
Great teacher, great fun, great learning – thanks David