Survival & Bushcraft at Woodberry Wetlands

Only by experiencing the outdoor world first hand can you learn how to exist comfortably within your natural environment. This introductory course is aimed at those who want to learn the fundamentals of sustaining themselves in the wilds. Covering the main principles of food, water, fire and shelter, this intensive, but enjoyable day spent wholly in nature will teach you the basic skills needed for survival.

The day begins with a health & safety presentation followed by a tutorial about the protocols of knife usage and how to make tools and cordage from materials available within your surroundings. With these basics under your belt, you will be shown how to build various shelters, including A frame, lean to, and one-man kennel styles, taking into considering the location, conditions and materials at hand.

Firelighting is one of the crucial bushcraft skills to master and you will be introduced to the various fire lays (the way wood is assembled before lighting) for different uses and taught to select appropriate kindling for the many ways of lighting and maintaining your fire. You will get plentiful hands on opportunity to try out the different methods with one to one guidance from your tutors. At the end of the day you will also learn etiquette in extinguishing and removing traces of your fire.

Although you won’t be catching your own lunch on this course due to time limitations, hunting techniques such as rigging snares and traps will be covered and you will practice how to prepare your catch from fur or feather. Vegetarian options will also be available and your instructor will introduce you to foraging for the useful plant life that surrounds us. After cooking lunch, there will be a chill out break to enjoy food round the campfire.

In the afternoon we will cover one of the key human needs for survival, water and teach you how to source, collect, filter and purify water for drinking. The day will close with an overview of camp management and a recap of everything learned throughout. There will also be plenty of time for Q&A and advice.

The course takes place throughout the Woodberry Wetlands reserve and is suitable for beginners and those with some experience.