If you ask people to draw up a list of the equipment they think important to take with them on a winter journey or on a winter camping trip, particularly in the northern forest, they might state an axe for felling dead standing wood for firewood. They might also state a saw for sawing up that firewood into manageable lengths but…
In cold environments, a very good set of mittens is essential. A truly good set of mittens is hard to find, though. There’s a lot of tat on the market. Plus mittens that are ideal for one type of environment or activity are not necessarily ideal for another. For a long time I was…
A heated tent is a fantastic way to spend the long, dark nights of winter outdoors, particularly in the deep cold of the far north. While a modern four-season mountain tent – or even a bivvy – may be tolerable for a few nights out in sub-zero temperatures, when it comes to truly living…
It’s difficult to go anywhere without being presented with the opportunity to extend or refresh your tree and plant knowledge, even in urban environments. Previously I’ve written about urban botanising and making the sharpening of your tree and plant identification skills part of your daily practice. So it was the other day when I…
As with any fire lighting exercise, starting a fire with feathersticks can go one of two ways – it either works or it doesn’t. You end up with an established fire or you don’t. Nature doesn’t offer any middle grades for fire lighting. You get an A-grade or you fail. If you’re fortunate, you…