I have in the past written about the value of a long-log fire in the context of articles detailing the building of a lean-to shelter and later, the renovation of a previously used shelter. This has prompted readers to ask questions about the long-log fire itself, how it should be built, how it should…
When snow falls in the forest, you have multiple winter shelter designs to choose from. One of the classic northern forest shelters is a lean-to with a raised bed and a large long-log fire in front to keep you warm through the coldest of nights. I’ve written about the classic northern forest lean-to shelter…
Every year, there are cases of people who get lost in the woods. And they don’t always do the right thing. In the video above, I share some tips, tricks, and best practice of what to do if you should you find yourself lost or even a little bit geographically confused…
Because they’re frozen, extreme cold environments are practically deserts. In this video and the associated article I share a couple of really effective methods of generating water in a frozen environment. Unless you have a specialist tool to cut through ice, getting at the water underneath the ice is extremely difficult. There is plenty of water present though, in the form of snow and the key to accessing it is…
Over the past few years I have created a number of tutorial articles and videos on fire techniques relevant to the north woods or northern forest in winter. Here I pull together all of these threads into one coherent resource along with some new material and answers to FAQs…
Winter is a time when many people semi-hibernate, spending much less time outdoors than in the summer. I’m not sure why, as I love experiencing all the seasons. I know many readers of this blog feel the same way. There’s nothing quite like a walk in the woods or across the fields on a…
In this episode I talk with Dr Sarita Robison, Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). Dr Robinson studies human behaviour in response to life-threatening situations and has been involved with research into survival psychology since 1999. We discuss…
When we head out for multi-day hikes, we’re usually quite considered in our choice of equipment. As soon as a trip involves spending at least one night out, we’re usually found reaching for appropriate sleeping equipment, a cooking pot, a means of lighting a fire or a stove, a head-torch, and toilet paper amongst…
You don’t need to look far for almost countless incident reports, news items and accounts of woe whereby ordinary folk have found themselves in difficulty in the great outdoors due to lack of basic skills and knowledge. So, how do we make sure we have the attitude, skills, knowledge and equipment to see us…
Lean-to shelters have become one of the touchstones of bushcraft, particularly northern forest bushcraft. They are often held up as superb survival shelter – in combination with a long log fire – ideal for surviving cold conditions with limited or no sleeping equipment. This combination is indeed very effective in keeping you warm through…