Canoeing The River Spey With Kevin Callan, Ray Goodwin and Justine Curgenven – part 1
Ray Goodwin and I take Kevin Callan and Justine Curgenven down the River Spey on a magical mystery tour of water, whisky and wild haggis…
#AskPaulKirtley Episode 43 – Traditional Crafts In Modern Outdoor Trips, Cheaper Full-Tang Knives, Places To Camp In The Woods
In this episode I answer questions on integrating traditional crafts into modern outdoor trips, how to stop people leaving rubbish at campsites, washing, cooking and camping in bear country, outdoor clothing sizes and where to buy, how young is too young for bushcraft, variations in basic bushcraft kit for the Rockies, cheaper full-tang knives, list of places to camp in the woods…
PK Podcast 019: Post-Trip Post-Script With Kevin Callan, Justine Curgenven and Ray Goodwin
Sitting down around a table in a wooden chalet in Scotland, Kevin Callan, Ray Goodwin, Justine Curgenven and I talk about the canoe trip down the river Spey we’d just finished the very same day. This is an enjoyable yet insightful reflection by four outdoors people on a fun week on the river…
#AskPaulKirtley Episode 42 – Weird Encounters At Night, Drugs Tests, Predators and Wild Edibles
Weird encounters at night, drying clothes, drugs tests and foraging, bow drill notch details, predators and rewilding, carcinogenic campfires, learning more about wild edibles…
Wild Wanderings 6 – River Spey Canoe Journey
A River Spey canoe journey is something I do at least a couple of times each year, usually in the early autumn. For some people this repetition gives rise to the question, “doesn’t it get boring doing the same river over and over again?” No it doesn’t. This photoblog article seeks to illustrate some of the many reasons why…
#AskPaulKirtley Episode 41 – Winter Bushcraft And Outdoor Life Questions
In this episode I cover carbon monoxide and winter shelters, candles for quinzhees, snow shelter construction, toilets in cold weather, sweaty clothes, food for exhausting day hikes, wilderness ski touring and anoraks for cold weather…
Halloween Pumpkin Carnage
A bit of Halloween fun… Preparing for the zombie pumpkin apocalypse results in pumpkin carnage via 12 gauge pump action and 20 gauge semi auto shotguns…
Winter Bivvying – How To Stay Warm In A World Of Cold
Winter means different things to different people. Moreover, the degree of winter conditions as you range from the tropics to higher latitudes varies immensely. There are, of course, nuances and subtleties to each winter bivvy situation. A knowledge of some widely-applicable winter bivvy “rules” is, however, a good starting place. Combine this with a good understanding of the fundamentals of how heat is lost to a cold environment plus how these apply specifically to the use of a bivvy, sleeping bag and sleeping mat combination, and you will significantly enhance your winter bivvy experiences. Understanding what you need to do, how to do it and having some experience under your belt, will stand you in good stead to weather difficult situations and, in extremis, may just save your life…
Water Safety In Camp: The Six Pillars
It may not be the most fun part of planning a camp or venturing into the outdoors, but good water hygiene can make the difference between a camp to remember and one to forget!…
Getting Started With Bushcraft: Kit Considerations For Beginners
I have a passion for wilderness skills and encouraging others to go into the woods, to experience nature through the lens of bushcraft. I sometimes fear, though, people may be discouraged from experiencing nature in this way by much of what surrounds bushcraft, rather than what’s at its core. If this is the case, then I see it as a great shame as bushcraft is so beneficial and enriching. In this article I look at some basic items of “bushcraft kit” for the beginner, which will help them get the most from their time in the woods…