In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about water purification for self-propelled journeys such as back-packing and bike-packing. I also answer a question about an often misunderstood or ignored area of navigation related to magnetic variation and the necessary compass adjustments…
Autumn brings golden leaf hues, low sun angles, casting long shadows in the afternoon, cold, crisp air as night falls, and Orion coming into view above the horizon, as the skies darken. In my book, these are all aspects of the season to be savoured, positive reasons to be outside, not inside and, yes, even camping. More specifically, if you want to continue to extend your bushcraft knowledge and skills, even as summer is left behind and autumn progresses into winter, there is much to be done. Furthermore, keeping your existing skills honed over the darker and colder months of the year will mean by the time spring comes you won’t be rusty. This article contains of ideas for extending your bushcraft year, getting the most out of your time outdoors in autumn and, through this continued focus, expanding your bushcraft skills and knowledge….
In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about forest access and fire rules, how to deal with the issue of kit and clothing getting wet, and suggestions for setting up tarp lines at head height, along with some thoughts on knot repertoire….
In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on getting fit for backpacking, keeping leather boots in good condition when out for a while, and which is my go-to bivvy bag.
Here’s my main stage presentation from the August 2021 Great Outdoors Festival in the U.K. The aim of this presentation was to explore some commonly held beliefs and accepted wisdom, and see how these concepts fit together, or don’t. In particular, I wanted to explore how a modern person utilising wilderness skills can build strong and active connections with the nature, despite this not sitting as comfortably as it might with some of the modern outdoor credos…
Answers to questions about whether I will ever write a book, why some ferro rods or firesteels don’t work very well, and whether my bushcraft philosophy has changed over the years…
Theresa Emmerich Kamper, PhD, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter and author of Determining Prehistoric Skin Processing Technologies, has over 25 years of experience in prehistoric skin tanning and clothing construction. She joins me on this podcast to talk in detail about traditional tanning, prehistoric skin processing, making clothing from skins and furs, and much more. I could probably have called this episode “Everything you wanted to know about tanning but were afraid to ask”….
How to sharpen an axe? Having a good answer to this question is something that should concern anyone who carries or uses an axe. In principle sharpening an axe is not particularly difficult, although there is an additional consideration over the technique that works for sharpening many knives. In the video here I look at using bench stones, modified bench stones, specialist axe stones, small pocket stones, as well as stropping. I finish with a few words on protecting your axe after you have finished sharpening it….
Kevin Callan, The Happy Camper, asked me to join him on one of his Whisky Fireside Chat series of video interviews. As usual it was fun chatting with Kevin and along the way, we covered a lot. The jumping-off point for the conversation is the publication of my book Wilderness Axe Skills and Campcraft…
John Boe is a British military veteran with PTSD. In this podcast episode we have a candid discussion about John’s condition, how it manifested itself and how he came to realise he found solace in time spent in nature, especially in the woods. This ultimately led to a second career as a bushcraft instructor, delivering courses through Wildway Bushcraft, based in the South West of the UK. Having John join me on this podcast was also a good opportunity to discuss aspects of John’s experience in establishing himself as a bushcraft instructor and starting his own bushcraft school, and to draw out some broader lessons for those looking for a pathway in bushcraft instruction.