May has been a very busy month for us. Different groups joining us for a day in the woods, working with pupils of a school on a 12 week program and our tree identification course walking with trees. Next month our 3 day course on Sharp tools, fire, water, and shelter. Great days out in the woods with great people.

Our walking with tree course should have started in January. Both we and the clients have had to wait until now. What a lovely day to start, blue sky, birds singing, the woodland lush with bluebells about to flower and a carpet of gold with the lesser celandine in all its glory. We are so privileged to have access to this ancient woodland. The day covered coniferous trees, their identification and uses, a guide to safe use of sharp tools and a craft project to put those knife skills to use. Our aim is for the clients to have a great time learning about trees and being inspired by these amazing members of the plant kingdom.
Having just started this course we are now looking at next years, Walking with trees 2022. Limited places so book now, course details here. The dates and cost for next year will be available later in the year.

Lets get out and re engage with the wonderful world around us. We are here to help you, get in touch and see what we can offer you, your family and friends, work place, school.....
We have had a busy week in the woods. It has been great to run some family bush craft days looking at a few skills like fire lighting and using sharp tools. We have just started a 12 week program with a school with the aim to teach bush craft skills to a group of pupils. The hope is that they will take this opportunity to learn, gain self confidence and a sense of reliance. Finally we will start our tree identification course, Walking with trees. This was due to start in January, we are so glad we can now run this, 6 days over the year looking at trees and there uses.
Contact us here

Join us for 3 days and learn some great skills. This is a course which allows you the time to work on these skills with our instructor on hand to guide and teach. Limited places and only a few left so check out the course here Wilderness living skills. 

A six day course on tree identification looking at 40 common trees and learning some great craft skills related to trees. This course starts soon check details here. 

Our introduction to identifying plants, a single day when we will look at wild plants in and around our woodland. we will learn how to identify them and how we can use them. The day also includes a practical element where we will use some of the plants we find. Learn the plants and a new skill.
Dates are April 3rd and 17th, May 1st and 15th. Check the details here

It has not been the usual start to a new year.
BUT
As the days are getting longer, with the sun bringing warmth and new growth,
let's look forward with hope and a positive mind,
looking at nature as it moves from winter to spring and new life.

NEW COURSES FOR 2021
Look out for dates for these great days in the woods.
Edible Dead-able Medical.
An introduction to some woodland plants and their uses. Single day.
Wilderness living skills.
3 days getting to grips with some important skills.

We will continue to provide all the other courses we have run previously.
​We look forward to creating an amazing experience in the woods.
Contact us now and get booked in.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS
TO ALL WHO HAVE JOINED US OVER THE PAST YEAR,
including friends, past clients, and those who follow us.

It has been a tough year, full of uncertainty and struggles.
The best days we have had all center around time in the woods and wild places.
On our own, or with family, friends and clients.
We aim to have more of these wonderfully wild days next year.
Keep positive.
Look forward.
Hope.
Be the best.
Stay safe.

A magnificent Horse Chestnut tree, Aesculus hippocastanum. This species was introduced in the late 16th century from Turkey and widely planted, it is not usually found in woodlands but some have found there way into the wild. The species lives for about 300 years and this one must be of that sort of age, it is huge. In my childhood this would have been the first tree I got to know, I loved playing conkers.
We are looking forward to running our tree identification course "Walking with trees" in the new year. It was a great success this year. Its all about how to identify trees throughout the year, and learning great craft skills related to trees. Come and join us we still have a few places left. For all the information click here Walking with trees.
​It will be hugely enjoyable, learning all about trees, sign up today.

We have just had another person book a place on this amazing course. They are very excited about the course and can't wait for it to begin. We are also are looking forward to running this course again, inspiring more people to appreciate trees and enjoy nature.
The good news is there are still places left, if you want to learn how to identify trees and have a go at tree related craft projects you need to book your place now. Check out the Walking with trees page on the web site and book now.

Very excited as our walking with trees course has expanded. We are now running single day tree ID courses for the Mountain Training Association. The single day is now available as CPD accredited course. We will be running the first one next month, we have a limited number of places per course and there is still is space on this first course. The first course will look at identifying trees from the winter bud, it will also look at tree physiology, folklore and uses. Future days will look at trees in leaf and identification of coniferous trees.

A hastily arranged 2 days skills course for 3 clients is a great success. The weather was calm and dry giving ideal conditions to be out in the woods learning some key wilderness skills. The clients jumped in with enthusiasm and so many great questions. Out came axes and knives, for the safe use of sharp tools, including sharpening demos. An in depth look at fire ignition followed by how to ensure your fire lights and how to manage the fire. there was a good shelter session where they built a great shelter which was used that night and a session on knots with tarps being put up. There was time to chat about trees, water, some great fungi finds and good food around the fire. A great weekend.
We are here to inspire getting out into the wild, to teach the skills and create the best time for you in the woods. get in touch and get your day or days booked. Contact us here

We have a course running this weekend. It is 2 days with the aim of teaching you some great skills.

This course is a last minute booking for some clients and there is space for you to join in.
The sole purpose is to get you confidant with sharp tools, fire, water and shelter. There will also be an intro into navigation. Limited places which will allow me time to ensure you are learning the skills.
​Join us and get excited about wilderness living skills. Contact me now here

​I am always stopping to admire trees. When the leaves are gone you get to see the the shape and size of the tree. This one is on the Quantock hills, a very old tree. But what tree is it? It is an amazing sight and knowing what tree species it is enhances that moment, it becomes a fuller picture. Will this tree provide anything edible, is it toxic, how does it burn on a fire, what parts of the tree are useful, what did it mean to our ancestors? On our tree identification course we aim to enable you to identify the trees you see and know something of their part in our history. Check out the course here, limited places so don't hesitate.

I am always stopping to admire trees, when the leaves are gone you get to see the the shape and size of the tree. This one is on the Quantock hills a very old tree but what tree is it. It is an amazing sight but knowing what tree species it is enhances that moment, it becomes a fuller picture. Will this tree provide anything edible, is it toxic, how does it burn on a fire, what parts of the tree are useful, what did it mean to our ancestors. On our tree identification course we aim to enable you to identify the trees you see and know something of their part in our history. check out the course here, limited places so don't hesitate.

EDIBLE DEAD-ABLE MEDICAL, Is an introduction to woodland wild plant's. A single day learning how to identify wild plants with practical sessions using the plants identified. It will focus on a limited number of plants to ensure you get to grips with them. The dates will be released in the new year starting in March and running through to May. see the web page for more details.

It has been a privilege to spend time with these guys this year. Teaching them tree identification, how to use sharp tools safely, and numerous craft projects. Our last day was spent extracting oil from birch bark and making Atal atals. We will miss this group, they came with a hunger to learn, a sense of fun and great enthusiasm. All the ingredients for great days in the woods. Now we look forward to the next group who want to discover more about trees.
               Walking with trees 2021 is set to begin in January next year.
This 6 days course over 5 months will enable you to identify trees in their winter and summer states. We teach you how to use sharp tools safely so you can have a go at various craft skills used by our ancestors. Check out the web page here 

After a long break due to the lock down it was great to restart our tree identification course. Everyone was very keen and excited to back in the woods learning about the trees. We started with revision (test) on the coniferous trees we looked at last time, then explored trees in leaf with a gentle walk finding the differing species. After lunch practical uses, we made artist charcoal and took Sweet chestnut bark, processed it and got weaving.

Walking with trees is a great way to discover more about trees. Learn how to identify them, discover their place in our history and how we once used them. The course will run again next year check out the details on the web site. Get yourself booked on to this unique course.

With the restrictions being lifted we are looking forward to resuming our bush craft courses.
We are able to create an amazing experience in the woods for you. We can teach you about wilderness living skills, plants and there uses, how to identify the tress around us, archery, team building, safe use of sharp tools, so much to do so little time. While you enjoy learning with us we know you will begin to re engage with nature and feel the benefit of just being out in the wild places.
Get in touch and let us create a special experience for you.
​Contact here

We are very excited to be able to run this great course again next year.
Dates are on the web page so have a look, and if you want to learn how to identify the trees around you, sign up. Places are limited.

Trees play a huge part in our lives. In the past we were much more connected to them, as we made use of them for our everyday life, for shelter, food, medicine, tools, baskets, fire and countless other uses. Today we are more aware of the benefit of trees to our environment as they capture carbon, and help with flood prevention.
​We hope through this course to enable you to identify the trees you come across, learn their place in our history, engage in craft work using parts of the tree, but most of all we hope you will regain a sense of awe of these amazing living beings.

I hope you enjoy looking at these lovely woodland plants.
The plan was to run some plant days this spring but sadly we will have to wait. This is the best time of year to explore the spring plants found in our woodlands, hedges and wayside. So if you want to learn all about these plants keep an eye on the website, we may be able to run some later this year and we will definitely run several days next year, starting sometime in late March early April. All these plants are worth knowing, some for eating, some to avoid, and some with medicinal qualities.
​Edible, dead-able and medical.

Tree identification day 3, some revision of winter buds and introduction to coniferous trees. Then on to some craft skills, using axes safely, making spuds and wedges, making willow cordage and traditional fish hooks with western red Cedar wood and roots. It was very encouraging for me to see the clients confidently identifying samples and how to use that tree. They are even beginning to use correct botanical names, well done to you.

Day 2 of Walking with trees. Continuing to learn how to identify trees from their winter buds, tree shape, and bark. A great way to spend a day, looking at trees with good company. To balance the mental strain of learning we also get stuck into some practical uses of trees. Today its stripping Lime bark to process for cordage, set up Silver birch and Sycamore taps to collect sap, and learning to make cordage from Lime bark.
​If you want to learn how to identify trees and discover how we can use trees then sign up for the next years course, see hear for details

Now is the time to marvel at trees. In the winter with no leaves to hide them you get to see the amazing structure of the tree.
Want to know more about trees then sign up for our tree course, Walking with trees. click here and find out more.
​The first course is up and running, the next session this coming Saturday looking at 12 more species and learning about using the bark of Lime and Willow.