We have 1 place left out of 8 on our Land-based Survival Instructor Award (independently accredited by the IOL) starting this August and running for 12 months. The award modules are taking place in N.Scotland, S.England, N.Wales and NW. England. If you want to work within the industry or personally want to get skilled up then send us an email or visit https://www.landsurvival.co.uk/ #survival #bushcraft #Leader

Last year BCS were involved in the “Living series” Secret Agent Training WWII, which is scheduled for airing on the 9th of April @ 2100 on BBC 2.  The Programme is split into 5 episodes, following recruits through similar training SEO agents would have done during WW2.

If you have no idea about SOE check out the link here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Operations_Executive

As well as running general logistics, safety and front of camera instruction, we also built a large Via Ferrata ladder 60ft high, similar to those found in the Dolomites of Italy.  The shooting was carried out on Alvie estate in the Highlands, any of you who have been on a course with us before may well recognise a lot of the areas we used, and if you’ve not been on a course with us then this programme will make you want to!  It’ll be well worth a watch!

Preview links below;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p063d9hm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p063d9hc

To make sure you get the most out of your BCS course we’ve introduced a Star difficulty rating to all of our courses;

To make sure you choose the right course we have introduced a difficulty rating based on the physical and mental challenges on our courses. This is explained below.

“Courses with this rating are suitable for all. There is a small amount of physical hardship with a small amount of walking.”

“Courses with this rating are suitable for all. There is a reasonable amount of walking and some forms of physical output.”

“Courses with this rating are suitable for 16+. There is a significant amount of physical output, perhaps over a number of days. Time may be spent overnight in poor weather with minimum equipment. A certain amount of mental robustness is needed to complete.”

“Courses with this rating are suitable for 18+. There is significant physical output sometimes over multi-day, and often in Hostile habitats i.e high mountains etc. Equipment/food may be stripped back (if woodland based) or large rucksacks carried (if mountain based). Temperatures may be sub-zero or excessively high. A good level of mental robustness is needed. Special attention should be given to the kit lists available.”

“Courses with this rating are suitable for 18+. There is sustained physical output over multi-days, potentially carrying up to 40lbs, often in high/mountain terrain. Long “hill days” may be necessary, for this reason a good level of fitness is needed. Weather and temperatures are likely to be sub-zero or excessively high. Special attention should be given to kit lists available.”

We have limited places left on the remaining winter courses, which we’re offering 20% off!  The dates and spaces available are as follows;

3 Day Snow Hole Exped

Feb 23 – 25th 2 places remaining

March 16th -18th 3 places remaining

2 Day Winter Skills

March 3rd -4th 2 places Remaining

If you’re interested or have any questions regarding fitness levels/kit then contact us on Info@Backcountrysurvival.co.uk

Well, who am I to comment? I’ve been in the outdoors most of my life, Fishing, Shooting, and hunting .I’m a professionally trained hunter and fishing instructor . As well as having served in the army and now working as an instructor for Backcountry Survival,  I have the pedigree to back my opinions up! I also know the difference between a good and bad bit of kit, and the differences it can make in the field.

Here are my 6 favourite bits of kit……not so much Survival based, but as an all round “outdoorsman”, this is the gear I love!

Fjallraven Anorak no 10

A great light weight anorak, with built-in vent sides to help control body temp when working hard outside.

I have used this anorak quite a lot this summer in kielder forest which is a very wet climate at times with unpredictable weather patterns and  it has never let me down, whether in camp or on the hill it has allowed me to keep working in comfort dry and safe from the elements

The zips and pockets and fastenings were easy to use even when you hands were wet and cold.

And when used with the abisko base layer, I found it to be even better and more comfortable especially in cold tempters at night up in the hills. Whilst out hunting I was as comfortable as if I was walking on a summers day .

Axe and Saw

Axe and Saw

Another favourite of mine has to be my axe and saw, this is a bit of kit that I like to carry and use. I use a hultafors axes, hand forged since 1883 in Sweden and steeped in tradition it gives superb quality and can be used for a wide range of jobs.  I’ll also carry my frame saw which I made myself, and again these are great bits of kit ,that never lets me down yet.  I often find that I’m more likely to use a saw than any other cutting implement whilst out running courses.

Fjallraven Smock no 1 – or as I like to call it my jacket of many pockets
Made from the g1000 fabric this is a real favourite of mine this jacket has many pockets but unlike other jackets its has been really well thought out. And all the pocket are easily accessible and well balanced out even when full! It’s an extremely comfortable warm jacket if I’m only going to be out for a couple of days. If I’ve left my rucksack behind and just used this jacket as it can hold every thing that I need to travel light and fast. The fastenings are easy to use at extreme temperatures even when wearing gloves.

The Mora Eldris

Mora Knives
I first started using mora knives quite a few years ago when training for my DSC 1 and 2 mainly down to the reason the Mora fitted the hygiene requirements for a trained hunter. I Bought a Mora clipper at first which is a good move for anyone, and what a knife I got, easy to keep clean, safe and very sharp but easy to maintain wether im hunting , fishing or doing some bush craft these knives in my opinion are a must. not as expensive as some knives iv bought in the past but most certainly one of my favourite knives whether I’m grallicing deer making nets or carving notches for traps it’s the one I always seem to pick up first to do the job.

And I look forward to seeing moras next development, my newest mora is the eldris, a fantastic little knives with a big attitude.

Remington 700

When hunting my favourite rifle has to be my Remington 700 a well balanced rife even with my big moderator on. I like the action it has and a really comfortable stock that fits me really well and i just love working with it

Just a reminder that if you’re still struggling for a Christmas Gift, we have online vouchers available from the page – https://www.backcountrysurvival.co.uk/survival-course-gift-vouchers/

The process is instant and you’ll receive your gift voucher to your inbox which you can print out.

BCS have been busy this year on a few productions.  Here’s the first, carried out in the Cairngorms for the malt whisky Singleton

Ok Chums, that’s our winter dates up online. To be perfectly honest our 2 and 3 day courses run on the Cairngorm Plateau are the most “full on” courses we run in this country and a great challenge. Where else could you join a course, climb to over 1000 metres and dig into the snow pack for the night?! A great experience as well as learning some life saving techniques ……such as the ice axe arrest. #type2fun #cairngorms #Fjallraven #winterskills #arctictraining #survival

We at giving away 2 places on our 3 day course this weekend 13th – 15th of October for £100 per person or £150 for both folk if you book in a pair……doesn’t happen often so get in amongst it! Call or email us for more details.

Andrew Wilson from Fitnique link to his business here came on our last exped skills course…..this is what he has to say about it;

I tend to overthink and prepare for every eventuality no matter how slim the occurrence of the event happening; I do this regardless of the adventure.  Initially I was looking into survival course.  After all, if you can survive by building your own shelter, making fire and sourcing food you need to pack very little; less overthinking perhaps.

This adventure, therefore, was to learn how to plan and focus on the necessities.  Undertaking this course both filled me with excitement and dread in equal measure.  After a conversation with Neal, owner of Back Country Survival, an expedition course appeared to be more suited to the outcomes I desired.  The excitement quota rose a little and dread subsided, a little!  I paid my money and committed.

This expedition course would be a three day, wild camping adventure in the Cairn Gorm National Park and take in the ‘4000s’, four of the highest peaks in the UK including Ben Macdui; second only to Ben Nevis.

Kit list downloaded and the fun began.  What did I already have and what could I reuse?  Researching required items that would see me through the weekend and last for years to come.  I’m of the opinion that if you buy cheap you buy twice.  There is a price point that makes both practical and financial sense and where I would get reuse in my Personal Training.  Having booked the course before my trip to Switzerland I knew many items would have two uses by the time the expedition course was finished.

Day 1 – Arrival at Alvie Estate

I get nervous, not sure why but I do, and was nervous pulling up to the car park.  Neal was already stood waiting and had seen me drive hither and thither around the estate, a great first impression, couldn’t even navigate to the right place meeting point!  Introductions done, we talked about my car and my mind started to settle.  I grabbed my kit out and joined the group.

Preparation

The first part was to review kit, rucksack packing essentials and optimum order for ease on the trail.  Map and compass navigation basics next and Naismith’s Rule on route planning and timings.  Finally weather forecasts and synaptic charts.  Then, most importantly, kettle on and a brew.  No adventure should start without one.

Then a quick tent pitching test… I took both a tent and a bivvy bag.  The latter because I wanted to experience the true outdoors and the former because… well I panicked!

As luck would have it Trevor didn’t have a tent so we agreed to use my tent and split the sheets and poles between us.  My panic was, therefore, amazing foresight!

We All checked and prepared and fed on our first experience of dehydrated food we loaded up the truck and headed off to the Cairn Gorm Ski Lodge car park.

The adventure begins

Orientation and map and compass work to understand and put into practice the briefing items.  A lot of what I had learned in scouts a short thirty years earlier was clawed from distant memory.  The practical teaching made perfect sense and made it easier to understand than I ever remember.  Maybe I’m older and pay more attention than I did in scouts!

Once oriented we started off on the tourist trail to the top of Cairn Gorm checking our position and bearing on the map, reading physical contours and landmarks, every one hundred metres or so.  This practice and frequency in the initial stages would pay dividends over the next couple of days.

After a quick stop at the Ptarmigan café, the last piece of real civilization we would see, we forged on up to the Cairn marking our first summit.  This felt good, even being passed by tourists wearing t-shirts and trainers.  Tourists went back down the way they came up, we headed over the top; quick bearing check and onward.

Stopover one – the real adventure

So much for sunny weather predicted by Mountain Weather information!  Our descent over the other side of Cairn Gorm continued into mist and rain.  The weather persisted as we made our way to the first overnight camp site.  It persisted while we pitched tents.

As the rain relented we explored our surroundings, a plateau on the back of Cairn Gorm at Coire Domhain.  We were visited by a herd of Reindeer who were particularly, and surprisingly, tame; the survival course, I imagine, may have eyed them up for dinner. 

Not us, rehydrated rations the dish for this evening in the rain.  The adventure was on.

When the rain relented again I made my move to the bivvy bag.  My sleep ‘system’ included an airbed, sleeping bag all enveloped in my Alpkit Hunka XL.  My head adorned by my midge net I asked myself ‘how bad can this be’.  The answer was provided by another swift downpour.  My response was to pull all draw cords and envelop myself completely inside.  A situation which only resulted in minor claustrophobia and, when I released myself, rewarded me with a starlit sky between showers.  I’m pretty convinced the reindeer had grazed through the site during the night; either that or some pretty uncanny snoring and grunting resembling them, not mine I hasten to add.

My sleep only interrupted by rain on the face and resealing and releasing process through the night.  At 6:45 I woke naturally feeling relatively cosy to the bright yet misty grey morning.  It was only then I realised I had left my boots outside the tent ‘porch’ during my hasty bed time transition; they were quite damp.

Stoves on, water boiled, dehydrated granola and strawberry.  Yum.  It was hot and welcome.

Day 2 – A big day ahead

Camp struck and packed back into our mobile homes the order of the day was more intensive navigation, pacing and timing, and individual challenges.  The repetitive checking and re-checking on day one had bedded in the basics.

Neal set us each a point on the map to navigate to.  Our task was to work out the time it would take and, if less that 500 metres, count our pacing, identify the relief of the land to arrive within a few meters.  Once we had arrived at the check point the others would then pin point on the map, based on the bearing time taken or metres covered, contours, features where the other was aiming for.

We repeated this process as we made our way to Ben Macdui, the second highest peak in the UK.  The navigation even more challenging as the mist reduced visibility to no more than fifty metres or so.  This made the practice of understanding the contours, checking timings and the near distance features ever important.

First big one

Slowly the cairn came into view and at 1309m the outlook was… misty!  It was time for a celebration, home made flapjack and some nuts to sate the appetite. 

Our breaks were relatively short and enthusiasm high to keep our adventure on track.  As a result we continued our descent down the rippling south side of Ben Macdui toward the foot of Carn a Mhaim.  As we descended the weather started to break, patches of blue appearing and the wind dropping.  In a sheltered spot above the valley floor we took a rest, checked feet, soothed and patched blisters.  Water was collected and boiled to make lunch.  A beautiful rehydrated chicken tikka for me and a cup of tea, more nuts and flapjack.

We left our packs to make the quick return trip along a knife edge ridge to the top of Carn a Mhaim.  Standing at 1037m this peak provided a view to the west of our next four 4000’s; the challenge, the beauty and the awe within which one stands absorbing that the land under our feet has been sculpted over millions of years.

Day 2 – Post Lunch

Swinging the pack on my back felt so heavy after the unloaded walk yet somewhat welcome.  We retraced our steps to Allt Clach nan Taillear, a steep tributary creek flowing fast from Ben Macdui.  The ground was wet, mossy, heather covered with no distinguishable path.  Our steps zig-zagging over the slippery ground in order to reach the base of the valley where the Taillear feeds the River Dee.

Neal had warned us of the magnitude of midges at our next checkpoint, Corrour Bothy, a frequent stopping point for hikers, climbers and adventurers.  He had also said we wouldn’t be stopping long due to their voracity.  To this point we had not been too bothered by these mini munching machines; that would all change from this point.

Frankly I have never seen so many.  Clouds moved in unison seeking out their prey.  In contrast to those pitching camp for the night our stop was, maybe, three to five minutes.  Favouring to move to our overnight stop on the shoulder between The Devil’s Point and Cairn Toul where the breeze would keep the midges at bay.  This section was a steep climb aside another tributary; when the wind dropped the clouds of carnivorous winged beasties emerged.  My energy kept up by the desire to not get eaten alive.  All part of the adventure I guess!

midge attack!

Finally, the plateau emerged and we looked for a suitable site.  It was incredibly still, little to no wind, humid, and the return of swarming clouds.  Clothes zipped up, midge nets on and a good dose of deet on exposed parts as we attempted to put our tents up.  This was a stop start affair, hands blackening as the blood suckers landed and died in the sticky defence barrier.  The wind would pick up a little and they would quickly disappear.

A decision was made to pause the perfecting of guy ropes and camp aesthetics and walk up The Devil’s Point.  As we started the ascent the wind increased and the removal of midge protection provided a clear view, fresh air and respite from being their dinner.  Taking fifteen minutes at the top to soak up the surroundings we supposed it was time to return.  We had to at some point and hoped the breeze was more constant at camp.

Thankfully the wind picked up and prevail for the evening so we could eat rather than being eaten.  I decided to share my tent, more concerned with being eaten than getting wet.  There was still one more day to go and it would have been unfair for the others to have to carry my kit and midge stripped skeleton the rest of the way!

We stood and chatted after dinner, global politics, local politics, work, plans.  The only missing a good pint.  Though we had the great idea to create dehydrated beer… I’m surprise no one has yet!!!

Day 3 – Final day 4 x 4000 to go

I slept well, warm, dry, cosy.  I awoke to this…

Everything felt good in the world.

Breakfast, porridge.  I have to say the dehydrated expedition food I had was really quite nice.  Tasty, high calories and hot.

We set off, early again but fresh, rested and refuelled.  Today we take in Cairn Toul, The Angels Peak, Carn na Criche and Braeriach.  To lock in navigation skils Neal set us a few additional challenges.  This would server to identify any outstanding questions or misunderstandings.

The weather was misty, windy but dry.  The climb boulder strewn and the drop to our right significant.  The latter a useful tool, however, enabling us to ‘handrail’ the edge whilst following our set bearing and check our timings.

Energy, whilst plenty expended, was high.  Our pace was quick and we were flowing.

The climb to Cairn Toul tricky over large boulders we handrailed around the top to The Angels Peak and Carn na Criche then dropped down to the Wells of Dee.  The Wells indistinguishable from the distinct pools on the map highlighting the importance of centring yourself in the landscape, features and physical contours and then identifying specifically where you are on the map.  Completing Braeriach done before lunch was a major milestone.  The weather showed promise of breaking and it would provide a 180-degree view of our adventure so far and yesterdays peaks.

We could then find shelter for food.

Day 3 – the final push

A long hike on well trod paths to the adventures end.  A relaxation of map reading notwithstanidng riosity and personal interest in where we were.

We headed further down, paths enhanced with steps by the local volunteers; presumably to make access easier, though I thought it made the going more difficult.  Pace, step, pace, step, no rhythm, no flow.

The path winding us down into Lairig Ghru, steep sides and more steps though unnavigable without them.  Deep into the dense green valley where the water ran freely and provided a fast-flowing refill point.  Steps up the other side to a path that was almost pavement like in construction.  Barren landscape with the odd pine trying to take hold and absorb any nutrients it could from the ground.

a reminder of the dangers

With the flow returning we made good speed until the path ended and we entered the jaws of Creag a Chalamain.  High cliffs on either side, overhanging in places.  The deposits of many years of rock fall in the valley, climbing obstacles and scrambling. 

A Coast Guard helicopter landed above us, training drills with mountain rescue underway.  It did a couple of loops, a slow hover and descent.  You’re glad the service exists and equally never want to see them up close because that means something bad has happened

Exiting Chalamain placed us back on the path, a flowing walk to the finish.  We made good time, ahead of schedule so gave ourselves a few minutes rather than waiting in the midge infested car park better to sit atop the last ridge with a view back to ski centre car park at the beginning of our journey.  Soaking up the sunshine and reflecting for a moment.

A short walk found us to the rendezvous, there was a little banter, some awe of our collective and individual achievements and relative quiet as we loaded the truck and drove back to the estate.

Physical versus mental

Inability to complete the adventure does not create my nerves and dread.  After all I train regularly and have done many long events.  My nerves and dread come from my inner voice casting doubt, telling me that I might have forgotten something, telling me that I might not be as good as I expected.  The latter the biggest challenge, the level of expectation I put on myself versus those defined by corporate or social constructs.  I want things to be right, perfect.  Tell myself that failure is not an option yet know that we learn from failure.  Instantly, I could find dozens of quotes and memes on the subject; I won’t, really not my style!

People talk about comfort zones.  I am not sure they exist.  The very definition of adventure is to undertake an unusual and exciting or daring experience.  Adventures can be big or small, minutes to months.  Our adventures through life define us as human beings, they shape us, create learning opportunities and shared experiences, new acquaintances and sometimes lifelong friends.  They help us grow and all of that is true of my Scottish Adventure.

At the beginning of this year BCS head instructor packed his bags for a trip to South Sudan as part of the United Nations Mission In South Sudan (UNMISS).  As an engineer he was there to deliver engineering by way of construction (vertical & horizontal) to the mission.  But this would be different, this would be a very austere environment so it was essential that he looked after himself.

I was fortunate enough to have some gadgets provided to me by our friends at Above & Beyond  and many thanks to Darren for assisting.  I received a parcel in the post with some Niteize  products, a solar charging panel by BioLite  and a Ultra UV Water Purifier by STERIPEN .  There were a few other useful bits such as Nite Ize gear ties and a Nite Ize BugLit LED micro flashlight.  More on these later.  I also packed a pair of Fjallraven Abisko lite trekking trousers, Greenland shirt, Barents Pro trousers and an Abisko Cool Shirt for wearing during down time.  I had a 35 litre Abisko daypack which would be used daily along with some of the brands brilliant gear bags.  This environment would surely test the G1000 material in a completely different way from the Swedish environment.  The Fjallraven gear was provided by our friends from Rosker and most importantly our main man Ross Bainbridge.

One of the initial jobs for us would be setting up our own base and providing our own potable water using our own systems.  The water was drawn direct from the River Nile which has every water borne disease in it known to man!  It was crucial that we got this right.  I was lucky enough to get some products from Sawyer and Water to Go which i distributed amongst the lads.

So the first couple of months was pretty much making ourselves as computable as possible whilst supplies arrived and one of our issues was power.  I was lucky that i had the Nite Ize Radiant 250 Lumen rechargeable head torch which i needed every night for the whole deployment!  I charged this up every day using the BioLite SolarPanel 5+ Plus.  The head torch has a simple indicator LED that showed green when there was enough charge in it or red when it was getting low.  It also switches itself off when the charge is very low.  I would hook it up using the supplied USB cable to the solar panel and leave it in the sun for several hours each day which would give me more than enough charge to ensure i could read etc once the lighting towers were switched off at night.  I really found this combination useful due to the readily available supply of the sun!

I had my Nite Ize Gear ties used for various tasks but mainly for connecting times around my accommodation with my micro lite firmly wrapped around a pole in my mosquito dome.  These i left in-situ as they were so useful they stayed for the next guy.  The Nite Ize Figure 9 Tent Line i utilised as a washing line as it could be tensioned and adjusted.  Unfortunately 5 months of solid sun and exposure to the elements saw the cord degrade but that to me is to be expected and acceptable.  A great item.  I know that the items were used in a more practical use than designed for but needs must and all that!

So over the months i was there i found that the Fjallraven gear was really good in the heat as well as during the really humid and sticky evenings.  The Greenland shirt was really good even though it is slightly heavier than the Abisko Cool but both kept me comfortable and cool as well as protecting me from the dreaded mosquitoes!  The trousers were the same and having been subjected to several months of field washing in chlorinated water there was no fading or deterioration and they now have a very comfortable softness to them.  I have used these items in Scotland in all seasons and it is amazing how versatile they are and usable in all environments!

The Abisko Hike 35 Backpack (cheers Svante) was absolutely abused over the time away with it being chucked in the back of trucks, thrown on to helicopters, planes and generally kicked about as well as worn and sucking up a load of sweat.  A great item that i have been using now for over a year and it has been used in all weathers.  A really great pack.

Water! – This became a real focus for me.

South Sudan is a land locked country but there is no shortage of water mainly because it has a long wet season as well as having large areas of swamplands.  The White Nile runs through the middle of the country so getting water should be relatively easy!

With a huge amount of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) living in Protection of Civilian (POC) camps within United Nation (UN) camps there is a massive requirement for clean water to not only survive but also to try and keep disease down.  Where I was located in Malakal I was only about 2km from the Nile and I watched daily as women from the POC camp left to collect firewood and water.  There were standpipes in the POC but with 50000 IDP in an area a little larger than 750m x 600m then the risk of disease is massive.  All sanitation is either Deep Trench Latrines (DLTs) or a squat at the side of the road!  Open sewers run throughout with children playing in the fluorescent green water.  Cholera and E.coli are rife and a lot of the IDPs succumb to these diseases.

The Nile has every water borne disease known to man in it in this area and it was imperative that we as UN troops had a sustainable, potable and safe water supply.  I was fortunate enough to receive some great products as mentioned to take out and use.  I will summarise them below:

Sawyer 4litre Bag2Bag Filter

Firstly many thanks to Tony Male at Sawyer Europe for assisting me.

This is a great item and is so simple that it packs away to nothing and would be great in any camp location on expeditions.  I filled this great bit of kit with pure raw Nile water so it inevitably had a lot of nasties in it.  The filter allows raw water to pass through a filter by gravity into another bag which can then be decanted via a tap in to a waterbottle, pot or cup.  Field tests showed that the water was safe to drink from the filtered bag which was coloured blue. from the dirty water bag which was coloured grey.

This bit of kit gets a thumbs up from me and was used daily whilst our own water treatment plant was being installed.  A great product in a nasty environment.

Sawyer Mini Filter

I dished a few of these out to the lads to use and in one of the locations where there was a raw sewerage leak in to the water borehole they pressed them in to action and all was well, however i digress.  I conducted the same test as above with the EHT and again great results.  The EHT’s were blown away by the filter and for the price and the quantity that can be filtered it is a winner every time and again is so small it is easy to pack away.  My only dislike is the squeeze bag that comes with it as it can be a faff to fill but overall it is a great item.

Water To Go

Firstly many thanks to Dave Shanks for assisting me.

Having used this product for the past 2 years nearly in the UK in all conditions I was fairly confident with its abilities.  I used this as my daily water bottle filling it up from various sources of dubious quality and i did not succumb to any ill effects.  I received similar thumbs up from other guys who had them dished out to them.

The one thing that it lacks is a cap to keep the ever present dust off of the mouthpiece but Dave at Water to Go has told me that he is working on a redesign.  Great stuff.

Millbank Bag

My final test was proper back to basics and it is one that is grass roots level simplicity.  The good old canvas Millbank bag.  I have used this endless times in many continents and i must admit that sometimes the old methods are the best.

I took raw Nile water and after allowing it to run through to the black line I collected a litre in my water bottle.  It took a while due to the close weave of the canvass.  I then took a filtered only sample and then added a water purification tablet to it.

STERIPEN

Using the remainder of the filtered water from the Milbank bag i used the steripen for the required time to treat this and again the field tests showed all clear.  However if i was to store this water for a long period the pathogenic organisms would recolonise.

Conclusion

Over the months i used all the items above at various times with some being used more than others.  I am now back in the UK and ready to hit the hills and different climates again and i will continue to use and abuse the products above until they either break or outlive me!

A great big thank you must go out to Darren at Above & Beyand, Ross at Rosker, Svante at Fjallraven, Tony Males at Sawyer eu, Dave Shanks at Water to Go for all the assistance, patience and understanding.

We’re offering 20% off all multi-day course bookings made in August, please contact us direct and quote AUG20% to get your discount.

All quite on the Blog front over the last month…..not down to laziness mind!  BCS have just finished a block of work for the BBC; Consulting, moving production crew around challenging terrain, as well as plenty of front of camera time.  We can’t disclose exactly what we were doing at this moment in time but we think you’ll be impressed with the finished product!

BCS pride ourselves on our courses and training that we run, however we are lucky enough to draw on a wide range of experience from individuals both civilian and military, having operated in some highly challenging parts of the globe.  Believe it or not (!) we don’t do it just for the money either, the best jobs are the “head scratchers” and the “you want to do what?”.  If you’ve got a type 2 fun project and need a bit of guidance or pointing in the right direction, or you need an experienced team working away in the background, be sure to bear us in mind.

A Chaga New Year

So its 2017 and with winter being held at arm’s length I took the opportunity this week to get out in the woods and collect some materials for later on in the year as I am about to depart for much more humid climes!

I am blessed that I am surrounded by coniferous and deciduous woods on the Moray coast and only a few minutes’ walk from my house is a nice handy birch wood interspersed with scots pine, and marshes.  My aim was to collect some birch bark from some windblown trees and anything naturally peeling.  I was not to be disappointed. Within minutes of entering the wood line I happened across a nice big old silver birch that was snapped at the top due to the winds but still living and it was covered in “Inonotus obliquus” growths or more commonly referred to as “Birch Chaga” or “True Tinder Fungus”.

Its appearance looks like a burnt section of wood that has erupted from the bark (as shown above) with hard black nodules that when you break them off uncovers a cork like substance in texture which is the best for tinder that will take a good spark to produce a really hot coal.  It must though be from a living tree to be usable and most importantly dry!  This can be achieved by simply putting a piece in your pocket to stay dry until required.  As you can see below there is always enough to last a long time once harvested.

Slice it up or keeping it in chunks it will take a spark from flint or from a firesteel and start to smoulder pretty much straight away.  A little bit of assistance by blowing on it and adding it to a tinder bundle you will not be disappointed.  It can also be used as a method of transporting an ember if you wish to move location.

Now some may ask why not just use a lighter to light your tinder?  Well as Brad mentioned earlier this month what if you have lost it, it has run out of fuel or you are injured?  A lighter on a chunk of this will produce a really hot coal that you can coax with a good tinder bundle with ease even in the rain.  There are lots of natural resources out there it is just a matter of knowing what works best for a survival situation as well as trying them in different environments which I would suggest that you try out before you are in the mire!

Birch Polypore/Razor strop fungus

Horseshoe Fungus

So as well as the Chaga you will also have loads of birch bark available but further searching will uncover “Birch polypore” (above left) or more commonly known as razor strop fungus which when dry will carry a coal very well as well as being used for emergency plaster or as its name says stropping your blade and of course “Fomes fomentarius” (above right) or more commonly known as good old horse’s hoof fungus which has a shammy like trama under the hard exterior which when sliced off will take a spark but works best when treated by boiling for twenty four hours then pounded.  This can also be scraped with your knife to produce a mass of fibre that will also take a spark.

So there you have it a very fortuitous venture in to the woods that also bagged me a 35 litre daysack full of dry marsh grass, honeysuckle and pine resin.  Happy hunting.

With a return to spring and the start of our summer courses beginning, we’ll be looking at some woodland and hillside skills over the next few months on the BCS Blog.

Fire lighting is a very important skill to prac tice and be efficient with, as it could well save your life in a survival situation. I got thinking, I can light a fire in the woods with an abundance of wood at my disposal but what if I got in a life-threatening situation somewhere and there is barely or even no wood at all. I am a very keen Mountaineer and Munro bagger and I spend a lot of my spare time up in the hills where the tree line usually disappears about 600m. So, I decided to practice lighting a fire with just one piece of wood. Despite the title of this article being ‘One log fire’, it doesn’t have to be a log, it can be any one piece of wood. An example of this could be using petrified wood when you are up above 600m where there is next to nothing at your disposal. The picture below shows a piece of pine that I used for my Tinder, Kindling and Fuel. If you were venturing up higher than the tree line you could easily grab a small log and put it in your daysack if you were planning on having a small fire in the evening.
For this task, you will only need a knife and a Fire Steel, the first thing you want to do is ensure the knife you are going to be using is sharp and in good working order. You then want to remove any bark from around the log, bark tends to hold moisture so removing it will make your life easier in the long run. Once the bark has been removed you want to find a decent Stick that can be used to baton the wood into the relative sizes needed. We still follow the size rule of Match stick, Pencil, Finger, Thumb and Wrist. This will obviously depend on the size of log used but the process of smaller pieces to larger should always be followed. As shown below, this is what your log will look like once you have finished the processing stages. I found that getting match stick thickness pieces from the log was tricky, so I opted to shave part of the log to get a decent pile of dry shavings to use as my tinder/ matchstick thickness sticks. The picture below right shows you the shavings rested on a platform which was also made from the original log. Some people will prefer using feather sticks to get the fire going and this will also work. You should go out and try both methods and see what works best for you.  The picture below left shows you a few feather sticks which could also be used.

Ensuring you have followed the 7 P’s before lighting your tinder will give you the optimal chance of being successful. For those who haven’t heard of the 7 P’s they are Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to fire lighting – LAZINESS KILLS. Once you are happy you have got all you need to get this fire going grab your Fire steel and ignite your Tinder.

As the picture below shows, I got the tinder ignited and used two of my platform pieces of wood to help me place the next stage of wood required for the fire to continued thriving. The raised platform helped me to not cancel out one of the key ingredients when playing with fire and that is OXYGEN. The process becomes a lot easier once you have the fire started it is just a case of following the thickness guide until you have a sustained fire.

NOTE; If you are on the hillside you can add pieces of dry heather to the fire to get a longer lasting fire. If you do plan on having a small campfire above 600m ensure the area you chose to light it on isn’t over dry heather or on top of Peat bogs as this could lead to some serious hill fires.