Hi from an Oxfordshire armchair Bushcrafter

[Bard]

Hi all
Yes I know, what is an arm chair bushcrafter? Well I suppose I am of sorts. I have recently been finding myself more and more interested in having a greater outdoor life but with two very small children (2 year old twins) this is a dificult thing to achieve. Like so many I have been enchanted by the skills of RM et el and the simple ease with which they move through the wilderness and I am wanting to try to capture some myself.
So far I have managed to move from the armchair to my garden where managed to make a bow drill set from a branch of Sycamore (drill and bow) a piece of pine timber (hearth) and a wooden egg cup (spindle) and guess what. It works!
What I would really like to do now is move out of my garden and into the country side to strike out for a night or two into a woodland and under a tarp but as many of you know such places are hard to locate. I hope that Bushcraftuk may be able to put me in touch with more experienced people who can point me in the right direction and share their knowledge.
I am a 44 year old dad of two as I have said and I live in a village in West Oxfordshire just 5 minutes walk from the river Thames. I have an inflatable canoe that I like to paddle around in but like so many things it is hard to find the time to put it to good use.
Looking foward to learning new stuff.
Thanks
Bard.

 

[rik_uk3]

Buy a tent and take the children, they will love it.

 

[John Fenna]

H4ello and welcome!

 

[Buckshot]

How about coming to the moot as a holiday?
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/content.php?r=118-Summer-BushMoot-2012
You'll learn loads of new stuff and make new contacts who will cover for you when you need to get out!

Seriously it's great fun and informative

Mark

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Welcome Bard

Have a look in the meets section of the forum and try and persuade Mrs Bard to let you play out for a weekend. People are always happy to share their skills and offer advice. New members are made to feel very welcome and there is no pressure to do anything other than exactly what you want to

 

[oldtimer]

Buy a tent and take the children, they will love it.

Yep, that's the way I started with my parents over 60 years ago. Now my son has started the grandchildren the same way.

I don't find Oxfordshire and easy place to practice our craft, but we are in easy reach of anywhere- Wales, for example. Have you thought of taking the family along the Thames and staying at one of the locks sites? I did it recently when walking the Thames Path. It would be a good introduction as you feel miles from anywhere but have basic facilities and are in easy reach of help if it goes pearshaped. I recommend Northmoor lock particularly: the lock keeper is a really nice guy.

 

[udamiano]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[Perrari]

Hi & welcome to the forum.

 

[Large Sack]

Hi Bard and welcome.

I lived in the Thames Valey (Oxford-Reading) for 32 years and although there is a lot of developed land, you have access to some great countryside not too far away in most directions. My kids are now 10, 14 & 15 but the youngest was 3 when we took him on his first camp. We family camp (as well as my solo/duo trips) and my oldest two (both girls) still love it.

ATB
Sack

 

[tartanferret]

Hi Bard and welcome to BCUK !

:welcome1:

 

[Barn Owl]

welcome aboard.

 

[treadlightly]

Work towards your goal gradually. Start, as Rick says, by buying a tent and taking the kids camping. Much better to start them young. Then move on to other areas, maybe try a meet-up, of which there are many, or the Bushmoot in South Wales. When they are older think of woodland camping. Once you start you may well find one thing naturally leads to another. Good luck.

 

[Whittler Kev]

:welcome1::welcome1::welcome1:
If you want a cheap course your way (ish) PM Bardster

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

Bard, I'm in much the same situation, except now I'm getting my 3 year old daughter involved in my outdoors shenanigans. She loves being outdoors, and now wants go walk up a mountain (in her new walking boots!).
My loss of time was not caused by a family, but by my jobs over the past 7-8 years (shifts, long hours etc), but the missus is pretty understanding to be honest.

If you can get grandparents etc to watch the kids for a day or night, then your missus can have a night out with her mates/do something she wants; meaning you get to mess around outdoors for a bit AND you get a break from each other!

Start slow!!!!

Have Fun!!!!

**I just bought a tent to take the family out, even though I've slept out on many occasions, I've been in a tent on fewer than 5 occasions!!!! (I'm a tarp and bivvy kind of guy).**

 

[madkipper]

Hello and welcome Bard

 

[woodpoet]

Hi Bard and welcome to BCUK forum.

 

[Dannytsg]

Welcome and enjoy the forums.

 

[Biker]

HI and Welcome. As has been said taking it slow can be fun. Big thumbs up for the tent idea. I started my two daughters off in much the same way, but back then we took them to biker rallies and camped over for long weekends. They loved it and still go to biker rallies now and then, at least the youngest does with her boyfirend. I think it's just the whole change of scenery that's so exciting for them at that age.

Anyway welcome from another armchair bushcrafter.

 

[Bard]

Hi
That is my longer term plan. I want the kids to be involved in this sort of stuff. I am just waiting for them to get out od te terible twos.
cheers

 

[Bard]

Hi
I would love to get to the moot but I have other commitments that week. I think I will need to plan to go next year or try to get along to some meets elswhere for the time being.
Thanks for the tip.
Bard