Mears new series.

[ScanDgrind]

I've really enjoyed this series so far. I't's been much better than the last one. The building of the birch bark canoe was superb. Paddling down the Canadian river by canoe was superb. And last nights episode riding through the mountain pass in the rockies has been a life long ambition for me and so to get a glimpse of what it would be like was superb.

I think Ray has packed in a serious amount of bushcraft into this series, yes perhaps a couple of things have been repeated but he's also shown a large amount of new stuff, which has not been covered in any of his other series. Now don't get me wrong it may not be new to you and some things may not be new to me, but I still enjoy the fact that bushcraft is being represented on TV and as far as I'm concerned if the show manages to get just one new person interested enough in bushcraft to get off their backside and outdoors then great.

You know there's been lots of complaints over the years about Rays shows from us bushcraft practitioners. We seem to forget that the show is not aimed solely at us. The show has to make money at the end of the day and I guess to do that it has to appeal to a wider audience and it seems to be doing that. Hell my Mum and Dad watch the show avidly, but you'd never catch my mother sleeping in a debri shelter .

Anyway I'm off to make some boring ol bannock over a boring ol campfire and I'm gonna put some boring ol olives and cheese in it for a change .

Cheers,

Tony

 

[Not Bob]

Must agree. Much improved from the last series. My only complaint and it's one I've heard from other people I know is that it's a bit slow. Personally I'd agree that last night's was a bit drawn out but the others were just right for the nature of each prog. Still, each to their own. Does anyone know what the viewing figures have been?

 

[jamesdevine]

Yes I really have enjoyed this series.

One think I like about is it there is a lot of humour in it and it's more relaxed. Sitting around campfire talking and the like it almost makes you feel like your there sitting on log behind the camera.

I like his comment about the bushcraft you learn in the back garden can be used any where in the world (sounds familar ). Sound track to last night was cool as well.

Anyway roll on next week.

James

 

[sodajoe]

I really have been taken by Ray's new series – it's fantastic. It does seem to be geared towards a broader audience with less emphasis on the skills of bushcraft.

But the locations and topics he has brought together have been top drawer. Who, after watching this series, would not want to go through those mountain passes on horseback or paddle downstream in one of those fantastic canoes – canvas or brich?

I love this series so much that I have decided to buy the book – which I have criticised in the past for not developing bushcraft skills at the rate I would like.

In my opinion, what makes this series work is the desire it creates for people like us to get up and go out there to enjoy the Great Outdoors.

Keep it up Ray.

 

[MalIrl]

You know there's been lots of complaints over the years about Rays shows from us bushcraft practitioners. We seem to forget that the show is not aimed solely at us. The show has to make money at the end of the day and I guess to do that it has to appeal to a wider audience and it seems to be doing that. Hell my Mum and Dad watch the show avidly, but you'd never catch my mother sleeping in a debri shelter .

I have to agree! When I first saw Ray over 7 years ago on Country Tracks it awoke in me something that I'd left dormant since my early teens (skills/interests learnt from Scouts and two survival books that my Dad got me once when I was about ten).

Over the years since, I've been watching the shows with my kids, and have started to teach them the basics when I can. The shows are digestible by a wide audience (especially youngsters), but more importantly, they show that things such as fire-bows DO work in a way that no survival manual can. I have not come near to mastering many of the techniques that Ray has shown (feather sticks and withies being my current projects) but watching those shows keeps up the motivation, because I know it is only a matter of practise. I suppose that makes me tolerate the repetitive stuff more than others.

Good stuff, Ray! Bringing bushcraft to a wider audience....

Mal

 

[arctic hobo]

Sweden

Sweden is the land where the ancient skills of bushcraft are alive and well and in daily use. They refer to nature as 'The Nature' and a good knowledge of the outdoors is commonplace.

Ray creates a meal of berries and fish for good friend Lars Falt, and sees how pine tar is produced and uses it for the traditional skis that are made for him.

In the north Ray spends time with the Sami in sub zero temperatures, learning about their folklore and undertaking a journey by dog sled through this magical landscape where every fall of snow seems to bring the chance of a new start.

That will be good - IMO he does too much in the Americas, nice to see this part of the world on our screens

 

[Fallow Way]

plus, who here can do better? I know i cant for sure.

we may have out opinions, the bbc theirs, ray his, the wider public theirs, frankly, we are sort of the safe bet who dont have to be thought of too much, we are hooked, anything and everything bushcraft i love to read nad watch, even if i have before, you never stop learning, it is those poeple who dont even look up at the tree they pass on their way to their job that need to be caught and I very very much doubt there is a better program or person to do it than Ray.

 

[hootchi]

...One think I like about is it there is a lot of humour in it and it's more relaxed. Sitting around campfire talking and the like it almost makes you feel like your there sitting on log behind the camera....

I really agree with you there James. I think that helps to make the program. One of my favourite episodes is in new england in search of Robert Rogers. We get to see the whole crew and they are all mucking in.

 

[Snufkin]

Anyway I'm off to make some boring ol bannock over a boring ol campfire and I'm gonna put some boring ol olives and cheese in it for a change .

Cheers,

Tony

Hold the olives

 

[Fallow Way]

i`m really really looking forward to the sweden one. Very good result on the fishing front.

 

[gillmacca]

While I wait for Tony to get back to me on the tv calendar, here is what we can look forward to in the new series after next week

Date: Thursday 19th May 2005
Four Seasons. Ray Mears explores the world of bushcraft, the art of living outdoors relying on a knowledge of the natural world. Ray returns to Britain to show how a knowledge of bushcraft sheds new light on every aspect of the changing seasons. He points out the foods and plants that are available, from pig nuts to lime leaves, and shows how bushcraft helps us to see animals in their natural habitats.

The following week seems to have the chelsea flower show in this slot, and I cant find it on any over day/time.
Currently this is as far as my listings go, but if I get more, I will let you know

 

[Bagheera]

Hi gang,

I really enjoyed the "Yellowstone" show and as we just bought one of these DVD recorders with a hard disk on the side, I recorded the show on the HD in best quality and burning it to the DVD was easy and quick and I now can watch the show whenever I want

I particualrly liked that Jake guy, one can only hope to get to his age and still be in his mental and physical condition.

I don't know if you noticed or perhaps it's only me but when Ray was getting the pine stumps from the fallen pine tree he was breathing very "heavy" like he just ran a distance, must be the good life

Cheers,

Bagheera

 

[Snufkin]

Bagheera, don't be too hard on Ray for puffing and panting, he was up in the Rockies. That's some fair altitude.
Gillmacca, I think the British episode is the last one of the series. That'll be the fifth, and there were five in the last run.

 

[hootchi]

Bagheera, don't be too hard on Ray for puffing and panting, he was up in the Rockies. That's some fair altitude.
Gillmacca, I think the British episode is the last one of the series. That'll be the fifth, and there were five in the last run.

If with you there Snufkin- twice, I think it may be the camera men puffing aswell.

 

[Bob]

The altitude does take a few days to get used too!!

I was up in the (Colorado) Rockies a few years back and for the first few couple of days even a short run left me breathless!!! Good job I didn't meet a bear until the second week !

It's great when you get back to sea-level though - you feel like Superman!

Bob

 

[2blackcat]

According to the book that's the last chapter so I would assume that's the last episode in the series too


Steve

 

[giancarlo]

New one on tonight.

-------------------------------

Ray Mears' Bushcraft

8:00pm - 9:00pm
BBC2

VIDEO Plus+: 8021
Subtitled, Widescreen, Audio-described

4/5 - Sweden

Ray Mears explores the world of bushcraft, the art of living outdoors relying on a knowledge of the natural world. Ray is in Sweden, where the ancient skills of Bushcraft are alive and well and in daily use. He creates a meal of berries and fish for good friend Lars Falt, then sees how pine tar is produced and uses it for the traditional skis that are made for him. In the north, Ray spends time with the Sami in sub zero temperatures.
-------------------------------

 

[Fallow Way]

I thoroughly enjoyed that episode. I have had the privilage to meet and learn from Lars and Brit-Marie and it has made me yearn for my in-planning trip back to Sweden even more.

 

[Gary]

[/IMG]

Now where did I see this before?

Role on June!

 

[innocent bystander]

Did anyone catch the name of the sami folk singer ?