Visit to Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford

[Jodie]

That's very sad - closed for good?
I feel it might be time to crack out this emoticon uppy_dog

Galemys - I thought of you the other day cos someone on the British Interactives Group
was talking about fire pistons I think, not in terms of their history but how to make a demo
one (I think... I admit I wasn't paying full attention). BIG is a discussion list for people
who make museum interactives largely for science centres and that sort of thing.

 

[Toadflax]

PS are there anymore interesting JSTOR articles on firestarting? (I can´t access the articles on the site). Especially on sparks from bamboo or the Gaucho method described by Darwin (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18127&highlight=darwin+fire)

Yes - quite a lot. I spent lunchtime downloading some as PDFs. I'll have a look for some more on these methods, but I'll need to check on the usage restrictions for JSTOR to see how much, if any, I can share with people.


Geoff

PS: Oxford Story does appear to be closed for good.

 

[rich59]

They would prefer a weekday, as they have lots of family activities at weekends, so I suspect that if we were to go at a weekend, we'd just be going as ordinary visitors and probably wouldn't get a guide. Geoff

Weekend or a Monday for me.

 

[falling rain]

He is "falling rain" - hopefully he will see the thread and let us know if he is aware of anywhere. There is a site that allows open fires near the White Horse at Uffington, but that's about 20 miles from Oxford.


Geoff

Just seen this thread. I'm not 'Ditchmonkey he's already spent the year living out. I'm planning to do my little soiree next year from probably June or July. Not definate date yet.
I don't know of anywhere to wild camp in Oxford. When I do my year I was planning to use the campsite already mentioned at White horse hill amongst others, for my week at work. Buckshot made a good suggestion to me to try and find a farmer that would let me camp while in Oxford, which is a great idea but i hav'nt found one yet. When I'm off I'll be all over the country and will take up peoples very kind offers to use their spaces/woods/ fields.
There are other campsites in and around Oxford but they are all a little more commercial.
The one near Kidlington I'm a little unsure about as I went there to camp once and they wouldn't let me. The site advertised that they allowed tents and so I went there. The owner asked me if I had a portable toilet and I said that I didn't, I presumed a campsite (that allows tents and not just caravans or camper vans) would have a toilet on site, which I don't think is too unreasonable thought to think. Anyway because I didn't have a porta loo they wouldn't let me camp there. I think they, for some reason didn't like the look of me. I have no idea why. Maybe because I was on my own, maybe because i didn't arrive in a posh caravan like his usual punters. I really have no idea why I was turned away and the porta loo line seemed very feeble to me and just an excuse. A bit of snobbery maybe? Anyway that was about 5 years ago and i don't know if the owners have changed or their policies but I have never been back as I was a little miffed at the attitude from the owner. Things may be different now, but if they're not I can't imagine they'd let a group of hairy arsed bushcrafters camp there. (no offence to any ladies, I'm not suggesting you have hairy bottoms :tapedshut ) Anyway they don't allow fires so stuff' em.
Another idea is the Boars hill scout camp site but I enquired there before (when I did the bow drill workshop a couple of Christmases ago) and they wern't interested as we wern't a youth group. Safety for the kids and all that. Could try again though.
I think the best idea would be to go to the Whie Horse campsite It's open all year round so no problem there. We're allowed a fire so that's a bonus. I don't know about hammocks though, mind you in Jan/Feb a tent maybe a better option. I have a Patrol tent that I can bring along and it could seat about 15 at a squeeze (bring your own chairs) and if the weather is foul we can all sit in there for shelter and shoot the doodies, and have a beer.
Only problem is that it's a way from Oxford as dgcalvert says. About 20 miles. Maybe we could meet there (at the campsite) the night before, and just a few people take the rest in their cars into Oxford the next day. I don't have a car at the mo but could rent one for the weekend which is what I've been doing for the past year and a half, and don't mind driving a car full into Oxford.
Anyway just an idea, I'd be up for it defo. I've been to the Pitt rivers a few times and can agree it's a great museum. Lets do it.

 

[jdlenton]

i'd be up for a trip to the pitt rivers keep me posted i'll ahve a word with roving rich has he probably would fancy a trip too weekends would be the best idea for me.

like i said keep me posted

 

[Toadflax]

I had a good chat with the Education Officer for Pitt Rivers last night. We have a few options for a visit:

1. We go during the week and get one of the staff to give us a talk before we wander about ourselves. Note, however, that even the education people there aren't allowed to open cases so we aren't going to be able to handle anything.
2. They won't come in at the weekends just for us, but they do family events on the first Saturday each month in the afternoon, so if we were to go along late morning then they could do us an introduction.
3. We could just turn up anytime and have a look around ourselves (although I could go along during the week and they could give me an introduction, and I could then do my own talk for a BCUK visit).

Their theme for half-term activities during June is survival, so there is a possibility that they might want someone to demonstrate firemaking out on the front lawn, but this is very tentative at the moment. I'm having the common difficulty of trying to explain what bushcraft is to people - they tend to think extreme survivalists in cammo gear - even you explain that "it's what Ray Mears does".

Geoff

 

[Jodie]

How about taking along a copy of the magazine to show them, or print a particular skill
or tutorial from the web so they get a better idea of the skills side of things...

I'd be quite happy just to meet up with a handful of BcUKers and chums and wander
around the museum under our own steam. My friend from work wants to come too I think.

 

[falling rain]

Any more news on this folks?
Swyn has kindly PM'd me and offered that we could stay at his place.

Here's his PM

Hi Nick.

The site is the same one used for the Winter Meet in Jan (5th & 6th '08) It is in a hamlet called ***** ********* near Princes Risborough.

*********(taken out GR and other details as this is a public website........But I have them safe) *********

This is our old sawmill site with a barn, woods and hard for parking. No problems with fire either as we have some purpose made receptacles. There are some pics of the area in the bucks bushcraft meet up slot....Men with axes in the area!

The rates are £5 per person per day, so not extortionate!

Regards,
Swyn.

So is this still on and what dates have folks got in mind.?

I'll offer to do one of my World famous all in stews the night of arrival at the site if everyone is up for that and people are willing to chip in a few pence for ingredients. If not no problem, and it's not vegetarian friendly I'm afraid

 

[Toadflax]

Sorry, I've gone a bit quiet on this due to Christmas and getting back into work again. Swyn's place is about 40 minutes drive from the Park and Ride at Oxford (you don't want to try and park in central Oxford).

If we decide to stop over there then it may be a good idea to combine the visit with one of the Bucks group meets in the near future. Those people who want to go off to Oxford can pile into a few cars to go to the museum either Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Those who don't want to camp out could just meet up in Oxford for the day.

I believe that the Bucks group meet about once a month.

What do people think of this idea?


Geoff

 

[falling rain]

Sounds good to me Geoff.

Shall we bandie some dates about? Of course we'll have to liase with Swyn to make sure it's OK with him.

 

[Toadflax]

Just to say that I'm sorry to those who have expressed an interest in this, but I no longer want to be involved in organising a weekend bushcraft meet that incorporates a visit to the museum, though I would be very happy if someone else were to take this over. I can pass on any information that I have gathered so far regarding possible sites for a weekend meet.

I would like to come along to any weekend meet that is organised and am willing to contribute to food, costs, etc., and should be in a position to help with transport from Oxford.

Alternatively, if this doesn't come off and anyone just wants to meet up in Oxford for the day, I'm happy to join in.


ATB


Geoff