Woodlore Fundamental Bushcraft course: What do you think?

[Thetillerman71]

Wilderness awakening! I'm booked on that this year not too far South of Gloucester to drive. Did a weekend with them back in September last year and was very impressed

 

[Willowisp]

Hi folks,

thank you very much again for all your replies!
I had a good look at all the schools you have recommended so far and it's really hard to choose as they all look pretty solid.
This "time to breathe" thing has really stuck in my mind, because I think that one needs some small breaks in between learning in order to digest what has been learnt.

Could anyone of you describe briefly how a typical day in such a one-week course looks like, if that is possible?
Just to give me an impression about what to expect.

Thank you!
Willow

 

[sandbender]

"...because I think that one needs some small breaks in between learning in order to digest what has been learnt..."

Possibly so, however the Woodlore course I attended wasn't that kind of course and with good reason.

"...Could anyone of you describe briefly how a typical day in such a one-week course looks like, if that is possible?
Just to give me an impression about what to expect..."

No, not really, it isn't a course that you can break down into typical days, the course lasts a week and the entire week is about getting you out into the woods and thinking about that week entire and what you can get from it, for example you may take a short walk to look at some deer tracks, during that walk they will drill into you the importance of not wasting any other opportunities that you might pass, so on that short bimble you are also looking out for cordage materials, collecting tinder for your evening (and morning) fires, collecting water, food etc.

So by the middle of the week when they take you away for a longer trek your mind has got itself out of the habit of walking from a to b, setting up camp, going out to forage for food, collecting firewood etc. You find that you are doing all these things as you walk, while simultaneously working on bits of cordage or other projects. There are set lessons but the whole week has to be taken as a whole and by the end of that week you should feel much more comfortable in the woods and much more comfortable about getting by with much less gear.

You will not quite be at the stage where you can wander off into a Northern European Forest with only a knife at your hip and live comfortably for a few weeks, that comes after the Journeyman course, which you can only attend once you have been through (and passed*) the Fundamental.



*You can fail the course, there is a test at the end, one of the strengths of the course structure was the pressure put on you to prepare for that test, it gets you thinking about getting the most from your time, daylight and environment.

Edited to add:

As I previously mentioned, it has been some time since I attended a Woodlore course, I do not know any of their instructors, I do not know how well their courses are thought off by current attendees. If I was you I would write to some of the Schools mentioned here and ask the questions you have, any that don't provide a suitably personalised response wouldn't get my business, if you have more questions about a Schools course and what you might expect, keep badgering them until you get the answers you need or at least a response that suggests that you have found the school for you.

 

[Willowisp]

Köszönöm szepen, Sandbender! You made the philosophy behind such a week in the woods quite clear. That style suits me well. I'm excited to go .
Now I need to choose a school and maybe pester them with further questions if I need more info.