Intro time!

[reddy]

Hi all,
Having lurked for a few weeks I thought it about time I joined!

I'm learning so much just reading through the various topics and posts - thankyou to everyone who shares their knowledge:)

I taught myself how to fish in my late teens (I was in a stressful job and wanted to find time alone and with nature), and when I confided to a friend what I did as a hobby he kindly gave me a book about bushcraft which changed my life. Not only was the book (still to this day imo) the most indepth and honest book about self sufficient survival in the UK, it was written by a woman too. It absolutely changed my life.

Since then I been fascinated by bushcraft, but because of work commitments could only do bits and pieces, I'm sure you know the score!

Having said that I used my time at work over the years to learn about plants, herbs and trees (both for eating and medicene) etc, so that's come in handy. Whenever I had a work break, or skived (both regular occurances:D ) I would either read or wander off for Identifiaction walks!

I'm now self employed and decide my own hours, so I can finally get out there for longer periods. I'm planning my 1st ever wild camp for early spring (if i can wait that long), and it was looking for advice on hammocks which are new to me that I found this gem of a site.

[BorderReiver]

Welcome to BcUK.:)

[John Fenna]

Hello and welcome to the site!
Enjoy!
John

[Shewie]

Hi reddy welcome to the site :D

I`m intrigued about this book you mention, that one must have slipped under the radar.

Good to have you here


Rich

[reddy]

Sorry yeah, the book is called Living Off Nature by Judy Urquhart. She was commissioned by a newspaper in the early 1970s to live in the wild (exmoor i think) for 2 months. If I remember rightly she was allowed a bag of oats, honey, an axe, knife, a goat (which escaped) and her partner took a gun (they were only allowed to shoot squirrels or rabbits).

They slept in an old abandoned little hut. The book, written about 5 years later, is a collection of every bit of info she believes she would have found useful for living in nature. It covers very in depth all uk edible plants, birds, mammels, fish, insects, bees, luring,/catching & traps, cooking, trees, fire, pottery, raw materials, plant/ mammel cloth and tanning ,hygiene, alchohol, water, weather, distillation, smoking (ie diy fags, pipes and snuff), preserving, shelter and loads loads more.

Not a very 'PC' book (eg how to kill a swan, what it tastes like, how to make pegs from its beak and candle holders from its feet), but I've collected a bit of reading stuff re bushcraft subjects and this to me is still the best all rounder, and it's written specifically for the British climate, no where else.

It also has loads of historical info too, like life on St kilda etc, how to make impliments from scratch like knives and utensils, even toothbrushes and plant shampoo. She also pulls no punches about the reality of survival. She's very, very honest - no macho stuff here! Only downside is there are no photos, and only a few diagrams. If you want to know how to cook something, and what it tastes like its superb, but you have to use another book to ID.

I decided to sell my bushcraft books last year, incl. some army, Ray Mears, SAS and general others and tbh haven't missed them at all. Living Off Nature was the only one I kept, and still read, both for info and enjoyment, regularly.

[Jodie]

Welcome reddy - thanks for the info about the book, it sounds very interesting :)

I am looking nervously at my bookshelves though and wondering if they have the
strength for any new books - I couldn't bear to part with my Mearses, Mabeys or
SAS, or anything else for that matter...

Good luck with finding your perfect hammock.

[Ogri the trog]

Welcome aboard Reddy,
Seems like there going to be a spike in the sales of your recommended reading.

ATB

Ogri the trog

[reddy]

Your bookshelf sounds like mine used to! I'll be honest - where I said "decided to sell" I really meant "forced to sell":o

Very bad personal situation this time last year. I sold most of my books - my treasured collection of bushcraft and self sufficiancy literiture, so I could eat for the a few more weeks (yes that bad:( ). So they did exactly what I bought them for, they helped me survive, just not in the way I thought they would!

However, I'm so glad I did now. Too often I would read about it rather than get up and truly have a go. With the books gone I had no distractions and have practised more BC in the past year than ever!:D

Oh, and personal situation much much better too :)

I've just bought a DD travel hammock. Not put it up yet, and I've never used one before, but I'll let you know what happens when I try a practise put up and try out this week. THAT will be funny! Any tips greatly appreciated!

[stuart f]

Welcome aboard Reddy,i had a quick look on Amazon and found this,it might be of some interest for others.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Living+Off+Nature++Ju dy+Urquhart&Go.x=10&Go.y=7

[littlebiglane]

Hi all,
Having lurked for a few weeks I thought it about time I joined!

I'm learning so much just reading through the various topics and posts - thankyou to everyone who shares their knowledge:)

I taught myself how to fish in my late teens (I was in a stressful job and wanted to find time alone and with nature), and when I confided to a friend what I did as a hobby he kindly gave me a book about bushcraft which changed my life. Not only was the book (still to this day imo) the most indepth and honest book about self sufficient survival in the UK, it was written by a woman too. It absolutely changed my life.

Since then I been fascinated by bushcraft, but because of work commitments could only do bits and pieces, I'm sure you know the score!

Having said that I used my time at work over the years to learn about plants, herbs and trees (both for eating and medicene) etc, so that's come in handy. Whenever I had a work break, or skived (both regular occurances:D ) I would either read or wander off for Identifiaction walks!

I'm now self employed and decide my own hours, so I can finally get out there for longer periods. I'm planning my 1st ever wild camp for early spring (if i can wait that long), and it was looking for advice on hammocks which are new to me that I found this gem of a site.

Welcome.

Have a look under the DD Hammocks group buy by Sandbag47. This is being put together as we speak and you could get one cheap. :)

[GreenmanBushcraft]

Welcome Reddy! Have a good time here and have a happy new year too!

Kris

[Matt Weir]

Howdy Reddy :)

[bushyboo]

Hello and welcome Reddy

[Greg]

Hello Reddy, and welcome to BCUK.:)
I hope you enjoy the site, get stuck into the forums the guys/girls on here will answer any questions you want answering. Where abouts do you live by the way?

[Ogri the trog]

I've just bought a DD travel hammock. Not put it up yet, and I've never used one before, but I'll let you know what happens when I try a practise put up and try out this week. THAT will be funny! Any tips greatly appreciated!

try www.imrisk.com and hammockforums for tips on putting it up, or else get along to a meet up where there'll be so much information on hammocks you won't know which way to turn. It will definately take you a few tries to get everything comfortable but they're well worth it.

ATB

Ogri the trog

[reddy]

Thanks for all your replies!

Weather round here's been good today so skipped off to some local woods and tried out my hammock for the 1st time. It was easier than I thought it would be to put up and get in (took about 10 mins in total), but there's a problem.... I felt really sick!! I had to get off it after about 20 mins cos I thought I was gonna throw up.:o :o :o . Fours hours later sat here typing and I still feel bad. It's my own fault, I've had problems my inner ears all my life and it means I can get queesy easily, so commen sense should have told me a hammock might not be my cuppa tea:11doh:

Also (this might be a daft question so bear with me) what if I needed the toilet in the night? I'm a girl so I can't use a bottle or lean over the side. Seems it might be a bit of a apin to get in and out of in the dark esp when you're busting!

All is not lost though - it'll make a smashing bivvy/ sleeping bag cover etc. But I'll stick with the tent for now.

I'm from Lancashire btw, just outside Preston.

[Shewie]

I`d put your hammock problems into a different thread reddy and see what responses you get. I`ve never felt sick in mine so can`t really help you there, understandable though.


Rich

[Jodie]

Hi again

I'm glad you've been able to join us in cheerier circumstances :) I did smile when I read
that your survival books had helped you to survive from being sold though!

Can't imagine that I'd ever be found in a hammock to be honest although I'm sure it
would be an interesting experience trying to turn over in one (as well as trying to turn
over in one without falling out!).

Might you feel less queasy when it's dark or does your inner ear problem mean that
it's not a matter of a mismatch between what you see and what you feel, but just the
sensation of movement? I feel miserably sick in cars if I try and look at anything other
than outside for any length of time. Same in buses unless the seat is side-on, in the
direction of travel, then I can read something :)

Re: night-time piddling - there is a device called a SheWee (I think that's how it's spelled)
that...erm... seems to be some sort of funnelling device. Possibly something could be
attached to it to lengthen its 'reach' so to speak, which might help... not sure though.

[reddy]

Re the hammock, I actually felt pretty safe ie not like I was gonna fall out at all - it was deep and cocooning. Sleeping in it at night would be worse for me queesy - wise. I'm glad I tried it out, but I'll stick to my tent, or use it as a bivvy!

Thanks for the info about shewee, never heard of it before but I've just had a look at their site - what a cracking good idea!:D

[Ogri the trog]

Reddy,
Not sure what to suggest about the queezyness, other than - if it was the slight rocking movement - try attaching side lines or bungees (like a hennessy) and pegging them to the ground, they'll prevent too much swaying. If it was a different sensation, I'm stumped.

ATB

Ogri the trog