View Full Version : Hi all
scoops_uk
15-02-2005, 13:03
Hi Everyone,
Nice to meet you, I'm Scoops (named so coz of my ability to kick a football over the bar from just a couple of inches out :?: )
Anyway, I've been interested in bushcraft since I got a copy of Brian Hildreth's How to Survive book when I was a nipper (about 25 years ago!). I've always been a keen walker/hiker/backpacker/camper but pure Bushcraft has mainly been an intellectual interest and I've not really pursued things a great deal practically until more recently.
High point of my bushcraft career so far was attending the Woodlore arctic course taught by Ray Mears and Lars Fjalt which was a fantastic experience.
Looking forward to getting to know you guys :wave:
Scoops_uk
Welcome to bcUK Scoops! I look forward to seeing you around the virtual fire!
:chill:
Paganwolf
15-02-2005, 13:11
Hi and welcome scoops :wave:
Welcome aboard mate :biggthump Make yourself at home.....
:-)
Ed
bambodoggy
15-02-2005, 14:01
Hey Matey....welcome to the gang :wave:
Greetings Scoops, welcome.
:Crazy_071
hello scoops :wave:
come on in and make yourself at home
Welcome Scoops, enjoy!
:biggthump
Good to have ya scoops. :biggthump
Welcome around this campfire Scoops!
Gosh! The arctic expedition must have been something! I hope you will tell us more about it.
Ranger Bob
15-02-2005, 19:02
Welcome to the pack scoops :wave:
Glad you could join us mate, the guys and girls on here are great so I'[m sure you'll fit right in :biggthump You've started the best way by just getting stuck in, keep it up :wink:
welcome to the tribe :wave:
arctic hobo
15-02-2005, 19:53
Come and warm your hands by our fire, share some stories too :wave:
scoops_uk
16-02-2005, 11:00
Thank you one and all. :biggthump
Scoops
scoops_uk
16-02-2005, 11:08
Gosh! The arctic expedition must have been something! I hope you will tell us more about it.
There's a bucnh of photo's of Sweden and the course on my website at
http://www.skeels.net/Woodlore%202003/index.html
I hope posting links is OK I havn't checked but it's not commercial and it's on topic!
Scoops
Squidders
16-02-2005, 11:22
Great pics scoops :super:
Only -20 is a little dissapointing though :wink:
scoops_uk
16-02-2005, 11:29
Only -20 is a little dissapointing though :wink:
To be honest it was a little, it's a mixed blessing. -20 isn't overly life threatening so you can make a few mistakes and be OK, -30 and below starts getting much more serious and the cold makes thinking straight harder so mistakes are more likely and more costly. I guess -20+ was ideal for learning but a shame on the experience side.
Apparently we did get a brief spell (about 30 mins) of -40 one night when the atmosphere did something silly, but I was asleep in my snowhole and missed it.
Was pretty cool drifting off to sleep in the snow hole watching the northern lights kick off overhead :-) (Pun unintended :o): )
Squidders
16-02-2005, 11:36
Still, looked really good, i'm dead jealous!
scoops_uk
16-02-2005, 11:43
Was a fantastic experience definitely reccomended. Woodlore are still running the course, I don't think Ray still teaches it, Lars is excellent though and a legend in his own life time.
To keep costs down I got a £3.99 Ryan air flight to Stockholm and took the sleeper train to Kiruna (about £80) . Hundreds of pounds cheaper than flying to Kiruna.
Scoops
tenbears10
16-02-2005, 14:22
Great photos soops. I like the camino ones as well.
Bill
arctic hobo
16-02-2005, 15:08
Brilliant! I must take some time to visit the more foresty bits of the arctic, looks fantastic. I was wondering what time of year was it? the snow was not particularly deep and there seemed to be a lot of light :?:
:biggthump
scoops_uk
17-02-2005, 01:40
Cheers for all the nice photo comments :o):
The artic ones were taken in March, the snow should have been deeper but it was a bit on the warm side when we were there (not that that stopped my boots freezing!) Lightwise it was pretty good March there seemed similar to mid January here.
The camino photos were in June/July. Me and the Mrs were doing 200 miles of the Northern coastal Route. Highly recommended to avoid the hoards of pilgrims on the french route. For all but the last 2 days we had the place almost to ourselves.
Hope you like the two french army poncho's being used for a tarp, they were seriously heavy duty and only took the addition of a few brass eyelets to get them pitching in various whacky ways...
http://www.skeels.net/Camino%20Norte%202004/slides/DSC_0125.html
http://www.skeels.net/Camino%20Norte%202004/slides/DSC_0141.html
Green Spain and particularly Asturias / Cantabria and Galicia are seriously recommended as places to visit, very like a perfect UK summer with stunning vegetation. We got there with a £19 Jet2 flight to barcelona and an overnight train (£60 for our own compartment with shower) to Leon.
You can pretty much camp where you like (leave no trace to keep things this way) when farmers passed by we asked but to quote one woman with six cows when asked for permission "Go ahead, we don't much bother about that sort of thing round here" Another farmer dragged us off to his house and plied us with coffee, beer and brandy whilst he told us about his adventures in the Franco years!
Scoops
TheViking
17-02-2005, 14:33
Hello and welcome! :D :wave:
Thanks for the pix, Scoops! Yes Lars Falt is probably one of the best in the world and a survival instructor with the Swedish army.
I didn't realize how very low the temperatures got though...
I am sure this a landmark in your bushcraft experience.
An expedition I would like to do as soon as I have an opportunity!
A very warm welcome to you!
Hope you enjoy the forum! :-D
:Crazy_071
Fallow Way
24-02-2005, 18:09
By any chance in one of the Arctic pictures can i see the grey ruffled crest of a lesser spotted "Chessy"??? (if no then i`m sure your confused now, as is anyone reading this )
scoops_uk
25-02-2005, 10:29
can i see the grey ruffled crest of a lesser spotted "Chessy"???
If you're meaning Cheesy, the creature with the unearthly ability to snore, then yes!
Scoops