View Full Version : A weekend with Paul Kirtley Part 1 (VERY pic heavy)
Mesquite
12-09-2011, 18:43
8 of the Rough Close Meeters social group had the pleasure of spending the weekend with Paul Kirtley. Paul joined us late on the Friday night after a terrible journey that took 4 1/2hrs instead of the expected 2 1/2hrs but we soon refreshed him with a fresh baked pizza and a bottle of Crabbies :)
The next morning we set off with Paul for a walk round Rough Close. Paul soon started pointing out things like the fact that we had Norwegian Maple on site but everyone assumed it was plain old sycamore. It was amazing the things we took for granted or didn't realise were there so it was great having a fresh pair of eyes :)
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Whilst we were out he demonstrated the art of making withies
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We then carried on looking at various plants and trees
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Then we came upon an Elder laden berries and he told us about making a cordial with them so of course we had to try :rolleyes:
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The cordial turned out pretty good but did need sweetening
The afternoon was then spent making salmon trolling hooks used by Native Americans on the northwest coast of America
Gathering the roots needed for the lashings
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We then carved the components and split the roots
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The finished products :D
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After the craft session Paul gave a master class in carving feather sticks
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We then broke for dinner – Roast leg of lamb with veg very kindly cooked by MartinK9 ably assisted by Decorum
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This was followed by Peach Cobbler which you can read about here (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79274&p=961939#post961939). It was truly delicious.
Thank you very much for the cooking Martin, the food was fantastic :)
Paul then spent the evening doing a show and tell about his Arctic kit which was fascinating and gave us a good understanding in the needs of multi layers and how they should be used
We then spent the evening chatting round the fire and just enjoying each others company :)
MartinK9
12-09-2011, 18:45
Great Pics and a great weekend thanks Steve and Paul. :)
MartinK9
12-09-2011, 18:46
double post.
Mesquite
12-09-2011, 18:46
The Sunday morning was spent again on a walk around Rough Close stopping off to practice the lesson he gave in making withies
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We found some Artists bracket fungus
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And some other mushrooms
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The rest of the morning was spent gathering materials needed to make some treble hooks out of feather quills, thorns and pine resin
Paul melting down the resin
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Unfortunately I didn’t get any pics of the finished products
The afternoon was then spent learning the art of fire by friction using the hand drill
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Carving the notch in a clematis hearth board
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And off he goes
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A minute or less there’s an ember (I didn’t time Paul but he was pretty quick)
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Where there’s smoke…
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…There’s fire
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We then had a go…
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Even young Adam had a go
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Then on his very first attempt…
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Roly got an ember!!!
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Unfortunately it didn’t take in the tinder bundle so Paul gave him a few pointers
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Then he was off again and in next to no time he had his second ember!!!
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This started to produce smoke as he blew upon the tinder bundle
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And he succeeded in breathing it into a fire. Well done mate
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Unfortunately my battery then died on me but the weekend’s activities had just about come to a halt after the hand drill.
It was a brilliant weekend which I for one thoroughly enjoyed. Paul is a great instructor with a great wealth of knowledge and it really shows he wants to share that knowledge with his students. The comments from the rest of group echoed what I thought and everyone enjoyed themselves.
If your group would like to invite Paul to one of your meets he can be contacted either through his blog (http://paulkirtley.co.uk/) or his bushcraft company (http://frontierbushcraft.com/) :)
BRILLIANT! what a boon getting Mr Kirtley there too guys, very well done, the pic of The young lad giving the hand drill a shot really sums up what learning all this is about, great pics Steve:)
I keep looking at the French river Exped with Paul's company:cool: very cool!
Mesquite
12-09-2011, 19:52
BRILLIANT! what a boon getting Mr Kirtley there too guys, very well done, the pic of The young lad giving the hand drill a shot really sums up what learning all this is about, great pics Steve:)
I keep looking at the French river Exped with Paul's company:cool: very cool! Frontier Bushcraft (http://frontierbushcraft.com/)
So do I Southey, if I had the money spare I'd book it in a flash :)
sasquatch
12-09-2011, 20:13
Thanks for sharing pics Steve and of course organising this! Big thanks to Paul for sharing all the knowledge in a laid back but informative style and to everyone else that attended. Great weekend, many thanks!
Looks like great weekend guys, glad you had fun.
I keep looking at the French river Exped with Paul's company very cool! Frontier Bushcraft
Why did you have to go and show me that..... 5 Minuites ago I did not need a canoe trip in Canada but now I do soooooo much. Time to start saving, me thinks. That is ticking all my boxes big time.
Looks like a useful weekend, cheers for sharing Steve
geordienemisis
12-09-2011, 21:55
Well looks like all concerned had a whale of a time. As you said about a fresh pair of eyes, its really amazing what you don't see in a place where you spend lots of time. Paul is really up to the mark with his skills and an excellent teacher. I am a tad envious.
dr jones
12-09-2011, 21:59
Id like to thank everyone , especially Steve for a fantastic weekend with Paul K , really enjoyed it and learnt alot , brilliant. Look- ing forward to getting up that way again . always good to see everyone . Once again cheers
ATB roly
drewdunnrespect
12-09-2011, 22:28
looks ausome steve thanks for sharing
Wow, what a weekend. A big thank you to everyone who attended. Also thanks for the evening meal Martin. Adam had a great time and fitted in very well with everyones help.
Nice photos too Steve
It was a great weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed being there. Thanks for being so welcoming and for all the fantastic cooking - Bodge's oatcakes and MartinK9's Dutch oven skills are not to be underestimated! Thanks to Mesquite for organising things - it was great to work with such a keen and knowledgeable group and I hope to see you all again at some point.
All the best
Paul
Thanks for sharing. Looks like an awesome time and a great dude to learn from!
sandbender
13-09-2011, 08:10
Great pics, looks like you all had a great time. The Scottish meet folks should drag Paul north of the border for one of their meets.
:)
Looks like a great weekend of leaning nice pics.
I think I've been beaten to most pictures but I'll put up some of mine too just in case.
http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/assets/images/Trolling_Hooks.jpg
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All in all a great weekend. Thanks go to Steve for organising it, Paul for his skill and insight, Martin and Bodge for their amazing catering and of course everybody else for their excellent company.
Wow looks cool... Shame I couldn't make this one :(
My thanks to all those who came along and made for a special weekend ~ special thanks must go to Steve for coming up with the idea, to Paul for bringing new eyes and knowledge (and also for being a thoroughly nice chap) and to Martin for the culinary lesson (and his patience :o)
Wow looks cool... Shame I couldn't make this one :(
:p Being available wouldn't have helped you ~ this one was a special event put on for the regulars in the social group :p ~ talk about a benefit of going to Meets :D .
You're most welcome to join us for the September Meet (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77800&highlight=) at the end of the month :cool: ~ but you still can't drive down the back track :p :lmao:.
Hi guys
Thanks to Mesquite, Wayland and MartinK9 for sharing their photos. I've written a post about the weekend on the Frontier Bushcraft blog. You can go straight to the blog post with the link below:
Private Course for BushcraftUK Group (http://frontierbushcraft.com/2011/09/14/private-course-for-bushcraftuk-group/)
Thanks again to everyone who was there for making me so welcome. Hope to do it again before too long.
All the best
Paul
Mesquite
14-09-2011, 21:12
Hi guys
Thanks to Mesquite, Wayland and MartinK9 for sharing their photos. I've written a post about the weekend on the Frontier Bushcraft blog. You can go straight to the blog post with the link below:
Private Course for BushcraftUK Group (http://frontierbushcraft.com/2011/09/14/private-course-for-bushcraftuk-group/)
Thanks again to everyone who was there for making me so welcome. Hope to do it again before too long.
All the best
Paul
That's a great write up Paul :)
sasquatch
14-09-2011, 21:57
That's a great write up Paul :)
+1 on that! Nice one Paul! Cheers Gary for adding some great pics as well...
Good write up :cool: .
:(:o I can't get my scumputer to see my card reader, hence no pics from me :o:( ~ at the moment I'm still not too sure whether it's a problem with the reader or the drivers :dunno:. I'll continue to work on it and stick them up as and when I become able :sad6: .
JonathanD
14-09-2011, 22:14
Good write up :cool: .
:(:o I can't get my scumputer to see my card reader, hence no pics from me :o:( ~ at the moment I'm still not too sure whether it's a problem with the reader or the drivers :dunno:. I'll continue to work on it and stick them up as and when I become able :sad6: .
I'd say it's is a problem with the carbon based lifeform attempting the operation.
Mesquite
14-09-2011, 22:17
I'd say it's is a problem with the carbon based lifeform attempting the operation.
Could be because of the severe damage he suffered to his face from a chigger attack... They duffed Phil up something rotten :rolleyes:
JonathanD
14-09-2011, 22:23
Aaah, so that is the John Merrick like character everyone says attended the weekend. It was actually Phil being chiggered by chiggers.
I'd say it's is a problem with the carbon based lifeform attempting the operation.
Aye, but that's a given :lmao:. All I know is the lil green light don't come on :confused: :dunno:
Could be because of the severe damage he suffered to his face from a chigger attack... They duffed Phil up something rotten :rolleyes:
Eye was a flying nasty ~ chiggers chomped (almost) everywhere else :yikes: :wow1:
Aaah, so that is the John Merrick like character everyone says attended the weekend. It was actually Phil being chiggered by chiggers.
Don't need no chompin' chiggers to pull that impersonation :lmao:
Anyway, isn't it about time to pull another visit? You haven't been since you face-planted after capsizing your hammock :p .
JonathanD
14-09-2011, 22:55
Anyway, isn't it about time to pull another visit? You haven't been since you face-planted after capsizing your hammock :p .
More than time. I planned several visits but my survey work has been utterly mad. You can tell as I'm only a flying visitor here lately. I've never been so busy in one year in this country, it has really been hectic. I've missed Mesquites Bday bash, surveying I promised at North Wood, the Wilderness Gathering, getting up to Sheffield to see Stu, meets with a few members I would dearly loved to have spent the day with, and my own daughters birthday. Duncan has also given me five of his knives to review, and I've had them for nearly three weeks and not had the time to do so. It has been mad, but I've been outdoors, so can't grumble. Been a whole three seasons hammockin with no rollovers too. Someone there must have pushed me. The swines :rolleyes:
... and my own daughters birthday.
Ooh, bad move ~ more so seeing as some dopey blighter's taught her about guns and knives :lmao:.
Duncan has also given me five of his knives to review, and I've had them for nearly three weeks and not had the time to do so.
Erm ... and a Meet would be a wholey unsuitable place and time to get that job sorted wouldn't it :rofl:.
Someone there must have pushed me. The swines :rolleyes:
Could've been Twang-Twang ~ at the time he seemed overly chuffed that he was no longer the sole face-planter :thinkerg:
JonathanD
14-09-2011, 23:44
Erm ... and a Meet would be a wholey unsuitable place and time to get that job sorted wouldn't it :rofl:.
Well quite, and I would love to bring the Gerber and some other things for the mob to have a play with. But the time issue is still a problem. Nipping to the woods for an hour is much quicker.....g And still I lacked the time. I will bring some sharp play things to the next one I make though. And the herping season is at a peak with young uns being born, but soon I shall be free with the cold weather aproaching fast.
Could've been Twang-Twang ~ at the time he seemed overly chuffed that he was no longer the sole face-planter :thinkerg:
Penny drops. Well there you go. He was camped right by me. He trumps alot in the night too!!!
TinkyPete
15-09-2011, 00:34
Great to see you guys had a great time, was jealous of you all :)
I see Martin's speciality came out again :)
I hope i can still make september meet cause i am look forward to getting out to relax again :)
... I would love to bring the Gerber ...
:yikes: One was brought along last weekend and passed around on Sunday evening :yikes: . I'm now in a position to say that I consider both the knife and and the sheath to be well made ~ but that handle would destroy my hands if I used it for more than a few minutes. I have to admit that I'm chuffed to have valid reason to dislike the knife :lmao: .
Penny drops. Well there you go.
That deserves a ...
http://www.sheep.physicsisbroken.com/Facepalm.jpg
problem with the reader or the drivers :dunno:. I'll continue to work on it and stick them up as and when I become able :sad6: .
Definitely the reader :lmao:
Anyway, a couple of misc pics from me ...
As I like to have a play with how I do things, I tried a new (for me) way of slinging my tarp ~ it's very dependent on pitching the back/wedge end into the wind. It rained Saturday night and, although I didn't get wet, I was concerned enough to sling the small spare I'd taken as a _just in case_ to add a bit of protection. I changed the configuration back to a more normal/traditional way of pitching on the Sunday.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6169898841_88b27790d2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59592399@N07/6169898841/)
You always forget something :o . In this instance, I forgot to pick up my Honey Stove ~ so I improvised :cool: .
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6170441074_9dbb63177d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59592399@N07/6170441074/)
An improvised candle lantern ~ this now defunct cigarette case holds 4 tea light and acts as a half decent reflector.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6170456514_d42d2d13f1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59592399@N07/6170456514/)
Someone had dropped a spruce bough/stem/branch _thing_ ~ so I harvested bits from it to make a brush.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6169922471_0840cedc1b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59592399@N07/6169922471/)
Deaner666
21-09-2011, 22:15
Looks like you had a great weekend guys. I can definitely recommend Paul's blog, loads of great info on there. Would love to get some instruction from the man himself!
Great thread lads thanks for sharing.
Liam
Looks like you had a great weekend guys. I can definitely recommend Paul's blog, loads of great info on there. Would love to get some instruction from the man himself!
You have a group down your way, why not give him a call and set up something similar yourselves?