Norwich and Norfolk group?

[Jay-Jay]

Snufkin in action.

[Jay-Jay]

Finaly managed to get pics to work yay! So here goes..


RAPPLEBY2000 Showing how it should be done.

Some kind of hammock thingy.

Few video's to follow just as soon as they have been 'moderator approved'

[Jay-Jay]

Yet more photos...




My attempt


Lord Lurcher 'givin it sum wellie'

[lord lurcher]

Firstly many thanks to jay for returnung my keys!!! that was above and beyond the call of duty mate, many thanks. Photos look wicked. Thanks to rich for the bow drill tuition and for organising things i really enjoyed myself, looking forward to another SOON! thanks guys

[Jay-Jay]

Here are the video links. I hope they work ok...

Jim finds out how hard it is.

RAPPLEBY2000 making it look simple.

Lord Lurcher easily lights up another.

Excellent afternoon spent in the woods. Just wish we'd had more time to spare
Look forward to the next one.

[Snufkin]

Great pics and videos Jay Jay .

[RAPPLEBY2000]

top notch electriktrickry!

Jay jay you've done a fantastic job!

it's wierd it's the first time i've seen myself teach!
i look really relaxed, i never thought i did!(it's special instructor magic! )

well, today i contacted Biddlesby about a campsite at a place called Garlveston which is quite close to Norwich, it's a scout campsite with toilets and areas to light fires in not much in the way of trees for hammocks but from pictures i've seen 2 ,3 or mabey more could be put up! but to be safe i would take a tent or tarp.

anyway thanks to Biddlesby i have the contact details and i've sent an E-mail asking permission to camp there.

if all goes well we should be able to camp there soon!

i shall try to find the thetford details too! as it's a really nice camp!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

still waiting for a reply

[RAPPLEBY2000]

still no luck on the campsite i'm afraid,
i shall try to contact them another way(one of the E-mails is not working).

well my Boss has "let me off" some more days so more time to play in the summer!

when do people want to meet again? any preferred dates?

[Biddlesby]

Have you tried the phone number?

Looks like good fun, hope I will be there next time.

[Snufkin]

still no luck on the campsite i'm afraid,
i shall try to contact them another way(one of the E-mails is not working).

well my Boss has "let me off" some more days so more time to play in the summer!

when do people want to meet again? any preferred dates?

Too bad about work
I'm not about for a fortnight but what about the weekend of the 15th-16th July?

[RAPPLEBY2000]

15th-16th july looks free for me

(another time i was ment to be away!)

but on the plus side i can have fun with you guys!

i'll see what i can sort out.

i just tried calling the Garvlston site but it's on answer, so i'll ring later today.

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Very good news!

i have just booked the Garlveston scout camp site
for the weekend of:

5th-6th August
£1.50p per person/night
(there was no space in july)

it sounds like a really nice site surrounded by trees,
a small wooded area,
huge field
3 flush loos
and a campfire area.

unfortunately we can oly light fires in the "camp fire" area though you can camp near it.
we are welcome to use hammocks but there's not space for many so prehaps be prepared to use a tarp insted, the warden also suggested using pioneering poles to make some sort of structure, but thats up to you.
many of the "trees" are too small for hammock use.

be aware
there are no shops in garvleston, the nearest is Tescos in dereham several miles away.
there's no mention of showers but hey i'm sure we can rough it!

there are no neighbours apart from a church yard (they don't make much noise).

the site will not have anyone else on it so it's all ours!

so make your excuses to the boss and family,
make space in your diary,
pack your bags,
and come along!

i will need details ASAP about whos coming, to figure out the cost.

[RAPPLEBY2000]

to get to it i was given some rather confusing directions but i've de-coded it.



from Norwich follow the A47 southern bypass to Dereham,

at Dereham take a left on to the wymondham road B1135,

a few miles down the B1135 is Garvestone, turn right into the village.

aparently the entrance to the camp site is a small track next to a church,
there apears to be 1 church track next to it half way through the village on the right.
grid ref: TG 023 073(if that's any help)

Biddlesby might be able to clarify that one for us a bit!

[Snufkin]

I'll be there, if someone would be good enough to pick me up from Norwich station. And I'll tarp it to leave space for all you tree dwellers.
As there are flush toilets I suppose there is running water available?

[RAPPLEBY2000]

i'm sure a lift can be organised for you Snufkin same goes for everyone else too if you need one!

water, yes cold tap water will be available, hmmm...heaven for shaving with !

i have opened the camping weekend to the East anglia , lincolnshire and peterborough, groups too, as i think it's good for groups to meet up too!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

just a few pointers for first time bushcraft campers:


Blades
axes and various knives are fine on site, but for your own safety and legal reasons, keep them in your bag till you get there.

food
bring plenty, there are no shops nearby!
by all means experiment with bannock bread, wild foods etc as long as you have enough to fill you up as well.

Water
as i've already said, there is a tap.

cooking
bring your own camping type cooker or feel free to cook on the open fire, just be aware of fire hazards in and near to tarps.

fuel
aparently there is fire wood available but it would be nice to collect from the woods so we don't use it all up!

alcohol
i don't know, i'll have to check it out, usually wardens don't mind a few bevvy's round the camp fire.

First aid
i am a qualified first aider.
(please tell us if you are!)


shelters
it's up to you, you can rough it in a plastic survival bag or bring your mountaineering tent, bashas, poncho's, tarpaulins, hammocks whatever!

[Biddlesby]

The B1135 is the main road going through Garveston, so try not to go past and miss the village! The track is indeed next to the church, and is opposite to Town Lane which goes down the hill.

Can't see any reason why I can't attend so I should be there. It's about the easiest place possible for me to get to!

[lord lurcher]

Snufkin, I'll give you a lift mate, i know where the site is as well so we can go straight there! If you guys are up for it i can bring along a few brace of rabbits to cook up. They'll be in the skin tho so you'll have to dress them out! Anyone unsure of how to do this i'd be more than happy to show them. let me know nearer the time if you're up for it ( the ones i've got at the mo might be a bit smelly by then! )

[Biddlesby]

I'm always up for skinning a rabbit!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Exellent idea Lord Lurcher!

i'll be up for a skinning too! haven't skinned a rabbit for ages!

i remember washing my hands many times and the smell lingering !
(and no i didn't split the gut! )

probably worth investing in some plastic hygine gloves!

i was talking to Snufkin 2nd time we met and we were talking about haveing a bushcraft food taster meal, including foods not normally eaten.
with our groups joint knowledge we should be able to find loads.

big thanks goes to Biddlesby for sending me the contact details for the camp site!

another question for you Biddlesby, are there any local footpaths to the site we could explore for foods?

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Hi guy's i'm meeting up with Damascus tomorow, for a mooch around his area, possibly involving some dead bunnys
i'll tell you what we get up to!

i answered a post of Biddlesby's earlier about hand drills, which got me thinking, please if anyone needs help or advice bring whatever it is along when we meet up and between all of us we should be able to help out!

also if anyone is looking for a material and can't get hold of it for example a piece of holly for a bearing block (which i have loads of).
let thegroup know and hopefully when we meet we can help each other out

and remeber those that don't know:
Very good news!

i have just booked the Garlveston scout camp site
for the weekend of:

5th-6th August
£1.50p per person/night

(check back in the thread for details)
come along all are invited!

[Biddlesby]

There is a network of footpaths around the area that you can go exploring. How rich a food resource they are might be limited. I've found some reedmace at the other end of the village, and I've been told there are some pignuts in the area. Having only recently got into the hobby I must admit I haven't really explored the potential as much as I should've, particularly not up the scout field way, so it would be interesting to.

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Cheers can you be our appointed expert guide?

[RAPPLEBY2000]

well i met up with Damascus today.....right lets get this straight right away...... can this man fish or what!?
i think Damascus from here-on should be known as Damascus "the fish"!

well what can i say!
i can't(won't) go into too much detail be cause the site we went to was private land and i don't want to advertise the place without Damascus's permission.

well we met up and i followed his car through a village to a very long dirt track near the outskirts of Norwich, after a 5 minute drive we stopped and he showed me a really nice private fishing lake surrounded with dense woodland and farmland of which he is the balif.

after a short time we discussed the group what we've done and how it would be nice to meet at this place, only problem no open fires! (though camping cookers should be fine) it's a very overgrown place, shoulder high in foliage, but plenty of places for hammocks, and even a small stream with fish!
otherwise it's a free for all!(if invited!)
also he mentioned another area nearby that would be good for a camp!
which i thought was fantastic,

then he went on to show me how to make a "survival" fishing rod, with a fishing kit bought from poundland, and got out his own telescopic rod to catch around 10 fish in about half an hour!

literally cast the line and he'd get a bite in seconds!

i caught 1 fairly big one with my survival fishing rod!(beginners luck! ).
we then sat and had boil in the bag army ration for lunch which he kindly supplied!


with out going into much detail Damascus has an extensive military background with a wealth of experience in survival, hunting and fishing!

unfortunately he has prior engagements with various youth groups so we won't see much of him but I'll definately organise some more meets in the week so others can meet up!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

just put up a new thread with the details of the garvestone camp comming up!

don't add comments to it, or we will get confusing overlap of the threads, cheers!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

does anyone fancy meeting up this monday afternoon or evening coming?

[Jay-Jay]

What sort of time are ya thinking of matey ?
I'm always up for a bit of time off work

[RAPPLEBY2000]

tell you what, give us an estimate on when you would get here and we'll go on that?


by the way Damascus, has some very good news for us!
i shall let him tell us all in good time!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

ok heres the deal, damascus has found us a plot of woodland only 6 miles from Norwich that we can do whatever on for free!

aparently it's so overgrown we'll need to clear it first! but hey i'm up for it!

i can't go into detail yet as it's a friend of Damascus's, and he just needs to check it's safe etc.

so is anyone wanting to meet tomorrow?

you'll have to tell me pretty quick!