Am I too Old

[Celt_Ginger]

Hi.
I have been keen watcher of Bushcraft programs on TV and a reader of books on the subject, but up until now, I have never left my armchair, except to part with cash to buy kit that never gets used outside the garden. I have just signed up to go to a bushcraft school for a weeks training, and I'm getting cold feet. I'm not sure if I will be up to it. I'm 38 years old, andf afraid of looking like a total prat beside , I'm asuming , a lot of much younger people. It may be different if I had practiced some of this stuff before, but I never have. Am I mad to do this? Will I be out of my depth? Am I too old?

[leon-1]

No, you are not too old.

Good on you and good luck to you on the course, we are never too old to learn

[bp1974]

Am I mad to do this? Will I be out of my depth? Am I too old?

No.

No more than anyone else there, and that'll only last a day or so anyhow.

No.

Welcome to BCUK, BTW.

[Roving Rich]

Its never too late ! I have seen an 80 year old making bow drill fire !
If you have a good instructor then they will take into account your reservations and adjust things accordingly, just let them know.
38 sertainly isn't too old.

Cheers
Rich

[khimbar]

Of course you're not too old. But if you do think you are and you don't want to go through with it, can I have your kit?

I'm 34 and I'd never even considered myself old. And why should there be an age limit to bushcraft?

Age brings wisdom and experience apparently. And remember Toddys signature...you're never too old to have a wonderful childhood!

Enjoy the course.

and welcome to the boards

[jamesdevine]

First no one is ever too old to learn and if you are the oldest in class so be it you'll have years of different experiences in problem solving the rest of class won't have and that will help you.

Take things at your pace and ask as many questions as you like. You will not be the oldest person to have pasted through the schools door if it is a local school in Castlewellen you will be fine.

I did the Primitve living skill course with Wild-live last year with my youngest brother who was only 21 at time and I was 28. There were two other guys both older then me and we all had a great week. Learnt loads and Anthonio had the patience of saint with us as we blundered are way through the course.

It's your money your spending so make sure you get your moneys worth and get stuck in. If don't understand ask thats what you paid for. Also you have week to learn the basic principles and the rest off your life to prefect them.

At least thats what I keep telling myself.

Go and enjoy it and come back here and tell us all about it.

James

[falcon]

I wish I was only your age mate ! Like many here I've only begun to convert a lifetime of countryside experiences to bushcraft practices during the last couple of years and without exception, I've found people to be unbelievably helpful and patient in sharing their knowledge and experience. People will respond to your enthusiasm, not consider whether you're too old to talk to. And I bet you'll find that it's not long before you start making your own contributions and gain confidence from achieving things you never thought you would. Enjoy!

[Cyclingrelf]

38 is nothing, I took my parents on a fundamental bushcraft course this year and neither of them are going to see 60 again! They both loved it and have booked themselves on another course to learn about using birch bark next year.

[JimH]

Am I mad to do this? Will I be out of my depth? Am I too old?

Yes, no, and no, respectively.

If you value the view of another 38 yo ginger Celt (who just got back from a first course (canoing and a bit of bushcraft).

You'll know more than you think, and may find that you are a long way off being the oldest. I was nearly the *youngest* on mine...

...Not a common experience for me these days, and very welcome

Jim.

[MartiniDave]

Go for it! I did my course last year at 42, and I was not the oldest student there.
I only wish I'd known about it whan I was 24.

Enjoy the course.

Dave

[beachlover]

Age is in the mind. Remember the non-PC saying "you are only as old as the person you feel."
I am 50 and love this stuff.
Sure beats SAGA and Age Concern.

[bushwacker bob]

Damn whippersnappers!
If you can still get out of bed in the morning,you ain't too old

[BlueTrain]

That expression, "you are only as old as the person you feel" is beginning to bother me a little bit. I will be 59 this month.

But, as usual, I have more to say about this.

No one is too old to learn something and if I'm not learning something new, then it's time to hang it up or pack it away. After all, one thing that keeps me going is a new trail to walk down. Only most of the trails seem to be uphill!

However, I have never been on any course since I left the army. But without that experience, I dare to say that a lot of them just might be a little narrow in their focus, in the sense that you are very likely to only have the instructor's viewpoint. I may be wrong and I'm sure I'll hear about it. But in any case, I also expect that the greater value of attending a course is the benefit of associating with other attendees rather than the course material itself.

Although I am quick to comment about people imagining far-fetched senarios like what happens when the balloon goes up or your plane goes down in the Andes, I fall prey to that, too. I live in Virginia, which is close to being sub-tropical for half the year, yet I have a great interest in the Northwoods, Canada and Alaska. It may be nothing more than an unsatisfied interest but who knows.

I definately don't think you are too old, though. You don't see things the same as you get older for a whole variety of reasons but nothing else changes much. After all, there have been people in their 70's who have walked the Applachian Trail from end to end and even two or three older than that.

[Firewyre]

Sorry mate - 38 isn't going to come close to 'old'

My mum is an inspiration to me - she's recently hit the manditory retirement age and is doing courses in Spanish, Computers, Car Maintenance, Hill Walking, Welding, Woodwork, Ceramics and Belly Dancing.

I think the worst problem she has is the neighbours trying to 'tell' on her because she's 'obviously' lying about her age - I mean, she can't REALLY be retired, right? Don't let anyone tell you you're too old - especially not you yourself!

She's great and almost twice your age. I'm looking forward to what genetics has in store for me! Have fun on your course and show everyone how to have fun - no matter their age.

[Abbe Osram]

Hi.
I have been keen watcher of Bushcraft programs on TV and a reader of books on the subject, but up until now, I have never left my armchair, except to part with cash to buy kit that never gets used outside the garden. I have just signed up to go to a bushcraft school for a weeks training, and I'm getting cold feet. I'm not sure if I will be up to it. I'm 38 years old, andf afraid of looking like a total prat beside , I'm asuming , a lot of much younger people. It may be different if I had practiced some of this stuff before, but I never have. Am I mad to do this? Will I be out of my depth? Am I too old?

Hi mate,
I love honest people! Thanks mate for sharing your heart. You are not to old, I am 43 and even have a ruptured disc. But look what is possible when you don’t give up and hang in.

Abbes Camp
Keep one thing in mind not to think too much about Good or Bad. Allow things to happen to you and watch them but don’t think about them much and don’t label them as good or bad. Nature simply is. Maybe you will sleep badly the first night; maybe you will shiver a bit in your sleeping back but watch it how live feels being away from the armchair. Don’t think negative either, it might stop you not to go, but maybe you miss the chance of your life to experience something great.
See it like a school. The Mother earth called you out of the armchair, out of the Bushcraft dreaming into real live. Now go and suck the life into yourself. You are not going to teach and impress others but to receive and to learn.

Enjoy the ride mate, suck it in, watch every feeling and emotion, learn as much as you can but don’t allow your worries to stop you experimenting and experiencing life.

Cheers
Abbe

[lardbloke]

My Dad is well into his seventies (I am in my mid thirties) and was well into 'bushcraft' before it became more widely know through media. He still goes out on his jaunts with his friends (all of equal ages, if not older from the old army dayz). He tells me 'the old reactions are not as they were', but his knowledge is second to none. If he had his way we would all have been brought up in the woods.
You are never too old to learn and appreciate nature as our ancestors once did...

[storm]

being chronologically-enhanced enables you to think-and-do instead of do-and-regret. go at your own pace (and insist on it). and you will bring experience, which usually tempers rash behavior. you will probably be a better listener/learner as well.

i'm 36 and had fractured seven vertebrae and broke my knees in a parachute jump about 20 years ago. i am thoroughly versed in the virtues of being true to one's physical self. pacing, resting, observing...

[Toddy]

Hi.
I have been keen watcher of Bushcraft programs on TV and a reader of books on the subject, but up until now, I have never left my armchair, except to part with cash to buy kit that never gets used outside the garden. I have just signed up to go to a bushcraft school for a weeks training, and I'm getting cold feet. I'm not sure if I will be up to it. I'm 38 years old, andf afraid of looking like a total prat beside , I'm asuming , a lot of much younger people. It may be different if I had practiced some of this stuff before, but I never have. Am I mad to do this? Will I be out of my depth? Am I too old?

I hope you have a brilliant time; I think you'll be quietly delighted at how much you know, but nothing beats hands on demonstrations and the opportunity to actually work with experienced tutors it something to look forward to. Your fitness levels may be relevant, your age isn't.
No, you idiot, you're not too old You can't be out of your depth, these courses are designed to cope with a wide range of abilities, experience and ages, and I seriously doubt that you'll be the only person your age there.

You're a lucky, lucky devil, I *so* want to go on courses, I love learning new skills and picking up information but time just doesn't work that way for me right now. Go and soak it all in then come and make us all envious over the photos and stuff you've experienced, encourage us all to go too.

I'm 47 next weekend and I've spent the past fortnight teaching kids about wilderness living/ traditional crafts/ campfires/ outdoor cooking, etc.,....and I'm beat....but I'm looking forward to doing it all again next week. Age is a case of mind over matter....if you don't mind, it don't matter.

I was demonstrating at a festival a fortnight ago and a 92 year old gentleman told me he takes great offence at that phrase, "Having a senior moment" to describe occasional memory lapses. He prefers to refer to them as, "Intellectual overloads"
My great granny lived to be 102, had all of her marbles and still did everything for herself until she just didn't wake up one morning....I'm not even half way there yet and I'm a lot older than you are.
You have years to practise all that you know and will learn, go for it!

Cheers,
Toddy (who's still chuffed to bits she's finally got a parachute to play with )

[beachlover]

Damn whippersnappers!
If you can still get out of bed in the morning,you ain't too old

I always thought that the day I got out of bed too early was the day i was old!!

[ssj]

If you are the oldest one there, you'll probably be the smartest one there!
Steve

[beachlover]

If you are the oldest one there, you'll probably be the smartest one there!
Steve

Seriously doubt that. The ageless thing about this is that the young can teach the old and the Old can teach the young. That is the way it should be. Nothing to to with age but all about experience and skills that can be shared.

[Kim]

Lordy lord...you think 38 is OLD!!!

My first ever bushcraft course type experience was in the company (amongst others) of a much older gentleman who would have a go at anything despite his arthritis and was one of the most encouraging, lovely men I've ever met.

Don't be afraid, you'll be supported and there will be so many others in the same boat as you, all worried about approaching stuff for the first time because of their sex, age, life experience, whatever.

Go for it.

[swyn]

You are never too old to have a good time! make every moment count. Wisdom comes with age and 38 is still young! Best of luck with your course.

[bushman762]

With all the knowledge and advice available on here...I just assumed I was one of the youngest on here, until everyone started giving their ages!

It's all in the mind....in my case 45 is just a number, someone said I've been around for that number of years, but when I look back...I just know they have to be wrong...

Go for it...and have a great time!

Best Regards,

[bloodline]

Im 46 years young started at about 5 years still learning and intend gasping me last breath in the open or "up the woods" preferably under a tall beech or oak

[Isshogai]

My dad's in his 60's and still loves bushcrafting. He says it keeps him young

[nomade]

Now then Celtic Ginger! You MUST BE joking!!! 38?!!

Mate you are a kid! I am in my fifties and remaining vague about how far in my fifties I am, a girl, and apart from some experience as a scout when I was 10 and as a hitch-hiking back-packer in my twneties (early 1970s!!!) had no previous experience of camping or rambling or anything like that until only 6 years ago...

I know ONE DOES have cold feet at times during the run-up to a course or some rendez-vous with other people. Do I have the right equipment, am I as fit as they are, as experienced as they are, as young as they are, etc etc etc?

Take the jump mate! We don't always enjoy ourselves doing new things.... or anything for that matter. It is a risk to take that it might be hard at times, not up to our expectations, turn out too expensive, you name it! And outdoors and wilderness courses I find are sometimes too pacy for comfort.

But experience is always a stepping stone.

And on the other hand your course may turn out absolutely fantastic and you may regret having to come back home so soon...you may make friends, learn things you will be eager to perfect later on.....

We do today what we did yesterday. It often feels too much to break the habit. But we can create new habits...and believe me the outdoors is addictive!!

Just a few thoughts...and 38 IS YOUNG!

Give us your news from the course!

Nomade

[Celt_Ginger]

Hello. Well, I'm amazed at how many people have responded. Thank you to everyone. I certainly feel inspired. I'm signed up to go to the Woodlore school next May, so I have a bit of time yet to crawl out of the armchair and do something practicle. Any ideas of where to begin?

[nomade]

I was with Woodlore last May. Canoeing down the Ardeche River in Southern France.What course did you enrol on?

[leon-1]

Hello. Well, I'm amazed at how many people have responded. Thank you to everyone. I certainly feel inspired. I'm signed up to go to the Woodlore school next May, so I have a bit of time yet to crawl out of the armchair and do something practicle. Any ideas of where to begin?

As kids most of us have built them, so start with shelter, natural, manmade and the reasons for sighting shelters in specific locations.

Also the various styles of shelter working from turf shelters, through debris shelters (kennel and lean-to) and then the shelters made from tarps. Try to stick with what you are likely to use in the main enviroment that you will be working in.

Because it is something that most of us have done as kids it tends to start that warm and fuzzy feeling all over again