Bank Holiday Adventures

[Humakt]

Come on, you bunch of lumps - write about what you managed to get up to over this bank holiday weekend.
Whatever it was - a walk out with the family, a three-day camp, in the back garden practising stuff, or maybe just pottering about in the shed.
Whatever bushcraft-related activities you managed to do over the weekend write about them here...

[FishyFolk]

Dragged the SIB out of the shed, pumped it up, checked for leaks and cleaned 2-3 years of acumulated dust and cobwebs off it.
Then emptied the 10 liter fuel tank of 3 years old oil mixed petrol for my 1973 Johnson 2 stroke motor...

Then the wife came out, and me and the runt where set to work getting to weeds out of the strawberry patch, and replanting them all, as they where set to close together.
The rest of the day was a celebration of glutonues barbecue frenzy...

Today I'm going fishing. But cant test the motor that has not been started for a couple of years, and it makes to much noise, and that is prohibited on a sunday. So shore fishing it is.

[Humakt]

Well I spent the day practising firelighting skills.
For a long time now all I've done is take either a gas stove or meths stove with me. And the couple of times I have had a fire I've been lazy and just used a zippo lighter to get things going.
But today I decided I should polish up some unused skills and took just a flint and steel with me, refusing to take a lighter (or even a firesteel) so I had no other choice.
First things first. It's all in the preparation - I would be using a nimblewill stove so I cut up some wood and sized it all...

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7209/27326601595_bec4d1d28f.jpg

And then out with the flint and steel. I was a bit annoyed with myself because before setting out I intended on collecting some birch bark. But I forgot, and just used cotton wool for tinder. It was only afterwards that I remembered my intentions. Oh well...

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7385/27326600625_d56f067070.jpg

And after a couple of swipes with the flint I had a spark in the char cloth, placed into cotton wool, blew into a flame, and...

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7351/27229769752_b6f9ee51e6.jpg

And a few minutes later there it was - a mug of earl grey, and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps to go with it. What chap could resist that, eh?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7266/26720410723_dacc5a3421.jpg

[rik_uk3]

I put tomato, cucumber, chili, peppers, aubergines and courgette plants into the polytunnel (new for me this year). Potted up herbs the grand children seeded a few weeks ago and after a visit to the local What Shop which has a garden centre this year, potted on Geraniums, lobelia, and Bizzie Lizzies for a bit of colour.

[bopdude]

I went on an over nighter to Runswick Bay, I'll post some pics up soon. Couldn't have picked a better day, the weather was spot on.

[Ashmantle]

I'm out tonight to my usual woodland patch, taking the missus and my 2 kids on their first wild camp, should be fun! I want to teach the kids some fire starting and bushcraft skills. Everyone is looking forward to it except my 11 year old lad who has already asked if there is wi-fi......:wink:

[Humakt]

And we've just got back after a walk around the nature reserve this morning.
Managed to get this picture of a marsh harrier. Not ideally in focus but as you can imagine you don't get much time - you just have to point and click and hope it comes out OK...

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7440/27250746882_c83e8be906_z.jpg

[Peaks]

Great shot!

[Ehecatl]

I took the Mrs and the dog to Fosse Medows. We were really impressed. The dog enjoyed the rivers and we enjoyed the walking.

[Blundstoned Love]

We went to the Bushcraft Show, it was really good and the weather was superb.

I went to talks by Surita Robinson & Paul Kirtley. Also did sessions on prearing small and larger game by Stonewood Bushcraft, which were very good, as was a leatherwork session by Lois Orford. Another thing I did was a birds of prey activity where I got to hold a number of birds including European Eagle Owl. Amazing.

Loads to see and do and plenty to buy. And I mean plenty.

[Woody]

Eagle owls are just the most amazing raptors!
Lucky you!
👍