Book DATES

OVERVIEW

Course Duration: 13.00 Friday - 12.00 Sunday
Group size: 10 Maximum
Age Range: 18+

Through this weekend you will have the rare opportunity to work in small groups with us on this most important topic, not only understanding its importance to our species, but also discovering a whole myriad of methods for creating it focusing on historical and primitive methods.

This course is not an endurance test but is designed for you to get practical hands-on experience of fire lighting, in a fun and safe weekend. No prior experience is required for you to attend this course.

£300pp or book with a £60 Deposit


Friday

On the Friday afternoon after setting up your own sleeping system we will begin exploring the various tinders that are available to you in the British Woodland and spend some time collecting tinder and kindling materials. Once back at the camp we will take you through the whole fire building process including safety, 100% success, and environmental factors.

Once the fire is established we will have a look at different fire lays and their application and we will use the fire to make char cloth as well as other charred tinders.

In the evening you will be taken on a journey with an introductory talk on the importance of fire to us as a species, you will discover all of the theories of exactly how far back our association with fire began, how it became the focal point for a home, how our bodies changed as a result, how it influenced modern and ancient human behaviour... even down to the influence on the domestication of wildlife.

Saturday

Following breakfast on Saturday we will take an in depth look at flint and steel and the ancient method of using iron pyrites and flint. As these methods only create embers we will have plenty of practice in blowing tinder bundles into life.

The Saturday afternoon is filled with a firebow masterclass; and in depth look at the technique with plenty of hands on practice. There will then be the opportunity to source the materials to fashion your own set to take home.

Sunday

On Sunday morning you will also explore the hand drill and be tutored in its application. This interesting method really takes a lot of skill to master, this session will emphasise and highlight to you the differences in the components; the ember; and finer details of the technique, to the Bow Drill.

We'll have some time to revisit some of the methods already covered, and we'll ensure you leave the weekend having had a good opportunity to get stuck into the array of firelighting options we cover.

The course will finish by looking at the correct way to extinguish and clear away your fire, making sure it is completely out and that we leave no trace.

Our aim is that you leave the course with a confidence to be able to light a fire in the poorest conditions, in a sensible place, from materials sustainably harvested from around us, to use that fire in an efficient manner, and to be able to leave no trace of it's existence.

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