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The Mountains in Winter…

February 22, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Ireland's highest mountain - the magnificent Carrauntoohil (centre of background) - what a place (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Brief Homage to Mountains in Winter

I love the barren openness of Ireland's mountains, even during the maelstrom of winter.

My favourite moments occur when I sit a while - watching cloud shadows pass over distant slopes...

or watching a bird soar - a dark speck drifting in the tall sky...

or listening to the rush of a mountain wind or the gentle tones of a mountain stream.

These places may be tree-stripped landscapes barely recognisable from their former, richly-wooded glory - but they are not lonely places.

They still have a great spirit about them.

For myself, there is a sweeping grandeur to them but sometimes they feel bleak and desolate - eerily indifferent to my presence.

Its all part of getting to know them, to understanding the essence of a mountainous landscape.

The Best Bushcraft Knife?

February 17, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Is this the best bushcraft knife? (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Or is this prehistoric knife the best outdoor knife?...(Photo: Sean Fagan).

More to the point - is there such a thing as a best bushcraft knife?

And what do badminton and bushcraft knives have in common?

Camp Craft: Smokey Fires

February 8, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Taking a short, shade-break. South Portugal (Photo: Sean Fagan).

With bushcraft & survival that the ability to create a large, smokey fire can be important for emergency signalling when marooned in a wild, remote place.

Another essential application of smokey fires is for deterring biting flies, such as mosquitoes.

Where biting flies commonly occur - they can be a serious irritant when unchecked - so much so, that they can seriously mar any outdoor excursion into nature.

The standard approach to deterring biting flies is usually a combination of wearing protective clothes and applying insect repellent on exposed skin - but it's always a good idea to have a number of solutions to one problem, such as biting flies, because anybody can lose/forget their insect repellent and even protective clothing is often not enough to deter more aggressive biting flies (such as horseflies).

Find out how to make a smokey fire and what natural materials you can use to create a smokey fire...

Bushcraft Photography…

February 4, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

A kneeling pad is a photographer's friend (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Kneeling Pads

When I’m out in nature doing some close-up photography I always bring a garden kneeling pad.

When photographing small, ground-surface features such as mushrooms, tracks & wild flowers, a kneeling position is often required to acquire good quality photos.

Using a soft, foam kneeling pad is a very comfortable way to get close to ground level, especially when the ground surface is damp, cold or hard.

But it's not just close-up photography where kneeling pads excel.

Learn how kneeling pads can help get your campfire going, keep you warm while sitting in the cold, and even help organise your rucksack kit.

Everett Ruess, a Wilderness Soul

January 26, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Everett Ruess, exploring a desert cliff dwelling, USA. (Photo: Wikimedia Images).

Between the ages of seventeen to twenty, Everett Ruess explored the deserts of the American southwest.

It’s believed that Everett died during one of his wilderness trips.

As of yet, his body has not been found.

Despite his youth, Everett was a great wilderness writer.

His literary musings capture the raw appeal of wilderness so evocatively that I believe they stand up there along other great outdoor authors, such as John Muir and Henry Thoreau.

There is much to learn from Everett. His passion for wild places can teach us some important lessons, perhaps even give us a more sympathetic understanding as to why Everett explored wilderness areas with such a reckless intensity.

An important question I wanted to address with this post - is it possible to experience wilderness areas like Ruess without putting ourselves in harm’s way?

I strongly believe so…

The Oak Tree & Ireland…

January 26, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

This was once Ireland. The upper lakes of the magnificent Killarney National Park (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Places to Visit in Ireland...

KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK

Near the base of the massive Iveragh peninsula of southwest Ireland are some of the best stands of native oak woodland in Ireland.

Evocative, dense stands of thickly-trunked, sessile oak adorn the undulating landscape of Killarney National Park.

To think, that throughout Ireland - from the banks of rivers and streams that meandered through the valley depths - right up along the steep, mountain slopes - vast stands of these woods once stood.

Using Reeds to Keep Warm

January 5, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

The common reed, Phragmites australis, is a surprisingly common & widespread grass species of temperate, tropical and to a lesser extent boreal wetlands (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Plant Seeds as Insulation

Many plant species are reliant on wind for seed dispersal.

Often, wind-dispersed seeds are covered in a fluffy, downy covering - which improves their air buoyancy.

Even the slightest breeze can lift and carry fluffy seeds far away from the parent plant.

Many of these fluffy seeds can be used as a tinder for starting a fire.

Another great use of these seeds is insulation (especially when stuffed into socks, gloves, clothing, hat & sleeping bag)

Numerous plant species produce soft, fluffy seeds, such as thistle and willow-herb species, but not many plants produce enough soft seed material that can be expediently used for improving the warmth of clothes.

One plant in particular produces prodigious quantities of soft seed heads - the common reed, Phragmites australis.

Learn more about this fascinating grass species and how reeds can potentially be a life saver...

*As a bonus I've also included a clip from the wonderful film, Dersu Uzala, which depicts two men making a make-shift, insulating shelter from reeds in order to survive a freezing storm. I've included this clip in the main blog (so you might want to read the blog post here, then watch the clip).

The Lesson of the Husky Dog

December 22, 2015 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Huskies often have striking blue eyes (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Encounters of the Canine Kind...

"Recent archaeological evidence suggests humans in Arctic regions have had working relationships with dogs for at least 4,000 years. Clearly, human habitation in the vast north may not have been possible without canine assistance" (1).

When I lived outdoors in north Maine for a spell I visited a guy who kept a dog sled team in a remote location.

These dogs were mostly a hardy mix of Siberian and Alaskan huskies...

The Woods of my Youth…

December 9, 2015 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

(Photo: Sean Fagan).

..

Where my Bushcraft Started...

Occasionally people ask me - where did my interest in nature and bushcraft begin?

My own personal journey into nature & bushcraft began in a local wood, when I was quite young.

That early exposure to nature left a vivid and profoundly positive impression that has persisted throughout my life.

It's my sincere hope that my own youthful explorations of nature and bushcraft highlight the potential benefits of nature-exposure for children and young people.

In this post I've tried to convey the emotional essence of my early encounters with nature and subsequently, bushcraft.

I hope you enjoy it.

In case you think this post is a sentimental journey into a nostalgic past - it's not.

I've also touched upon an all too common feature of the natural world - its deterioration and its all too often wanton destruction by humankind.

4 Bushcraft Lessons from the San People

December 3, 2015 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

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Snapshot of a Prehistoric Past

Below is a 6 minute video depicting the tribal life of the San people.

There is no narration, subtitles or structured plot that highlights, for example, the renowned hunting prowess of the San Bushmen.

It’s a casual series of shots depicting, without elaboration, the everyday life of the San bushmen, and that’s what I like about it – it gives a realistic peek of a modern tribe ambling through their day.

There is still much to observe and learn though from watching this video.

Learn 4 bushcraft lessons from a great hunting & gathering people.