Bushcraft and Survival Experience Packages for Schools

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2 Bushcraft and Survival Experience Packages for Schools INDEX OF CONTENTS Introduction to Woodland Ways Our Skills Sessions Survival Skills Flora and Fauna. 4 On the Move. 5 Our Packages One Day Survival Skills Package Hour Overnight Survival Skills Package..7 2 Day Residential Survival & Bushcraft Skills Package Day Residential Survival & Bushcraft Skills Package... 9 Our Locations.. 10 Kit Lists Frequently Asked Questions

3 Introduction: WOODLAND WAYS What is bushcraft? Bushcraft is knowledge, the kind of knowledge which makes you more attuned with the natural world. Through this knowledge and the mastery of wilderness skills and crafts, students will understand how we, as humans, are intrinsically linked to nature. Bushcraft also provides the knowledge and skills to both survive and thrive in wild places. Who are we? Woodland Ways are the UK s leading provider of Bushcraft and Survival training. As industry leaders, we can provide your school or youth group with an immersive and engaging bushcraft experience. What do we offer? Our offering for schools consists of four main packages which are detailed in this guide. Each of our packages will open student s eyes to a range of bushcraft and survival skills through fun and engaging, hands-on sessions. We are happy to provide learning outcomes for the content of your selected package and we can map activities to the National Curriculum for a variety of subjects at each Key Stage if required. 2

4 Our Skills Sessions: SURVIVAL SKILLS Fire Our fire session teaches students about the history of fire and how it is fundamental to our evolution, society and technologies. We continue their journey by demonstrating an extensive range of fire lighting techniques, both ancient and modern. It s then time to get hands-on with fire steels and friction fire lighting as your students learn the importance of fire lighting in a survival situation. They will also discover how to safely manage a fire site and how to extinguish it properly to minimise impact on the environment and leave no trace. Food In this session, students will learn the importance of nutrition in survival and how finding food in nature requires a mindset where observation, awareness and knowledge are key. They will also look at the evolution and importance of primitive hunting, including the tools and methods used prior to the invention of the bow and arrow. Learning is enhanced by the demonstration of certain methods and students will have the opportunity to get some target practice with one of the earliest human hunting tools, the throwing stick. Water Water is one of the ingredients for life on earth, we simply cannot survive without it and its significance cannot be underestimated when spending time in the great outdoors. Our sessions on water are aimed at teaching the importance of finding, sourcing and safely purifying the water that we find in the woodland environment. Students will also learn how critical hydration is to humans as living organisms and how staying hydrated can prevent many dangerous situations occuring. Shelter Shelter is one of the few basic requirements we must fulfil when spending any amount of time in wild places. Limiting exposure to the elements conserves calories and is one of the top priorities in a survival situation. Our shelter sessions bring huge delight to children of all ages as building dens is one of the great joys of childhood. Very much a hands-on session, they ll go way beyond throwing some sticks together and will learn all the elements of creating a functional, usable shelter from only natural materials. 3

5 Our Skills Sessions: FLORA & FORNA Plant Identification Plant Identification gives students the opportunity to appreciate the natural world around them and realise that it s not just there to look pretty or be exploited. They will learn that we can, and should, use natural resources in a sustainable way that is enjoyable and beneficial to everyone. During this journey, they ll discover some key species from huge variety of plants that we have growing in the UK and examine their uses; from nutrition and medicine, to fire lighting and camp equipment. Tree Identification What could be more important when learning about a woodland environment than a detailed look at the trees themselves. Students are taken on an informative tree interpretation walk to explore the language of trees and understand not only why and how they grow, but also the huge ecological impact they have on our countryside. They will also examine their importance as a wildlife habitat and how they provide resources for a multitude of applications. Tracking British woodland is teaming with mammal species including deer, rabbit, hare, squirrel and badger; not to mention numerous bird species. Our instructors will introduce you to the art of moving quietly through woodland, following tracks and signs in the hope of getting a glimpse of these creatures. Once immersed, students will start to understand that the more at one you are with the woodland environment, the more wildlife you re likely to encounter. Cordage One of the skills central to living comfortably in the woods is the ability to identify, harvest and process natural materials to make rope or cordage. During this session, our instructors will open your eyes to the vast selection of trees and plants which can be called upon to yield up a workable fibre. We will then demonstrate how to sustainably harvest and process these raw materials to make strong cord. 4

6 Our Skills Sessions: ON THE MOVE Navigation- Map and compass basics Prevention is always better than cure and knowing how to navigate your way through any natural environment is key to avoiding dangerous situations. In this session, students will learn how to read a map and navigate with the aid of a compass. They will also discover how to accurately measure distance, take bearings and walk accurately with this information. The skills they have learnt will then be put into practice with some real-life exercises. Natural Navigation Traditional navigation with a map and compass is an extremely important skill to master, but what happens when you have to find your way in the countryside using only natural clues and signs? Our instructors will guide your students through the process of identifying the natural features which indicate direction. Covering a wide range of nature s sign-posts, the session looks at everything from the way trees grow to the movement of celestial bodies and we guarantee that they ll never look at the natural world in the same way again! Signaling Like all other survival techniques, signaling for help is a skill that should be practiced before it s needed. If you ever find yourself lost, signaling for rescue should certainly form a part of your survival strategy. In our signal session, students will learn how to communicate from a distance using a range of techniques including Morse code, light and semaphore. Skills are then put to the test with a game of Chinese whispers. First Aid The ability to dispense First Aid is an essential skill for anyone spending any length of time in the great outdoors. During this session, students will get to grips with the basic principles of first aid and how to apply them when reacting to an emergency situation. They ll then get to learn from the experience of a real-life scenario role play. 5

7 Our Packages: 1 DAY SURVIVAL SKILLS Overview The aim of our one day package is to introduce students to the four main pillars of Bushcraft and Survival: Fire, Food, Water and Shelter. Through hands-on sessions and fun activities, students will learn skills to both cope and thrive in wild places. With the aim to engage and inspire, we will also enable them to prioritise in survival situations. Structure The day is divided up into four hour-long sessions, each covering one of the central skills. We aim to start at sessions at 9:30am and finish at 4pm including a lunch break and some smaller breaks in between sessions. Below is an example itinerary, however there is flexibility in timings. Please note that lunch is not provided and will need to be arranged for your students. Example Itinerary 9:30 Arrivals, welcome and safety brief 10:00 Camp orientation 10:15 Session 1: FIRE 11:30 Session 2: FOOD 12:30 Lunch Break 13:15 Session 3: WATER 14:30 Session 4: SHELTER 15:30 Pack up and walk out 16:00 Depart from woodland 6

8 Our Packages: 24 HOUR OVERNIGHT SURVIVAL SKILLS Overview As with the 1 Day Survival Skills package, the aim of our Overnight package is to introduce students to the four main pillars of Bushcraft and Survival: Fire, Food, Water and Shelter. We will run the same hands-on sessions and fun activities as the 1 Day, but after the sessions, students will then have to prepare game for their evening meal before spending the night under canvas. Structure The day is divided up into four hour-long sessions, each covering one of the central skills. We aim to start at sessions at 9:30am and finish at 4pm including a lunch break and some smaller breaks. In the evenings, students will learn how to prepare game and wild food which will then be used for the evening meal. After the meal, we offer some fun activities before bedding down for the night in large canvas tepee style tents. Below is an example itinerary, however there is flexibility in timings. Example Itinerary DAY 1 DAY 2 9:30 Arrivals, welcome and safety brief 7:30 Breakfast 10:00 Camp orientation 8:30 Strike camp and litter pick 10:15 Session 1: FIRE 9:30 Depart from woodland 11:30 Session 2: FOOD 12:30 Lunch Break 13:15 Session 3: WATER 14:30 Session 4: SHELTER 16:00 Game prep and cooking 18:00 Evening meal 19:00 Evening activities 21:00 Retire to tents 7

9 Our Packages: 2 DAY RESIDENTIAL BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS Overview The aim of our 2 day residential package is to introduce students to the four main pillars of Bushcraft and Survival: Fire, Food, Water and Shelter before enhancing their understanding of natural environments with a day dedicated to Plant and Tree Identification, Animal Tracking and Natural Cordage. Structure Days are divided up into four hour-long sessions, each covering one of the central skills. We aim to start at sessions at 9:30am and finish at 4pm including a lunch break and some smaller breaks. In the evening, students will learn how to prepare game which will then be used for the evening meal. After the meal, we offer some fun evening activities before bedding down for the night in large canvas tepee style tents. Below is an example itinerary, however there is flexibility in timings. Example Itinerary DAY 1 DAY 2 9:30 Arrivals, welcome and safety brief 9:00 Breakfast 10:00 Camp orientation 10:00 Session 1: PLANT IDENTIFICATION 10:15 Session 1: FIRE 11:15 Session 2: TREE IDENTIFICATION 11:30 Session 2: FOOD 12:15 Lunch Break 12:30 Lunch Break 13:00 Session 3: TRACKING 13:15 Session 3: WATER 14:15 Session 4: CORDAGE 14:30 Session 4: SHELTER 15:15 Strike camp and litter pick 16:00 Game prep and cooking 16:00 Depart from woodland 18:00 Evening meal 19:00 Evening activities 21:00 Retire to tents 8

10 Our Packages: 3 DAY RESIDENTIAL BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL SKILLS Overview Our 3 day residential package aims to introduce students to the four main pillars of Bushcraft and Survival: Fire, Food, Water and Shelter before enhancing their understanding of natural environments with a day dedicated to Plant and Tree Identification, Animal Tracking and Natural Cordage and a day dedicated to Map & Compass Navigation, Natural Navigation, Signaling and First Aid. Structure Days are divided up into four hour-long sessions, each covering one of the central skills. We aim to start at sessions at 9:30am and finish at 4pm including a lunch break and some smaller breaks. In the evenings, students will learn how to prepare game and wild food which will then be used for their evening meals. After the meals, we offer some fun activities before bedding down for the night in large canvas tepee style tents. Below is an example itinerary, however there is flexibility in timings. Example Itinerary DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 9:30 Arrivals, welcome and safety brief 10:00 Camp orientation 10:15 10:15 Session 1: FIRE 11:30 9:00 Breakfast 9:00 Breakfast Session 1: PLANT IDENTIFICATION Session 2: TREE IDENTIFICATION 10:00 11:15 Session 1: MAP & COMPASS Session 2: NATURAL NAVIGATION 11:30 Session 2: FOOD 12:30 Lunch Break 12:15 Lunch Break 12:30 Lunch Break 13:15 Session 3: TRACKING 13:00 Session 3: SIGNALING 13:15 Session 3: WATER 14:30 Session 4: CORDAGE 14:15 Session 4: FIRST AID 14:30 Session 4: SHELTER 16:00 16:00 Game prep and cooking Game prep and cooking 15:15 18:00 Evening meal 16:00 Strike camp and litter pick Depart from woodland 18:00 Evening meal 19:00 Evening activities 19:00 Evening activities 21:00 Retire to tents 21:00 Retire to tents 9

11 OUR LOCATIONS Choose from one of our woodland locations or we can come to you if your venue is suitable. Belvoir Castle Estate, Leicestershire We are honoured to have the permission of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland to run our courses within their stunning private 16,000 acre estate at Belvoir Castle near Grantham. Our base is within a remote 400 acre block of woodland, free from road noise and light pollution, with access to the wider estate. With 31 of the 32 species of native trees, the canopy is simply stunning and the vast acreage provides us with plenty of scope for renewable resources. As you would expect, wildlife and flora are in abundance. Appleton, Oxfordshire Nestled on the banks of the River Thames, just outside the village of Appleton near Oxford, our flagship venue affords us sole access to 250 acres of private woodland. It s made even more special by the fact that 125 of these acres are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). With a mixed canopy throughout the woodland, and a mosaic of habitats, we re not only blessed with plentiful resources but also frequent sightings of fauna including stoats, owls, buzzards and resident populations of muntjac, roe and fallow deer. Little Brickhill, Buckinghamshire Located on the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire border, our 70 acre private woodland is only a stones-throw away from the Woburn Abbey Estate. Comprising equal parts broad leaf and coniferous canopy, it is home to some wonderful and geographically significant topography. Again, blessed with a large variety of flora and fauna, you could encounter anything from badger to muntjac and Chinese water deer. Longyester, East Lothian Our Scottish courses are run from Blinkbonny Wood, a 100 acre mixed woodland, only 20 miles from the heart of Edinburgh. Nestled on the edge of the Lammermuir Hills, the woodland canopy hosts a patchwork of birch, hazel and scots pine. Gorse provides vibrant colour throughout the year and the boundaries afford stunning views of the hills in one direction and the coast in another. In addition to a healthy roe deer population, the wood is also home to badger and a variety of owl species. 10

12 KIT LISTS To take part you should not need to purchase expensive kit, quite the opposite! Below is a list of all essential items that must be bought with you. Please feel free to bring any other items for your comfort. Kit List for our 1 Day Package o Clothing - Your clothing should be suitable for the season. During cold months, multiple thin layers are better than one thick layer. Please wear natural colours to improve your chances of spotting wildlife. o Waterproof Jacket & Trousers o Full Finger Gloves or Mitts o Warm Hat o Sun Hat - Essential in spring, summer and autumn when we may be in direct sun light for several hours o Sensible Footwear - These should be warm, waterproof and provide ankle support. 3 Season walking boots or wellies are ideal during the autumn, winter, and spring. 2 Season boots or stout footwear are suitable through the summer o Packed Lunch - Pack in your own food/ snacks and drinks o Drinking Water Bottle o Personal Medication - For Example Insulin or Ventolin. o Backpack - Please bring any kit contained in one rucksack or bag Kit List for all other Packages For all other packages, you ll need to bring the following in addition to the items on the 1 Day Kit List: o Sleeping bag o Roll/ Sleeping Mat o Knife, Fork, Spoon o Bowl and Mug o Torch and Spare Batteries - A head torch is ideal, as it will leave your hands free to practice your bushcraft, but a head torch is not essential, any form of torch will suffice. o Wash Kit - This should include as a minimum: toothpaste, toothbrush and anti-bacterial wipes Please double check students have everything on the kit list before they arrive as leaving the site will not be possible unless in an emergency. Due to the nature of the course we do not carry spares. Woodland Ways will provide all other equipment and materials. Should you have any queries on this list or anything else about the course then please do not hesitate to contact us on or info@woodland-ways.co.uk. 11

13 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Where are you based? We operate from various locations across the UK, namely Oxfordshire, Leicestershire, Bedfordshire and East Lothian in Scotland. Our locations are described on Page 10 and you can find full details and directions to all our locations here: Alternatively, we may be able to offer sessions at your location if your venue is suitable. Please contact us on or us at if this would be of interest. How many students can you cater for? Depending on which location you choose, we can accommodate group sizes of anywhere between 10 and 200 students at any one time, including catering and residential arrangements. What age groups do you teach? We can teach all age groups from Key Stage 1 through to adults. Do you provide transport? Woodland Ways aren t equipped to provide transport to and from our venues and many schools already have their own travel arrangements. If you are not able to organise transport for your pupils, please contact us on or us at info@woodland-ways.co.uk as we may be able to assist. What do we need to bring? What should we wear? We will send you a full kit list tailored to your chosen package but you can get an idea of what your students will need to wear and bring in our Kit Lists section on Page 11. Are meals provided? We provide meals for all our packages except the 1 Day package, however students may want to bring additional snacks and drinks. On our 1 Day package, lunch is not provided so you ll need to arrange a packed lunch for your students. Are the woodlands private? Yes, all our courses operate within private woodland. On residential courses the sites are made secure with a code-locked gate. Do you have insurance? Yes, we are protected with 10 million in public liability cover. 12

14 Are instructors DBS checked and First Aid trained? Yes, all staff are DBS checked and are remote first aid qualified. Can you offer bespoke courses? Yes, we can tailor courses and session content to suit specific needs and requirements. Please contact us on or us at for more details. How can I get a quote or make a booking? To get a quote, make a booking or discuss your requirements in more detail, please contact us on or us at info@woodland-ways.co.uk. 13