Anyone interested in practicing bushcraft and sharing skills? I live in Southern England, New forest

In 2006 I walked from Amsterdam to Frankfurt in Germany. I set up camp in the woods a couple of kilometres from the city centre and lived there for the best part of nine months.

The most important thing you can take with you is a positive outlook and to establish a routine, no matter how dull. You cannot think about all the comforts you are missing, instead, learn to appreciate the small bonuses and lucky breaks that do come your way. Eat when you find food, drink when you find something drinkable. Don’t assume something better will turn up later. It might not.

If possible, try to find woodland that isn’t too far from civilisation. You might be surprised at the wilds you can find on the outskirts of even large cities such as Frankfurt. You might wish to escape people and society as a whole but they can serve your needs. Pitch camp a couple of kilometres outside town. You should be free of unwelcome attention but near enough to go where there is a greater chance of food, drink and tobacco. Unless you are intending to escape the world entirely, make use of public libraries. They provide warmth and reading material that keeps you in touch with what’s happening in the world.

One tip, try to keep yourself reasonably clean. Use rivers or public toilets, either are enough to give yourself a ‘wash and brush up’. This is a courtesy to others and makes you feel slightly less self-conscious. Many people who have never lived rough comment on how cold it must be. From my experience, cold isn’t a major problem. Getting wet is. Once your clothing is soaked it’s a hell of a job to get them dry. In summer you can use the sun to dry your gear but in winter this is rarely practicable. Try to find a homeless drop in centre, they can often help with laundry. If that isn’t an option, choose one item at a time..your shirt for example, and use the hand driers in the public loos. If you take the time to get to know the town/city you are living near, you’ll probably find a building with vents that blow out hot air. These can warm you in winter and help dry clothes. Remember, hypothermia doesn’t kill because temperatures drop suddenly.

Most people die because they are undernourished, their immune system is low and their core (inside) temperature has been dropping gradually over a length of time. Some people say you should find company, my experience is that this is a bad idea.. Yes, there are some wonderfully kind people out there in the same situation. Sadly, some aren’t so nice and can bring you a world of misery. It’s no use escaping humanity and finding yourself stuck with someone you can’t stand! the sight of! We all have our own moral code/standards and these may not be the same as your new ‘friend’. The danger of accepting help from anyone in your situation is that you can find yourself saddled with an obligation, one that might force you to do things you know are wrong or risky. My advice is, as far as possible, go it alone.

There’s too much to cover here, one quick word about fires. Yes, they can be incredibly comforting and good for your morale, plus a can of soup warmed over a campfire tastes like a banquet after a week or two of cold offerings BUT, fires attract attention. Even a passing car may spot smoke and report it to the authorities. If you have found a good spot, you really don’t want to get moved on. Anyway, living rough can be demanding but it CAN be rewarding too. I have been prone to depression all my life but can honestly say that in 9 months living rough in Germany I wasn’t depressed once. Life gets much simpler..Food, staying dry/warm and safe…these can take up a surprising amount of time. It’s also a good idea to know something of the area you are going to be living in in advance. Yes, the summers may be great but the winters could be brutal…so make plans accordingly. Living rough is a mental challenge as much as a physical one.

Sustain the awesome work !! Lovin’ it!

Beautifully inspired…x

Hi my name is Craig Carmichael I’m 22 and for a while I have been feeling the call, I’ve some basic survival skills and I’d love to try living in the wild for a week or two and see if it’s right for me, I’d really appreciate a response my email is [email protected] I’m a hard working person and I’ll put the time and effort in, I really really hope someone contacts me about this, I don’t care about age or sex I don’t see it as living wild it’s what feels natural and I’d love to give it a go, I promise I won’t waste your time, I’m willing and keen to learn, please respond I’m fed up with this excuse we call modern life, it isn’t a proper life just a puppet of government, I want to be a real man I want to really earn my food and shelter, hope to hear from anyone soon…… P.s no random serial killers, not intrested in becoming a victim

Hello guys, so i want as well go to the wild, i’ve been thinking all the time for that, but for first time i can not live anymore in this society, everything what move the public wants to now, the life its not like was before years, so i’m thinking go to Iceland to live there more time posible, just i don’t want to go alone. So, I’m looking somebody to go with me, write me if you interested – [email protected] i’m prepared, i know price of tickets everything, i know how to survive in the wild, and i’m in UK, so if somebody thinks the same write me :)

I did this it was very trying but I did it I had a bit of warm clothing, tinder, a pen knife and a fire starter. It was fun :-) (I am from Oakham)
:-) :-) :-)

Scott: “I think its kinda of funny that you people think three days is survival. Try taking 4 weeks of military survival leaving with only a knife and your clothes.”

Aren’t you nice! Well done on being ‘better’ than everyone else. Although, what armed forces training did you do that had a four-week survival element?

Someone’s telling porkies I think!

Kudos Annette and thanks for sharing!

A very interesting three days I should imagine. As some of the comments show, it would be much more difficult to survive for longer periods! especialy in smaller areas; But as with all things, it is better to start small and work up. I have to say that I would very much like to have a piece of land which I could call my own, even if only to be able to practice on.

I think its kinda of funny that you people think three days is survival. Try taking 4 weeks of military survival leaving with only a knife and your clothes.

Being in the very fortunate position of having access to 15 acres of mixed woodland that I am allowed to wild camp in and permission to forage on the surrounding 1000 acres I make myself escape from normallity for 3/4 days every season and camp out and catch and forage for all my nutritional requirements.

I limit myself to as few items of clothing and equipment as possible, winter is normally 16 items and summer 12.

It is always challenging but extremely rewarding.

Hey Annette, thanks for writing this inspiring article! I intend to ‘go for it’ at the end of this week, because to be perfectly honest I can no longer stand to live in this so-called *society*. I want out & would be on my way right now if it weren’t for the fact that where I wish to go is 350 miles away & I can’t afford the transport today.

I’ve spent months researching (primarily wild foods/catching & prepping game) & I’m under no illusion that it will be easy, I know it will be anything but! That’s why I won’t be jumping in feet first with just the clothes on my back, I will do it gradually by taking modern equipment & rations.

The biggest problems I foresee are 1/fresh drinkable water 2/Shotgun wielding farmer Jones shouting “gerroff moi land!!”

I’d happily disappear into the most remote & inaccessible place in the UK right now, trouble is someone owns that too!

its good to see so many people interested in survival
i have spent all my life going into woodland near mine i love the wilds so much its my home and would suggest to the people worried about laws and hygene if its onlyt for a weekend no need to really bother and as long as they are public woods its all legal to camp i hope every one has adventures camping and creates memories that will stay with them forever i know i have
Scott “Lone Wolf”

me and me freinds are planing to do something like that but for longer i realy need advice on how to keep clean hygiene thank you

Living off of the land is a wonderful experience for anyone to have done. But I must stress not everyone can, it takes some knowledge of bushcraft and about what plants are edible and what are dangerous. It took me 5 years to get to know what i can and can’t eat. At this time of year, there are some lovely plants and fungi to eat and I would say get out and have a most wonderful experience.

A few close friends and I have been wanting to do some thing to this nature during the up coming summer in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. We are trying to gather as much information as we can so that we can survive as long as we can with minimal supplies. This has brought some inspiration to my upcoming journy.

Annette, Respect! that was a very brave thing to do.
Do you have your own woodland, borrowed woodland or do you just go for it?
How would you suggest a law abididng citizen without a woodland could go about having an experience like this?

Hi,
Wow that was a very big achievement and i salute you! I however don’t salute people like Andy who unobviously brag about their 11 acres of woodland, no one cares really?
Anyway weel done!!

I think you are very brave. I assume you did this at the end of the summer/ early autumn. Well done for trying it. I have often wondered what it would be like if society broke down and I had to retreat to my wood of 11 acres, I assume I would similar to you – snaring rabbits/monkjack deer, and collecting nuts and fruit. I am not very good at fungi!
Best wishes