#askpaulkirtley

n this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on outfitting canoes, tooth problems on trips, finding wildlife while out wandering, saponins, chickweed and birch, blowing tinder bundles into flame (optimal positioning), keeping gear dry on hikes, bushcraft course advice, changing your ways and learning new things in bushcraft...

Bushcraft shows and events in 2017, tinders for flint and steel, shelter roof strong enough for snow, smocks vs anoraks with zips, woods for bushcraft activities in the UK, wild camping in North West England, being blinded by headlamps, foundational bushcraft knowledge as a long-term learning base...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about bushcraft skills for a 9-year-old, leather belt kits over jackets, horse’s hoof fungus identification, tinder bundles and ember extenders, online bushcraft courses, bushcraft courses for Scout leaders, what makes a bushcraft knife a bushcraft knife, and a bit of inspiration…

n this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about food for longer trips and expeditions, choosing expedition companions, foraging for calories, valuable lessons and learning from mistakes, tarp and bivvy for colder months, drinking while tramping in dry areas, tree and plant ID guides.

In this episode I answer questions on integrating traditional crafts into modern outdoor trips, how to stop people leaving rubbish at campsites, washing, cooking and camping in bear country, outdoor clothing sizes and where to buy, how young is too young for bushcraft, variations in basic bushcraft kit for the Rockies, cheaper full-tang knives, list of places to camp in the woods...

Weird encounters at night, drying clothes, drugs tests and foraging, bow drill notch details, predators and rewilding, carcinogenic campfires, learning more about wild edibles...

In this episode I cover carbon monoxide and winter shelters, candles for quinzhees, snow shelter construction, toilets in cold weather, sweaty clothes, food for exhausting day hikes, wilderness ski touring and anoraks for cold weather…

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on how to learn more about fungi, the ONE thing that will see me survive in the wilds, time management on trips, badger latrines, processing oak bark for tinder, knots and lashings for bushcraft and more...

In this episode I answer a bunch of questions about water. What are the advantages of Millbank bags? Can you use a bandanna to filter water? Do Steripens work? How do you deal with herbicides and pesticides in water? Can you use activated charcoal to filter water? Is it safe to drink water from springs and wells? These are the jumping off points for a wide-ranging discussion about producing safe drinking water outdoors - close to home or further into the wilds...

Questions about boots for bushcraft, 3-season sleeping bag choices, carbon steel knives and flint for sparks, how to avoid shredding your knuckles while using a firesteel, long distance hiking, lightweight gear and bushcraft, how do I know when do you know enough for wilderness, and what would I do in a particular wilderness canoe expedition survival scenario.

Shelter bedding, sustainable birch bark harvesting, martial arts and teaching bushcraft, higher or lower for optimal camp temperatures, cod liver oil tablets for survival packs, heavy tents, outdoor career advice and what’s best - tarp or tent?

In this episode, I answer questions about how we might look after our teeth and nails without modern tools, natural meds and charcoal for stomach upsets, the edibility of beech nuts, bow drill woods NOT to use, shorts in the bush (are they a good idea?), some curious rings around a tree, uses of Himalayan balsam and pot lifting - what on earth are we doing?

In this episode I answer questions about top trees for bushcraft, dish cleaning in random camp spots with no water, the best time for carving, how not to get wet under a tarp (revisited), light saws for bushcraft, equipment for maintaining axe and knife at home...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about bear-resistant containers, bushcraft in the National Curriculum, blisters, modern Swiss Army Knives, bushcraft and skis, and making use of trash you find in the woods...

In this episode, I answer questions about compass bubbles, old man’s beard, hand-drill use in the UK, physical fitness for the outdoors, long-log fire lays and sparks from Gransfors axes…

How to get over a fear of wild edibles, is Leave No Trace completely at odds with Bushcraft, which other methods of fire by friction work in the UK, my view on firebox stoves, whether wood stoves get around no-fire rules, ideas on DIY sleeping bags and can you use two sleeping bags together for the winter, plus what shirt am I always wearing?

#AskPaulKirtley returns with questions on vapour barriers, firesteels on lanyards, what to do in electrical storms, trekking poles and pitching tarps, dehydrating your own meals, especially favourite recipes, how to know when to stop bow drilling. The latter makes for a neat case study. AND there is a nice sneak preview in the middle of the video as well as a fun little blooper reel at the end. Enjoy...

Another full session with answers to questions on knife storage at home, knife grinds for bushcraft, pooping in the woods, how to cook cat-tail rhizomes, how to re-proof bivvy bags, recommended work gloves, billy can sizes, what one item I would take to the woods, and how to move beyond kit obsession...

Canoe maestro Ray Goodwin joins me to answer questions on inflatable canoes and kayaks, sleeping in a canoe, avoiding wrist pain when paddling, the merits of back-paddling, advice for a first-time multi-day canoe tripper, canoe saddles, bug suits, skills for a River Spey trip, transporting canoes, moving to larger rivers with rapids and stronger currents and more...

I answer questions about finding flint, wind and shelter, wool blankets, managing fires overnight, if Millbank bags are a niche item, becoming a bushcraft instructor, removing the plastic taste from MSR Dromedary bags, PLCE side pockets and why I like them, plus what are my favourite matches…