Bush Craft activity day!

Today we had a "totally awesome" bush craft activity day which was so much fun we over-ran by a couple of hours! To begin with, we brought down all of the equipment from the minibus - Dylan (our instructor) did explain that this wasn't quite full-on 'survivalist' stuff owing to our crates of equipment but we were very excited to see what was in store. 

 Firstly we helped set up a parachute which would function as our main base camp for the day.

 Some children went hunting for extra sticks and poles to support the structure.

 We found a very basic willow structure which looked ideal as a starting point for a den.

 More equipment was brought down to base camp.

 We then were given the challenge to build a shelter to withstand rain and wind using only a sheet of tarpaulin and some ropes - plus we could use any other materials we could source.

 They got to work!

 They were looking good. Mr Lee seemed happy.

 A rare photograph of the photographer just to prove I was actually there.

 Then the rain came which was brilliant timing really as we'd just finished our basic structures for our shelters - a true test of the elements! I hid in one of them and took photos of the children running between camps and working hard to finish the shelters - it's a tough job but somebody had to do it!

 Steely determination - great effort!

 We were summoned back to base camp, where Dylan was ready to give us our next instructions. The dramatic weather gave things a real air of seriousness. Cue extremely serious listening faces......

 ....except from the teachers!

 Maybe they knew we were about to get a fantastic demonstration of a bow drill - an ancient method of creating fire using just wood and rope. Firstly we were shown the 'feather stick' - a way of creating kindling from a larger piece of wood.

 Then the bow drill was demonstrated. Using the bow to spin the wooden rod quickly, friction creates hot ash which was be used to ignite the kindling.

 Dylan took the embers from the bow drill and lit a piece of char cloth (which he had made from an old t-shirt - seriously this guy was really cool) which he then nestled in dried grass. By gently blowing through the grass the fire was ignited and placed upon the kindling. Hey presto!We had a fire! We were all massively impressed with this demonstration.

 Ah nice and warm.....

 We soon had enough heat form the fire that we could cook sausages in a pan!

 Mrs Wraighte's foraging mission somehow unveiled a plastic box full of cupcakes - this wild living was brilliant!

 Chocolate melty banana things on the fire? Oh go on then. Why not?!

 A few raspberries while we wait for the bananas and sausages? Yeah, go on then!

 What a brilliant afternoon this had turned out to be. The rain was but a distant memory and now we simply feasted on things we had cooked on the fire or found in the woods (under careful supervision of course) and then we even discovered that our waterproofs turned this hill into a great slide!

 Could we eat any more food? Possibly not. But what if it was a marshmallow? Just a tiny little marshmallow..... Surely there was room for one of those?

 Some were clearly terrified of the marshmallows.....

 ....but the rest of us managed to overcome their fears and just toast them, then gobble them up!

 What a super day!

 Final adjustments were made to the dens....

 ....before Dylan tested them in a "rain test" and a "wind test" (pushing on parts of the structure to see if stayed strong). He was mightily impressed with all the groups' work.

 Finally it was time to pack away.

 And pose away.

 The wild can do strange things to a man.

 WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.

  This was our final challenge - to make fire using some of the methods we had seen.

 This time we used an item called a fire steel which if handled correctly.....

 .....could make sparks fly!

 Meanwhile, other people danced!

 I'm the firestarter....

 Twisted firestarter.....

 Some of us learned to blow jet-like plumes of smoke from our eyes.....

...it seemed like a good time to go back to the centre. It had been an incredible day though.