Bushcraft
Bushcraft
What is it?
Bushcraft is an outdoor activity focusing on survival skills. It covers a range of basic skills including fire lighting, how to cook on an open fire and shelter building. You can also learn more advanced skills such as plant identification, sourcing and purifying water and much more.
What does it involve?
True bushcraft requires little to no equipment at all as naturally occurring items are used to build shelters and start fires however there are many variations of bushcraft available to schools. The main focus of bushcraft is the element of learning and practicing survival skills with an emphasis on environmental sustainability.
Why do it and what are the benefits?
Bushcraft is becoming an increasingly popular activity within the U.K. learning the range of skills on offer is sure to boost a child’s confidence. It allows individuals to improve their knowledge of the environment and more specifically methods for sustainable living. It can also introduce a range of transferable skills including the ability to assess risk and manage it effectively. Bushcraft develops an individual’s ability to work well within a team.
What equipment do we need?
Most companies running bushcraft skill courses will provide the majority of equipment that you’ll need to participate although you should check beforehand though. Common items you will be expected to bring whilst participating in bushcraft are suitable outdoor clothing and a sleeping bag if you are staying over night.
Who is it suitable for?
Bushcraft can be adapted for suitability of most age groups with the exception of early years and key stage one pupils. Companies offer a range of courses with varying levels of difficult. We would suggest you discuss the suitability of your pupils for a specific course with the provider before booking.
Costs?
There are a lot of factors to consider when booking a bushcraft course as a result there can be a large variation in cost. Courses can last from a matter of hours to matter of days. The amount of pupils and the range of activities you partake in also have an impact on the cost. Make sure you research a number of companies in order to get the best value for your school.
Issues/Things to think about? (unsuitable for age groups, medical conditions etc)
Children should always be supervised when participating in bushcraft activities especially as courses are often conducted outdoors and children may wish to explore their wider environment! It is important that children listen to the instructions given to them from members of the company providing the course. It is important to take any student specific medication along with you.
How do we include?
Disabled access to wooded areas is not common. If there are members of your group that do have a disability then you could consider getting a company to run a short course at your establishment.
Doing it abroad?
There are a lot of companies across Europe that can provide bushcraft courses.
Main website:
For more information about Bushcraft please visit this website. Be sure to check out providers in your area before you book.
Venues with this Activity
Human activity is dramatically evident in the huge chunk blasted out of the hillside to provide road stone for the nearby A5. This had the unexpectedly wonderful effect of laying bare the earth’s history; revealing rocks from the earliest beginnings of life on this planet.
Relics of former industrial activity, including furnaces and an old winding house, are now surrounded by woodland full of birds, while pit mounds of waste have been transformed into flower-rich grassland and heath. An abundance of bird’s-foot trefoil now feeds generations of caterpillars of Telford’s speciality butterflies, the dingy skipper and green hairstreak. Coach parking.
Welcome to our beautiful nature reserve created on the site of an old chalk quarry. Watch out for the wildlife that makes its home in the varied habitats of wetland, chalk grassland and woodland. Discover that whatever the season, College Lake is the ideal place to visit for a day of learning outside the classroom.
The Caldecotte Xperience offers a variety of exciting adventure activities and learning experiences for young people and adults, from 8 to 80. Activities include: sailing, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, rowing, climbing, high ropes, caving, archery, fencing, bushcraft and many exciting team building activities.
Why not try a Camping Adventure, paddle to a secret location and live in your very own tipi, learning firelighting and foraging skills or try out one of our Introduction to Sea Kayaking Courses, where you can learn a new skill as a group, and have fun fun fun, it is suitable for young and old so everyone can get involved!
Our outdoor adventure activities include kayaking, sea kayaking, sailing, climbing, canoeing, expeditions, gorge walking, navigation, bushcraft skills and team building.
Set in the heart of the beautiful Peak District, our outdoor activity centre provides a wide range of outdoor challenges and experiences such as bushcraft, orienteering, climbing, camping and navigation skills as well as kayaking, canoeing, trekking and mountaineering
The largest outdoor activity centre in Nottingham, offering Junior Archery, Assault course, Laser Tag, Sumo, and Jungle Challenge. Woodland Quad Trek, Indoor and Outdoor Karting for older kids. Children’s parties available, plus special activities during school holidays.
Fun and excitement, without the telly!
Brockholes Nature Reserve offers a unique outdoor learning opportunity. Once an active quarry site, Brockholes has been transformed into a nature reserve with a variety of habitats including wetlands, woodlands and meadows.
Muster your courage and explore Framlingham Castle's towering walls behind which Mary Tudor took refuge.
Discover Framlingham Castle's vast and colourful past as it became home to some of the most powerful people in Tudor England, an Elizabethan prison for the troubled, and a sanctuary for the poor in the 17th century.
Bedfords Park is a fantastic place to come and explore with your school. We have a plethora of habitats and wildlife to learn from: from meadows to lakes, woodlands to ponds - and not forgetting our resident herd of Red Deer.
EYFS:
Exploring Senses, Pond Power, Go on a Bug Hunt, Teddy Bears Picnic, Natural Art
Key Stage 1:
Wood Lane is a man-made nature reserve on restored quarry workings. A visit here offers the unique opportunity to combine wildlife sessions with a tour of the working sand and gravel quarry, active landfill site and the largest material recycling facility in Europe.Toilets, disabled access, classroom, coach parking.
Activity examples:
Under Canvas is a fun, curriculum linked, residential experience for schools, which is rooted in the heritage and tradition of a classic school camp. The difference? We bring the tents, the activities and the instructors to your school.
Our nature reserves: a unique resource for outdoor learning. Woodland, flower-rich meadows, hills, wild heathland and wetlands ringing with bird calls: our nature reserves are found throughout Shropshire and, together, total 750 hectares. They protect rare and threatened habitats but can also be a gateway for children to experience the natural world.
A friendly run activity centre, we are small enough to care but large enough and experienced enough to matter. A residential outdoor education programme can be an extremely powerful, meaningful and fun learning experience. We aim to provide an Outdoor Education experience that will be the highlight to any educational or youth programme.
A spectacularly grand Manor House, steeped in history and situated in a vibrant seaside town on the North Norfolk coast, Overstrand provides a unique study environment
Specialist Environmental Field Study centre for Geography, Biology and Environmental Science, with dedicated and passionate tutors
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget. We pay meticulous attention to the details, making sure our pastoral care is second to none, our activities are both exciting and educational, and the whole experience of working with
Dukeshouse Wood has had a whole raft of new adventure activity features installed to become one of the country’s leading residential activity centres. The activity park in the grounds houses many of these new additions including a quad bike track, zipwire, outdoor laser, Jacob’s ladder, an outdoor climbing and abseiling tower and leap of faith.
Huge range of activities from archery, bushcraft and fencing to high ropes, abseiling, leap of faith and adventure tunnelling plus LOADS more! For over 8s, minimum group booking is 6 people.
The Adventure Rope Course
Located within walking distance of one of the best beaches for water sports in the area and close to Tossa de Mar, this Spanish water sports trip in Cala Llevado offers schools and youth groups an action-packed activity programme, with plenty of time on the beach!
The Frank Chapman Centre is part of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Councils Residential Education Service delivering a wide range of high quality outdoor programmes and activities for the community of Sandwell and others.
Located in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the edge of Exmoor National Park and a short distance from the North Devon Coast, our award winning centre welcomes guests of all ages and levels of ability, together with their families & friends.
Riverside is ideally located for activities based on the water, our programme also includes opportunities for climbing, hiking, team building, orienteering, camping and bushcraft.
The Oxford Canoe and Kayak Club meet at the centre.
With the beautiful Peak District on its doorstep, this friendly and inclusive centre provides the ideal destination for younger students to experience the great outdoors within a secure environment
Watersports centre on the Scout Dike reservoir, adjacent to the centre, offering exciting activities including canoeing and raft building
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The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
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