Sunday 9 August 2009

Fire!!!

I haven't been out paddling for a few weeks but I have been out hill walking. As I've been walking I've been collecting anything I find that may act as tinder for starting a fire with a firesteel; Ray Mears style. I've been coming back with pockets full of dry bracken, birch bark, grass, twiggs anything that looks like it will burn easily. So far I've only found three things that catch fire with any degree of reliability. I videod the result, the first one is down from a large thistle head. The second is cotton grass seed heads which was very easy to light but you can't always find cotton grass when you've run out of matches. The third works a treat.

So, the conclusion of this little experiment is to always have plenty of fuel and keep your matches in a dry place when you head into the great outdoors. Because all this bush craft milarky just isn't gonna save you.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Owen I always like to have some cotton wool or fluff from the tumble drier. Of course I always like to have a firelighter or two as well!

    :o)

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  2. Hi Douglas, Yes, I think if your well perpared to start with then you'll never have to fall back on survival skills.

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