At The Bushcraft Show 2013, the Frontier Bushcraft team gave demonstrations, talks, presentations and ran workshops.
We also had the great pleasure of receiving a special knife from Lofty Wiseman in recognition of our winning 4 of the Best in Bushcraft Awards.
What was best though was seeing old friends and making new ones. It was a really enjoyable weekend.
Check out the photos below for some of the highlights, including techniques from the axe skills demonstrations…
The Frontier Bushcraft Stall. Photo: Paul Kirtley.The Frontier Bushcraft demonstration and display area behind our stall. Photo: Paul Nicholls.The Frontier axe skills demonstrations drew a large crowd each day. Photo: Paul Nicholls.Safe and efficient axe use with a chopping block. Photo: Paul Nicholls.Using the weight of the wood to your advantage. Photo: Paul Nicholls.Splitting when there is no chopping block. Photo: Paul Nicholls.Detail of the ‘between the legs’ technique. Make sure heels are in line with front face of the log and no further back. Photo: Paul NichollsSplitting small diameter material. Photo: Paul Nicholls.A variety of skills for use with general-purpose axes were demonstrated. Photo: Paul Nicholls.Lofty Wiseman. Photo: Paul Nicholls.Meeting Lofty. Photo: Paul NichollsReceiving the special presentation knife from Lofty for winning four of the Best in Bushcraft Awards. Photo: Sheri Lake.Some of the Frontier team with the special presentation knife. Photo: Paul NichollsThe Lofty Wiseman Survival Tool, signed by Lofty himself. Photo: Paul Nicholls.Students walking on a bearing during one of our navigation workshops. Photo: Paul KirtleyFrontier and friends relaxing at the end of a busy day. Photo: Paul Kirtley.Ray Goodwin had one of the headline speaking slots, on Saturday evening. Photo: Paul Kirtley.Ray Goodwin gave an entertaining presentation of the highlights of his many canoe adventures. Photo: Paul Kirtley.Frontier and friends around the main Show campfire on Saturday evening with an awesome full moon rising behind. Photo: Paul Kirtley.There was always something going on behind our stall. Photo: Paul Kirtley.Informal, drop-in skills sessions. Photo: Paul Kirtley.The Frontier Stall(warts)! Photo: Liz Stovell.
We’re already looking forward to the Show in 2014, which will be at a new venue, Catton Hall, Derbyshire.
THE BUSHCRAFT SHOW 2014: Save the date in your diary – 23-26 May 2014.
Paul Kirtley is Founder and Chief Instructor of Frontier Bushcraft. He has had a lifelong passion for the great outdoors and gains great satisfaction from helping others enjoy it too. Paul writes the UK's leading bushcraft blog. He is the author of Wilderness Axe Skills and Campcraft, as well as having contributed to several other books. Paul has been involved in teaching bushcraft since 2003. He is also a Canoe Leader, British Canoeing Level 3 Canoe Coach and UK Summer Mountain Leader.
Looks like a good time was had by all. Only sorry I wasn’t free to come and join in this year. It looks like Henry may have been putting his skills to good use; is that a wannigan I spy in one of your pictures? And that chair looks like it might be Paul’s handiwork. Great to see the canoe expedition and course coming to fruition, hope I’ll be seeing some of you soon.
Yes, the chair is one of Paul ‘Spoons’ Nicholls’s. The wannigan is the handiwork of another on the team. We have tested this design extensively in the woods in the UK (it forms our staff brew/kitchen box) as well as taking another model of this design to Sweden in the winter.
Looks like a great weekend, with some top exhibitors (including the Frontier team, of course!) Gutted that I couldn’t make it this year, but was walking the London2Brighton 100km challenge. Congratulations to all on your success at the Best in Bushcraft Awards too – very well deserved.
What a weekend it was. The sun was out an the sky was blue. It was great to meet up and chat with you. CONGRATULATIONS on winning all those awards, and Lofty’s knife, that’s something else, you must be a proud man.
Your axe skills demonstrations were great, but for me, your talk on living off the land was right up my street. ( Impact on the environment, what impact ? plants spread their wings, keep on foraging) well done mate.
Ray Goodwin did give an entertaining presentation, what a great guy.
Good luck.
See you up north.
HEDGEY.
KEEP THE FAITH.
Yes, indeed – a glorious weekend. It was great to meet you and many other internet friends. What a great community there is around bushcraft and related skills. Such a nice crowd of people.
Yes, I was proud of Frontier Bushcraft’s achievements being recognised by winning the awards. We have a great team of guys and girls, all of whom give 100% in their commitment to what we do. And it was a great honour to meet Lofty. The knife has pride of place in the Frontier office 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the talk. I have uploaded the video of my presentation and you can access it here:
It was good to see you and meet the other guys at the show on Sunday, couldn’t have asked for better. The axe demo you gave was top notch and learnt some good safe techniques from you thank you. The coffee is on me next time i see you.
Paul hope you liked the Mammoth Bone handled Knife, great to see you got several photos of Niall and Conor in there, they are well pumped that they are now “ON” the Frontier web site, well impressed. great to see you all, lectures and demo`s were spot on (why wouldnt they be) cant wait for next year. can you make sure you bring the same weather ?
Just rewards for many hours of planning , preparing and delivering superb courses. It is all the work people don’t see that make for your excellent courses.
Many are quick to judge ‘the industry’ for not having enough bureaucratic standards in place. With the likes of your company and three or four notable others. Bushcraft and Outdoor instruction has some very good standard bearers who set the ‘standard’ !
Well done- glad you came out from the shadows !
Thanks Mark. You for one have followed our progress from the start – before the start even – and know where we’ve come from and what we’ve done to achieve it. We’ve also had a great deal of support from good people such as yourself and this support has made all the difference.
Paul Richards
Fantastic.
Would have loved to have come and met you guys and others!
Maybe next year.
Many congratulations on the award Paul, well deserved too.
Regards
Paul
Paul Kirtley
Thanks Paul. I hope we get the opportunity to meet next time.
Best,
Paul
Steve Bayley
Looks like a good time was had by all. Only sorry I wasn’t free to come and join in this year. It looks like Henry may have been putting his skills to good use; is that a wannigan I spy in one of your pictures? And that chair looks like it might be Paul’s handiwork. Great to see the canoe expedition and course coming to fruition, hope I’ll be seeing some of you soon.
Paul Kirtley
Hi Steve,
Yes, the chair is one of Paul ‘Spoons’ Nicholls’s. The wannigan is the handiwork of another on the team. We have tested this design extensively in the woods in the UK (it forms our staff brew/kitchen box) as well as taking another model of this design to Sweden in the winter.
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Paul
Matt Jones
Looks like a great weekend, with some top exhibitors (including the Frontier team, of course!) Gutted that I couldn’t make it this year, but was walking the London2Brighton 100km challenge. Congratulations to all on your success at the Best in Bushcraft Awards too – very well deserved.
Paul Kirtley
Thanks Matt. I hope you’ll be able to make it next year.
Cheers,
Paul
HEDGEY
HELLO Paul
What a weekend it was. The sun was out an the sky was blue. It was great to meet up and chat with you. CONGRATULATIONS on winning all those awards, and Lofty’s knife, that’s something else, you must be a proud man.
Your axe skills demonstrations were great, but for me, your talk on living off the land was right up my street. ( Impact on the environment, what impact ? plants spread their wings, keep on foraging) well done mate.
Ray Goodwin did give an entertaining presentation, what a great guy.
Good luck.
See you up north.
HEDGEY.
KEEP THE FAITH.
Paul Kirtley
Hey Hedgey,
Yes, indeed – a glorious weekend. It was great to meet you and many other internet friends. What a great community there is around bushcraft and related skills. Such a nice crowd of people.
Yes, I was proud of Frontier Bushcraft’s achievements being recognised by winning the awards. We have a great team of guys and girls, all of whom give 100% in their commitment to what we do. And it was a great honour to meet Lofty. The knife has pride of place in the Frontier office 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the talk. I have uploaded the video of my presentation and you can access it here:
The Difference Between Foraging and Living Off The Land
All the best,
Paul
james harris
Hi Paul
It was good to see you and meet the other guys at the show on Sunday, couldn’t have asked for better. The axe demo you gave was top notch and learnt some good safe techniques from you thank you. The coffee is on me next time i see you.
James
Paul Kirtley
🙂
Vic Galpin
Paul hope you liked the Mammoth Bone handled Knife, great to see you got several photos of Niall and Conor in there, they are well pumped that they are now “ON” the Frontier web site, well impressed. great to see you all, lectures and demo`s were spot on (why wouldnt they be) cant wait for next year. can you make sure you bring the same weather ?
Paul Kirtley
Hi Vic, thanks for bringing the knife to show us. Interesting to see mammoth bone.
Thanks also for your kind words about what we did at the show. We’re glad you and your boys enjoyed it all.
I’ll do my best with the weather next time… 😉
All the best,
Paul
Mark H
Hi Paul,
Just rewards for many hours of planning , preparing and delivering superb courses. It is all the work people don’t see that make for your excellent courses.
Many are quick to judge ‘the industry’ for not having enough bureaucratic standards in place. With the likes of your company and three or four notable others. Bushcraft and Outdoor instruction has some very good standard bearers who set the ‘standard’ !
Well done- glad you came out from the shadows !
Best
Mark
Paul Kirtley
Thanks Mark. You for one have followed our progress from the start – before the start even – and know where we’ve come from and what we’ve done to achieve it. We’ve also had a great deal of support from good people such as yourself and this support has made all the difference.
Warm regards,
Paul