Aug 23 2020

I made fire

Listening to instruction in our small group

Okay so this is not strictly an archery related, actually it has very little to do with field archery at all, other than it takes place in woodland. This post is part review and part my thoughts following a bushcraft experience day I spent in sunny Wales. Yes, I did say sunny Wales before you wonder if your eyes are deceiving you. It was a warm, dry day spent in the woods with the experts from Original Outdoors (https://originaloutdoors.co.uk/ )
Some of you may know that I have for many years had an interest in bushcraft and associated skills. So, for a birthday gift Sharon bought me a bushcraft experience day. Now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the initial date and plans were put on hold for a few months. This meant it would be early August before I was able to journey up to Wales to attend the session.
The course was based in North Wales, not far from Ruthin, with the first challenge being finding the secluded spot where the instructors would meet you. We would then take off into the wooded hillside for a mile walk to what would be our base camp for the day. The woodland they have access to is a huge private wood, ideal for covering the variety of bushcraft topics they run courses on.

Me doing my best to prop up a tree while listening to Richard

So, what does bushcraft mean to you?

This was one of the interesting questions we discussed with Richard our main instructor for the day, as we walked to base camp. Though along the way there were multiple stops to examine local edible flora or fauna, along identifying which trees make the best tinder, how tree sap can be used in fire lighting and more. Before I go any further though, I’d like to apologies to the lady who was the other instructor now, as though I spoke with you my memory for names is truly awful. I think her name was Amy but not 100% sure. Sorry I could blame my age but I’ve always been terrible with names.
Anyway, back to the question of what is bushcraft? We discussed how it varies depending on what you have read or where you might be in the world. What we in the UK think of as bushcraft skills might be considered basic skills in other areas of Europe. The thing is the subject is one that generates different views from people. Some see it as core survival skills, others see it as simply being resourceful in the countryside. Whatever your viewpoint I think the instructors on the course would be able to tailor something suitable for your needs.
From my perspective it is simply having some skills that make being out and about in woodland more enjoyable. I guess less survival skills and more outdoor skills in my view. I’ve also been interested in learning near forgotten skills whether those be bushcraft or others.
So back to the course. The first topic was that of fire lighting. Our instructor Richard took us through different fuels and ignition methods, along with the importance of preparation of the materials and surrounding area.

Richard explaining axe sharpening

These are key principle of fire starting and important factors to consider, along with other less immediately obvious ones, such as location of fire with respect to tree roots if in woodland, what rocks might be in the surrounding area as some will explode when heated. There are a few YouTube videos I’ve seen of this happening. Along with the time spent in sourcing dry tinder and preparation of the materials you are going to use.

I made fire and yes, it’s harder than it looks.

There is something very satisfying about being able to make a fire with limited resources. Whether this be using a single match to start your log burner on a cold winters day or getting a campfire going, to while away the hours when camping with friends.
After the course I was thinking about what was covered and it brought back memories of childhood.

So I made fire you can see I’m happy

I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have used fire lighters to start a fire, whether this be in ours or my Mams wood burner, in one of our garden fire baskets or a campfire. It’s not meant to sound like me boasting, it’s just the way I way taught to start fires. I can still remember being about 4 or 5 years old and my Nan showing me how to use scrunched up newspaper and sticks to start the coal fire in our living room each morning for heating and hot water. Yes, I am that old thank you. Having said this lighting a fire without a match and in the middle of a wood is a whole different ball game to trying to light one in your own home.
I had lit fires using a ferrous rod and striker before but by striking it into cotton wood or mixed tinder bundles. I had never used birch bark as the fuel before and it took some perseverance and expert guidance, but after a few attempts I managed to ignite the bark and start the fire. If you check out their YouTube channel they have it listed as the six-bundle fire lay method. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQLeFTp6x9Y&feature=emb_title)

I was smiling to myself when doing this as the effort it initially took, is not always reflected accurately on different TV programs.
In addition to starting a fire you were instructed in how to safely extinguish the remains of the fire to ensure it was completely out and remove signs of the campfire.
Other topics we covered were the creation of simple string. Cordage is something all civilisations have always needed and we were able to try our hand at making string from stinging nettle stalks. This was something I was very curious about as I can recall my grandfather mentioning how they used to use nettle stems as string in the garden to tie up plants.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to cover friction fire lighting which was a shame, but there are only so many hours in a day. To be fair to the organisers, we were given the choice of whether to cover that or tips on axe / knife sharpening. As a group we opted to go for knife and axe sharpening.

fires out so time for some simple wood carving

We also did some simple wood carving for a pot hook. I have to say that brought back memories of my early teens when I would find a decent size stick and spend hours, removing the bark, smoothing the surface and use it as a walking stick. Even made a short one for my Nan who was too short to reach curtain and draw them easily. So, I made up a small stick long enough for her to reach the curtain and light enough so she didn’t struggle holding it.

Okay so not the most exciting thing but a pot hook

Like most organisations these days they also have an Instagram @originaloutdoor They also have a podcast the Angry Badger which is quite entertaining to listen to, being available on Spotify and other platforms. As I said they have their own YouTube channel too (https://www.youtube.com/user/originaloutdoorvideo) .
I felt the small group size really helped with interaction, I know they were operating on reduced numbers due to COVID-19 restrictions limiting the number of attendees.

Personally, I felt part of the enjoyment was confirming things I thought I knew, with the opportunity to just experiment and learn some new skills in an incredibly friendly and welcoming environment.
All in all, it proved to be a really good day. Thank you for a great birthday present, even if it was a few months late.
The best thing of the whole weekend though, wasn’t the course, but the opportunity to see my Mam for the first time in months due to the COVID-19 restrictions on travel in Wales.
Thanks for reading, stay safe.

Aug 3 2016

Shoot Report – Draig Goch – Welsh NFAS Championships – July 2016

Archers massing for start of Welsh Championships

July this year saw the Draig Goch club hosting a two day shoot, billed as the NFAS Welsh Championships. Their hope is to make this an annual event in the NFAS calendar. Apparently there used to be such an event years ago but not recently and it is hoped that this event might rekindle that flame of interest. Let’s hope so.

So this was to be the first NFAS Welsh Championships we’d been to and we were looking forward to it. Partly because of it being a new club that Sharon and I hadn’t visited and partly because of liking the idea of there being a Welsh Championships, on par with the Scottish, 3D and National Championships.
The Draig Goch club is situated in the North Wales countryside not far from the coastal town of Rhyl. The club grounds consist of what appeared to be a beautiful woodland consisting of a mix of broadleaf mature woodland along with some densely packed coppice area.

Sadly the heavy rain over the previous few days caused organisers to rethink the parking arrangements; the original plan was to use a local farmers field. Unfortunately this didn’t work as one marshal discovered when he drove on and promptly became stuck fast in the Welsh mud. Apparently it took them several hours at the end of day one to get his car out. The only solution was to park along the country lane by the shoot ground which didn’t go down well with some locals.

Cars parked down lane.

Unlike some of the other attendees who were camping or staying along the coast, we were staying a short drive away at my Mam’s house.
Considering it was the first Welsh champs, the event was well attended with approximately 150 archers from all over the country making the trip.

Day one

Saturday would be a long day partly due to the weather and partly due to the holdups on shots, as we waited for the group in front. The day started dry and with the customary booking in and waiting for the start.

If, like me you are Welsh then you expect it to rain, liquid sunshine as I’ve heard it called on several occasions. Saturday this liquid sunshine was present from about midday until the late afternoon. The effect this had was to make a very challenging course even harder. It also slowed the shoot for many, ourselves included. as people took more second or in some cases third arrows.

Sadly it also meant I didn’t get to take as many photos as I’d have liked. So apologies for that, but my phone’s not waterproof. (Note to self, next phone I get needs to be waterproof).

First target on day 1 – small 3D rabbit

The course consisted of 40 targets, 38 3Ds and a couple of 2D hessian targets. The shoot didn’t start until quite late in the morning compared to other shoots, being past 11am before we actually commenced shooting our first target. I think they may have been waiting for some late arrivals.

Sharon shooting the large 2D bear from the white peg.

We would start the championships on target 15 a small 3D rabbit set under tree canopy. Our shooting group would be quite small, with just Sharon, myself and a father and son team of Nathan and Harry, shooting freestyle and compound limited.

I’d like to say how much of a pleasure it was to shoot round with these two. Harry should have been shooting form the junior pegs, but instead wanted to test himself and shot every target as an adult. What’s more he got quite a few despite the distance.
After only a few shots we were at catering for our first stop of the day just before mid-day, little did we know that due to delays on the course we wouldn’t get to have lunch until nearly 4 in the afternoon.

very small 3D bat

Despite the woodland being pretty flat, it would prove to be a tiring day which I think was partly due to the number walk backs on each shot and partly due to the number of shots you were taking. Due to the distances and target sizes you were often taking 2 or 3 arrows.

Fortunately in late afternoon the weather improved and the liquid sunshine departed and we even saw some clearer weather.

We would eventually finish shooting by 5:45 and I know others were still to come off the course. We headed back to my Mam’s house, taking over her airing room to dry our boots and outer layers in readiness for Sunday.

Day two

Sunday would see actual sunny weather with it being fine and dry all day.
One observation I made on the Sunday morning when watching archers warming up on the practice bosses was that none of them were aiming for the closer targets. All were going for the two furthest bosses whilst on Saturday morning archers were shooting at all of them. Maybe this was an indication of how archers perceived the shoot and there were no short targets. I commented on this to a few and they agreed with my observation and conclusion.

Sharon shooting 3D tortoise from white peg

The placing from the previous day were posted up by admin for those interested to see how they had fared compared to others.
The course shots didn’t change that noticeably on Sunday with a few peg changes, though the organisers reversed the route round the woods. Not sure if that worked as well as they thought or hoped for.

Harry didn’t hit with every shot.

Our shooting group would be the same as the previous day though we started on a different peg.

Nathan shooting 3D crocodile on Saturday across pond

Our second shot of the day would be the big bear which was a little closer than the previous day so about 65 yards.

General comments

This was the club’s first attempt at running an event on this scale and I know they put a lot of effort into it. I’ve shared the following feedback directly to the club and event organisers.

Overall I feel there were way too many walk backs on the course; of the 40 targets we shot I think 39 were walk backs on each day (people who were wearing FitBits commented on walking around 7 miles each day). True, there are times you need walk backs due to the access to the shot or for safety, but I didn’t feel it was needed on many of the targets as there appeared to be space for some to accommodate a different walk off. I am guessing they may have done this to make it easier to reverse the course direction on the second day. Having since communicated with the organiser, they confirmed this had been their plan, but it didn’t flow as well they’d hoped.

Group drawing arrows from a black 3D wolf on black background

Secondly would be the use of target bosses behind the 3d targets to catch wayward arrows. Their presence should be applauded and I would love to see them at 3D championships to speed the recovery of arrows. It needs to be remembered that if you are going to use them to catch arrows, they must be secured or staked to the ground, with the wood to the side not the top and bottom. I know on the second day we spent 15 minutes on one target extracting 2 arrows that had embedded into the wood frame after going under the 3d target. I did hear other archers comment how bosses had fallen when trying to draw arrows. Again this is a learning curve that many clubs go through and can be easily solved in the future.

Probably most importantly were the distances targets were set at. I know it was a championships course so it should be challenging but there is a difference between challenging and stretched for those shooting traditional style bows.

Sunday and dry weather

Ok so those are my thoughts and feelings on the matter. Agree or disagree as you see fit. I offer them in support of the event, an event that I feel has so much potential to become an annual championships in a beautiful woodland. As I have said I have written to the organisers directly and given them this feedback and to their credit they have responded, hence more comments.

Sharons arrow in a tree stump, yes she does sometimes miss

I think it is important to remember that there were many things that worked well so please don’t read this and think it is all negative, because it wasn’t. We got to shoot with a couple of lovely people and meet up with friends. Catering on both days was effective, very friendly and not overpriced which you sometimes see at shoot. The woods are quite simply beautiful and they have great facilities.

Routes and paths were clear to follow though I didn’t feel swapping directions on the second day resulted in the perceived change they wanted. Maybe in future keeping the direction the same would prove better as the archers would be more familiar with the course route and less likely to become lost or stray.

Sharon on red peg shooting 3D boar

All of the marshals we spoke to were friendly and helpful, willing to stop and chat. I really liked the simple slate trophies, maybe that’s the Welsh man in me.

On a very personal and probably patriotic note, I would love to see a Welsh championships thrive in the field archery calendar. Draid Goch have the grounds and I hope the capability to produce a great event in the future. Ok there are a few things they might want to work on, but that can be said of many shoots. No one gets it perfect first time, that’s why we have a second and third arrow in our quiver.

Sharon shot well, winning ladies AFB and I managed to scrape a 2nd place in gents AFB.

Thanks for reading.

Jul 7 2015

Shoot Report – Hawk Archers – July 2015

Hawks parking

Hi all, it seems like ages since I wrote a shoot report so here goes.

Last Sunday saw us heading to South Wales for Hawk Archers shoot (here are links to the 2 shoot reports 2014, 2013 if you fancy a read)
I am amazed that not more people make the journey to this shoot, as it is one of the best set, challenging courses on the NFAS circuit. It offers the archers the opportunity to shoot in beautiful woodland and shots seldom seen elsewhere on the circuit, like 20-40 yard up or downhill targets. This little hidden gem of a course in the Welsh country side is well worth tracking down.

Hawk – uphill 3D deer

At Hawk’s grounds they have ample parking spaces in a field a short stroll from administration and unlike some grounds the field was bone dry so you weren’t slipping and sliding trying to park up.

first target of the day – hessian

On Sunday we would be joined by Scott and Lisa-Marie from Druids to shoot round Hawks course.

Shoot group

So our group would be three flatbow and Sharon on hunting tackle. We had a great laugh and despite a brief shower just before lunch an otherwise dry and warm day.

3D Deer in the sun

Considering there were I think 5 people who set this 36 target course it was an amazing achievement. Sadly the club recently lost one of its members to cancer and for this reason they ran a collection in aid of the Sue Ryder fund. The course was comprised of 36 targets, mostly 3d targets with a few paper and hessian targets.

3D Bedded antelope

One great shot was the double predator prey, where you had to hit both predators before you could take a shot at the prey. I managed only two of the predators so never got to try my hand at the deer.

Sharon studying a shot between the trees

Speaking to a couple of archers at other shoots and I mention I’m going to Hawk Archers their response has been “tough shoot or stretched targets.” I feel this is a little unfair, Hawk is a great course to test you and your archery skills. They have well set targets that will have you reaching for your second arrow because you misjudged the distance or misread the ground and not because the target is stretched. The other thing is the atmosphere at the shoot is always relaxed and friendly.
I think Sundays course was one of the best courses I’ve shot there and great fun. Despite Sharon feeling she shot badly she came away with a first place in ladies Hunting Tackle with a very respectable 492, by some miracle I managed 546 which got me a first place in American flat bow.

Thanks for reading.

My Archery Experiences

Field archery experiences, shoot reports, equipment & book reviews, tips and advice from a UK archer and coach.

Tag Archives: wales

I made fire

So, what does bushcraft mean to you?

I made fire and yes, it’s harder than it looks.

Shoot Report – Draig Goch – Welsh NFAS Championships – July 2016

Day one

Day two

General comments

Shoot Report – Hawk Archers – July 2015

So, what does bushcraft mean to you?

I made fire and yes, it’s harder than it looks.

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Day one

Day two

General comments

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