This course teaches the skills for wilderness survival. You will be introduced to a range of ancient technologies that have been passed down from our ancestors and which are still relevant to our lives to day. As we encounter and work with these primary tools we deepen our connection to the elements. Making our first wild fire changes our relationship to fire and is a moment that stays warm in our memory for years to come. Building shelter helps us to feel at home any where on the Earth.

Seeing through the eyes of the tracker we learn to read the messages of the Earth and her animals, we will never look at the ground in the same way again. As we develop our potential for keen observation we are able to see far beyond the scope we thought possible. Through silent movement we encounter the ability to become invisible to others and observe our surroundings in their natural condition moving towards oneness with all things. By understanding how to utilize the many edible, medicinal and utilitarian plants we recognize that the Earth provides everything we need and through careful caretaking we can leave it in a better state than we found it.

These skills help us to develop our understanding of the intricate workings of nature and the ancient cultures we spring from. Through this process we reconnect with the land we live on and are empowered to know how to act and what to use for our needs and well being in any environment.

The course is designed to be challenging and educational while at the same time being accessible to people from all walks of life and levels of experience. In order to maximize teaching time food will be provided. Some foraged food may be added to the menu. The teaching is fast paced covering many subjects in detail with lots of hands on experience. We will not be living in a fully primitive way during this first course. We encourage full participation with all activities and ask for some assistance with basic food preparation and camp duties.

Please note : Wild Craft Skills is the pre-requisite for most other Trackways courses.

Some of the skills covered:

Making wild fire by friction,
Wild edible and medicinal plants,
Shelter building,
Water purification,
Tracking including: Pressure release studies1-3 the science of tracking,
Pattern classification variations of movement, Sign tracking and track ageing,
Compression shape the art of seeing tracks on any terrain,
Silent and invisible movement,
Nature awareness,
Native hunting methods, Making string from plant fibers,
Introduction to stone tools.