Tracks4Life

For me, bushcraft is different to survival even though there are many similarities between the two. In esscence bushcraft is a a long-term form of survival. The term bushcraft is synonymous with wilderness living skills and is popularly used in Australia and South Africa as a term. People like Mors Kochanski, Ray Mears and Bear Grylls have popularised the ideas of bushcraft in the northern hemisphere through their writings and television programmes.

Bushcraft is more than just survival. I think that survival nearly always perceived as a battle against the elements, a struggle of man against nature, and is usually short term due to rescue. On the other hand bushcraft is living, in harmony, with the natural environment, and for many, bushcraft, as a hobby, is the the acquisition of ancient skills and knowledge. The skills used in bushcraft are many and varied, ranging from the more the more obvious such as shelter building, water purification and fire lighting, through to animal tracking, the use of tools, wild food, natural cordage and making your own clothes and equipment.

Bushcraft also encompasses many 'primitive skills' such as flint knapping, knife making, boat making, tanning hides and much more besides. I think it is very important to keep these skills alive and flourishing so they are not lost to our descendants.

Learn more about our bushcraft courses.