Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) Ground ivy has the typical square stem of the dead nettle family. We find it both within the woodland and in some of the surrounding fields, so it seems to tolerate both shade and sun. And mostly we find it creeping along the ground, but sometimes growing more upright. It’s also known as ‘ale […]
Dandelions (Taraxicum officinale) Dandelions are abundant in much of the world, and that is certainly the case in the UK. There are many sub-species within the genus, but exactly how many is a matter of debate amongst botanists. They have been used in herbal remedies since pre-history. All parts of the plant are edible; they […]
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) Comfrey is a plant which you might recognise if you’re a gardener. Many people on our wild foods and herbal remedies courses tell us that they use it as a fertiliser. You simply put the plant into a bucket of water for a month or so to produce a dark brown sludge which […]
Firesteels go by a variety of names, including ferro rods, flint & steel (not to be confused with the traditional flint & steel) and fire sparkers, and are awesome for lighting your fire. I always carry one with me when I go to the woods. I like them for a number of reasons: There aren’t any working […]
Using a traditional flint and steel to light your fire is a fantastic skill to have and adds yet another dimension to your fire lighting repertoire. They’ve been used widely throughout Europe for thousands of years and there is also evidence of their use in the Middle East. We’re very fortunate to have an abundance […]
I originally wrote this article on coppicing for the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL ) Bushcraft Special Interest Group (BSIG) newsletter which came out in February 2015. Based in the south east of England, our woodland was badly damaged by the hurricane in 1987. Whilst many mature beech, ash, sweet chestnut and oak were unscathed, large parts […]
