10 November 2015
6 November 2015
Winter Mountaineering Training (Minus The Snow)
This Wed 11th and Fri 13th Nov we have two days of Snow/Ice Skills, or Winter Mountaineering Skills, minus the actual snow!
We will be looking at axe and crampon fitting, axe and crampon use, mixed ground skills, equipment, gps, emergency abseil, emergency belay and roped moving together.
This can be used as the first step of training for hill walkers looking to hit the snow slopes of Ireland or Scotland, before completing a fully fledged Winter Mountaineering Course. No previous snow/ice experience is needed.
The price is €160 per person and each day will run 9am - 5pm. Equipment will be provided including crampons, axe, harness, helmet.
To Book Please Contact Nathan On 086 860 45 63
This can be used as the first step of training for hill walkers looking to hit the snow slopes of Ireland or Scotland, before completing a fully fledged Winter Mountaineering Course. No previous snow/ice experience is needed.
The price is €160 per person and each day will run 9am - 5pm. Equipment will be provided including crampons, axe, harness, helmet.
To Book Please Contact Nathan On 086 860 45 63
5 November 2015
Mountain Skills Tip: Map Memory
Map Memory is a great technique for mountain, forest and kayak navigation. This is a technique to practice and get good at!
Because you are navigating from memory it allows you to focus mainly on difficult conditions you may be tackling; such as raging weather, snow work, impenetrable forest or big waves.
With care it also allows you to navigate longer legs than the usual 15 min or 500 meter rule, good for when conditions are difficult, or you need to put the head down and cover big distance.
1. Study your map as normal and plan your leg as normal.
2. At a minimum you need timing, tick off points and cut off point.
3. Finally, just before you put away your map, take a memory 'photo' of your map route.
4. Keep that photo firmly in your memory and track yourself across the photo as you make progress.
5. Your map memory/photo progress is backed up with your timing, tick off points and cut off point.
Simple but effective technique, keeping your hands free, and you making progress. With practice you can recall a decent map photo from your memory and track yourself pretty well; recognising expected features, ticking off expected features and changing tack when needed.
Nathan Kingerlee - Outdoors Ireland
Because you are navigating from memory it allows you to focus mainly on difficult conditions you may be tackling; such as raging weather, snow work, impenetrable forest or big waves.
With care it also allows you to navigate longer legs than the usual 15 min or 500 meter rule, good for when conditions are difficult, or you need to put the head down and cover big distance.
1. Study your map as normal and plan your leg as normal.
2. At a minimum you need timing, tick off points and cut off point.
3. Finally, just before you put away your map, take a memory 'photo' of your map route.
4. Keep that photo firmly in your memory and track yourself across the photo as you make progress.
5. Your map memory/photo progress is backed up with your timing, tick off points and cut off point.
Simple but effective technique, keeping your hands free, and you making progress. With practice you can recall a decent map photo from your memory and track yourself pretty well; recognising expected features, ticking off expected features and changing tack when needed.
Nathan Kingerlee - Outdoors Ireland
4 November 2015
Bushcraft Weekend With Outdoors Ireland
Written By Charelle Holleman.
For as long as I can remember the great outdoors has intrigued me. So when someone told me that I could go on a bushcraft weekend I jumped at the opportunity! In September I was able to join Nathan and his group at the last minute to go back to basics for a weekend.
We met on Saturday morning at Jarvies Rest Pub in Killarney where were given an idea of what bushcraft actually was. But before we got down to the nitty-gritty, the question was asked why we had decided to go out on this weekend in the first place. For me it was just to go out, learn a thing or two and have some fun. I have had some bushcraft lessons in school so I had an idea of what to expect, but learning things and actually putting them to use are two entirely different things!
There were some things I had heard of before, but a lot of what Nathan told us was new to me. There was, for instance, the survival pyramid with at its foundation the will to survive, followed by the knowledge and skills needed, the ability to improvise and lastly your gear or survival kit. I had never thought of it that way, I assumed it referred to your most basic survival kit – a knife, some rope, tinned food... But then again, people have survived with only the clothes they were wearing. The will to survive stuck with me as well… I mean, I watch Discovery Channel and I have seen those extreme survival shows where people managed to survive for months with no gear, no knowledge – nothing.
So, after our little briefing we headed out to Lough Guitane (thank you Google Maps!) where Nathan parked the car and we continued on foot. Along the way to where we were going to spend the night Nathan showed us what you could eat and what could be used for tinder. It was really interesting to see how much of what you see around you you can actually eat! I personally really liked the nettles and thistles (there’s a part inside the flower-head you can eat and it tasted a bit like hazelnuts, yum!)…
At around five in the afternoon we arrived in a valley called Cappagh (Google Maps, what would I be without you?) where Nathan showed us how to build our shelter.
First, you had to find a spot and Nathan found me just the perfect place to set up. There was this really low-hanging branch I was able to use as a ridge-beam for my shelter. It was going to be a very tight fit, but that was the way it was supposed to be – to keep the heat inside. So then I had to find branches for the sides of my shelter. It took me a while to find enough, but the fun was just about the start, because the next step was to collect enough bracken to make the shelter water and wind proof.
It took so long to get enough bracken for my shelter, and after a while I got so frustrated that I just wanted to quit. But then the survival pyramid came to mind with at its base the will to survive... Now, of course, this situation was entirely safe, but at that moment I realised how important it is to have a positive state of mind. So in the end it took me about five hours to get my shelter finished, but the feeling of frustration was nothing compared to the pride and fulfillment I got out of building my little hut.
After our dinner – consisting of baked beans and a penguin bar – and sitting around the fire for a while I went to bed. Now, like I said, my shelter was quite small, so getting in was a bit tricky. And then there was this little slope I had built it on as well… Sensible people would have made sure their head would be high and their feet would be low. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. Now just imagine, if you will, sleeping head down on a bed of bracken and lying inside a sleeping bag of synthetic, friction-less material… This combo resulted in me sliding head first out of my shelter whenever I moved.
Sometimes I would wake up during the night, notice that my head was poking out of the entrance (again!) and I would try to wriggle myself back inside (again). I kept thinking to myself that if anyone had been watching my struggle against gravity they’d be having a very entertaining time. I couldn’t use my hands to push or pull myself in – there just wasn’t any room – so I must have looked like a fish out of water – flopping around helplessly in an attempt to wriggle myself back inside. But the struggle was well worth it – because inside my shelter I was warm and comfortable and I slept like a baby.
The next morning we had breakfast – spaghetti-loops and warm fruit we had collected the day before. And after we cleaned up camp we got to make our own fire. This was very exciting for me, because so far I had never been very successful in lighting a fire with a fire-steel. So when I managed to build my fire and light it within the first five tries I was over the moon! I remember sitting by my fire and thinking: this is my fire, I made this… And again this feeling of pride washed over me.
It is interesting how such a small thing as making a fire or building your own shelter can give you such a feeling of accomplishment and how important it is to be grateful for these little things. We tried to light birch bark as well which was a bit harder but I think we all managed to do it (although it took me half an hour, but that’s beside the point!).
After the fire building we headed back to the car. To civilisation. I was happy to go back – the prospect of having a nice hot shower and a comfortable couch looked very appealing to me – but I was also a bit sad to go. I loved sleeping beneath the stars and getting away from the daily bustle. I enjoyed the peace and quiet…
Thank you, Nathan, for this amazing adventure!
For as long as I can remember the great outdoors has intrigued me. So when someone told me that I could go on a bushcraft weekend I jumped at the opportunity! In September I was able to join Nathan and his group at the last minute to go back to basics for a weekend.
We met on Saturday morning at Jarvies Rest Pub in Killarney where were given an idea of what bushcraft actually was. But before we got down to the nitty-gritty, the question was asked why we had decided to go out on this weekend in the first place. For me it was just to go out, learn a thing or two and have some fun. I have had some bushcraft lessons in school so I had an idea of what to expect, but learning things and actually putting them to use are two entirely different things!
There were some things I had heard of before, but a lot of what Nathan told us was new to me. There was, for instance, the survival pyramid with at its foundation the will to survive, followed by the knowledge and skills needed, the ability to improvise and lastly your gear or survival kit. I had never thought of it that way, I assumed it referred to your most basic survival kit – a knife, some rope, tinned food... But then again, people have survived with only the clothes they were wearing. The will to survive stuck with me as well… I mean, I watch Discovery Channel and I have seen those extreme survival shows where people managed to survive for months with no gear, no knowledge – nothing.
So, after our little briefing we headed out to Lough Guitane (thank you Google Maps!) where Nathan parked the car and we continued on foot. Along the way to where we were going to spend the night Nathan showed us what you could eat and what could be used for tinder. It was really interesting to see how much of what you see around you you can actually eat! I personally really liked the nettles and thistles (there’s a part inside the flower-head you can eat and it tasted a bit like hazelnuts, yum!)…
At around five in the afternoon we arrived in a valley called Cappagh (Google Maps, what would I be without you?) where Nathan showed us how to build our shelter.
First, you had to find a spot and Nathan found me just the perfect place to set up. There was this really low-hanging branch I was able to use as a ridge-beam for my shelter. It was going to be a very tight fit, but that was the way it was supposed to be – to keep the heat inside. So then I had to find branches for the sides of my shelter. It took me a while to find enough, but the fun was just about the start, because the next step was to collect enough bracken to make the shelter water and wind proof.
It took so long to get enough bracken for my shelter, and after a while I got so frustrated that I just wanted to quit. But then the survival pyramid came to mind with at its base the will to survive... Now, of course, this situation was entirely safe, but at that moment I realised how important it is to have a positive state of mind. So in the end it took me about five hours to get my shelter finished, but the feeling of frustration was nothing compared to the pride and fulfillment I got out of building my little hut.
After our dinner – consisting of baked beans and a penguin bar – and sitting around the fire for a while I went to bed. Now, like I said, my shelter was quite small, so getting in was a bit tricky. And then there was this little slope I had built it on as well… Sensible people would have made sure their head would be high and their feet would be low. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. Now just imagine, if you will, sleeping head down on a bed of bracken and lying inside a sleeping bag of synthetic, friction-less material… This combo resulted in me sliding head first out of my shelter whenever I moved.
Sometimes I would wake up during the night, notice that my head was poking out of the entrance (again!) and I would try to wriggle myself back inside (again). I kept thinking to myself that if anyone had been watching my struggle against gravity they’d be having a very entertaining time. I couldn’t use my hands to push or pull myself in – there just wasn’t any room – so I must have looked like a fish out of water – flopping around helplessly in an attempt to wriggle myself back inside. But the struggle was well worth it – because inside my shelter I was warm and comfortable and I slept like a baby.
The next morning we had breakfast – spaghetti-loops and warm fruit we had collected the day before. And after we cleaned up camp we got to make our own fire. This was very exciting for me, because so far I had never been very successful in lighting a fire with a fire-steel. So when I managed to build my fire and light it within the first five tries I was over the moon! I remember sitting by my fire and thinking: this is my fire, I made this… And again this feeling of pride washed over me.
It is interesting how such a small thing as making a fire or building your own shelter can give you such a feeling of accomplishment and how important it is to be grateful for these little things. We tried to light birch bark as well which was a bit harder but I think we all managed to do it (although it took me half an hour, but that’s beside the point!).
After the fire building we headed back to the car. To civilisation. I was happy to go back – the prospect of having a nice hot shower and a comfortable couch looked very appealing to me – but I was also a bit sad to go. I loved sleeping beneath the stars and getting away from the daily bustle. I enjoyed the peace and quiet…
Thank you, Nathan, for this amazing adventure!
Crowberry (Empetrum Nigrum)
Crowberry looks a little like Fraughan or Bilberry but its low growth and narrow leaves are helpful in distinguishing it.
It is found hidden among the heather on the Irish mountains.
Crowberry is edible, but has a bitter taste. The berries are harvested in arctic regions for use in cooking.
Crowberry grows in acidic soils in shady, moist areas. It can be grown for the edible fruit, as a ground cover, or as an ornamental plant in rock gardens.
The fruit is high in anthocyanin pigment, and can be used to make a natural food dye.
After waning popularity, Crowberry is regaining its reputation as an edible fruit. It provides a steady crop and the gathering is relatively easy. Cooking enhances the flavor. The fruits make good pie and jam.
In subarctic areas Crowberry has been a vital addition to the diet of the Inuit and the Sami. The Dena'ina (Tanaina) harvest it for food, sometimes storing in quantity for winter, and like it mixed with lard or oil.
The fruits are usually collected in autumn, but if not picked they may persist on the plant and can be picked in the spring. They keep well in a cool place without any special preparation.
The Inuit and Native Americans mix them with other berries, especially blueberries.
The leaves and stems are used in Dena'ina medicine for diarrhea and stomach problems; they are boiled or soaked in hot water, and the strained liquid drunk. Some claim the fruit juice is good for kidney trouble.
In Dena'ina plantlore in the Outer and Upper Inlet area of Lake Clark, the root is also used as a medicine, being used to remove a growth on an eye and to heal sore eyes. The roots are boiled and the eyes are washed with the strained, cooled tea, to which a little sugar may be added.
In Labrador, where the name 'blackberry' is used, the smoke of the burning stems and leaves is used to smoke fish, notably Salmon, Sea Trout and Arctic Char.
28 October 2015
Some Photos From Recent Mountain Skills 1 & Mountain Skills 2 Courses
Some Photos From Recent Mountain Skills 1 & Mountain Skills 2 Courses In The Kerry & Cork Mountains
22 October 2015
Sphagnum Moss
The photo shows a sphagnum moss called Fringed Bog Moss or Sphagnum Fimbriatum, which is generally pretty obvious.
Two good websites with more moss details are here and here.
Sphagnum Moss can hold up to 26 times its own body weight in water/blood. It contains iodine (or rather iodine type qualities), is naturally antiseptic and is mildly antibiotic.
Wound Dressing:
Dried (best done naturally outdoors) it makes a fantastic sponge and absorbent wound dressing. To fully make use of the antiseptic and antibiotic qualities the initial dressing of moss needs to be dried and ground, as the main medical goodness is stored within the plant. This can be then wrapped with an intact pad of moss and bound with some cordage, such as washed spruce root, which wont 'bite' into the wound area so much.
Moss is more absorbent than cotton wool and prepared moss can potentially hold double the fluid/last double the time of a conventional wound dressing.
Injured deer are known to drag their wounded limbs to beds of sphagnum moss to aid recovery.
Water Filter:
While it wont safely purify water, it makes a great water filter. Pour water through it to remove sediment, prior to boiling. Add some charcoal to the moss filter to aid even more.
Water Source:
If the moss is full of rain-water or dew-water this is clean water and good to drink directly.
Rain-water and dew-water are always good to drink without purifying, mindful of what you collect this water with though.
As well as naturally collecting moss full of rain-water or dew-water, it is also possible to depot bundles of dried moss around your camp in advance of rain or dew, ready for soakage.
Although not fully practical, in the absence of a water bottle, sphagnum moss can be soaked full of drinking water and then carried carefully on your journey, to drink as needed.
Food Cooking:
Most mosses, including sphagnum, are good for doing a moss bake on an open fire. I will leave that for a separate blog though.
Food Storage:
Clean sphagnum moss can be used to wrap food in and placed in a shady tree fork, above the ground. Length of food preservation will depend on food and environment.
Nathan Kingerlee - Outdoors Ireland
21 October 2015
13 October 2015
Wood Sorrel & Rosehip Pesto
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