#AskPaulKirtley

In this episode I answer questions on integrating traditional crafts into modern outdoor trips, how to stop people leaving rubbish at campsites, washing, cooking and camping in bear country, outdoor clothing sizes and where to buy, how young is too young for bushcraft, variations in basic bushcraft kit for the Rockies, cheaper full-tang knives, list of places to camp in the woods...

Weird encounters at night, drying clothes, drugs tests and foraging, bow drill notch details, predators and rewilding, carcinogenic campfires, learning more about wild edibles...

In this episode I cover carbon monoxide and winter shelters, candles for quinzhees, snow shelter construction, toilets in cold weather, sweaty clothes, food for exhausting day hikes, wilderness ski touring and anoraks for cold weather…

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on how to learn more about fungi, the ONE thing that will see me survive in the wilds, time management on trips, badger latrines, processing oak bark for tinder, knots and lashings for bushcraft and more...

In this episode I answer a bunch of questions about water. What are the advantages of Millbank bags? Can you use a bandanna to filter water? Do Steripens work? How do you deal with herbicides and pesticides in water? Can you use activated charcoal to filter water? Is it safe to drink water from springs and wells? These are the jumping off points for a wide-ranging discussion about producing safe drinking water outdoors - close to home or further into the wilds...

Questions about boots for bushcraft, 3-season sleeping bag choices, carbon steel knives and flint for sparks, how to avoid shredding your knuckles while using a firesteel, long distance hiking, lightweight gear and bushcraft, how do I know when do you know enough for wilderness, and what would I do in a particular wilderness canoe expedition survival scenario.

Shelter bedding, sustainable birch bark harvesting, martial arts and teaching bushcraft, higher or lower for optimal camp temperatures, cod liver oil tablets for survival packs, heavy tents, outdoor career advice and what’s best - tarp or tent?

In this episode, I answer questions about how we might look after our teeth and nails without modern tools, natural meds and charcoal for stomach upsets, the edibility of beech nuts, bow drill woods NOT to use, shorts in the bush (are they a good idea?), some curious rings around a tree, uses of Himalayan balsam and pot lifting - what on earth are we doing?

In this episode I answer questions about top trees for bushcraft, dish cleaning in random camp spots with no water, the best time for carving, how not to get wet under a tarp (revisited), light saws for bushcraft, equipment for maintaining axe and knife at home...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about bear-resistant containers, bushcraft in the National Curriculum, blisters, modern Swiss Army Knives, bushcraft and skis, and making use of trash you find in the woods...

In this episode, I answer questions about compass bubbles, old man’s beard, hand-drill use in the UK, physical fitness for the outdoors, long-log fire lays and sparks from Gransfors axes…

How to get over a fear of wild edibles, is Leave No Trace completely at odds with Bushcraft, which other methods of fire by friction work in the UK, my view on firebox stoves, whether wood stoves get around no-fire rules, ideas on DIY sleeping bags and can you use two sleeping bags together for the winter, plus what shirt am I always wearing?

#AskPaulKirtley returns with questions on vapour barriers, firesteels on lanyards, what to do in electrical storms, trekking poles and pitching tarps, dehydrating your own meals, especially favourite recipes, how to know when to stop bow drilling. The latter makes for a neat case study. AND there is a nice sneak preview in the middle of the video as well as a fun little blooper reel at the end. Enjoy...

Another full session with answers to questions on knife storage at home, knife grinds for bushcraft, pooping in the woods, how to cook cat-tail rhizomes, how to re-proof bivvy bags, recommended work gloves, billy can sizes, what one item I would take to the woods, and how to move beyond kit obsession...

Canoe maestro Ray Goodwin joins me to answer questions on inflatable canoes and kayaks, sleeping in a canoe, avoiding wrist pain when paddling, the merits of back-paddling, advice for a first-time multi-day canoe tripper, canoe saddles, bug suits, skills for a River Spey trip, transporting canoes, moving to larger rivers with rapids and stronger currents and more...

I answer questions about finding flint, wind and shelter, wool blankets, managing fires overnight, if Millbank bags are a niche item, becoming a bushcraft instructor, removing the plastic taste from MSR Dromedary bags, PLCE side pockets and why I like them, plus what are my favourite matches…

In this episode, I answer questions about canvas vs synthetic fabrics, aluminium pot safety, clothing which is tough enough for the woods, dealing with fear when camping alone, whether to use tents or tarps in blackfly season and what’s my opinion on survival tins and foil space blankets....

Answers to questions about how viable bow-drill friction fire is as a real world technique, should a grandfather take his grandson on an overnight camp, how to get fit for backpacking, what is my kit mentality and what's my opinion on survival shows...

I answer questions about getting started with carving utensils, avoiding exploding rocks in the campfire, precautions against dangerous gases in heated tents with wood burning stoves, what to do with worn firesteels, whether charcloth has a shelf life, reducing sleeping bag condensation and what on Earth are Spoons and I up to on Snapchat?...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about if it is still possible to live sustainably from trapping and hunting, where can you source birch bark of high enough quality for birch bark containers, how do you find decent firewood in winter, is the pain of portaging worth it, will a Mora Companion hold up to field use and what are my daypack recommendations...

n this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions asked by a live audience of students on a bushcraft course in the woods. It was a wet and windy weekend and filming this was made quite "interesting"....

In this episode, I answer questions about tinder bundles for friction fire in winter, GPS, tree and plant uses in Australia, organising wilderness trips, advice to group leaders, meat and cooking over pine or spruce. I also talk about my favourite Gore-tex and Primaloft combination of garments, plus answer some questions about cameras and tripods for outdoor use...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about how to get started with canoe camping, water bladders and water bottles, my long term, go-to stove when not using a fire, firesteel and knife combos, how to increase your bow-drill success rate, identifying animal hairs, knife skills to practise at home, my pants, socks and boots, where to go to wild camp and to practise bushcraft skills, and whether or not you should be drinking your own urine...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about cramp balls as ember extenders, natural soaps, tapping trees for sap (other than birch), have I still got my Woodlore instructor knife, are combinations of wild edibles always safe and waterproof jackets on a budget...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on bow drill consistency, bow drilling with natural cordage, winter tents, the top three areas of bushcraft to concentrate on, beginner and budget axes, alternatives to the Gransfors Bruk Small Forest Axe, what to do with your wallet, phone and passport while out in the field, and whether or not wearing your clothes in your sleeping bag stop it from working efficiently...

Answers to questions about power in the wilderness, water purification, chaga, what I’ve got in my pockets, what you do when you get the silent treatment and reasons why I left Woodlore. There's also a question for YOU to answer...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on various considerations with respect to shelter and sleeping arrangements, bivvybag condensation, wool blankets (again), Tyvek as a material for beds and tents, setting up tarp ridge lines and the important question of whether or not there should be such a thing as a wilderness licence?

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on the breathability of eVent fabric, the utility of military surplus gear for bushcraft, fire management for first timers, gaining consistency with bow drill, and provide some thoughts on realistic year-round carbs foraging as well as getting a little philosophical towards the end.

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley, Q's to your A's about bushcraft in South Africa vs Scotland, bivvy bag issues, firebowls, squeaky bow-drills, mix & match NCFE courses, snakes & bugs under tarps, canoe vs kayak...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on toxic firewood, down sleeping bag cost vs weight, what to do if lost in the woods, what knife to carry, sharpening knives on coffee mugs, using contact lenses outdoors for extended periods, the minimum knowledge to be a bushcrafter and rewilding Britain...

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about boots, EDC kit, preparing your equipment for outings, getting started with animal tracking, bushcraft during the hunting season, alternative bow-drill positions and ways of managing without refrigeration while camping.

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley, I answer questions on bushcraft qualifications and what you need to do to start a bushcraft company, where to store your bushcraft knife and firesteel so that they don’t corrode, burning rubbish in the campfire and cooking starches found in tuberous roots when foraging.

In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions about multi-tools vs knives, bug nets, am I ever going to run courses “up north”, how and where to store outdoor equipment when you are not using it and where in the world can we go to practice all aspects of bushcraft.

In Episode 10 of #AskPaulKirtley, I answer questions about knife lanyard holes, dromedary bags for water storage, my preferred method of sleeping - hammock or tarp, making tinder boxes for Explorer Scouts and discuss if there should be an NGB award for bushcraft…

In this episode I answer questions about useful bushcraft knife techniques, wool blankets, hammocks and poncho liners as well as revisiting medicinal herbs and book recommendations. In addition, I discuss outdoor first aid, in particular first aid for wilderness journeys. I also give some advice on where to find or source materials such as hides, antlers and the like for practising primitive skills...

In Episode 8 of #AskPaulKirtley, I offer some thoughts on preppers and prepping, make some suggestions for helping kids who get frustrated with learning bushcraft skills, suggest some quiet places to camp and forage in the UK, give some specific advice on aspects of firelighting, fires and leave no trace as well as provide some book recommendations for bushcraft and wider campfire reading.

In epsisode 7 of #AskPaulKirtley I answer a request for advice on picking up roadkill deer, offer some thoughts for new or aspiring bushcraft instructors, explain what a mirror on a compass is for, scratch my head a bit while choosing five medicinal herbs and talk about edible snails and why they are not further up the bushcraft menu...

I answer questions about my bushcraft aspirations - personal and professional, favourite memories from the Bloodvein, bivvy tents, how to minimise the chances of being caught out by the weather, as well as wild camping in the UK - where we can go, where we can camp, where we can have a fire and how we preserve that privilege for generations going forwards....

I answer questions about bears and camping in Sweden, bushcraft/survival knives and what we do with them when we are travelling or in public places, knife and oilstone recommendations for a beginner to learn bushcraft knife sharpening, where to park our car when going for a multi-day hike and how to stop getting bothersome bits in our boots…

In this episode I answer questions about how to deal with biting insects in the woods, my favourite wild foods for foraging, how to use Alexanders as a food, how to go about learning more about trees and their identification as well as making sure you can find and purify enough water while on the move during a hike (rather than being static in a base camp)...

In #AskPaulKirtley, I answer your questions on wilderness bushcraft, survival skills and outdoor life. In Episode 3 I answer questions about getting kids started with bushcraft, dealing with the increasing problem of ticks as well as people’s fears around ticks, alternative tinders when birch bark is not available, my favourite friction fire woods for bow drill and hand drill as well as giving some tips on tactics for seeing more wildlife while out and about…

In #AskPaulKirtley, I answer your questions on wilderness bushcraft, survival skills and outdoor life. In episode 2, I talk about bivvy bags, tarps vs Jerven bags, automatic wristwatches, and I also give some thoughts on titanium cooking pots. Plus, what should you be wearing for bushcraft? And what should we cook in the bush?...

In #AskPaulKirtley, I answer your questions on wilderness bushcraft, survival skills and outdoor life. In episode 1, I talk about bushcraft knives, books, hammock knots and the kitchen sink...