Explore the untamed wilderness and rediscover your primal instincts through bushcraft courses. From weekend survival courses to day workshops, these outdoor wilderness skills trainings offer an immersive learning experience.
Gain a rounded set of wilderness survival skills and knowledge – from equipment maintenance to the basics of food, water and shelter. Learn to do more with less and understand how to make the most of the resources Mother Nature provides.
Basic Skills
In order to be able to use the many skills of bushcraft, you will need basic outdoor clothing and a knife. A full kit list is available when you book and will also be emailed to you.
Fire-making is a vital skill and a key part of all bushcraft. It keeps you warm, cooks your food and allows you to signal for help if necessary. It’s an important first step on any adventure and this course will give you the skills to be able to start, control and sustain a fire in any environment.
It’s best to practice these skills before you come on the course, using a safe wilderness area, and starting with something simple like bow drill. Getting to grips with the basic tools and techniques will make learning more advanced bushcraft much easier.
Shelter
Having a solid shelter is one of the most important survival skills. It provides protection from the elements and enables you to rest, conserving your energy. It also protects you from insects and other wilderness hazards.
A debris hut or lean-to is easy to build and will keep you dry in most situations. A fallen tree makes a great ridgepole and a large rock or uprooted tree can provide a complete, weatherproof wall to your shelter. Thatching or a layer of grass stems, cattail leaves or even bark can insulate your shelter as well.
Mastering bushcraft and survival skills means connecting with primal instincts and rediscovering nature while gaining lifelong lessons in a safe and controlled manner. These are skills that everyone should have and may save a person’s life in the wild.
Food
In a bushcraft course, students often need to eat the foods they harvest. This can mean hunting and catching fish or gathering wild edible plants. Food preparation skills are also taught, as incorrect handling can lead to foodborne illnesses in the wilderness.
Students on these courses can learn a wide range of skills from primitive tool making to cooking. They can take an overnight wilderness weekend training scenario that requires participants to live in a tent or the Ultimate Abo course where they fashion primitive tools and hunt their own meat using snares and traps.
Those looking for a more formal bushcraft experience can opt to take an NCFE CQ Bushcraft, Survival and Wilderness Living Skills instructor qualification. This provides a structured understanding of wilderness living and enhances confidence in handling unforeseen situations on outdoor adventures.
Water
Water survival training is an essential safety element for people that travel on the water as part of their work or leisure. This 1 day course familiarizes aviation personnel that frequently fly with passengers with guidelines for emergency water evacuation.
The ALSS offers a wide range of skills and adventure courses. Try the accelerated Critical Survival Skills Intensive or an overnight weekend program that covers wilderness cooking, shelter, and other essentials. Create a primitive bow and arrows, learn about wild medicinal and edible plants or take an immersion course in animal tracking to develop a new lens on the wilderness that surrounds you.
ALSS also offers industrial safety and survival training for those working on off-shore oil platforms, vessels or smaller support water craft. A customized version of this course is available to meet company safety training requirements.
Tools
A good quality knife is at the heart of bushcraft, so make sure you have one with a comfortable handle and a blade that is suitable for carving. You will also need a bow drill for making fire, a metal container for boiling water and a tarpaulin to sleep under.
You will learn how to carve a variety of wooden utensils using your knife. You will also learn about natural glues and binding techniques as well as primitive hunting traps. All traps made on this course are reenactments only, no animals will be harmed during the class.
Immerse yourself in the wild as you gain wilderness survival skills from experienced and respected survival experts. Become adept at making friction fires, building and sleeping in natural shelters, foraging for wild edibles and tracking mammals whilst cooking over an open campfire.