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July 11, 2020 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
£10 – £55
A whole day of shelter building skills for parents and children. Show me a kid that doesn’t love building dens out in the woods? It’s an essential part of any wild childhood and this course will take your shared love of den building further than before as you learn new skills including; advanced shelter building, crafting natural cordage, essential survival knots and more.
Whether you dream of taking your family on overnight wild camping trips, want to build the perfect bird hide in your own patch of woodland, or simply have a fun and rewarding day out in the woods together, then this workshop is perfect. Warning: you may get addicted to building shelters 😉
We believe that today’s children need to see that the outdoors is not a scary, uninviting place but a place that they can (with the right skills) make a perfectly warm and dry home away from home, enjoying everything nature has to offer. Our goal is for all children to get the chance to develop a love of nature and the outdoors, and building awesome dens is a way to do just that. We also want to nuture kids that are able to manage their own risk, be responsible for their own safety and have an awareness of their impact on the environment.
This one-day course is designed for an adult to accompany their child(ren) whilst you learn together. It’s perfect for parents or grandparents wanting introduce their kids to the secrets of building dens, wild camping and the joys of bushcraft. Whether you’re planning a family camping trip or simply want to gain confidence in shelter building skills then this course is for you.
All this will take place against the backdrop of the National Trust’s beautiful Chirk Castle estate with ancient woodland, deer parkland and footpath network.
- Craft your perfect woodland getaway, using all natural materials
- Make strong natural cordage from nettles & bramble
- Choose the best camp site; increase your awareness of hazards, habitats and weather
- Learn how to craft a safe structure even when you have no string!
- Find, identify and gather a range of natural building materials, right from the forest
- Develop sharp tool skills; safe techniques for axe, knife and saw
- Learn a range of useful survival knots for shelter building
- Rig up tarps, bashas, hammocks and other wilderness shelter kit
- Dare you take the ‘Rain Proof Challenge’ with your finished shelter?
- Leave no trace of your campsite in the wilderness
- Understand the law relating to building shelters and wild camping
Your Tutor: James Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in outdoor education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
In 2017 James received the Bushcraft Competency Certificate awarded through the Institute for Outdoor Learning after 2 years of teaching experience and practical study. He is also a member of the IOL Bushcraft Professional Practise Group. The group aims to promote best practice in the growing industry of bushcraft activity providers.
If it’s raining, no problem. We have our bushcraft basecamp shelter over the campfire to keep us warm and dry when needed, and we will of course be building amazing shelters that keep the worst of the weather out. All the above skills will be presented in a fun and engaging way that will appeal to both adults and children. You’ll go away feeling confident and with the right skills to be able to have wilderness adventures of your own with your kids.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the programme you will learn a range of skills, including…
Book now
The course costs £55 for an adult and child. Additional children can join you for an extra £10 each. Activities are suitable for children aged 7 years and over. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
