March 28, 2026 @ 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
£70.00
Step into the world of our Stone Age ancestors and discover two of humanity’s oldest and most ingenious crafts: shaping sharp-edged tools from stone and transforming raw bone into functional, beautiful objects. This immersive one-day course invites you to explore how early people created the essential tools that allowed them to hunt, build, prepare food, sew, carve, and thrive in a world without metal or modern equipment.
Set within the atmospheric landscape of Park In The Past, home to the UK’s only full-size reconstructed Roman fort, you’ll learn how our ancestors read the land, selected materials, and used skill, patience, and technique to shape flint and bone into tools that were vital for survival. Perfect for both newcomers to bushcraft and those already on the journey, this course reconnects you with the raw creativity and resourcefulness embodied by ancient craftspeople.
Under the expert guidance of primitive skills instructor Billy Souter, you will learn to knap your own flint tool and craft an item from bone using traditional stone-edged tools. In the process, you’ll gain insight into humanity’s earliest technologies and the mindset that shaped them.
Billy shares his perspective on these ancient crafts:
“Stone and bone were the foundation of our ancestors’ toolkit. Flint knapping gave them the cutting edges they relied on daily, while bone working allowed them to create items that were both functional and beautiful. There is something deeply grounding about taking these raw materials and transforming them with your own hands. These skills connect us mentally and spiritually to our past, allowing us to understand the challenges, ingenuity, and resilience of those who walked this land long before us.”
By the end of the day, you’ll leave with your own hand-crafted flint tool, such as a flint-tipped drill or arrowhead and a bone item, such as a pendant, shaped using traditional methods, along with the knowledge to continue developing these skills at home.
- Learn flint knapping fundamentals; including material selection, platform preparation, & safe technique.
- Craft a flint drill, scraper, or arrowhead using the skills you’ve developed.
- Work bone using stone-edged tools, shaping it into a practical or decorative item.
- Understand the properties of flint and bone and how to use each material effectively.
- Experience the process of using hot rocks to boil water, the Stone Age way.
- Identify tree and plant species that support bushcraft and toolmaking
- Deepen your connection to nature through hands-on ancestral skills and mindful craftwork.
Your Tutor: Billy Souter
“My passion for Bushcraft came to life in my mid teens and quickly led me venturing down the path of primitive living skills.”
“Having found my passion and decided I wanted to expand my knowledge and pass these skills on to others. Since this time I have trained with various incredible teachers within this field and have used these skills in different environments including Scandinavia, Europe and North America.”
“In recent years I have developed and provided engaging Bushcraft sessions at an Outdoor Centre and Public workshop events for Children, SEN groups, Adults and training to forest school providers. I now also work as a Guest Instructor for established schools and individuals teaching Primitive Living Skills.”
You can view more of Billy’s excellent work via his facebook page.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the programme you will learn a range of skills, including…
Your day begins at our woodland basecamp within the wild surroundings of Park In The Past. As the fire crackles and the canopy rustles overhead, Billy will introduce you to the deep ancestral significance of stone and bone working. You’ll explore how these materials shaped early human culture, technology, and survival.
You’ll start by learning how to assess flint nodules, prepare platforms, and strike flakes using controlled percussion. Billy will demonstrate key techniques before guiding you through the process of shaping your own tool, perhaps a flint drill, scraper, or arrowhead. As you work, you’ll develop a feel for the material, gaining an understanding of fracture patterns, edge geometry, and safe, effective knapping practice.
With your flint tool taking shape, the group will pause to experience another aspect of Stone Age life: heating rocks and using them to boil water, a technique that predates pottery and reveals the remarkable ingenuity of our ancestors.
Using simple stone tools, you’ll learn how to shape, abrade, and carve bone into a useful object such as a needle, pendant, or small tool. Billy will guide you through the properties of bone, how to select suitable pieces, and the traditional techniques used by hunter-gatherers across the world.
By the end of the experience, you’ll head home with your own hand-crafted flint and bone items, new practical skills, and a deepened sense of connection to the land and the ingenuity of our ancestors.
Book now
This course costs £70 per person and is open to adult learners aged 16 years and over. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
