Ray Mears was popularised in the 1980s for
his various TV series, ‘Survival’ and ‘Extreme Survival’ about survival and
living off the land.
Most
people will never put the
knowledge contained in his books and films into
practice, it is nevertheless fascinating
to see what can be achieved when one is deprived of all the trappings of our
modern, western and highly technological lives.
Currently Ray runs a woodcraft school in Sussex
and preaches a gospel of knowledge over
equipment. It is possible to stay there
and learn these
techniques from his team of experienced instructors. The kind of survival training that is
normally only available to the armed forces can now be experienced by anyone
who ever had an interest in the
Great Outdoors.
In his book ‘Bushcraft’ Ray covers the full
range of survival topics, from lighting fires, choosing tools and equipment,
building shelters, finding edible plants and fungi, trapping fish and game and
collecting water in the most hostile terrain on earth.
There is a large section about clothing and
equipment, covering many different kinds of terrain, from the frozen polar
wastes through jungles and rain forests to deserts. Ray demonstrates that his basic techniques
can be adapted for all these differing regions.
This book, published by Hodder and
Stoughton, runs to 232 pages, many of which are in full
colour, is the kind of
book that could feed a fantasy, or merely be left on the side, to be dipped
into for a moment’s browsing, whenever the opportunity presents itself. On the back is an endorsement from Ewan
McGregor, who accompanied Ray on some of the expeditions covered in the TV
Series. Ewan also wrote the foreword.
The book is laid out in clear sections, each
covering the subject in such detail that you feel as though you could go out
into the forest, find shelter, build a fire and cook food that you have found
for yourself. It leaves you feeling
empowered, that you could look after yourself in a hostile situation, it might
even mean that trying out some of these skills could be a great confidence
builder.
If you work for a company that is in the
habit of sending people away for team building weekends this would be a great
resource for some advanced reading, before the cold reality of a weekend in the
Lake District strikes for real. Sometimes it
is good for people to remember that we have only recently lost touch with the
land and that a great deal of benefit can be derived from
Many people would have great difficulty in
starting a fire without the aid of matches or a lighter, Ray covers a variety
of techniques for starting fires, using only the materials found on the
ground. Although we seldom have
the need for fire these days it might be comforting to practice these skills,
should the need ever arise, it could mean the difference between living or
dying.
This book will be of interest to anyone who
has ever felt an affinity for the outdoor life, whether in practice or merely
as an armchair observer.
One of the most striking things about this
book is the number and quality of the illustrations. There are fantastic full colour plates
depicting scenes from all over the world, showing many of the tribesmen and
indigenous peoples with whom he has worked over the years. The book is worth the cover price alone, just
for the pictures. The advice and
knowledge is a pure bonus.
I have owned this book for a couple of
years now, yet I still haven’t read it all.
It lives in my downstairs loo, where I dip into it regularly and dream
about escaping the nine to five routine.
Maybe one day?
More reviews about the Bushcraft