Bushcraft Day | 1 August 2019 | York08 August 2019 I jumped out of bed and the first thing I did was open the curtains and see what was going on weather wise. It looked fine; a bit cloudy but I could see that the sun was getting ready to take over. I didn’t go to the Cornbury Park camp on Tuesday but had heard it rained hard all day and did curtail some of the planned activities. After a hearty complimentary “Yorkshire” breakfast I headed off to find the bush craft camp. These sites are never the easiest places to find, but The Bushcraft Company provided a great map and directions. When all the families arrived, after coffee and saying our goodbyes, we headed off into the woods. The walk took about 30 mins, and by the end of it, all the teenagers knew each other better and were chatting like old friends. Holly and Jason, the camp rangers greeted us with big smiles, and we all felt as ease. The day’s adventures had started; we all sat round the fire, and talked about safety and rules, who was who, and the plan for the day. We made ground pegs from a piece of wood, and a surprising amount of skill was needed! For example, if we hadn’t shaved and trimmed the non-pointy end in a specific way, when hammered into the ground it would split! We created traps; some would strangle a passing creature, and some would squash them or knock them out! Luckily the only things getting squished and bashed were apples and oranges. The team worked together gathering wood and learning how to make a fire. They did an excellent job and in no time at all we had a roaring fire. We cooked burgers and Holly made some chips and vegetables to go with them. Kyle and his team of bushcraft rangers played games and managed to answer just about every question asked, no matter how random. Everyone felt welcome, involved and valued. At around 4pm, everyone dug deep and set off back to the car park to see their parents and be driven home. Everyone was exhausted but very happy. View photos Written by Anne Gilbert, Youth and Family Services Manager