Hungry Sailors Visit Forest Knights at Amberley Museum.

Last summer David and I hosted the Hungry Sailors at Amberley museum in West Sussex.  

It was great fun showing Dick and James Strawbridge around the museum looking for everyday wild food.  It was important that for the ITV show that we concentrated only on plants that could be found locally and would be easy for anyone to identify.  Dick and James proved to be pretty knowledgeable foragers and together we found a surprising range of foods within the museum grounds despite the summer being a traditionally lean time of year.

The plan had been to collect some food for a salad, cook a trout over an open fire and then help them carve their own spoons and spatulas for use in the rest of the series.  Then the dark spectre of fire by friction reared its ulgy head.  

The best plans only last so long.  Dick and James were determined to create fire.  Luckily I had some old bow drill sets stashed as a museum exhitbit.  A quick demonstration of proper technique off camera and it was over to the Hungry Sailors.  The red mist of the prmitive hunter gatherer was apon them.  Several Bow drill sets later and many hours had past and still no fire.

David setting a possible speed record carving new spindles and the chaps created dust.  Lovely black dust so near to an ember yet so far.  Despite our recommendadtions to take a break and rest the chaps were determined that honour demanded fire.  At this point fire was impossible as the sailors we just too exhausted for proper technique and there continued effort had polished the bow drill beyond use.

At last we decided to cheat and use a gas torch to get the fire going as lots of filming still needed to be completed and I was fast becoming a very hungry sailor.  

Fire by friction is far more about technique than brute force. Start  slow and steady to gently warm the set and get your muscle memory set.  Once you are creating dark black dust and a thick smoke its time to gently increase pressure on the spindle and pick up the pace.  Once you have your ember glowing treat it gently for it is fragile and needs time to grow.  Take your time before transferring the ember to a tinder bundle that you have prepared in advance. 

The Trout cooked by James was delicous with a lovely wood smoked flavour coming through the sauce.

Here is a link to the show

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/ video/?Filter=303826

Forest Knights 2012 Program.

JANUARY 2012

13 – 15th Forest Knights Annual New Year Party.

16th - 18th First Aid at Work 3 Day

27 - 29th Weekend Bushcraft Course.

FEBRUARY

10th – 12th Canche Canoe Training.

24th- 26th Weekend Bushcraft Course.

MARCH.

9th – 11th Wood Carving Swedish Style.

12th - 17th Advanced Bushcraft Course.

23th- 25th Wild Food Weekend Spring.

30th - 1st April Bow Making Course. (BCUK)

APRIL.

4th 1 Day Spoon Carving Course.

5th 1 Day Spoon Carving Course.

6th - 8th First Aid Course. (BCUK).

13th - 15th Weekend Bushcraft Course.

20th - 22nd Woodland Warrior

27th – 29th Bow Making Course.

MAY 2012.

4th - 6th First Aid Course.

26th - 27th 2 Day Bowl Carving Course.

30th 1 Day Camp Fire Cooking Course.

JUNE 2012.

9th Friends of Bersted Brooks Open Day.

13th – 15th First Aid at Work Course.

15th- 17th Weekend Bushcraft Course.

24th – 26th Bow Making Course.

JULY.

1st 1 Day Spoon Carving Course.

2nd – 5th Advanced Explorer First Aid.

6th - 8th Weekend Bushcraft Course.

9th – 14th Advanced Bushcraft Course.

16th – 17th 2 Day Bowl Carving Course.

21st Family Greenwood Working.

22nd Family Greenwood Working.

23rd 1 Day Kuksa Cup Carving Course.

AUGUST.

3rd - 6th BCUK Bushmoot

10th 1 Day Family Carving day.

11th- 12th 2 Day Swedish Style Woodcarving Course.

14th Children's Bushcraft at Amberley.

17th - 19th Bow Making Course.

21st Children's Bushcraft at Amberley.

22nd – 24th First Aid at Work Course.

26th- 28th Bow Making Course

SEPTEMBER.

3rd – 11th Forest Knights Finland Expedition.

16th- 18th Bow Making Course.

23rd – 25th Autumn Wild Food Course.

OCTOBER.

6th - 7th ECP First Aid Course.

13th 1 Day Spoon Carving Course.

14th 1 Day Spoon Craving Course.

12th- 14th Weekend Bushcraft Course.

26th - 28th Bow Making Course.

NOVEMBER.

11th- 13th Weekend Bushcraft Course.

19th – 20th Carving Swedish Style.

DECEMBER.

10th Mulled Wine and Candle Light

11th Mulled Wine and Candle Light.

Forest Knights are extremely proud of our range of Bushcraft and Survival Courses.  To book your course you can apply on line through our shop or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .