trees – Carpathian Adventure

Autumn bushcraft in the Carpathians

When I’m at the village house I go to the forest at least twice per day, usually morning to retrieve the trap camera and just before dusk to set it. When I’ve got chance I also like spending the day time wandering about in the woods looking for edible fungi. This weekend we took theContinue reading “Autumn bushcraft in the Carpathians”

Chinese firelighter bracelet field test

This is a paracord bracelet I ordered online from China as it, purportedly, has a firestick and whistle as part of the locking mechanism. I decided to try it out whilst out walking in the bush and these are the results. A normal sized firestick usually takes 2 or 3 strikes on Birch bark dustContinue reading “Chinese firelighter bracelet field test”

Cloud forest

The weather here at the moment is extreme. We go from bright sunshine to blizzard and then back again every few hours. Because of this, the snow covering on the trees doesn’t last long and its evapouration causes a cloud layer. Many visitors to the forest here are shocked to discover how similar it isContinue reading “Cloud forest”

Lincolnshire garden sunset

After months of bleak grey, it was very therapeutic to sit in my father’s living room and look out the window onto a beautiful Lincolnshire sunset. There’s something about England… I could sit for hours and just watch the sun go down. I think that as I’m getting older, I’m beginning to understand the benefitsContinue reading “Lincolnshire garden sunset”

Laughton Forest

Just had a flying visit out to the UK as my grandmother’s not particularly well. Whilst out there, my brother took us to Laughton Forest, which is a Forestry Commission training ground in Lincolnshire. There’s such a difference between Carpathian and English forest but I enjoyed the park-like aspect of English woodland – plus thereContinue reading “Laughton Forest”

Forest cabin

This is a cabin we stayed at last weekend in the forest above Svidnik, East Slovakia. It’s owned by the regional forest office and is situated on Black Mountain. The hill is renowned for the bandits who used to inhabit it centuries ago, and also for the number of German soldiers who died there duringContinue reading “Forest cabin”