'Fifty years into my life journey I realise that, while I love remote wild places and the peoples I meet there, it is in forests that I find the greatest joy. Of all the forests that I have explored, it is the great circumpolar Boreal forest of the North that calls to me most. Here is a landscape where bush knowledge really counts and where experience counts even more ... This book has been thirty years in the making.' Out on the Land is an absorbing exploration of, and tribute to, the circumpolar Boreal forest of the North: its landscape, its people, their cultures and skills, the wilderness that embodies it, and its immense beauty. The book is vast in scope and covers every aspect of being in the wilderness in both winter and summer (clothing, kit, skills, cooking, survival), revealing the age-old traditions and techniques, and how to carry them out yourself. It also includes case studies of early explorers, as well as modern-day adventurers who found themselves stranded in the forest and forced to work out a way to survive. So much more than a bushcraft manual, this book goes deeper, to the traditions and cultures that gave us these skills, as well as focusing on the detail itself. Ray and Lars's practical advice is wound around a deep love for the forest, respect and admiration for the people who live there and sheer enjoyment of the stunning scenery.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR SURVIVALISTS, OUTDOOR LOVERS AND ARMCHAIR ADMIRERS OF PRIMITIVE TECHNOLOGY.

Disconnect from digital and reconnect with your inner caveman.

BUILD. COOK. HUNT. HEAT. SURVIVE.
COULD YOU THRIVE IN THE WILDERNESS?

The most primitive human skills unite us all, yet we live in an age more detached than ever. Reconnect with the earth and learn how to build things by hand from scratch, guided by the creator of the world’s most popular primitive technology YouTube channel, John Plant.

Watched by millions online, this is the first time Primitive Technology’s ancient methods, rooted in fire, stone, earth, water and plants, have been comprehensively laid out in a book. Through illustrations, photographs and instruction, learn how to create something useful from natural resources and become skilled in the art of fire starting, pottery making, shelter building, spear throwing, basket crafting and much more.

Whether you are a seasoned survivalist, a lover of the outdoors or an armchair admirer, these primitive crafts teach us all something about the fundamentals of human life on earth.

THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE LONGEST-HELD AL QAEDA CAPTIVE IN THE WORLD Stephen McGown was en route from London to South Africa, on a once-in-a-lifetime trip by motorbike, returning home to Johannesburg. He had reached Timbuktu, in Mali, when he was captured, along with a Dutch and a Swedish national, by Al Qaeda Islamist militants. Steve was taken because he held a British passport. He was subsequently held hostage at various camps in the Sahara Desert in the north-west of Africa for nearly six years before eventually being released. Life as Steve had known it changed in that instant that he was taken at gunpoint. He had nothing to bargain with, and everything to lose. For the next six years, he reluctantly engaged in what he came to call the greatest chess game of his life. Thousands of kilometres to the south, in Johannesburg, the shock of Stephen's capture struck the McGown family and his wife, Cath, with whom he had, until recently, been living in London. They immediately began efforts to secure Steve's release, through diplomatic channels and in every other way they felt might have a chance of seeing Stephen freed. But as the months of captivity became years, Steve was compelled to go to extraordinary lengths to survive. Making it back home alive became his sole aim. To accomplish this, he realised that he would have to do everything he could to raise his status in the eyes of his captors. To this end, he taught himself Arabic and French, and also converted to Islam, accepting a new name, Lot. To this day, Steve retains the unenviable record of being the longest-held, surviving prisoner of Al Qaeda. While he was undoubtedly always Al Qaeda's captive, through the long years he spent in intimate proximity to his captors, Steve got to see the Islamist militants as few other Westerners have ever seen them. Six Years a Hostage is not only a remarkable story of mental strength, physical endurance and the resilience of the human spirit, but also, significantly, a unique and nuanced perspective on one of the world's most feared terrorist groups. Steve did not merely survive his terrible ordeal; he emerged from the desert a changed - stronger, more positive - human being. This is Stephen McGown's remarkable story, as told to Tudor Caradoc-Davies, a freelance writer, editor and author based in Cape Town, South Africa. After seven years spent working for glossy magazines such as Men's Health, GQ, Best Life and Women's Health, he now contributes to a range of publications. He also writes for the (South African) Sunday Times, and Red Bulletin.

Foraging is one of the fastest-growing nature-related pastimes in the UK and US. There are many books about foraging but this is the only one that focuses on what is arguably everyone's favourite plant - trees! It profiles 40 incredible trees from the UK and US - from apple, ash and bay to walnut, willow and yew, gorgeously illustrated with watercolour, pen and ink botanical illustrations. In her humorous, inspiring and warm text, Adele explains how we can forage from our trees, not only for food, but also for home remedies, for ingredients to use in cocktails and ferments, and for materials to make toys, musical instruments and other useful things. Did you know that you can grind acorns into flour to make pancakes, for example, or use oak galls for ink? Or that Willow can be used for weaving; ash, hazel and oak are all good for making charcoal. Packed full of recipes and things to do, there is also a sprinkling of folklore and superstition, as well as helpful recognition tips. Overall it traces the fascinating story of the intimate relationship between humankind and our trees.

Outward Bound Canoeing Handbook is a handy, illustrated resource on the fundamentals of canoeing, including solid, sound instruction on all aspects of canoeing, from types of canoes to equipment choices, paddle and on-the-water techniques, safety tips, and more. In partnership with outdoor leader Outward Bound, this book combines expert instruction with practical tips to ensure a fun and a satisfying canoe trip for your next outdoor adventure. About Outward Bound: Outward Bound is the premier provider of experience-based outdoor leadership programs for teens, adults and professionals. Outward Bound is a non-profit educational organization and expedition school that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through active learning expeditions that inspire character development, self-discovery and service both in and out of the classroom. Outward Bound excels in curricula developed for struggling teens, groups with specific health, social or educational needs and business and professional organizations.

This essential review of knife- and axe-throwing basics presents and analyzes the best throwing knives and axes on the current market, different throwing techniques, the basics of competition rules, legal issues to understand, and the general care of throwing knives and axes. The budding knife and axe thrower will also receive valuable tips for getting started in throwing and how to prepare physically and mentally for training, as well as your first competition.

Joe O'Leary, a successful survival skills instructor, explains the fundamental techniques required in a genuine 'wilderness survival situation' - while at the same time showing you how to enhance any out-of-doors experience, from a walk in the country to an ambitious camping expedition. Most types of shelter, animal trap and fire-lighting technique are variations on a theme. Joe keeps it simple and describes in straightforward steps what to do to make yourself safe and comfortable: how to build a shelter that will really keep you warm, set a trap that will really catch food, identify plants that will really feed and nourish you and build a fire that will really light in all weathers. Rather than trying to cover every eventuality, he concentrates on techniques that can be applied successfully in most environments: it's better to know a limited number of skills thoroughly than a whole host of different variations specific to particular kinds of terrain. Wilderness survival and bushcraft are thoroughly aspirational - even to incurable stay-at-homes. This book encourages the values of improvisation and self-reliance in extreme situations - a form of escapism enjoyed by most viewers of survival TV programmes.

A must-read for anyone with an adventurous spirit, a yen to whittle and chop, and a desire to get out into nature and play with sticks! These 50 achievable ideas for making and playing with sticks - all with beautiful step-by-step illustrations - make a great gift. The next title in Pavilion's best-selling outdoor adventure series, 50 Things to Do with a Stick will introduce you to the joy of making something out of almost nothing. With a few gathered twigs and sticks, start with simple ideas such as making plant markers or tent pegs and work up to constructing a lantern or woven basket. Working with wood is common to nearly every culture - it's nature's most adaptable raw material, malleable yet strong, and biodegradable. Until the 1960s woodworking was taught widely in schools, but since then has been in decline, robbing generations of the satisfaction of making useful things by hand. Richard Skrein begins by guiding you in choosing sticks and tools. Four chapters with evocative illustrations take you step by step through projects to use at home; to make music and decorative objects with; to play with; and to use out and about - the perfect accompaniments to a camping trip (2020 and 2021 saw unprecedented campsite bookings in the UK, and this trend is set to continue). This is the perfect book for anyone wishing to be more self-sufficient. Find your inner explorer with these battery-free, no-emission ideas! Chapters include: Home Sticks: cutlery, coat hooks, brooms, candlesticks Stick Craft: jewellery, weaving, mobiles, picture frames Stick Play: catapults, musical sticks, magic wands, story sticks Camp Sticks: lanterns, ladders, stools, stick bread! Word count: 15,000 words

Survival situations can and do happen to average people, as well as adventurous explorers. You have the capacity to handle these situations if you know and follow the fundamental principles of survival. Desert Survival Handbook contains the basics to get you started: Prepare yourself for actual emergencies by solving real-life scenarios; Increase your survival odds by knowing how to protect your body; Improve your chances of rescue; Make survival situations easier with a survival kit.

It's not necessary to travel far from home for a great hike. With these information-packed guides in hand, readers have everything they need for the adventure they seek, from an easy nature walk to a multiday backpacking trip. Each hike includes: location, length, hiking time, level of difficulty, and if dogs can come along. Other features include: *Trail finder chart that categorizes each hike (e.g. for particular attractions such as scenic views and if it's suitable for families with kids) *Full-color photos throughout *Information on the area's history, geology, flora, and fauna *Full-color maps of each trail

This book deals with wilderness, terrorism, surviving extreme situations: Land, Sea, and Air. What to do when disaster strikes: in the outdoors, the city and in the home; how to survive on land, water and in the air, in any climate and in harsh terrain. It offers practical advice, street know-how and step-by-step techniques for staying alive - with 1100 photographs and illustrations showing tactics, and 80 training projects for extreme life skills to use in emergencies. It also deals with self-sufficiency in the wild: survival skills and bushcraft techniques, tools, equipment and medical emergencies. It also includes: coping when everyday situations become life-threatening: surviving as a hostage; self-protection and street skills; danger at home; the do's and don'ts of being a tourist. It offers expert advice to help you avoid hazardous situations, and respond positively to confrontation. This is the ultimate guide to survival: in the wilderness, in the city, in planes, in cars and in the home. The tactics, skills and tricks of the trade taught in this professional survivors' manual could save your life. Written by experts, the first section covers bushcraft techniques for every climate and terrain: how to find food, water and shelter, navigate and make a fire. The second section helps you ensure personal safety when the everyday becomes life-threatening, including hostage situations, counter-terrorism, self-protection, road rage, fires and accidents. This manual will enhance your survival instinct, improve risk awareness and keep you alive.