Frequently Asked Questions

This is a good place to start if you have questions about our courses. Other important sources of information are the Terms and Conditions, Course Descriptions and Joining Instructions (pdf).

Where are the courses held?

What times do courses start and finish?

Can the site be accessed by public transport?

How far is the site from the car park area?

Is food provided on courses?

What food do you suggest I bring and how can I prepare it?

Do you cater for vegetarians or people with specialised diets?

Can I bring alcohol?

What kit should I bring?

What are the toilet facilities like?

What is the difference between a "Bushcraft Weekend" and a "Survival Weekend"?

Do I need to bring a tent on overnight courses?

What is a "bivvy bag" and do I need to bring one?

How do I order a gift voucher?

What happens if a course gets cancelled or if I cancel the date I have booked?

Is it necessary to have any bushcraft experience?

What are the age limits for courses?

Will the course be cancelled in bad weather?

Can we go off site or leave the course then return?

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Where are the courses held? [back to top]

We run most of our courses in Scotland and Sussex. In Scotland we have a number of venues for public courses near to Fort William and Glasgow. In Sussex most of our courses are in an ancient, deciduous woodland near Nutley, East Sussex TN22 3HD - the nearest town is Uckfield or in Lindfield, West Sussex RH16 2QL and Survival weekends are mostly held in woodland at Great Walstead School near to Lindfield. Please see the venue information for a map and more details on our course booking page.

What times do courses start and finish? [back to top]

Most day courses start at 09.00 and finish at 17.00, during the shorter winter days we often finish closer to 16.00. Multi-day courses usually start at 19.00 on the first day and finish at 16.00 on the last day. Please also be aware that some courses have different start and finish times so you should check the course description and/or supplementary information in emails from us. Also be aware that some flexibility on timing is necessary when working in an outdoor environment.

Can the site be reached by public transport? [back to top]

Not directly. In Scotland, it is possible to get a train to Lochailort or Fort William - pick ups can be arranged. In Sussex we advise using Haywards Heath station or possibly East Grinstead or Uckfield for Nutley venue and Haywards Heath for Lindfield. The latter venue is only 2 miles from the station. If you would like a lift ask us if we can try to arrange one with other participants coming from your direction or passing a station.

How far is the site from the car park area? [back to top]

This depends on the site but in Sussex cars are parked about 15 minutes walk away from the bushcraft camp - we encourage people to take their kit with them rather than returning to the car. In Glen Nevis in Scotland the camp is about a 20-30 minute walk from the car park and in Trossachs the camp is about 10 minutes away.

Is food provided on courses? [back to top]

Most courses are self-catering with the exception of the following: the Junior Bushcraft Camp, Survival Weekend, Survival Day, Expeditions and the Wild food day. If in doubt look at the course listing and description - if it has "food inc." then you do not need to bring food for main meals. On all courses hot drinks are provided - usually tea and coffee or on Survival courses wild teas, plus drinking water. You may also like to try local wild teas such as nettle, mint, pine needle, rose hips etc...

What food do you suggest I bring and how can I prepare it? [back to top]

On most day courses sandwiches are the most practical. For overnight courses we recommend simple ingredients that you can prepare on the fire (or alternatively a camping stove) - for example, dried foods like porridge oats, lentils, rice, flour, salt, dried fruits, and a few fresh items like vegetables, free range eggs and fish/meat. We can show you some simple recipes and how to cook them on the fire - the ideal pot would be a billy can with a hanging handle but we can manage with any cooking pot, or indeed without one! While preparing food in this way you will certainly learn more and enjoy the experience more than with boil-in-the-bag type foods but some people find ready foods more convenient.

Do you cater for vegetarians or people with specialised diets? [back to top]

As mentioned above, most courses are self-catering - for those courses providing food we will try to cater for special diets if we are told in advance, alternatively you may bring suitable ingredients. For the Survival Weekend, meat, fish and its preparation and cooking are a key part of the weekend - we can provide food for vegetarians/vegans but they need to be aware of this fact. All meat and animal products provided on Wildwood Bushcraft courses are from free range and/or organic sources.

Can I bring alcohol? [back to top]

No - this is strictly forbidden on the grounds of Health and Safety, and Insurance - please see the Terms and Conditions for more details.

What kit should I bring? [back to top]

Please see the Joining Instructions for a kitlist.

What are the toilet facilities like? [back to top]

On most courses we have a pit latrine near (about 30 m away) the main camp. This is basically a hole in the ground with a wooden seat and a screen for privacy. There is washing water and soap at the camp. Toilet paper (provided) and sanitary waste must be disposed within a bin bag and burnt after the course. Don't be put off - most people like the latrine set up and they are not smelly!

What is the difference between a "Bushcraft Weekend" and a "Survival Weekend"? [back to top]

The Bushcraft Weekend (BW) is a gentler introduction to learning bushcraft techniques while enjoying the relative comfort of a tent/hammock and your own food. You are, however, free to stay in leaf shelters if you wish. The Survival Weekend (SW) is a more challenging experience suited to an adventurous beginner or intermediate bushcrafter. It is a relatively realistic survival experience with a safety net of teaching and support. No tents or tarps are allowed - you will live in leaf shelters for the whole weekend, collect and prepare much of your water, and live off basic rations, prepare game (provided) and forage for edible plants. The SW is about actually learning and applying the techniques to sustain yourself at the same time. Because of this it makes for a full day often from 8 AM to 8 PM on the Saturday. The BW, however, is run on more of a 9 to 5 basis. The BW does not include any game preparation, information on trapping, or foraging, though edible plants will be identified. The BW includes knots used for tarps whereas the SW does not. For a list of differences in content have a look at the table below:

* Carcases provided will depend on availability, but we aim to get all three.

Do I need to bring a tent on overnight courses? [back to top]

On most overnight courses tents or tarps are allowed, but not on a Survival Weekend. Even on other courses tents or tarps are not essential, as you can stay in a leaf shelter - several such shelters are in place. If sleeping in a leaf shelter, a gortex bivvy bag (see next question) or army poncho is recommended in case of leaks.

What is a "bivvy bag" and do I need to bring one? [back to top]

A bivvy bag is a large gortex bag that usually goes over your sleeping bag - it is water-proof and breathable. It is an optional part of the kit list - you don't need it if you are staying in a tent but may do if in a tarp or leaf shelter - in theory if you build your shelter well you should not need it but in practice it can be handy in providing extra warmth and water-proofing. A bivvy bag is not a particularly cheap item at around £30-40 (available from Army surplus stores and on the web). Alternatively a nylon army poncho can act as a water-proof cover or shelter and costs about £20 - it can also be used as a poncho! Plastic survival bags are really just that - they are not ideal to sleep in as they do not breathe and so your bag will get wet from the inside!

How do I order a gift voucher? [back to top]

Gift vouchers are transferable for their equivalent value on any course and are valid for a year from issue. To request a voucher please specify a course name, where you want the voucher to be sent (ideally by email) and any date required by, together with a cheque for the value of the course made payable to "Wildwood Bushcraft" at:

Wildwood, Roshven, Lochailort PH38 4NB

A voucher will then be dispatched (where possible by email) with a booking reference and the recipient can book their course later using the booking link from our website. If you need the voucher immediately contact us and this can be arranged by email with payment later.

What happens if a course gets cancelled or if I cancel the date I have booked? [back to top]

Please see the Terms and Conditions under Cancellation.

Is it necessary to have any bushcraft experience? [back to top]

Most of our courses are suitable for beginners, but also for people with some bushcraft experience. Only some advanced courses such as the Four Seasons courses require you to have some bushcraft experience as we do not go over basic skills on these courses, we build on them. If experience is required for a particular course it will be mentioned in the course description.

What are the age limits for courses? [back to top]

On a family course the lower age limit is 8 years, on the Junior Bushcraft Camp the age range is from 10 to 15. Adult courses are for those aged 18 and above. There is no upper age limit, however, you must be fit enough to deal with the rigours of the course - if in doubt you should contact us in advance. Please see the Terms and Conditions for more details.

Will the course be cancelled in bad weather? [back to top]

It is unlikely that we would cancel a course due to bad weather, as adapting to conditions is an integral part of bushcraft survival. However, we would cancel if, in our judgement, weather conditions seriously threatened safety. Such conditions might include heavy snow affecting travel or very high winds. In such circumstances we would endeavour to contact participants by phone.

Can we go off site or leave the course then return? [back to top]

Unless people have agreed with us that they are staying in alternative accommodation, off site, we prefer that participants do not leave the group during a course. Sometimes this may be necessary, but it is essential that you let the instructor know before you go anywhere out of range of the group (i.e. out of sight and earshot). This is for obvious safety and group control reasons.