WILD SUMMER HANDBOOK
Joele Forrester
cont ents
Tree Climb and Sleep Campfire Cooking Wild Beverages Den Building Outdoor Art Natural Navigation Stargazing and Night Walking Explore a Lost Ruin Water Adventures
Spending more time outdoors nurtures our “nature neurons” and our natural creativity. For example, at the University of Michigan, researchers demonstrated that, after just an hour interacting with nature, memory performance and attention spans improved by 20%. In todays’ digital world, we remain constantly connected to technology and lead screen-based lives. People, deprived of wild experiences, can suffer with so-called seasonal affective disorder, and office workers have a high rate of depression. However, more and more people are re-connecting with nature and rediscovering the huge benefits it can bring. The wild awakens our senses, heightens our mood, and can produce an enormous sense of well-being and freedom. We reckon a big dose of simple, memorable, wild adventures is all you need for a joyful, happy summer. Invite friends and family to indulge in outdoor activities close to home. Take a rucksack, forage for food, camp in the wild, catch a fish, climb a tree or build a den. Enjoy dipping your toes into the river, watching the sunset or exploring ancient ruins. Our Wild Summer Handbook is filled with a host of summer quests and ideas to get you inspired and re-discovering nature.
Tree climb & sleep Trees are the oldest living organisms and our ancient forests are remnants of the primordial wild woods that once covered the UK. Making your way into new leafy heights and imagining their history is a thrilling experience.
TREE TENTS The tree tent is a contemporary re-invention of the traditional tree house – although it’s a khaki canvas tent rather than a wooden house. Suspended tree tents are elevating camping experiences (literally) and here are a few designs to make your forest adventure more exciting. The Treepee This unique tent was designed to combine ‘the timeless appeal of a tree house with the excitement of aerial suspension and a trampoline’.
Stingray Tent By Tentsiles In a matter of minutes, the tent’s two poles are inserted into a polyester fly sheet and a set of tree straps.
Exped Ergo Hammock This camping hammock allows cocoon-like sleeping amidst trees.
Patrick Woof is a professional climber and worked for Hi-Line for many years. How do you choose your tree? Pick a tree that looks like a ladder for ease of climbing. Ancient oak, maple and pine are ideal. Check it doesn’t have dead branches, fungi or growths, as they can be dangerous. You can climb in a National Park area but you’ll need permission if on private land.
Any tips before climbing? Make a mental map of where you want to go, and that will also help you choose your tree. Go with friends so you can help each other out and have a safety plan in case anyone hurts themselves. What’s the best climbing technique? Climbing with ropes can be dangerous and it takes a while to learn the correct knots, so climb without unless you are advanced. Attach the rope to your body by securing your bowline knot or figure of eight/overhand knot and clipping into the karabiner which attaches to your harness. Once your rope is set, some climbers use the single rope technique, a way of walking up and sliding down a single rope using a foot loop (to push up), a hand jammer (to lock the rope at each step up) and a Petzl Stop, to manage your descent. Start by throwing your rope over a low, strong branch and when you reach the top, descend to the bottom, and then, undo your rope and pull back through.
Best tree to climb? The 45 foot high Nootka Cypress evergreen at Wallington Northumberland, was named the best tree to climb by The National Trust, thanks to its trunk height and branches, and smooth bark – which is ideal for mini adventures
Campfire cooking Singing songs, watching the glowing embers while huddled in woollen blankets around the campfire is what it’s all about. There can be something satisfying about cooking over an open fire – the smells, flavours and textures you don’t find anywhere else. MAKING A FIRE If you’re planning on finding wood at camp, be sure to stay away from fresh or green wood. It will just smoke and not burn. Look for smaller pieces of dried branches about as long as your arm. Bend the wood in half to make a tepee shape and light in the middle. Add kindling to help set the fire, once it begins to burn, add fuel.
TINFOIL COOKING Tinfoil cooking is a lightweight and easy option. Place heavy-duty foil on a flat surface and put your ingredients in the centre of the foil. Bring the short ends of the foil together and fold twice to seal; fold in the sides to seal, leaving room for the steam which cooks the food. Now add a second layer of foil, with looser folds.
DUTCH OVEN Dutch Ovens are perfect for stews and casseroles on a tripod over a campfire, and can also be placed in the hot ashes for baking or roasting. But are heavy and can be impractical to carry.
Catch a crab
Crabs have tasty meat and four main species are found in the UK: the spider crab; the edible crab; the common crab; and the velvet swimming crab. They are found in salt water, so take a net when snorkelling offshore or alternatively, head to large rocks to catch small crabs. If you’re using a line they can be baited with some raw meat on the end. It’s best to wear gloves as even little crabs can pinch. Let your line rest deep in the water. When they bite, slowly pull the line up, net them and store in a bucket. If snorkelling, its best to store in a ring net until you reach shore. How to handle: Lightly hold the last leg between your thumb and finger.
Cook a crab
Make your fire below the high-tide line. Dig a small fire trench and place large rocks in the form of a triangle, and lay a pan on top. Crabs should be humanely killed after cleaning in fresh water and before cooking. Not killing before cooking makes the meat tough and retains too much water in the shell. Fill a large pan with fresh water and boil. Add seasoning to the water and when the water’s boiling, place the crab in the pan. Uncooked crab floats, so it will slowly sink the more it cooks. It usually takes around 10-15 minutes, depending on size. Open a claw to check if it’s cooked – it should be tender and white; if it’s not then cook for a little longer.
wild beverages Bringing foraged produce into the kitchen is a satisfying and wholesome feeling. A peaceful countryside wander on a sunny afternoon can provide you with goods to make your own scrumptious summer beverages. If there’s no honeysuckle, elderflower or mint, there are plenty more treats nature offers. Try making some camomile flower wine or rosehip tea.
Honeysuc kle C ordial
Perfumed honeysuckle flowers can be seen throughout summer climbing up walls or draping over fences. The fragrance is supposed to induce dreams of passion... INGREDIENTS 1 litre boiling water 600g caster sugar 4 cups honeysuckle buds, rinsed and stems removed 1 tsp citric acid 1 lemon, zested and thinly sliced METHOD 1. In a large pan, bring the water and sugar to boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 2. Pour the hot syrup over the honeysuckle buds in another heatproof bowl. 3. Stir in the citric acid and add the lemon zest and slices. Cover and steep until it reaches room temperature. Then, pwlace in the fridge to steep overnight. 4. Strain through a cheesecloth or muslin into a clean pan, and use a funnel to fill up sterilised bottles. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 14 days.
Elderflow
er Cord
ial
Mint T
ea
Sweet and heady elderflower were once planted outside back doors to ward off evil. Prime elderflower season is June and July and find near water. This fragrant, sweet recipe is perfect for lazy afternoon picnics and garden parties.
Mint is full of antioxidants, minerals and grows in shady, damp woodlands, at the edge of marshes, riverbanks and near shallow streams. Mint tea is a refreshing drink to have curled up around a campfire or gazing up at the stars.
INGREDIENTS 1kg caster sugar 1.5 litres boiling water 4 unwaxed lemons, washed and thinly sliced 20 elderflower heads, green stalks removed 55g citric acid
INGREDIENTS 3 cups boiling water ½ cup of fresh mint leaves 2 tbsp local honey
METHOD 1. Put the sugar into a large pan and pour on the hot water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. 2. Finely grate the lemon rind, then cut the lemons into slices. 3. Add the flowers to the warm sugar syrup and stir in the citric acid. Then, add the lemons and rind to the pan and stir. 4. Cover with a lid and leave to steep for 24 hours. 5. Strain through muslin into a clean pan, and then funnel into sterilized bottles.
METHOD 1. Pour the water over the sprigs of mint. Stir and leave to infuse for around 5 minutes. Strain once ready. 2. Add honey to sweeten and serve in teacups.
den building Put your boots on, and retreat to the woods to enjoy a tranquil adventure with friends and family. Sit and listen to nature’s sounds, clear the mind and gather friends around your outdoor den. If you want to get really close to nature, camping outside is the best way.
Bivouac: bɪvʊak A temporary camp without tents or cover, used especially by soldiers or mountaineers. ORIGIN Early 18th century: from French, probably from Swiss German Bîwacht ‘additional guard at night’, apparently denoting a citizens’ patrol supporting the ordinary town watch. SLEEPING UNDER STARS Tarp shelters are a simple yet versatile piece of equipment that allows us to sleep in a more open environment during a mini adventure. Tarps are low cost and lightweight. Before you set up camp, take into consideration the weather and the surroundings. Look out for a nice flat spot with
good drainage and any dead leaves or branches which might fall onto it. Here’s our pick of inspiring tarps for lightweight camping. Vango Adventure Tarp by Vango. This tarp is easy to use and ideal for sheltering from the sun. DD Tarp by DD Hammocks. This is lightweight and comes with four pegs and four guy lines. Aqua Test Silicone Sil Tarp by Aqua Test. This is 100% waterproof and extremely lightweight.
Build a
Den
Bring a good knife, a saw, pegs, (if not carving your own) a bivouac and ground sheet. When choosing a location, it’s best to keep away from animal trails as you don’t want deer wondering through your camp. To make your den, find a flat piece of ground and two trees about 9ft apart...
Outdoor Art Crafting with natural materials provides a wonderful excuse to get outside and explore. Unleash your creativity by having a go at some outdoor art with the family, without the restrictions of being inside. It’s fun, easy and most of the supplies are free! 2. Make a mosaic from collections of shells, seaglass and fossils 3. Gather stones on the beach and balance on top of each other to make a stone cairn or statue 1. Follow in the footsteps of nature artist Andy Goldsworthy and create a natural collage using the materials you can find outdoors 4. Create your own nature print using different leaves and paint
Wildlife Artist Interview Jennie Hale is an established wildlife artist, potter and author with a love of the natural world. She also keeps nature diaries which have been compiled and published. Here are her top tips on starting a nature diary and why it’s good for you. 1. What are the benefits of keeping a nature diary? Its fun; you learn lots about your environment; it’s creative; you can share it, and sometimes it’s of use for scientific research. 2. What are your tips for starting a nature diary? Choose a book that you like to start it in – don’t worry about blank sheets. Collect leaves, feathers – anything you can stick into it. It’s your journal so it doesn’t matter how you make it, so long as you enjoy making it. 3. Can you do it anywhere? Your diary can be made anywhere as nature encroaches everywhere I look. Start off where you know, so if you have a garden, start there and if you have a bird table, then describe what you see. Nature reserves are great, but most of the time I document the forest that I live in.
4. Is it a good idea to research what you’ve seen? If you want to learn more then go to a class, get some books and look at other artists’ work. I tend to research things that puzzle me, but over the years I’ve learnt to trust my instincts. I’ve witnessed early arrivals of birds, early hatchings of butterflies, and found rare birds that rangers have looked for and been told do not exist in that area. Make drawings on the spot and trust your own knowledge. 5. Are there different ways of keeping a nature diary? I’m sure there are many ways to keep a nature diary – on a computer, tweeting, blogs, making a page and hanging it on a string. www.jenniehale.co.uk
Natural Navigation Finding your way using nature can be an interesting activity and enrich your journey’s. Ideally you would have a compass and map with you when you walk but if you’re without then here’s some simple navigation tips! SUN The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. At sunrise, set a stick in the ground; this will cast a shadow which is the East to West line. Lay another stick on the ground, across the shadow at a right angle. This gives you the North to South line. WATCH METHOD You can easily use the hands on your watch to find South. Point the hour hand at the sun and half way between the hour hand and midday on the clock face is where South is. Bare in mind that clocks do go forward and back but for basic navigation it works well. TREES Moss tends to grow on the North side of trees, in the shade, which means South should be on the opposite side. Also, as the wind blows predominately SouthWesterly, you can work out this direction by looking at the angle of windswept trees.
Who named the clouds? Luke Howard (1773 – 1864) was a chemist and amateur meteorologist who was passionate about science. Before 1800, observers spoke of clouds only as ‘essences’ floating in the sky. Clouds had no names and were not well understood. In the 18th century he made vast recordings of clouds and identified the importance of clouds in meteorology. He joined a group of scientists and each member read a scientific paper to the others. Howard read a paper called ‘On the modification of clouds,’ and today, we still use the basic scheme he presented that night.
SPOTTING CLOUDS Clouds are classified according to their height above the ground. Observing the clouds may give you an indication of the forthcoming weather – it’s easier than you may think and here are some to identify during summer. Cirrus (Latin for curl): These are white wispy clouds that stretch across the sky and indicate fair weather. They can also mean a change in weather over the next 24 hours – mainly pressure change. Cirrocumulus (Latin for heap): These are fluffy clouds you will most likely see during sunny weather and only last a short while. They usually show fair, dry conditions. Cirrostratus (Latin for layer): These clouds look like thin sheets and usually cover the whole sky, giving it a pale colour. They could mean precipitation within the next 24 hours.
Stargazing and Night Walking Sharpen your nocturnal senses on a wildlife-rich twilight ramble because at night, the landscape shows its true character: familiar outlines blur, nightjars call and overhead the stars begin to shine. NIGHT WALKS Take a jumper, woollen blanket and a torch – try not to use it – and you’re set. Nightwalking can prove a mysterious, thrilling adventure, plus, who knows what creatures will be lurking in the dusk? If you are looking out to sea, you might even see the ‘green flash’ that occurs in the last few seconds before the sun disappears. Let your eyes adjust to the dark – it should take around 20 minutes. Start by taking slow, careful strides... STAR SPOTTING For thousands of years, humans have found meaning in starts. Constellations are images formed by groups of stars in the indigo sky, and their meanings vary between cultures and eras. The stars of a constellation may look close together but in fact can be many light years apart.
CONSTELLATIONS THE PLOUGH (Big Dipper). It is part of a larger constellation called Ursa Major (Latin for Great Bear). It looks somewhat like a spoon, three stars make up the handle, and four the head. POLARIS (The North Star). Finding Polaris is a useful night time navigation technique that’s helped everyone from the Egyptians to the Vikings find their way to the sea. Use The Plough’s ‘pointer’ stars to find Polaris, which marks the tail of Ursa Minor (Little Bear). CASSIOPEIA. Cassiopeia is high overhead to the north-northeast. This W-shaped constellation is formed of five stars. Find where the ‘handle’ of Ursa Major meets its ‘spoon’ to draw an imaginary line through Polaris to locate Cassiopeia.
wildlife wonders Gather the kids and head outside for a magical summer walk. When the sunlight floods the landscape, or just starts to fade into dusk, and heat hangs in the air, take a moment to revel in the nature on our doorstep. Think of lazy picnics, strawberries and homemade lemonade, and countryside fields.
MOTHS Although not as colourful as butterflies, moths are still part of summer nature. Look closely and see their patterns. Angle Shades These can be found across the UK and their main flight season is May – October. Popular Hawkmoth This is a common and large moth. Females are paler than males. Ruby Tiger These can be found April-October and their colour can be a bright red turning duller as they appear further up North. NIGHTJARS Nightjars are nocturnal birds that can be seen looking for food at dusk. They have pointed wings and long tails, similar to cuckoos. You know a nightjar is near when you can hear the male’s churring song rising and falling with different notes.
DRAGONFLIES Dragonflies have two sets of wings and can fly in any direction. Find them during summer flitting around bogs, rivers and lakes.
BUTTERFLIES Summer months are a heaven for beautiful butterfly species. These are some you might come across in June and July.
Four spotted chaser
Black-veined white
Yellow spots along the sides of the abdomen and two dark marks on wing.
Found in woodlands, orchards and hedgerows.
Downy Emerald
Brimstone
Metallic green with a bronze sheen, bright shiny green eyes and a hairy thorax.
Found near woodland rides, gardens and waste spaces.
Southern Hawker
Chalkhill Blue
Brightly coloured with joined markings at the male’s pale blue abdomen end.
Found on short grassland in Southern England. The male Chalkhill is shiny blue colour whereas the female is brown.
Explore a lost ruin Wander around lost village settlements, visit ceremonial stone rows, and explore mysterious underground burial chambers.
Bronze Age/ Prehistoric (2,500 – 700 BC) Stone circles Over 900 stone circles still survive in England to this day. They were most likely built for tribal ritual ceremonies celebrating the seasons and fertility of the earth.
Iron Age (700BC – AD 43) Hill forts These hilltop enclosures are the youngest of the prehistoric remains. They are defensive structures enclosing high places with rings of ditches and banks.
Roman (AD 43 –AD 410) From the World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall to the lesser known villas and forts that once dotted the land, Britain has a surprisingly large amount of Roman ruins.
Medieval (AD 410 – AD 1485) Motte baileys Motte and bailey castles were a common feature in England by the death of William the Conqueror in 1087. It is a fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a hill called a motte, with an enclosed bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch.
Victorian (1837 – 1901) Follies and towers Follies were built for decorative purposes in gardens and were sometimes given as gifts to loved ones. The passion for extravagant follies dwindled as the 18th century waned but many can still be seen today.
Second World War (1939 – 1849) Tunnels and bunkers Fortresses, concrete tunnels, coastal defences and bunkers where families and soldiers used to hide and dwell can be visited across the UK. They can be haunting if you imagine their history.
Ruined churches, abbeys and monasteries are scattered across England although many were destroyed by King Henry VIII and during the WW II bombings.
water Adventures Swimming in the wild brings many physical and mental benefits including, increased libido, vitality and desire. A cold swim can boost your immune system, soothe aching muscles and relieve depression. It can be refreshing and fun on a hot summer’s day, so here are some key activities to make and do. RIVER WALKING Walking is one of the best ways to explore rivers, so head to a shallow, rocky river with friends. You can either walk barefoot or wear light plimsolls to protect your feet and always tread carefully. A low current means you can easily walk up the river but make sure not to lose sight of one another. CANOE CAMPING Everyone has a right to canoe on tidal waters, so if you’re a beginner head for sheltered estuaries and creeks. The safest are ‘sit-on-tops’ made of hard plastic, which are unsinkable and self-draining. Inflatable’s are the easiest to transport, but don’t use if you plan to venture far from the shore. Travel the river by canoe and camp over night with swimming each morning and evening.
TREE SWING Make a tree swing for plunging into the deep, cool waters of the river. If you come across one it usually indicates a popular swimming spot. Find a tree with plenty of space around it for you to swing, a branch that supports your weight and is fairly easy to get to. Tie a thick piece of rope around a branch – make sure it’s wide and not rotting – and secure with a knot.
RIVERSIDE SAUNA The pleasures of cold water plunges can be heightened by getting hot in a riverside sauna first. Creating a temporary, natural sauna involves filling an impromptu tent with the steam generated from hot rocks.
RAFT BUILDING There are many ways to build a raft, but don’t expect them to be very fast or practical. Wear a lifejacket as you might not be able to make it to the shore if your raft breaks up. A barrel raft uses polystyrene or plastic barrels to float. The longer the raft, the faster it will go and the more difficult it will be to steer. Use a frame to attach four barrels, one on each corner, and secure. Similarly, an inner tube raft can be constructed by using several inner tubes from truck tyres tied to the bottom of a sheet of plywood.