Bushcraft Camp with Minimal Kit. Swiss Army knife. Poncho Shelter. Raised Bed. Mors Kochanski.
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- čas přidán 23. 11. 2021
- In this video, I will be camping overnight in the woods with just a few items of basic kit - a poncho, a cup, some dried beef, a bottle of water and a Swiss Army knife (thank you Ryan!). I begin by making a shelter using my poncho and building a raised bed to get me off the damp, cold ground - I don’t have any sort of bedding with me, so this is essential in order to be comfortable for the night. I collect firewood and forage for some wild edible food to accompany my beef in a stew and settle down to cook my dinner and enjoy the sounds of the woodland.
Camping with minimal kit like this certainly has its challenges - there is much more work to do to collect the materials needed and to build the things that I haven’t brought along with me, but it is hugely rewarding!
Sleeping on a bed I have made, keeping my fire going all night in order to keep warm and enjoying a meal made in part from wild ingredients - always a good test and reminds you not to take life luxuries for granted.
I hope you enjoy the video.
Thanks for watching.
Links
Greencraft (Neil Andrews’ CZcams Channel)
/ @greencraft4783
Neil’s JustGiving page for donations to Cancer Research
www.justgiving.com/fundraisin...
Mors Kochanski bossing it on CZcams
• Bush Coffee with Mors ...
Bosserts Biltong
/ braaibossert
Swiss Army knife (Camper Model)
www.victorinox.com/uk/en/Prod...
Tinder and Ferro Rod inserts for the SAK
tortoisegear.com
Contact me at:
simonablokeinthewoods@gmail.com
Or by mail at:
Simon, a bloke in the woods
PO Box 384
Diss
Norfolk
IP22 9DB
UK
Facebook - Simon, a bloke in the woods
Simon-a-blok...
Instagram - simon_a_bloke_in_the_woods
simon_a_blo...
Music
Found Faith by Birelli Snow
Southern Sun by Walt Adams
Another great film…I will be donating. 4th Dec 2016 is my wedding anniversary…my wife Simone died from breast cancer in April 2018.
She was 47.
I always try to support cancer charities and the camp you are doing remembers Mors and every other person who has been affected by cancer. You’re a good man.
Thank you
we are polar opposites this week my friend haha, cracking video... been a while since i did a minimal camp. Hope it wasnt too hard getting through the rest of filming without much sleep.
You camp trip was so far in the opposite direction, it's like you being in a 5* hotel compared to poor Simon
Haha - cheers matey! This was the first video of three that weekend - I slept well the second night!
Andy it’s always painful watching you rough it. You’re such a delicate flower ☺️
I can't believe you wouldn't let the bloke in the woods in your lovely warm tent Andy!! 🤪
I understand the cancer as I had it at 26, cervical cancer but with the good Lord made it okay. My husband passed with Cancer...will be 4 years this Christmas. Sorry but at over 60 I'm not going out camping here. It's winter and only 23 degrees out at night . But Best wishes for him . Thank you Simon your a good young man and always trying to help out friends. Thanks for the video, hope you got a good meal and some sleep at home. Take Care 👍 🌹 👍 🌹 👍 🌹 👍 🌹 👍
Thank you Gail and I’m so sorry to hear about your husband - it’s a cruel disease 😔
Top tip for Ferrero rod. Lay it onto a thicker twig/ stick like a splint. It will support it when striking down on it. Every day is a school day.
Mors always said "The more you know, the less you carry." Well done Simon 👍
Great video Simon, as always. Nice to see you eating biltong. Been eating it for years while camping. Love the stuff. As I managed to survive cancer myself (at the ages of 32) it's my 40th birthday next week, so will make an extra effort to get out and camp to celebrate life and the ones we have lost. Thanks Simon.
Congratulations on beating cancer
Thank you Steve - so glad you managed to beat it!
I still do what you are doing every now and then just to keep my skill level up. Insane for a 72 year old I know, but it has been part of my life too long to quit now. I do claim the prerogative of the elderly and take a sleeping bag.
As for Mors, sitting here in the computer room on the shelf is a thing we have always called a "Mors Pot". It is a bit over a liter, has folding handles and a bail, a tight lid and a pour spout. It goes to every camp. The poor thing is now at least 30 years old and is covered with the marks of a thousand fires. It was also championed as an essential piece of kit by Mors. I learned a lot from that man. You should try out one of his "Super shelters" on a video one day.
Thanks Leon! I think at 72 Indy is going to quibble a sleeping bag!! 😁
The good old Mors pot, I’ve had my eye out for one for years - must actually pull my finger out and get one!
Super shelter is on my ‘to do’ list 👍
Simone always makes my Wednesdays better. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
So keen to see a Swiss Army Knife is use on your minimal adventure. I reckon you are holding that Firefly ferrocerium rod incorrectly, hence why it broke so readily. It needs to be struck on the thin side and held with a forefinger, supporting the distal end of the rod. I use either the back of the saw or the wire stripper as a striking tool. The Swiss Army Knife stays still, and the Firefly ferro rod is drawn back towards you. ~ I’m a rare lymphoma survivor and work with cancer survivorship, so I appreciate the light you are shining on cancer research and celebrating the life of your dear chums. Cheers to good health and time in nature, ya’ll.
Today is Thanksgiving in the USA! I give thanks that Simon makes these videos for me to learn and relax a few minutes a week
What a great idea and lovely words Simon. I’ll make a donation and I look forward to a kayak/camp early in December. Your night was almost like a vigil, which is a lovely way to honour those who have gone before.
Thanks Nick!
A nice nod to Mors, I'm sure if it's possible he would be smiling. I'll do a campout on the 5th but I'll have a few more creature comforts after all I shall be 60 next birthday :)
Maybe if you found some stones, heated them in the fire till they were warm then stacked them under the bed, it may have added to the comfort.
Great effort all the same
Sandy
Cheers Sandy and thank you mate!
@Wiltshire Man - You're still just a baby compared to myself. 😉👍
I' m not sure I can go minimalist around the 4 th or 5 th of december, its getting quite cold in Canada but I like the idea very much of giving a helping hand to cancer research as I also lost my mother of cancer 7 years ago . I will give a donation here in Québec as all advancement in science will benefits worldwide eventually , thanks for the video and your kind heart
I’m sure Sir Baden Powell would be proud of you Simon 👍⛺️
One of your best video so far. Pure adventure!
Thank you, Simon.
A Huntsman with those two adds is a tasty bit of kit and definitely a gamechanger.
This is a video worth revisiting. There is a lot of basic woodcraft shown in a compact bit of footage.
Here's to the nature spirts,may they always look over us,and those folk who wonder,cheers!!!!
6.30am here in the Northeast and I’m watching Simon a Bloke Doing His thing in the Woods👍mornings just don’t get much better than this.
Simons always worth Watching no matter where he is in his lovely part of the country.Top Drawer info and Trip as always👍🥾⛺️
Simon thank you for taking us on a minimalist night in the woods. I love Swiss army knives AND the Firefly fire starters - great to see you make use of them. They do break easily if you don't support them the full length with your finger. Once I got the hang of it though it was/is great fun to show them off to others who don't believe you can make them work.😀. Again the minimalist aspect is awesome and a great watch. ATB, and I am going to try to make a December 4/5th 'camp out' if at all possible - my grandson has leukemia AND he's beating it - so want to help. Again ATB
Thanks Ken! Great news about your grandson - a fighter! 👍
Fab to see a really stripped back minimalist effort.
Luv those intro strings!
Live life in the forest like you are really happy...🤩👍
I love all the Videos you, Andy, Mike, Richard, Haze, Joe, Scrambled-o, and Shawn make. I will say it was good to see a good ole down and dirty Bushcraft video. This was the type of video that got me hooked on all you guys.
I am not sure if others have given you this advice. If you user that ferial rod by scraping along the narrow edge you will find it less likely to break also putting a finger under the end help. It strikes a good spark along the narrow edge. The back of the saw is the best tool for striking on it.
When buttoning with the SAK one should have the blade at a right angle to the body of the knife - this reduces the chance of damaging the hinge of the knife. Great video.
Love the minimal stuff, it's amazing that you wouldn't actually need much more to be very comfortable, maybe a blanket and a foam mat. More of this, love seeing the limits of the humble SAK.
It's a great thing you're doing promoting fundraisers for cancer research. As always love your videos. Keep'em coming sir !!
Great video. I've missed these minimal gear videos that seem to be a thing of the past these days. Thank you for doing this.
I will definitely donate, I lost my auntie to cancer it killed her within a few months god bless her.
Nice to see you out and about, Simon.
Nice one Simon! It shows you don't need that much to go to mother nature and be creative and joyful! Keep up the good work 👍👍👍
Back to basics, cracking video and a great cause.
i could watch these videos for ever..bloody love this channel
Thanks for your cooking ideas and things from Amazon thank you for all your hard work and demonstration
It feels like being one with nature~ Wow
Wonderfull place 👍🏻
Phenomenal Video
Well done with that camp Simon! Good stuff. We'll definately join in and camp on the weekend of the 4th/5th.
Reminds me of 'basic training' when they drove us all off into 'who knows where' ville and threw us out the back of a 3 ton truck - alone. We only had a basic 'survival kit' (a few basics fitted in a tobacco tin), a compass, map, a basic survival knife and 'groundsheet' poncho - happy days! I was 16 and grew up FAST! They ALWAYS kindly arranged for it to be CHUCKING DOWN for these excercises! LOL Your Videos should go on the training schedule for many institutions! You do it ALL 'for real' unlike 'some' so called 'survivalists who have a £100k motorhome out of shot! Plus a chef, filmcrew etc ROFL! NICE MOD on the SA knife I never leave home without it!
I admire your adventurous spirit but when you tuck into nettle blackberry biltong “stew” I have to wonder how genuine the reaction is.
I’m trying to recall if I’ve ever seen you taste a bit of something and said “sweet lord almighty! what have I done to myself?! Why have foregone a tasty hearty meal, soft luxurious bed, and the simple bliss of warm/cold clean water and heated bathroom at hand?!”
It WOULD be nice to even see you have a terrible reaction if it was genuine, Your optimism and positive attitude are infectious; you make rough going look like a lot of fun. Keep it up Simon! (And grab a decent burger on the way home. No one has to know!)
Haha - it has happened on occasions, but the stew was truly very tasty thanks to the Biltong - lots of seasoning. Without that, it would have been pretty bleak 😂
Seeing the Poncho took me back a bit to Basic Training with the Guards at Pribright in 1994. My First night out under one was late November, We had to sleep two underneath one in a shell scrape on rollmats, then Getting Beasted in the morning because someone failed to wash their mess tins. Couldn't do it now as I can no longer sleep on the floor, get far to soar to and incredably stiff for good measure. The joys of Arthritis. not that I let is stop me do other outside activities.
A very Worthy cause to support too. I Lost My Mum to it just over 14 years ago, ten years before that My Nan and my Aunt within 6 months of one another, so three in the same family. A Great Grandfather on my Dads side when I was small. I don't know anyone now that hasn't lost a family member or a friend to Cancer. Would love to see the back of it. When I was young it was 1 in 4 now it is said to 1 in every 2 will be affeted by it.
Thank you - and very sorry for your losses - It’s so unpredictable and so unfair.
I bet the culprit of the dirty mess tins was popular!! 😂
@@simonablokeinthewoods no they weren’t. Later on in training as a punishment on Exercise if you were unlucky enough to up set the Training Staff you went for a run with your arms and Rifle above your head. It was said to be character building.
Super, du hast ein ganz tolles Lager mit kaum Ausrüstungsgegenstände Gegenständen gebaut das auch noch toll in den herbstlichen Wald passt 🤞👍🤞
Really enjoyed watching this Simon and quite apt as we were visiting "Give Kids the World" village in Kissimmee, Florida on the 4th. Dec. which is the anniversary of our daughter's passing from Leukeamia in 1994. Thank you for promoting Cancer funding, we cannot get enough. Thank you, Tony.
Wonderful video Simon, rather inspiring to say the least. It`s amazing what can be done when you put your mind to it. Cheers Pal !
This what I would call maximum impact camping.
Great content 🙏👏👏….. I have just been diagnosed with cancer….. and I’m still in shock. I think I’m going to get through it ok? But it’s still very worrying. Thank you Simon, you’re a top bloke 🙏🙏👏
Thanks for the video Simon like always,
Enjoyed it.
ชอบสไตล์นี้ครับ
Proper bushcraft camp. Love it.
another great video I lost a brother to cancer just 2 years ago good cause
Have to applaud you for sticking with it, looked more of a hardship than a pleasure but appreciate the opportunity to highlight a charitable cause.
Loving the Ferro Rod in the Swiss Army Knife! Wish I'd thought of that Simon! Great camp, many thanks!
Daylight, it creeps away too soon, especially when we have a lot of chores before bedtime. It’s 77 degrees F here in SE Texas and breezy, a beautiful day. I’ve done the minimal exercise, just to check myself. It’s nice to know and feel confident that one can do it and be okay.
We lost my wife’s mom, Christmas Day, 2020, to Covid. Sorry about Neal’s mom. Wonder if they’re up there looking down. Life goes on. You did a good job with your minimal equipment exercise. Loud mouth fox, crows and birds could be a bit more courteous. Thanks for sharing. Texas
When I saw the title I thought.."oh no, another naked and afraid "vid..lol. good to see you made it through! Back to basics is always more rewarding. That keeps us from getting to used to comfort...and sharpening our minds again..cheers!
Cheers Al! Nobody should be tortured with the image of me naked and alone 🤣
@@simonablokeinthewoods lol...Is a "speedo" minimal gear...lola good laugh is good...love your vids Simon..my invite stands...high Rocky Mountains of Colorado are waiting your expertise...and a good campsite meal for sure...may your feet be sure on the trail, your campfire warm at night and your trail tales be true!
I am only halfway into watching the video, but I thought I would pause, to give it a "thumbs up", and to add a comment. I was very surprised that that ferro rod broke, I had never seen one that small, and I thought it was a good idea to make one that fit inside a folding knife. It seems that one must be gentle, and I do not know if there are different brands, but I still think it is a novel idea. Thanks for making and sharing this enjoyable video, and greetings from Massachusetts, USA. :) _John_
YES!!!! LIKE TH GREAT MR.KOCHANSKI SAID, "THE MORE YOU KNOW THE LESS YOU CARRY"!!!!!!!!!!! AND SIMON YOU DO KNOW YOUR STUFF!!!!!
Its a real education observing your skills and disciplines. I'm 66 and your videos have inspired me to get out and string up a bivvy or make camp. Ill need to get some pieces of kit first. I have a Fiat Doblo camper, so I've gotten soft. Thanks again, Firestarter(outstanding catch after the rod snapped. I have been taking notes.)
Love this video and really share your view on wanting to stay out in the woods 👍
Good morning Simon and I am so glad you have a new post up. Wait to get in to watch this. Always stay safe and healthy and have a great week
Found you today by chance and very happy about it. Very inspiring 👍😊💚
Simon, thank you as always a great video and with a great message. Had been planning a camp out just in the garden with a poncho and army great coat .Now there's an even better reason to get outside. Will be happy to join in and contribute something.
Thank you Martin! Have a great (coat) camp!
Thanks, Simon, for this insight into a very minimalist situation. Whenever I see nettle tea I'm reminded that I need to become more adept at identifying poison oak. This video does make me feel better about over-packing.
Hi Simon, the more I watch you the more I look forward to doing bush craft, I qualify because I like knives and fires ( my wife often worries about me ) another great video showing your numerous skills.
Super video Simon 😀 a few interesting dimensions to this one, and well done on not relying on the truck 👍 good stuff
Hi Simon, another fine video mate, nice to see going back to basics.
Just a wee heads up, i am not very sure if you know, and i'm not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, the reason why the Burdock that you dug up didn't furbish you with any food, ie the root, was that the plant you were digging was in seed, ie the burrs were on the fruiting stalk! Burdock is a by- annual plant meaning it only appers for two years, and then dies. In its first year it grows smaller leaves from the seed, which soak up the suns rays for the first summer, the energy it then stores in the root, which swells to a fair size, upon the onset of winter those smaller leaves die back, leaving the root ready for the following years growth(very large leaves), and the production of the fruiting stalk, and setting seed. Thus it uses the stored energy from the root to achieve this second years growth, thus the root gets smaller as the second year progresses. Anyway that means the best time to harvest the fat carbohydrate rich root, is at the end of the first years growth or early into the second years growth. And thats the reason you were'nt able to get a root from the plant you dug up!
So to sum it up, if you want burdock root to eat, just leave the plants that have a fruiting stalk, and go for the ones around that have no fruiting stalk, as these will be first years growth and have a nice fat root.
Phew! i hope that makes some sense, and is clearer than mud lol.
Anyway thanks for the upload.
Cheers Stuart.
Cheers Stuart - I thought it might be that - when I discovered the rotting, narrow root - I’ve had better success before, but the plant had its big leaves and no burrs 👍
Great video. I love (to watch) minimal kit adventures and I love biltong.
You explained your plans wonderful. Seeing youtubers show their failed attemps to make fire or to dig something up. You carving a spoon/spatula always make me happy. Sea to summit spoon is great, but carving spoons is just so calming.
I’m amazed that biltong tasted so good in a ‘stew’. When I was eating meat it was go to hiking meat until I discovered cooking meat then drying it, then reconstituting it with dehydrated vegetables, favoured with a soup mix. Now it the dehydrated packets of food with extra soya.
the more you know, the less you need - awesome stuff, just come across your channel
Love it Simon!
You and Andy from Kent Survival are one of my favorites to watch on CZcams. Thank you for everything you do!
So completely enjoy your videos. Just off a deer camp trip up North Michigan...hot tent and good food with friends. Blessings my friend.
Absolute cracking video Simon and all in a good cause. My heart sank when the ferro rod broke but I knew you'd get it going, well done sir. Many thanks for sharing, atb, Paul.
I wonder if wild survival is in our DNA memory . ??? 🤔 Still , we all need a course . Brilliant ! 😉💪
Great back to basics video Simon - it's amazing what you can do with a Swiss Army knife! Reminds me of your 4 day survival challenge a few years ago, and that potato and Baby Bel you won and transformed into a mouthwatring jacket potato with cheese! Pleased to support such a good cause in a few weeks, even if I can't get out myself. Stay safe.
Thank you mate! No baked spud has ever tasted as good 😋😂
Great video Simon one of my favourites showing what you can do with minimal equipment. On a side note more than happy to donate to cancer research. My mum died due to cancer just over 2 years ago and at the same time my wife was day with breast cancer. Luckily she is now in full remission. So I know only too well the devastating consequences of cancer. Anyway enough gloom. As I said at the outset cracking video and thanks for sharing Simon.
Thanks Tony!
Sorry to hear about your Mum, truly devastating! Great that your wife is beating it!
Such a terrible disease!!
An actual minimal kit overnighter , makes a nice change
The tinder on the corkscrew is brilliant in its simplicity, like a P-38 can opener. Keep up the good work!
Well done. Thanks for sharing.
Seeing the ferro rod break makes me think of the saying "two is one and one is none". I don't think I'll ever knowingly go into any situation without at least two means of making fire.
Was all good! Thanks for sharing Simon, be well. :o)
Awesome stuff Simon, simplicity itself, as it was at the beginning of time. Unlucky when your Ferrell stick snapped, nicely saved though. Great idea for the camp out and a few more penny’s raised for another great cause 👍🏻👏🏻⛺️🌲
Outstanding Simon , well when SHTF you’ll be sorted 😂👌🇮🇪Atb Tony
Excellent video mate 👍, i carried this same knife for decades - now i prefer the locking blade model, with the "tougher " FireAnt" ferro rod. A small tip; see the Felix Immler utube videos on the use of these (problematic) mini-ferro rods (for SAKs) use; Great emergency kit, but (unfortunately) fragile, eh. Mors K!!! Great tribute to his memory Brother!!!👍👍👍 Mors was my survival/ bushcraft instructor (in forestry college) in Northern Alberta 🇨🇦; GREAT Guy & AWESOME teacher! I still carry the older, high carbon, Mora 511(?) Knife he gave me (back then ) in my EDC backpack today; Great memories- yet, still a Highly Effective tool - & tribute to his wisdom!!! 👍👍👍Great Video !!!
Good on you Simon. Cancer is a bastard, my wife had breast cancer last year and had not long recovered from that when we found out she had another tumour in her bowel. She's literally in surgery right now and I'm watching you while I'm anxiously waiting for news.
Wishing you and your wife all the best Steve. I’m half way through this vid, but if Simon’s doing a fundraiser, I’ll donate with yourselves in mind, plus the assortment of friends and acquaintances who I know are fighting the same battle .
@@h.bsfaithfulservant4136 Thank you for your kind words. I've literally just had a call to say she's out of surgery. That's the first hurdle. Onwards and upwards!
@@stevebayley8624 👍👍
Thank you Steve! And I hope your wife make a fast and complete recovery! 🤞
@@simonablokeinthewoods Hey, thanks for sending positive vibes. We've heard Sally's surgery has been a complete success and she's got the all clear! So happy and relieved.
You're awesome in so many ways!
Cant beat those basic camps to remind us what a comfortable life we really do lead ...
Another great cause to highlight also
Excellent 👍
I think ponchos are really underrated. Great piece of kit.
Ok you did that! Now we would like to see you take care of yourself so we can watch you longer. You did good though. :)
Thank you for another interesting video
Minimal yet so relaxing to watch..Well done Simon!🤘🏻❤️
Some ten years or so ago I attended a Woodlore course and the final challenge was an overnight camp with minimal kit. Just pocket contents, FAK, a NATO water-bottle & metal mug. We were allowed to use those orange survival bags but had one less bag than we had people in our team of four. The only cutting tools were small locking knives. We split open two bags and used them to roof a lean to. Using the third as a ground sheet. We had plenty of water from the river Usk, but were in a narrow strip of land at the bottom of a steep wooded slope. Much of the available wood was rotten. Not much sleep for us either! We did have a small bar of Kendal Mint Cake though, I got one of the chaps to read the blurb on the pack out as a bed time story! The stuff about it being the most popular ration item on the 1953 Everest Expedition.
That is superb! Well done for getting through with some proper ingenuity! Love that about the Kendal mint cake bedtime stories 😂👍
I absolutely love the challenge of minimalist camping ..add some bushcraft even better. The element of minimalism and personal challenge is awesome 👍
Excellent video. Thanks
Great video! Loved watching it! Wouldn't have got you much, but if expecting rain, stick the cup out! Maybe even divert off the poncho? Just a thought.. I'd struggle with only a litre of water lol.. so hats off to you.
Awesome video Simon I've lost someone to cancer I've been working in his memory and I will do a camp and learn bushcraft thank Simon and cheers for a fantastic video 👍
hey simon... my names pete from queensland australia n im a huge fan of urs, andys, marks, steak detective and josh... u guys are awsum keep up the great videos n please say g'day 2 all the lads take care 😊😊😊
Well done, very resourceful.👍
Great camp, Simon! It is nice to see the minimal, could-be-dangerous side of camping and Bushcraft every once in awhile. I followed the links you posted and found and watched a short vid with Mors K, showing how to make the best coffee! So interesting and fun. Thanks for always sharing the history of places and people with your videos Simon!!💚
Great video - thanks!
Lovely mate, just lovely.