Tuesday, February 16. 2021
The Bushcraft Bothier - Raiders Of The Lost Monument
It's Spielberg time again, boys and girls, so I filmed a little afternoon recce on a forgotten monument that is situated in the heart of Dunrobin Woods (between Golspie and Brora).
This video was just a bit of fun but it does have serious undertones. The monument in question was build in 1858, having been funded by the Duchess of Sutherland in memorial of one James Loch (1780-1855) who was not so much the architect, but rather the engineer of design behind the Sutherland Highland Clearances. James Loch was such a bastard that fifteen thousand people from the area were forced to relocate from inland to seacoast districts between 1811 and 1820, with many folks boarding ships to start life afresh overseas in the New World.
Loch's methods are described as aggressive and cruel "so as to mould and control the lives of the ignorant and credulous people". In fact, he was so controlling of those who lived on Sutherland Estates land that young people had to go to his agents for permission to marry.
I can only speculate, but perhaps the fact that he was such a callous bastard is the reason why this monument has been left to rot in the heart of Dunrobin Woods.
Monday, February 1. 2021
The Bushcraft Bothier - Welcome To The Shed
I've been busy of late, constructing my new shed and sorting out the garden for planting vegetables in the spring. And before you ask: Yes, I do have a pink wheelbarrow. It came with the house.
Tuesday, December 29. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Ben Horn, Carn Liath Broch & The Duke of Sutherland
On this episode of 'The Bushcraft Bothier' my other half and I take an Xmas stroll up Ben Horn, explore Carn Liath Broch (an Iron Age drystone roundhouse) before taking a woodland walk to the top of Ben Bhraggie where there's a statue of 'Highland Clearance' mover and shaker (and all round evil posh twat) the Duke of Sutherland.
Friday, December 25. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - MTB Bothy Overnighter
On this episode of 'The Bushcraft Bothier' I load up my panniers with way too many luxuries and cycle to a local bothy for a solo overnighter.
Tuesday, December 15. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Coastal Bothy Recce
Apologies, first of all, for some sections of poorer-than-usual quality in this video. Clearly I need to up the bitrate on future videos when walking through woodland. Now sure, I could've fixed it and re-encoded the video - but to be perfectly honest: I couldn't be arsed.
On this episode of 'The Bushcraft Bothier' my other half and I go to scope out a couple of possible coastal bothies that sadly didn't turn out to be quite what we expected. No harm done, however. It was a fine wee Sunday afternoon adventure.
Sunday, December 13. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Life's A Beach
On this episode of 'The Bushcraft Bothier' I explore my new local beach as a potential location for a future overnight wild camp and act like a smug bastard at how lucky I feel to have moved to the Highlands.
Monday, December 7. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Highland Relocation
I've relocated to the Highlands and moved to an amazing little village called Brora in Sutherland with my other half, Dorota. The village is situated where the A9 road and the Far North Line bridge the River Brora. Set in a rural location, the surrounding area hosts a seemingly endless list of activities to cater for the outdoor adventurer. Sutherland, in my opinion, is the best part of Scotland and I feel extremely privileged to have moved here. On this episode I go on a little recce to scope out a nearby mountain bothy.
Sunday, November 1. 2020
This Is Why We Can't Have A Podcast - Episode 02 - Illuminatus Rex
On this episode of 'This Is Why We Can't Have A Podcast' we discuss a multitude of unrelated horseshit, from Covid fatigue to the world being controlled by a secret elite whose motives might actually be pure and beneficial to the advancement of human civilisation rather than destructive. Disclaimer: For christsakes don't take anything we say in this podcast seriously. We're just throwing daft ideas around over a terrible Skype connection in an attempt to entertain ourselves and hopefully you.
Sunday, August 2. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Bothies, Burgers & Barbecue Ribs
On this episode of 'The Bushcraft Bothier' my other half and I spend two nights exploring a couple of bothies, and cook up the kind of food that Elvis would have as part of his staple diet.
Monday, June 1. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Glen Sherup Day Hike
On this episode of 'The Bushcraft Bothier', my better half and I go for a walk along Glen Sherup to blow away the Coronavirus cobwebs and cook up some sausages on the twig stove.
Monday, May 25. 2020
This Is Why We Can't Have A Podcast - Episode 01 - Simulation Theory
On this official inaugural episode of 'This Is Why We Can't Have A Podcast' we discuss the simulation hypothesis or the idea that we might be living in a digitally generated reality. Apologies in advance for the video and audio quality in places - it would seem the Skype connection that evening was playing up a little. We're still ironing out some of the challenges of making a podcast and the best way to go about filming and recording it, so bear with us as we learn as we go along.
Tuesday, April 28. 2020
This Is Why We Can't Have A Podcast - Episode 00 - Pilot
Drastic times require drastic measures, and for yours truly this has resulted in a hell of a lot of gardening and a bit of Skype time talking to my old pal, Peg, from my local boozer. Why is he called Peg? Well, years ago I thought he looked a bit like Simon Pegg without hair. These days, however, he looks more like a slim Paul Di'anno (the guy who sung for Iron Maiden before they became crap). All that aside, the name Peg has stuck and under Covid19 self-isolation we thought we'd try our hand at a little podcast to see if it's something we'd be any good at. You, the viewer, may never see this episode at all, but if Peg gives me the thumbs up to make it public then, who knows, there may be more exciting episodes of 'This Is Why We Can't Have A Podcast' in the near future.
Wednesday, April 15. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Coronavirus Lockdown
With the whole country seemingly in lockdown I've had to try occupy my time by resorting to a little backyard bushcraft. After weeding the patio and setting up the area for a hammock and firepit, my evenings have been whittled away drinking too many beers and sitting around the fire. Well, anything is better than being freaked out by BBC News.
Monday, March 16. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Self-isolation Doesn't Have To Be Boring
Last week, as the country (nay, the entire planet) descended into a little virus-inspired, self-induced chaos, I opted for a much more relaxing approach and retreated for a few days to the safety of the Scottish Highlands.
Tuesday, February 18. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Official Monkey Business
On this episode I go on a bothy overnighter with some old friends, as Storm Ciara reaches its peak in the Scottish Central Highlands.
Tuesday, January 14. 2020
The Bushcraft Bothier - Curry In A Hurry, Naan In A Pan
On this episode I make an Indian meal à la Dan Toombs style. I first came across Dan Toombs (aka 'The Curry Guy') via his YouTube channel purely by accident over Xmas. I tried a few of his recipes and was so blown away that I bought his first book. For years I have experimented with trying to make a good British Indian Restaurant style curry and have failed repeatedly... until now. I'm not being endorsed to promote this guy's book or YouTube channel, but I was so impressed with how well his recipes turned out that I thought I'd give the dude a little shout out. Go check his channel here.
Tuesday, November 5. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Bothy Council Technique
On this episode I go on a bothy overnighter with my good friend Darren (aka Dazbo of 'Bothy Culture' fame). This video is quite short since my intention was less about filming and more about having a few beers around the body of the kirk with my old pal. Hopefully it has captured the kind of typical bothy night the likes of which Dazbo and I have had loads of in the past.
Tuesday, September 3. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Back At The Shack
On this episode I go on a bothy weekender with my new squeeze: 'The Walking Pole' (she walks and she's Polish, get it?).
Thursday, August 8. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Fear And Loathing On The Cape Wrath Trail
Continuing on from where I left the trail last year, I cover ground from Morvich (near Shiel Bridge) to the beautiful village of Ullapool. This is the second stage of my CWT section hike over some of Scotland's most rugged terrain. Next year I plan on returning to complete the final section from Ullapool to Cape Wrath lighthouse.
Monday, June 24. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Turning Your Tarp Into A Tent
Alright you twisted freaks! On this episode I go on a little woodland camp with fellow YouTubers 'Renegade Scot' and 'Walk With Wallace' to test out my DD 3x3 Tarp in a tent configuration, using one of my most hated outdoor accoutrements: the dreaded walking pole (most favoured by the worst breed of 'Outdoor Knobber': the tragically shameful 'Imperial Pole Walker'). Sadly, I found that there is an actual use for the likes of a walking pole (other than a zimmer frame replacement). Fortunately, it has nothing whatsoever to do with compensating for your arthritic legs and geriatric-like knees.
Tuesday, June 11. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - YouTubers' Bothy Bad Craziness
On this episode I go on a bothy overnighter with fellow YouTubers: 'Renegade Scot' & 'Walk With Wallace'. The amount of footage taken was a bit overwhelming, and most of it was completely unusable given our condition by the end of it, however, I've managed to subtly sift through enough of it to produce almost fifteen minutes worth of somewhat politically correct material that is almost Generation Snowflake friendly.
Sunday, June 9. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Makin' Bacon (Curin' & Smokin')
This is a bit of a follow-up episode to my 'Making A Cold Smoker' video, where I take you through all the steps necessary to cure and smoke some top quality badass bitchin' bacon. The whole process shouldn't take you any longer than nine or ten days, but the end result is worth all the effort.
Monday, May 27. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Camping In The Woods With Aliens & Badgers
On this episode I go on a little overnight hammock camp with my good friends Dawn and Ray to a nearby woodland setting. This is the politically incorrect edit of the trip, so if you've got kids watching either put earmuffs on them or go check out Ray's (more politically correct) version of the trip here.
This campsite is a fantastic place which the owners like to keep relatively quiet and low key, however, I got invited along because my friends had been there before.
The owners of this woodland promote a more rustic camping experience which is set in a beautiful piece of Scottish woodland. With a small selection of bothy/cabin-like buildings dotted around the area, the pitches are well spaced out, each with its own fire pit and spacious surroundings.
This is a truly fantastic place which is a well-kept local secret, and I'll hopefully be returning to it again in the not too distant future.
Friday, May 17. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Making A Cold Smoker
On this episode I show you how to build a cold smoker from an old pedal bin before running it through a couple of beta tests. This video was inspired by YouTube channel 'English Country Life' and their excellent series on how to home cure bacon.
Sunday, March 17. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - What A Personal Disaster
Perhaps a slightly overdramatic title, but sometimes things just don't quite pan out the way you intended.
Tuesday, March 12. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Kit Prep, Kettle Smoker & Woodland Recce
On this episode I run through my kit list for a forthcoming 4 to 5 day trip, go on a little woodland recce to try scope out a suitable location for building a bushcraft shelter, and showcase my wood roaster & kettle smoker.
Monday, February 25. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - Undisclosed Bushcraft Camp
On this episode of 'The Bushcraft Bothier' I go on a little recce to scope out an alleged bushcraft camp and shelter that is rumoured to exist in some local woodlands, in an effort to get a few ideas of what might be involved in a potential future project of my own.
Wednesday, February 6. 2019
The Bushcraft Bothier - The Cateran Trail
The Cateran Trail is a 103 kilometre (64 mile) circular walking route in central Scotland. The trail has no official beginning or end and can be joined at any stage. The route was established, way-marked and is now maintained by, the Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust. A variety of terrain is covered by the trail including farmland, mountains and forest. The path itself follows old drovers' roads, minor paved roads and farm tracks and can be walked in four or five days. It is now designated as one of Scotland's Great Trails by Scottish Natural Heritage. As of 2018 it was estimated that around 8,000 people were using the trail each year.
The trail is named after the Caterans: groups of highlanders who from the 1300s until the 1600s supplemented their subsistence income by rustling cattle from the relatively prosperous glens before driving them back to the upland areas. It goes without saying that those living in the glens did not appreciate the activities of the Caterans and raids were often followed by running battles with many killed as cattle owners tried to recover their livestock.