Woodsmoke : Testimonials

Woodlander Testimonials - 2007

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the hard work you guys put in. I appreciate how intensive and tiring events like that are for the instructors, i.e. only slightly less than for the students. The whole course was great fun - if a little frustrating at times (Bloody fire drill got the better of me!). I have

recommended you to all my colleagues!

I thought it was a really good group. Everybody got on well and helped each other out where necessary. There was a really good atmosphere - which you can't always bank on when you chuck fifteen strangers together in a wet forest!

I was really chuffed to get a distinction. I thought you'd be extra tough on me because of my prior knowledge etc. so I was thrilled when you gave the results out. It certainly made up for all the discomfort. I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat for days. I will certainly remember the week for a long time, with fond memories.

Thanks for the kit list... I'll be looking up some kit in the near future, especially a Millbank Bag.

I have been busy since the course. I have made an arrow head and a needle from the antler I found on the plant walk (see attached photo). I didn't do it properly in that I used modern files and sand paper. They still took ages! I'm out to get some pine resin so I can glue the arrow head into arrow shaft.

Once again, thanks for a great week.

Take care,

Saul

Hi Ben, Mat, Steve

Sorry gents - have not really had time to tell you how much I enjoyed the course (Woodlander in wet July!!!) as I have been abroad a lot with work. The course was excellent and I feel that I really learned a lot in a short space of time (whilst also realising how much more there is to learn). For somebody who is absolutely useless at building things - to have built a shelter, made cordage, fire and not forgetting me lucky spoon - is quite an achievement - believe me I was amazed!!! I have been camping, trying out fire lighting, making cordage and I am trying to learn about edible plants - you have really fired my interest in nature and what it has to offer and whilst it is sometimes difficult to play out due to my job - when I do - thoughts and skills from the course come to mind. One thing - Mat showed us how to put up the hammock and I think he used something called an Evenk knot on one end - but I can't remember what he used on the other apart from it had a 'D' in it - I have been using a timber hitch which seems to work!!!

I have booked onto the Native course and hope to put in a lot of practice before then. Once again gents thanks for the course - it was excellent and your informal manner was great - too long in the tooth now to want a boot camp course - I have great admiration for the skills you possess and if I can acquire even a small percentage of those you have i will be very pleased.

All my best wishes.

Terry Simmons

Hi to all the team,

I just wanted to thank you all for a truly wonderful experience. The Trailbreaker last year was fantastic and having now experienced the Woodlander you have opened up whole new world. Your knowledge and expertise is so impressive, and this has given me a hunger and desire to develop the skills and techniques that you so willingly taught us.

Thank you once again

Ian Coughlin

Hi Ben/Lisa,

I am just sending you a quick note to thank you and the the two lads for what I reckon was one of the best weeks I've had. I really enjoyed the course and felt a little disorientated upon leaving last Saturday. The blisters are healing but I kind of don't want them to as they are a reminder of a time when everyone was frantically whittling around the camp-fire. Coming home to a TV and a sofa ,drinking tea without spruce needles in it ,has lost all meaning!

Finally, I need to mention Steve and Matt. All I can say is that I was amazed at how much they knew. For such a young man Steve had so much knowledge but was so approachable. Matt, well after listening to his star-lore lecture I can say if he ever gets sick of the woods he'll make a great teacher. First class! Thank you so much, I'm not even trying to explain to people the remorse I had on returning home. Nobody would understand how valuable cord is until you cant feel your hand from stings because you need 6metresof the bloody stuff.

Alan Mc Donnell

Hi Ben, Lisa, Steve S, Matt & Steve.

Thank you all for an experience I will never forget. How you remember all that information about such a varied, diverse & broad subject is beyond my humble imagination. Quite how you got me to remember so many plants & trees from their leaves & branches for the test on Saturday I'll never know.

I have bought a few books on tree, plant & animal identification & can see bewilderment on my workmates faces when I point them out so it's staying in there! I now notice things most people wouldn't see even if it was pointed out to them & I still get a massive rush when the ember from a bow drill takes & think I always will.

Thank you once again. Hope to see you all again.

Regards,

Martin Mills

Hi Guys,

Thanks for a really fantastic experience. Although I arrived home mentally and physically exhausted and took several days to fully recover, I loved every minute. Even being soaked to the core, cold, dirty and having to sleep in a muddy floored shelter with three smelly blokes (only joking guys, I know I smelt just as bad - in fact with all the damp smokey fires I had actually lost all sense of smell!) didn't put me off!

I couldn't have picked a nicer, supportive and fun group of people and instructors to spend the week with without all of whom the week wouldn't have been so memorable.

I most certainly intend on returning for more adventures but am having trouble deciding what course to do next and wonder if I am ready for the challenge of going Native - may need a little while longer to recover!

Best wishes

Clare Brown

Woodsmoke crew,

Thanks for the great time i don't think i've done a course that has changed me so much. i got back to camp and ordered myself a crook knife and a week later (and many cuts later) i have an office wall that's covered in spoons that i have carved mmmmm not bad EH?
I also took my snares on exercise a caught the worlds smallest rabbit but dam it tasted good (found out i like rabbits pre gutted they don't pee on you .........ah well will know next time lol) again thanks to all of you you make a great team and i cant wait book another course .

Thanks,

SILVER ........

Hi Ben & Lisa (et al)

I’ve almost stepped back into old way of life – though I shall never look at things in the same way ever again!

Your course was refreshing, enlightening and empowering and I feel a better person for it – more able to cope with any situation that may arise, I’m confident I’ll find the solution or be able to improvise (and always carry a roll of gaffer tape!).

Good luck for the rest of the courses and with all you take on in the future.

Best Regards

Harry

Just wanted to say thanks to all the Team for a fantastic course. I am now safely ensconced in LA and the Lake District feels a long long way away. not least because it is about 85 degrees here and a beautiful day. i now have trouble sleeping unless it is a howling gale and pouring with rain.

I thought all the instructors were brilliant. Still slightly astonished that Steve is so young and yet such a good teacher. Passionate and articulate and with a very easy teaching manner. Quite alarming. Usually that comes with loads of experience right?

Matt led everything very well and Will was great. It was honestly one of the best courses I have ever been on - even if they did work us into the ground.

Hi Guys,

Just a note to say I had a great time on the course last week and learnt a load, although it was obvious that we had only scratch the surface of a huge subject.

The instructors, Matt, Steve and Will really knew their subject and were very helpful in answering questions and providing tips! Once again thanks for a superb course and I'll be back next year for more.

Dear all at Woodsmoke,

When one's expectations have been so roundly surpassed, it would seem decidedly churlish not to pass on a few words of gratitude and encouragement. Last week was my first experience of one of your courses, aptly named the Woodlander ("Wetlander" would also have fitted nicely!). Now I find myself at home, truly enjoying the luxuries of a glass of wine, hot water and a sit down loo. That said, also really missing the course instructors and instruction, and the constant influx of a rather new and satisfying type of knowledge, so readily available from your team and the environment itself.

To be honest, as I was driving up the M6 I had my last minute doubts. Would the wet weather dampen our spirits and make the activities just too dismal? Would this be a week of insufferably naïve tree huggery? Would the attendees and instructors have a "Commando Complex" to the point whereby my lack of outdoorsyness would be grounds for risible contempt? Yikes.

I needn't have worried, the course was exceptionally well done, and extremely enjoyable. I doubt I've ever been rained on more, and I was certainly a big challenge, but thanks to the clear and patient instruction, everything was quite doable despite the wet. And I reckon our team spirit was improved notably by staying close to the fire, seeing that the kettle was always on, and the biscuit box always doing the rounds. Your team saw to it that that working in and with the natural environment was both respectful, and crucially, very realistic. Play was not discounted, but nor was any subject put across with trivial whimsy. And whilst all the instructors are enviably robust and healthy looking, none intimidating or overly macho!

So thanks all round. To your office team for putting together a company face that is professional enough to give the uninitiated the required comfort factor to get out of the office and on to a course. To the management who must ultimately be responsible for seeing to it that the course content, approach and atmosphere are all spot on. But mostly, thanks to the field instructors: to Ben and Steve, Matt, & Lisa. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised at your depth and breadth of knowledge and skills, but I think we all were. But to find out that you were all so infectiously enthusiastic and patient, despite the weather and our inexperience, it really made the week. We're all fortunate that you know your stuff so well, but mostly that you are such expert communicators and general good eggs.

Cheers then, and a huge thumbs up for the course. As a week away I've never done anything more satisfying or ultimately relaxing. As a practical introduction to our outdoors it was just brilliant. I'm not much of an outdoorsman, but today I just couldn't resist testing the edge of my knife, and wondering what I might do with those bits of dead standing wood in the field across the road...

So I'll see you again next year for another course, the question is which one? The Axe Workshop or the Lakelander? Or maybe I'll push the boat out again and go for the Native. It looks tougher still, but that's part of the attraction. If I can convince the missus, we might even both join you for the Expedition Skills. Hmmm... But until then, the very best of luck to all at Woodsmoke.

Thanks for literally the best course I've ever been on. Great staff - professional, sincere and dedicated. All those things I read in the books and watched on DVD but couldn’t quite get to work, sorted out with the hands on help from you and your staff. Just been to a pre-ofsted talk this evening and found myself staring longingly through an open fire exit door at the sycamores opposite. Seeing them in a different light and itching to get hold of the dead bits for bowing.

Just a quick one to say thanks to you both for a truly great course (April Woodlander). The team of Steve,Matt and Steve were superb. Both the combined and individual knowledge of you all is awesome, this together with a passion for the subject and a willingness to share puts you head and shoulders over the competition! I'm really inspired.

Well what can I say, that's the best week I've ever spent, the guys on the course were really good company, and the instruction was second to none. All in all I really think that you hit the nail on the head ... so to speak, you got it bang on with the course. I feel that I,ve learnt so much. At first , I thought that I'd gone in too deep but as the week went on thing really fell into place. Both of you were always there for help but at the same time giving each person enough room to "do there own bit" Thanks to Matt too, a really helpful knowledgeable guy who always time for everybody as well. Just coming back to earth at the mo, still on a high, a really big one!

Thanks for a really fantastic experience. Although I arrived home mentally and physically exhausted and took several days to fully recover, I loved every minute. Even being soaked to the core, cold, dirty and having to sleep in a muddy floored shelter with three smelly blokes (only joking guys, I know I smelt just as bad - in fact with all the damp smokey fires I had actually lost all sense of smell!) didn't put me off! I couldn't have picked a nicer, supportive and fun group of people and instructors to spend the week with without all of whom the week wouldn't have been so memorable.

I most certainly intend on returning for more adventures but am having trouble deciding what course to do next and wonder if I am ready for the challenge of going Native - may need a little while longer to recover!