Tools, Trees & Tinder’s

This course is an ideal follow on to our Introduction to Bushcraft Day. You will build your skills with safe and simple woodland tool use, identifying different trees and their use in a bushcraft context and then a selection of natural tinders, how to find them and use them.

Course Description

This course is ideal for extending your Bushcraft knowledge beyond the basics and covers the following:

Sharp Tools

  • Folding Saws: look at different saws and their strengths and weaknesses, their safe use in the woodland environment where you might not have an obvious saw horse or vice to clamp your material steady.

  • Bow Saws: look at the different types of blades and their benefits, how to store and carry them safely then put their use in to practice to cut larger sections of wood neatly and efficiently.

  • Bushcraft Knife: look at the differences and advantages between folding and fixed blades, the law regarding carry and use, safe storage, sharpening, then safe cutting techniques which will give you a wide range of skills for whatever task you have.

  • Axe: different types of axes and their uses, safe carrying and storage, sharpening and then use.

  • Practice all the above to create some simple woodland items which may include a tent peg, feather stick, 'try stick', bucksaw & mallet.

Tree & Plant ID & Uses

  • Learn how to identify different trees and available plants and also what you can use them for (depending on what's around of course)

Natural Tinders

  • Identification: we will look at tinder’s from a range of plants, trees and fungi.

  • Preparation: then we will look at what you need to do with them to help you start a fire.

  • Practice their use but also once you have a flame what is the ideal next step to turn your flame into a fire.

Fire

  • Friction fire: we will look, as a group, at using the Hand Drill, one of the oldest forms of friction fire lighting which is still in use today with many indigenous peoples around the world.

Suitable for:

This course is aimed at adults and accompanied mid / late teens.

Mallets hanging by the fire
Knife work round the fire
Starting on a feather stick
tools-trees-tinder-04.jpg
The finished bucksaws
Friction fire using the hand drill

Course Details

Location: Peak District

Course Length: One Day

Start/End: 09:30-16:30

Max Course Size: 8

Price: £62

Course Dates

Click on the date to book your space:

Featured
8th June 2025 - Tools, Trees & Tinders Course
£55.00 £62.00
5th Oct 2025 - Tools, Trees & Tinders Course
£62.00

  • Great value for money, when you saw what the kids learnt and how much fun we all had.

    I thought it was pitched brilliantly for the age of the children, more challenging and more involved than I was expecting and much better for it. The way you managed to get 7 children all safely having a go at starting their own fires... meanwhile the big fire getting toasty for the marshmallows etc, the perfect way to end a party. We could have had fun for 4 hours easily, it felt a shame to end.

    Gail

  • I had a great time on the Level 1 Bushcraft course!

    The weather was miserable but Peter was attentive and good humoured, always had a brew on over the fire and made sure that the activities could be done under the canopy as well as in the rain!

    Learnt lots of new skills and Peter told us about the benefits of various trees and bushes without it being dry. Peter also took photos and gave us access to the box so we could re-live the memories from the comfort of the sofa! I hope his new woodland offers even more!

    Hannah, Introduction to Bushcraft 1 day course

  • Thank you so much for today. It was wonderful - I don't think it could have been better.

    Callum was going to phone you to say thank you but he fell asleep!!

    Laura Hill, Introduction to Bushcraft Day

  • Bushcraft isn’t all about fire but we all know that’s the most rewarding skill to learn; I have since gone on to make fire by bow drill on my own after this course!

    I was bought a day course from my sister for a Christmas present to attend Red Oak Bushcraft day course and I only have positive praise for the course and Peter, the instructor. The course was organised but relaxed and Peter was never far away to offer advice when required. I learnt a lot for a relatively short Bushcraft course.

    Graham Chesterfield, Introduction to Bushcraft 1 day course

  • All of the students were super proud of themselves because they could light fire without matches and told their teachers and friends how it’s done!

    M Lomas, Buxton Community School, Introduction to Bushcraft Day

  • You were brilliant company, and a brilliant bush craft aficionado!

    Just wanted to say thank you so much for such a fantastic day!! We all enjoyed every minute of it - both us adults the bigger kids and even Gracie! The kids started the fires each night in our cottage with the fire steels and we all now are professional fire starters so thanks for those skills too!

    Kirsty Collings, Family Bushcraft Day

  • A really fun way to spend some quality family time, thanks!

    We went on a fantastic family bushcraft day with Red Oak Bushcrafts. It was really well paced day that the whole family (my wife & I and our 2 children aged 6 & 7) thoroughly enjoyed. The kids were never bored and stayed well engaged while we felt that we were also learning something worthwhile.

    John Hobson, Family Bushcraft Day

  • The brownies had a great time firelighting in the woods!

    They had to use their communication and teamwork skills to enable them to light their own little fires. After the initial whole group instruction, the leaders took the time to show each group how to practice and develop their firelighting skills. It was a very informal setting but they still covered literacy and numeracy skills and also re-enforced manners from the brownies! The brownies got to toast their marshmallows at the end and sing a campfire song. Definitely be back!

    Brown Owl Methodist Brownies, Buxton, Private Booking

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