Bushcraft

Last night I watched Ray Mears' Bushcraft, a programme in which Mears, a well-known (at least in the UK) wilderness survival expert, talked about the ways in which our ancestors in Britain lived. In this first episode Mears and an expert bow-maker showed how a bow and arrows were fashioned using nothing more than flint tools, which turned out to be extremely effective. There was the usual mix of plant lore and cookery, and Mears attempted some cave art, including placing his hand on the rock and spitting pigment over it to create an image. This resulted in the rather amusing sight of him doing a short piece to camera with bright red 'paint' running down his chin, making him look rather like a vampire who'd just finished a meal. I'm a big fan of Ray Mears anyway, but this programme was particularly enjoyable. His enthusiasm for his subject and his obvious deep knowledge of and respect for the people who lived and still live the hunter-gatherer lifestyle are very infectious. One for the diary, as they say.