I wasn’t going to post about our family summer holiday as I thought it wasn’t particularly relevant to this blog but after having a look at the pictures again I noticed there were quite a few bushcrafty ones. This post will just focus on some of the fun bushcraft stuff we did and I will not bore you with all the hundreds of beach and plant pictures I took.
Our good friend Lou worked as a manager at the YHA in Golant in Cornwall so we pitched our tipi in the gardens of the hostel, combining a holiday with a visit to her. The hostel itself is a Regency period building so it felt quite grand to be camped out in front of it for a week.
Alison got the hammock for herself and a cup of tea in bed every morning, I got the tipi and the kids.
![Photo 18-01-2014 17 54 43 (HDR)](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Photo-18-01-2014-17-54-43-HDR.jpg)
This was at times a very busy holiday but I certainly found time to catch up on my sleep loss. Over the whole holiday I concentrated on getting as many pictures of different plants as possible. This beautiful one of Catherine was taken in the grounds of the Eden Project.
![20140117-165949.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-1659491.jpg)
We got a visit one day from our friends Steve, Kirsty, Buddy and Herbie. As per usual the barbie was down to the boys but I got the feeling Steve was in a managerial mood
![20140117-171355.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-171355.jpg)
The boys were happy to re stock the fire as boys do and a relaxing dinner was had by all. Steve and Kirsty live with the boys in Cornwall where Kirsty runs her own business Kirsty Elson Designs (Kirsty is a fabulous artist) and Steve works in youth development and would like to do more in the way of bushcraft.
![20140117-170414.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-170414.jpg)
You just cannot beat some time with a bow and your kids. The Father and Son bow is excellent for introducing kids to bows as they are quite easy to draw.
![20140117-170232.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-170232.jpg)
Catherine had a ball wherever she went, be that with the ducklings or with sand. Our kids love their toys and gadgets but they’re good at making their own fun as well.
![20140117-170839.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-170839.jpg)
I got a message on Facebook one day from one of my bushcrafting buddies Jonny Picket, inviting us to a birthday bash in his woods he was organising for his partner Janie Sarchet. We were camped just the other side of the River Fowey from them. Jonny and Janie have a lovely farm near the coast and had decorated part of their woodland for the party.
After arriving I took Finlay down to the coast with Jonny and one of his friends to watch them spear fishing. No fish but a pretty spectacular spider crab was found. Finlay and I had a great time rummaging around all the rock pools.
![20140117-170313.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-170313.jpg)
After getting to know everyone it was a case of chilling and waiting for the meat to cook in the massive metal hangi type oven. Alison got talking to Janie and has since published in the Kindle store a book that Jane had written called Project Egg. Janie also has an excellent blog site called The Hedge Combers and as best said by Janie – “Our ultimate aim is to build up a resource of useful posts, ideas & recipes, invaluable to anyone starting out on their own self sufficiency, gastro-adventure“.
It was great to catch up with other bushcrafting buddies including Pete Thomas and Ashley Cawley. They all made our family feel very welcome.
![20140117-170902.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-170902.jpg)
I had fun helping to cut up all the meat from the hangi and nibbling on a piece or two but best of all was the junk drumming session we all had at the end – we did not roast Pete in the end as it might look from the picture above :-).
![20140117-170924.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-170924.jpg)
A happy Lou and Finlay taking some time out to shoot (well Finlay patiently waiting his turn).
![20140117-170953.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-170953.jpg)
I took time out to just sit and carve. It was such a beautiful campsite it would have been a shame not to.
![Photo 18-01-2014 17 53 12](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Photo-18-01-2014-17-53-12.jpg)
Other nice memories were finding this nest of little chicks and watching the slightly bigger ones idily poking the fire (what kid does not like doing this).
![20140117-171215.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-171215.jpg)
Every day was either spent on the beach or wandering through the woods exploring – we went to some fabulous places including The Eden Project, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and St Michael’s Mount.
![20140117-171232.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-171232.jpg)
I had a great time with Finlay working on his archery and look forward to getting out to some camps with him this year to shoot some more. I think Catherine and Finlay will get quite competitive in the future with their bows.
![20140117-171249.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-171249.jpg)
I do not know who was happier about hitting the target.
![20140117-171312.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-171312.jpg)
This has got to be my favourite picture of the holiday with the kids playing happily in the flowers.
![Photo 18-01-2014 17 53 51](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Photo-18-01-2014-17-53-51.jpg)
And finally back to Alison. As I said she got not only the hammock but also a cup of tea every morning. She does make hammocking look stylish.
![20140117-165930.jpg](http://www.bushcraftdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/20140117-165930.jpg)
Cheers
George