The outdoors has always played a huge part in Joe’s life. Early influences such as the book ‘Danny, The Champion Of The World’ ensured that almost every weekend consisted of some kind of woodland camp out or hare brained outdoor adventure.

This passion for spending time in wild places developed into a personal quest to learn more about the countryside and how we were once reliant on the plants, trees and wildlife for all of our daily needs.

Eight years military service developed those early experiences into useful skills. After leaving the army these skills grew further still learning from some of the best bushcraft instructors in the UK whilst utilizing his trade as a carpenter joiner making furniture from reclaimed wood.

Deciding that the best way to learn is to teach, he has spent the last five years working as an instructor for a leading survival/bushcraft school based in Devon, where his reputation for hand carving wooden cups, bowls and spoons whilst eating vast amounts of chocolate is legendary.

Special skill – making pancakes.

Kevs interest in bushcraft and survival began in childhood when his passion for natural history took him into the woods and heaths of the East Anglian Breckland where he learned to track and observe the local wildlife and identify the wild plants. This early experience was built upon whilst in his teens by the introduction to edible wild foods and subsequent experience of wild camping and bivouacking. With this solid foundation, Kev has honed his skills with extensive independent travel throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He completed the well respected instructors course run by Survival School and in 2004 set up his own bushcraft school.

In recent years Kev has also specialized in desert survival, running expeditions to North Africa and acting as a consultant for TV survival programmes.

Special skill – snoring loudly.

Frances began weaving willow aged nine in a field in Wales. An early talent was realized and nurtured with help from basket weavers Norah Kennedy, Jenny Crisp and in recent years, Joe Hogan.

After studying textiles at Glasgow school of art, she returned to the Somerset Levels where she spent her early childhood. There she weaves willow grown in the fields around her, making traditional baskets, sculpture and furniture.

You will meet Frances on the woodland craft courses teaching basketry and how to make all food taste of ginger.

Special skill – making all food taste of ginger.

John is a highly experienced hill walker, mountaineer and very well travelled expedition leader.

He is a member of the Mountain Leader Training Association, is a bushcraft and survival instructor excelling in teaching navigation, is a member of Staffordshire Search and Rescue and runs expeditions through the jungles of Borneo

If you are contemplating getting lost in the great outdoors then you would be wise to pack him in your rucksack.

Special skill – crazy dancing.

John Lord began his research into primitive technology in 1975 when he and his wife Val (a cordage and textile specialist using natural fibres) were given custody of Grimes Graves, the Neolithic flint mining site at Lynford, Norfolk. During this time he mastered the art of flint knapping and demonstrated his skills to visiting members of the public both young and old.

Since leaving Grimes Graves in 1987 he has worked as a professional flint knapper supplying the construction industry with hundreds of tonnes of knapped flint whilst also instructing keen novice knappers in this amazing almost forgotten skill.

His knowledge of this and countless other primitive skills is so extensive you might be forgiven for thinking he has been sent here from the past to re-educate us (and give us sore hands). You will meet John on the primitive tools and Hunter Gatherer courses.

Special skill – rock and roll star (too good for X factor)

Glenn is an experienced bushcraft instructor, timber frame carpenter and green woodworker from deepest, darkest Dartmoor.

Through his understanding of the woods and great love of the outdoors he has developed a holistic approach to bushcraft which comes across in his teaching style.

He specialises in axe and knife work such as felling and processing greenwood, spoon and bowl carving, pixie tickling and many other woodland crafts.

Special skill – beard growth