Starting a Fire in the Wild with No Matches

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outdoorblog.orgWhether camping or in a survival situation it’s always a good idea to carry a flint steel kit with you in order to have a reliable fire-starting source. Unlike matches, flint will still create a spark even if it gets wet.

The key to every survival fire is preparation. As the Boy Scouts’ motto goes: Be Prepared! This cannot be emphasized enough and it is vitally important.

The preparation of the fire consists of finding the materials you need for every stage of the fire before you attempt lighting it.

The various steps, in terms of material needed, are: Continue reading →

The Waters of Key West – The Ultimate Angler’s Fishing Vacation

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For those who’ve ever dreamt of fishing and experiencing ‘life to the full’, Key West has the water and the watering holes to fulfill the desire for fish and drinking like one. At the end of the line – the furthest you can drive in the southernmost part of the USA, is Key West, a crown jewel in the island archipelago along the Straits of Florida and the warm Gulfstream waters.

There are around 1700 islands forming the Keys that begin about 15 miles south of Miami and extend up past Key West to the Dry Tortugas – but Key West is as far as you can drive.  More than a few famous anglers, writers, artists and musicians have found Caya Hueso to be  a source of inspiration and the perfect playground.  With more than 200 species of fish teeming in the crystal blue and green offshore water, it’s hardly surprising. Continue reading →

Practical Camping Tips for Beginners

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outdoorblog.orgAre you planning you first camping trip? It can be a little daunting to say the least, especially if you have no idea what equipment to bring or what you can expect to experience. This is where I hope to provide you with some practical advise and insight within this article to help you better prepare. Remember, the more preparation you put in, the more enjoyable and stress free your camping experience will be.

 

#1 – Let’s start with the single most important tip; choosing the right tent. There are many types of tent to choose from. It depends firstly on how many people are camping, whether there are children attending and where you plan to camp. This article will assume you are camping as a family on a regular camp site. Continue reading →

Walking in Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

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outdoorblog.orgMy favourite walking location in the whole of Scotland is considered to be some of the best hiking in the UK, and is enjoyed by in excess of 20,000 visitors per year. The scenery in Scotland is incredible, rustic, and very traditional, making it perfect for walking holidays. However, as lush as Scotland is, for me nothing compares to Cairngorm National Park.

This stunning National Park was opened to the public in 2003 and is Britain’s largest national park, located in Aberdeenshire. Alongside the amazing scenery, there is a huge array of animals to enjoy, including the native reindeers. As you walk through the park and explore, you will see the animals in their natural habitat, which is incredible and at times truly humbling. Continue reading →

Spending Time Outdoors and Overseas

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Camping abroad and overseasInternational traveling can be an exhilarating experience. Camping abroad can introduce you to many things that you have never experienced or seen in your own country. The most important thing to remember is to plan ahead in order to get the most out of a trip. Here are some suggestions for camping trips overseas.

 

The Pros of Camping Abroad

Camping abroad has many benefits.

  • Camping abroad is substantially less expensive than traveling and staying in hotels.
  • It allows you to see variations of wildlife and explore new lands.
  • When visiting a new country in this way, you will learn about customs and cultures.
  • If you decide you want to change your itinerary, it’s substantially easier when camping. You don’t have to worry about cancelling and/or changing reservations. Just pack up and go! Continue reading →

Four Sure Fire Ways to Ruin a Walking Holiday

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Walking holidays are a fantastic way to relax, keep fit and experience things that you would never encounter in your day to day life. The feeling of release born of being hundreds of miles away from work, email and washing up can bring a tremendous clarity of mind and freeness of spirit. That being said, walking holidays are a difficult needle to thread, and it is quite easy for a relaxing walk to transform into a stressful nightmare. With that in mind, here are four of the best ways to completely spoil your holiday.

Number 1: Don’t Bring a Map.

It sounds like the most basic of common sense, but you would be amazed by the amount of people who contrive reasons to go exploring unknown terrain without proper guidance. Generally this comes in the form of technologically savvy people who quite reasonably point out that their phones can multitask as maps, compasses and GPSs. Continue reading →

How to Survive a Nuclear Explosion!

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The Cold War may be a thing of the past but you should never discount the threat of a nuclear attack. If the unthinkable ever does happen in your town here are some top tips that should improve your chances of survival.

Before the Blast

This is obviously the most important stage. Nuclear explosions are extremely powerful so it’s going to be difficult, but with a little bit of know how you should be able to pull through.

To start with you need to recognise the warning signs that a nuclear attack is imminent. It’s thought that the official warning might only sound three or four minutes before the blast, so think about what you can spot a few hours in advance. Have there been any angry looking politicians on the television recently? Do the local news reporters look worried? Continue reading →

Turn Your Patio Into An Outdoor Sanctuary

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www.outdoorblog.orgBeing active outdoors is great fun, and although there’s often plenty to keep me entertained sometimes I just want to sit down, relax and enjoy the view. Especially if said view is my own garden, as I spend a lot of time working in it and it’s nice to see all the effort come together in one lovely outdoor world. While I could spend hours enjoying simply being outside, my family soon get bored and want to go in to play a game or sit in more comfortable chairs. I decided it was time to transform our bland patio into an outdoor sanctuary. Continue reading →

The Best of Charleston’s Trees, Flowers and Nature

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Charleston, SC has much to offer for the outdoors enthusiast.  Not only is Charleston rich in greens, pinks and colors of the rainbow, but it is also deep and vibrant with culture.  If you’re planning a trip to South Carolina, be sure to stop by Charleston’s best outdoors, nature spots:

Charleston Waterfront Park

Photo Copyright 2011 Jason Barnette

The waterfront park is a natural gem along the Cooper River in South Carolina.  It stretches across 12 acres of land.  In 2007, it won an award for its great architecture and historic preservation. Continue reading →

Top Tips for Spending Quality Time Outdoors with the Kids

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Children outdoorsDo your kids spend too little time outdoors? According to many studies, your average child spends more time watching TV than playing outside. Researchers found that children who are allowed to wander around their neighborhood without their parents were outside a lot longer. But, they also acknowledge that lack of safe opportunities for this kind of play. Why not go the extra mile this summer and commit to spending quality time outdoors together with the kids with these family activity ideas? Continue reading →