Stumbled Upon Shelter Remains

[Adam Savage]

While out and about at a few places, I notice how many shelters, or remains of shelters, there are scattered about the British countryside.

If you have any photos of such shelters/remains of, then please share them.

Here's the latest couple I found in Newbottle Spinney.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/IMGP2003.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/IMGP2001.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/IMGP2000.jpg

[RobbC]

Its the same where i go, because i find all the sticks excelant for fires.

Robb

[Adam Savage]

Its the same where i go, because i find all the sticks excelant for fires.

Robb

They seem to be everywhere. I'm not sure if it's bushcrafters practising, or kids building dens (although it's hard to tell the difference, even when you know who built it :)).

[Tony1948]

It's the Bears dont get eatan

[Adam Savage]

It's the Bears dont get eatan

I thought I saw claw marks on the timbers....

[RobbC]

It's the Bears dont get eatan
Dont worry Tony, il keep my eyes peeled:p. Lol

Robb

[Jeime_outdoors]

When im out walking i see alot of old dens like that, its quite intresting to see how some are made :)

Jeime

[Adam Savage]

I agree, some you see don't look like they would be much use, some look really comfy. The ones that have been there years obviously stand up well to wind. Never used one as a base for my own shelter yet, but I guess you could if you wanted to.

[Metal mug]

While out and about at a few places, I notice how many shelters, or remains of shelters, there are scattered about the British countryside.

If you have any photos of such shelters/remains of, then please share them.

Here's the latest couple I found in Newbottle Spinney.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/IMGP2003.jpg

It's Eeyore's house! :D

[jus_young]

It's Eeyore's house! :D

Like Tony says, watch out for the bears, I heard that Winnie the Pooh can be right nasty when he is upset

[Adam Savage]

Does that make me Christopher Robin? lol

[happybonzo]

I heard that Winnie the Pooh can be right nasty when he is upset

So very true, gentle readers, now read on - btw, don't read this to the children tonight :)

Everything was rather quiet in the hundred acre wood. The trees whispered to each other as the wind rustled their leaves. Under a large oak tree, there lived Pooh bear. From inside Pooh's house, there came a steady bang...bang... bang!, that was making his honey jars rattle on the sideboard. The light came through the window, and in the evening sun Pooh raised the axe once more and brought it down on the tattered remains of Christopher Robin. "Why...won't... he...fit..." puffed Pooh to himself as the axe came down once more. There was a small pile of earth, and a hole next to it, which Pooh had hidden with his favourite rug. Christopher Robin, selfish brat that he was, didn't quite fit in the hole Pooh had dug, so instead of making it wider he had decided to hack Christopher Robin's legs off. "A far more sensible idea", thought Pooh, and hummed a little song to himself as he cut the last tendon and rammed the rest of the body in the hole, finally covering it up with the rug. "Always too bossy", thought Pooh, "Always too bossy, always grabbing me by the paw and saying 'Come on Pooh lets have an adventure' or 'Pooh you are silly!' in that affected cutesy spoilt brat voice, and his stupid little shorts - bastard!"

Pooh had waited all afternoon for Christopher Robin to come round, humming a little tuneless song to himself whilst gazing blankly into the fire and fondling the oaken handle of the axe. When C.R. had finally turned up, squeaking in his child-actor voice "Come on Pooh! Open Up!", Pooh had answered the door normal as anything, talked about the weather, and then went to the cupboard and fetched the axe. While C.R. had sat there, prattling on about what a silly bear Pooh was and how he had very little brain (which wound Pooh up no end) Pooh had raised the axe high and brought it down with a satisfying thud on Christopher Robin's skull, cleaving it virtually in two, with just some muscle fibre in place to keep the pieces upright, and freezing C.R's eyes wide in horror that Pooh, lovable Pooh, could do such a thing! Pooh giggled a little and wiped some saliva from his mouth with a shaky paw. Then Pooh, calm as anything, had mopped up the blood, washed the axe and begun to dig the hole.

Piglet had wondered why Pooh had not called for him that morning, to have his tea and biscuits, and so he decided to visit Pooh instead. He admired the evening sun, blood red, and listened to the birds singing. Pooh watched him get nearer and nearer, and plugged in the drill.

Piglet had no time to realise what had happened - the drill pierced his skull, sending a beautiful fountain of blood all over Pooh's orange hide. He rubbed the blood in and all over himself, licking, licking, always licking. Then he pulled Piglet inside and put him in the cupboard. The syringe lay on the sideboard, and Pooh picked it up, paws shaking and sweating, and filled it full of solution of the funny white powder that had been given to him by a strangely spaced-out Rabbit. It was a strange effect at first, and Pooh thought he had seen many strange things, but then experienced a euphoric feeling of power. It made him irritable, and C.R. and Piglet had everything that was coming to them, no doubt at all. When night had fully fallen, Pooh dragged the bodies out and buried them in a makeshift grave.

"Adios, dear 'friends'", Pooh giggled, "Things are going to change around the 100-acre wood now I'm in charge" he laughed hysterically and went indoors.

The next day Tigger and Roo made their way happily to Pooh's house, to see if he knew where C.R. and Piglet were, as no-one had seen them since yesterday. They were sure Pooh would know, as he had had tea with Piglet yesterday and was meant to be playing Pooh-sticks with C.R. in the morning.

When they reached Pooh's house the door was wide open and Pooh was nowhere to be seen. Tigger and Roo looked inside Pooh's house and noticed a large hole in Pooh's floor and a notice was stuck on the wall with a large blob of congealing honey "OWT CHAGIG THE DRAGGN" (spelling had never been one of Pooh's strong points). "That's odd", though Tigger, "there are no dragons in the 100-acre wood only heffalumps. What _is_ that silly bear up to now?"

Not even Tigger would have imagined what Pooh was up to at that moment. That morning Pooh had woken with a splitting headache and a rather snotty nose. So he had taken a large dose of the white powder and a little while later had a brilliant idea! He left the house with a container marked INSECTICIDE in big red letters. He took the container and went to Eeyor's favourite patch of thistles. "This will serve that manic depressive donkey right" laughed Pooh aloud, "always cheating at Pooh-sticks, cheats never prosper", Pooh said to himself. Then he hid behind a tree to watch the unsuspecting Eeyor eat himself to death - sheer poetic justice thought Pooh as he dumped the nearly dead body of Eeyor in the same grave as C.R. and Piglet - "Shouldn't cheat should you?", shouted Pooh as Eeyor's eyes stared with disbelief - "You're lucky I didn't chop you up into little bits and feed you to Tigger!", laughed Pooh manically, before he covered the makeshift grave over.

Pooh didn't return to the house until dinner time as he was totally spaced out all morning. So when he returned to his house he was in an awful mood and all he needed to make him absolutely mad was the sight of Tigger and Roo bouncing up and down outside his house singing "bouncy, bouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, the wonderful....". "'Wonderful'?", thought Pooh aloud, "My foot, you'd think the writer of this shitty story could think up better lyrics for a song than that, and to think, they released the soundtrack album on cassette and CD; a lot of people are going to get ripped off." This lightened Pooh's mood somewhat, but the respite was brief.

"What was that you said?", asked Roo. "God does he never stop asking pathetic questions?", Pooh thought furiously, "I'm going to have to deal with these prats as well. Is there no-one in this place with intelligence apart from me?" Pooh asked despairingly."

Pooh felt himself extremely lucky as Roo had to go home for his afternoon sleep and that left Tigger at his mercy. Even better, Tigger suggested that himself and Pooh go and play Pooh-sticks; Pooh had smiled slyly as an idea formed in his overactive brain, and agreed - "What an opportunity", Pooh whispered to himself as he followed the innocent Tigger to the bridge.

Once on the bridge, and the rather pointless game of Pooh-sticks was under way, Pooh thought he'd much rather push his stick up Tigger's arse, rather than throwing it into the stream. Tigger was leaning over the side of the bridge looking for his stick. So he did not see Pooh's wide horrific grin as he outstretched his arms and moved toward Tigger with the intent of pushing the stupid cat into the stream - "Cats hate water, tee hee, he'll drown."

There was a loud splash as Tigger hit the water and started to struggle as his head was covered by water, he gulped and choked. Pooh was holding on to the rail of the bridge and jumping up and down with excitement and was joyously shouting at the drowning Tigger.

"Why?", spluttered Tigger as he slowly started to turn blue with the cold, which Pooh found hysterical, after all a blue Tigger?? How absolutely silly. "I'll tell you why you bastard", screamed Pooh, "It serves you right, hiding behind doors and jumping out, and scaring the shit out of people." But Tigger did not hear Pooh's answer as he was already floating downstream face down in the water, dead - "Good riddance", laughed Pooh, and looked at his watch, "Still time to get that little dick head Roo before he wakes up."

Pooh sneaked to the sleeping form of Roo's mum and saw Roo's ear poking out of her pouch - "Now I've got you, you little git", Pooh thought, smiling, as he threaded a needle with extra strong cotton. He was jolly grateful for Piglet's sewing lessons now, because he would be able to sew up Roo nice and tightly, so he would not be able to get out and his mum would not be able to rescue him. So very slowly and carefully Pooh began to sew Roo into his pouch and thereby suffocating the annoying idiotic twit. After the deed was done Pooh made his way back to his house wondering how Roo's mum would take the death of Roo. Badly, hoped Pooh, as he began to cough uncontrollably and felt general nausea overcome him.

By the time Pooh got home he had puked up several times and was very desperate for some more of the white solution. He trembled as he picked up the syringe and gave himself the remaining amount. An awfully large amount, one might say, for a small little bear like Pooh. In fact too much, Pooh died of an overdose, but he died with a smile on his face: he was dreaming that he was the only teddy bear made with a willy and dreamed how he surprised Eeyor one day - but that's a story for another day.

[jus_young]

I will never be able to read Winnie the Pooh to my children in the same way ever again. That is severely twisted but very good.

[Adam Savage]

Very sinister indead. Sometimes I wonder about you guys LOL

Here's the latest remains from Hazelborough Wood

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/IMGP2048.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/IMGP2047.jpg

[Ben Casey]

There is some lovely wood there :D

[MikeWilkinson]

I found that it tends to be the scouts and cadets that leave them, Where I find them they are usually clustered with a small area and it is fairly obvious that some instruction has been going on. There are loads in Delamere forest.

Very few near me, except my left overs which have all been modified by various inquisitive youths to suit there shenanigans.

I'll have to get some pics next time I'm over Delamere.

[Ben Casey]

We have loads around here but it is the old permission thing that puts me of or I would be out all the time especially in this weather I could live outdoors given the chance :)
Would be great to see some pics to

[comanighttrain]

I stumbled accross a few up Beinn Tairbet, usually they are close to the trail or the roads...

You get a lot of people here who see an episode of man vs wild, drive up to the highlands, build something, get bored and then leave...

[Adam Savage]

Most of the remains around here look pretty old, and many are filled with logs and branches, many they were made mostly to store firewood and what's inside is the remainder of the cache?

[Nature Unleashed]

The only remains I have found around here have come from the kids building there dens or tree houses, full of beer cans. Gunna try a different area next week when I am back from my weekend camping. Gunna take some photos and video of my gear, set up and area I stay, I will try and find some old remains aswel.

Does anybody know how to remove a lens on a bridge camera? I have a fuji s6500 and a wierd spot appears on every image just to the top of the image in the centre, to low to cut out aswel :( I dont know if its sensor damage or dust, it just randomly appeared one day and wont disapear lol

[Adam Savage]

The only remains I have found around here have come from the kids building there dens or tree houses, full of beer cans. Gunna try a different area next week when I am back from my weekend camping. Gunna take some photos and video of my gear, set up and area I stay, I will try and find some old remains aswel.

Does anybody know how to remove a lens on a bridge camera? I have a fuji s6500 and a wierd spot appears on every image just to the top of the image in the centre, to low to cut out aswel :( I dont know if its sensor damage or dust, it just randomly appeared one day and wont disapear lol

That'll be cool to see your kit and some vids, as for the bridge, I know people that have tried to take the lenses off before, always ends in the camera being sold on ebay as "parts, not working" lol. If the sensor is damaged, it would be cheaper to replace the camera, normally its the flash that goes first on fujis, followed by the zoom/focus motor sticking. I'm not saying it can't be done, just needs a lot of skill and probably a steady hand for the fiddly bits, oh and an understanding of how exactly it is all held together, i.e. clips, screws, pins, glue, slide on, etc. and what order they have to come out in.

[Nature Unleashed]

That'll be cool to see your kit and some vids, as for the bridge, I know people that have tried to take the lenses off before, always ends in the camera being sold on ebay as "parts, not working" lol. If the sensor is damaged, it would be cheaper to replace the camera, normally its the flash that goes first on fujis, followed by the zoom/focus motor sticking. I'm not saying it can't be done, just needs a lot of skill and probably a steady hand for the fiddly bits, oh and an understanding of how exactly it is all held together, i.e. clips, screws, pins, glue, slide on, etc. and what order they have to come out in.

Cheers mate, me and my bro found a nice secluded spot today in the middle of nowhere so I think I will heading there, hopefully take my bro and learn him a thing or 2 out there :) as for the camera I am gutted, I dont know if it is sun damage or not, it only appears against a light background and if the image is over/under exposed it disappears and it doesnt show up in any video I have shot with it. I am taking it with me camping this week, so I will see how it goes, if its still there by the end of the weekend I will just use it to record video and save for a canon 550D :D

[Adam Savage]

Cheers mate, me and my bro found a nice secluded spot today in the middle of nowhere so I think I will heading there, hopefully take my bro and learn him a thing or 2 out there :) as for the camera I am gutted, I dont know if it is sun damage or not, it only appears against a light background and if the image is over/under exposed it disappears and it doesnt show up in any video I have shot with it. I am taking it with me camping this week, so I will see how it goes, if its still there by the end of the weekend I will just use it to record video and save for a canon 550D :D

Not sure what it could be if it doesn't show in the videos, and the exposure alters it. Sounds like it could be part of the image proccessor that gathers the information from the sensor and turns them into a picture. Anyway, I look forward to seeing either photos or video from your outing, sounds like an ideal place.

[Nature Unleashed]

I have rang a farmer tonight about staying in his woods for a weekend, the place looks beautiful and its huge so a decent trek through the woods will hopefully take us far from civilisation and clear the air of the traffic from the motorway. I had to ring him as my bro and his mate where taking a short cut through there to get to the golf course and the farmer chased them on his quad with a 12 bore shotgun lmao

[Adam Savage]

I've had that happen before. I think he thought I was after his cattle or something, mind you, I was wearing a mossy oak oversuit and a gun slip LOL. I take it he said yes then, was nice of him. Some just hang up.

[Nature Unleashed]

It was actually his wife who answered, she said she is not sure and her husband isnt it, she wants us to go around on thursday to talk to them about what we would be doing in there, when we would be going and I expect to hear some ground rules, aslong as the answers yeah and we're allowed a fire I am happy lol. On the plus side they own some stables and my dad makes rugracks, window bars, saddle poles etc for stables and horseboxes and she wants to see some samples lol

[Adam Savage]

sounds like you can get a deal going, I wouldn't feel too bad if they say no to fires, one of my sites I can't have one, have to stick with gas stove. That one is a private conservation area, so he doesn't want to risk anything burning the lot to the ground. Still if he says yes, great.

[Nature Unleashed]

If he says yeah then I will be pitching there as often as possible LOL, preferably every week, if not its not to bad, theres plenty of woodland around here. The nicest spot I have found is private land, theres cameras up around the perimeter, and the police are there in no tome if anyone trespasses, its annoying as I used to go conker picking here as a child with my grandad. If only I was minted, I would buy the 1st 40 acre plot of woodland I found lol

[Adam Savage]

If he says yeah then I will be pitching there as often as possible LOL, preferably every week, if not its not to bad, theres plenty of woodland around here. The nicest spot I have found is private land, theres cameras up around the perimeter, and the police are there in no tome if anyone trespasses, its annoying as I used to go conker picking here as a child with my grandad. If only I was minted, I would buy the 1st 40 acre plot of woodland I found lol

I think thats a dream every bushcrafter has. Some of them lucky enough to have such a place. Ivans place is a fantastic bit of Dartmoor. Can't remember how big it is, but it's big enough. It's miles away from any big city and quite far from any towns or villages. One of the reasons I can't stay away from the place haha.

[Nature Unleashed]

I think thats a dream every bushcrafter has. Some of them lucky enough to have such a place. Ivans place is a fantastic bit of Dartmoor. Can't remember how big it is, but it's big enough. It's miles away from any big city and quite far from any towns or villages. One of the reasons I can't stay away from the place haha.

Jammy git. Thats always been a dream of mine, ever since being a child, I doubt it will ever happen like. Im well jelous of people who have their own land haha. Ohh well, I will just have to enjoy the land others share :)

[OKBushcraft]

Not very many shelters in the woods around here. Folks just aren't into it much. Us Bushcrafters are not a common find here. I have access to over 100acres near my home, I also have the family's 12 acres I grew up on within 5 minutes- 2 ponds still holding water and fish out of 5. We do have lots of state parks but cutting woods is strictly prohibited. I am getting the bug to go and make a shelter for me and the three young ones to play in when we want to itch from the chiggers and ticks. Went yesterday to play but the lightening was fierce!

[Adam Savage]

Not very many shelters in the woods around here. Folks just aren't into it much. Us Bushcrafters are not a common find here. I have access to over 100acres near my home, I also have the family's 12 acres I grew up on within 5 minutes- 2 ponds still holding water and fish out of 5. We do have lots of state parks but cutting woods is strictly prohibited. I am getting the bug to go and make a shelter for me and the three young ones to play in when we want to itch from the chiggers and ticks. Went yesterday to play but the lightening was fierce!

I guess the US is such a big place, with such large wooded areas, that even if there were a few shelters about, it would be hard to find one. Sounds like you have some good locations not too far away. We generally have the same rule when it comes to cutting timbers. I think thats why it must be mostly kids that build them, as bushcrafters tend to stick to the rules a little more with such things. Debris shelters are normally ok, as it's just a case of finding what is laying around.

[Adam Savage]

Found a couple more last night. Looks like they used way too big timbers though.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/projects%20and%20equipment/06052011628.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/projects%20and%20equipment/06052011627.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/projects%20and%20equipment/06052011629.jpg

[OKBushcraft]

That does make me want to go and play.....
got to play with fire today so not all has been in vain.

[Edwin]

Here are details of the build of a mesolithic house using largish timbers and that was was lived in off and on for many years.

http://research.ncl.ac.uk/howick/reconstruction/reconstruction.htm

[Adam Savage]

Here are details of the build of a mesolithic house using largish timbers and that was was lived in off and on for many years.

http://research.ncl.ac.uk/howick/reconstruction/reconstruction.htm

Looks cosy. Like the great grandaddy of the debris shelter. Wouldn't mind living in one of those for a year or so.

[Humakt]

Those shelters are almost certainly the work of scouts, especially if its Forestry Commission woods. But even if not, then the likelihood is quite high it's scouts anyway. The main giveaway is the places they've been built in - nice and open so all can watch as the instructor tells them what to do.
I would expect bushcrafters (who may be there without permission, but doing a bit of stealth camping) would have chosen more secluded spots and not built such big and obvious structures.

[Adam Savage]

Those shelters are almost certainly the work of scouts, especially if its Forestry Commission woods. But even if not, then the likelihood is quite high it's scouts anyway. The main giveaway is the places they've been built in - nice and open so all can watch as the instructor tells them what to do.
I would expect bushcrafters (who may be there without permission, but doing a bit of stealth camping) would have chosen more secluded spots and not built such big and obvious structures.

I think you probably have a point there. Also built under the coniferous trees, with little leaf litter under foot, I'm sure bushcrafters would have chosen a place close to the supply of insulating roof material (as we can be quite lazy).

[Edwin]

The Forestry Commission actively encourage children to make dens etc which is nice compared to the attitudes of some Municipal authorities and their open spaces
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fce-rope-swings-dens-fires.pdf/$FILE/fce-rope-swings-dens-fires.pdf

[Adam Savage]

The Forestry Commission actively encourage children to make dens etc which is nice compared to the attitudes of some Municipal authorities and their open spaces
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fce-rope-swings-dens-fires.pdf/$FILE/fce-rope-swings-dens-fires.pdf

Interesting read. I do some voluntary work for the local commission, but as it's mainly small copses around lakes and fields, I never get to hear about this sort of thing.

[Ben Casey]

They should do mor publicity on it to get the kids away from there computers and TV :)

[Edwin]

I found it when I was reading up on the case of some kids from the Midlands who were criticised and cautioned by the local police for playing in some waste woodland, building a tree-house and accidentally breaking the branch of a tree. Should have been glue-sniffing like normal kids!!