Customs, life and generations
I love Mora knives. There, I’ve said it. I know not everyone agrees to their greatness, but I grew up with Mora knives being the only knife everyone used, outdoors, in the garage, at school woodwork class, at work, literally everyone, and everywhere. I love...
Nature, solitude and company
As a father of two fantastic boys, hiking & camping means different things to me, depending on for what reasons, and how it is all done. And the resulting experience is therefore for me also quite different. This can, at times, also be a source of concern and...
The Fall of Western Civilization, or just a bump in the road
It might seem odd writing about civilization and city life on a site that focuses on nature and traditional way of life, but as the latter connects to history and our reading of it, and to our way of applying our understanding of it to our own time and our place in...
What’s in a name? Some thoughts on Norse culture, nature and name choosing.
It might seem a bit odd writing about old Norse gods and mythology on a blog that primarily focuses on nature, hiking and bushcraft, but living in Scandinavia, surrounded by locations, streets and structures that still carry their names and relate to their worship...
The Sound of the Raven
Some of my favourite sounds in the woods are the sounds that the raven make. After the raven disappearing almost completely, the forests I go into now have quite a lot of them and on a lucky day you can see 10-15 of them together, although more commonly you see or...
Sviðna, Svedjebruk and Slash & Burn cultivation
Out of the ashes that is left after the burning of peat, bushes and sticks a remarkable fertility now arises, so that especially if you therein sow winter rye, beets, poppy, flax or hemp, a rich and plentiful harvest is generated. Olaus Magnus, Historia de gentibus...
Why go on solo hikes?
Camping and hiking for most people means a group activity, something you do with your friends and family to provide company and comfort in an environment that is unfamiliar, and at night for many even a bit scary. Going solo however, has its own merits and I will here...
Dangers of winter and how to prepare
Wintertime and cold weather pose their own particular challenges, discomforts and dangers and you need to know a few basics to make life easier and safer under the conditions these seasons offer for your outdoors life. This article collects advice that attempt to...
Nordic words for snow
In the parts of the world, or more specifically, the regions and places where snow has a direct influence on people’s lives, it is quite common for people to have different words describing the characteristics of the snow based on how it influences their lives...
On the differences between Bushcrafting, Survivalism & Prepping
In today’s society we have a few different groups and sub cultures that all take an interest in non-urban life as well as in nature and ways and methods for living and working in it. The three I will discuss here are bushcrafting, survivalism and prepping. These...
Let kids play with knives
I was fortunate to grow up in a time and place where it was quite normal for kids, and boys in particular, to use knives, cutting twigs and branches into various usable items, like sausage sticks, bow and crossbow arrows, staves etc, etc, not to mention a whole lot of...
Learning to handle being lost
Getting lost for some time in the wild isn’t necessarily a bad or dangerous experience and also something you can practice in gradually more difficult environments. Here are some tips based on personal experience of getting “lost” in the woods every...
Canoeing alone the easy way
So having just gotten back from a couple of days of canoeing and having watched a flock of highschool teens loudly struggling with little resulting movement and control, here are a few basic tips primarily for those who would like to learn to paddle alone, but with...
Life in circles – small ponderings
Happy the man, who, remote from business, after the manner of the ancient race of mortals, cultivates his paternal lands with his own oxen, disengaged from every kind of usury; he is neither alarmed by the horrible trump, as a soldier, nor dreads he the angry sea; he...
A list of things you should get to better enjoy nature
The range of products available for hiking and camping is today pretty overwhelming, with specialized high tech gear and gadgets that can often cost a fortune or two. However, much of it is quite unnecessary, and only a few items are strictly needed, while a few more...
Walking with ease and awareness
We all have a natural tendency to try to choose the shortest and the easiest route as we travel to a location. The fundamental desire is to not exhaust oneself unnecessarily, preserving energy, which of course is wise. However, finding the middle way between those two...
On George Washington “Nessmuk” Sears
George Washington Sears (December 2, 1821 – May 1, 1890), might not be so internationally famous, but among American bushcrafters he is without doubt one of the most well-known and influential early fathers of the whole lifestyle, inspiring other renowned outdoorsmen...
The importance of knowing a basic set of skills for nature
Despite being vaguely aware of history and what came before us it is almost impossible to emotionally not feel as if everything has always been more or less the way it is now. As humans we are very much focused, for natural reasons, on the absolute present and it is...
Everyman’s Right in the Nordic countries
While most countries in the western world designate certain remote and less populated state or commune-owned areas for camping and hiking, most of the Nordic countries handle this quite differently and in a way that surprises many from other parts of the world....
Hiking alone for the first time?
So, you are considering hiking alone for the first time? What can you expect from that experience? Well first of all, it will be an amazing and strong experience. There will be no distraction from other people (hopefully) and it is just you and nature, meaning you...
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