Coopering is the trade of producing a vessel from wood staves, without the use of joinery or adhesives. The tools and methods employed are remarkably unchanged between the earliest vessels and bespoke items still being produced; a sharp edge, a guide, and hoops may have changed in design and longevity, but the act of creating…
Quick and simple 6-board chest
Materials list 1″ x 10″ x 8′ board (big box pine) or 4/4 s3s or better 9.5″ wide minimum at 8′ from a lumber yardHinges, varying from a simple leather hinge to custom forged options Process Lay out measurements Tools: Saw horses, square, pencil Measure from one end || lid: 17 | Side 1: 17…
An afternoon with a coracle
I am sometimes a prideful man and so decided to hold off mention of a project until I could put it to the test. That test now complete and a raging success, I introduce to you the Outlands entrant and Top Ten finisher [there were 4 entrants] in the inaugural Lilies regatta: Ol’ Roundy, the…
But for a drink of cool water
The tent was then erected and he sat there in great delight, expressing his gratitude for the favour that God had shown him. Then he summoned King Guy, his brother and Prince Reynald. He handed the king a drink of iced julep, from which he drank, being dreadfully thirsty… Baha al-Din Ibn Shaddad, The Rare…
A Second Camp in Winter
The local people, with whom we were on friendly terms, urged us to be prudent as regards clothing and to take large quantities. They made it sound very frightening and serious. When we saw the reality with our own eyes, however, we realized that it was twice as bad as we had been told. Each…
One Year In
A year ago I was thawing out and cleaning gear from our inaugural trip into the snow. We had spent a day wandering about in search of a place for the tents, settling on a protected clearing far enough off a trail to be undisturbed, but close enough to the exit that we could make…
What’s in your kit: Pilgrim scrip
On any given day, you may have a sole or seam tear out – or find yourself beside a stream with a bit of time to kill. One aspect of these trips which has stuck with me is the need to develop a set of everyday items that are useful and always with you. Like…
A Pilgrimage in the Wilderness
Here is a story of the adventurous spirit of the Outlands. The Kingdom of the Outlands is a unique place, where in a week’s time one can walk on vast plains in one place and stand among peaks covered in snow in another. In other places in that kingdom, one might stand upon the…
Lessons learned from the first winter trip
Following Queen’s Prize, in November, I complained at length to Finn about the general apathy in the area towards historicity, and the dearth of winter activities by a kingdom populated with people in norse or pseudo-norse garb. This led to a discussion about doing a winter camping event, to be spent huddled for a night…
A Winter Excursion
On the feast of Saint Sebastian, nine brave Outlanders ventured into the snowy forests of Caer Galen. Every drop of water froze and a deep snow covered all, but a roaring fire and warm friendship saw them through the long, cold night. The best description I have for this past weekend is authentic. In…