Bush craft course

The new safety guide lines require all people who take girls tramping to be qualified outdoor leaders, so I have started taking the multitude of courses that I need to attend. This weekend I did the bush craft/tramping course to learn about equipment, packing, navigation, weather, river crossings, stoves and cooking. Most of the participants were relatively inexperienced, or hadn't done much for a long time. So our instructor had to pitch it at a basic level.

We were tramping in the Kamai's, an area that has a lot of logging and mining history. The tramp was along a old railway line, so very easy, with only the river crossings really posing any challenge because it was a little deep with large slippy rocks.

Walking along the Waitawheta River on the old railway line

The old railway with the log truck

The falls over the hexagonal dacite rock just near the Waitawheta hut

My tent buddies for the weekend - Claire and Annette

I have now done the outdoor first aid and bush craft - just the risk management and river crossing courses to go... then a final assessment. At least while I am doing the courses they have taken all my experience in to account and I can continue to take the girls tramping.