Monday 3 March 2008

The Pole Bed

A pole bed is made by lashing three pieces of wood together to form an "A" frame. Having constructed a second "A" frame, you lash them to two trees about 7 feet apart.
Two long poles are then rested on the horizontal bar of the "A" frames. I carry a piece of rip-stop nylon which I have sewn into a tube and this is threaded over and along the two poles. This is what I lay on and supports my body.

If I do not have a sleep mat or Reindeer skin with me, I stuff the inside of the nylon tube with dry grass or leaves as insulation. I can then put a tarp over the bed for protection from the weather.

The pile of material beneath the pole bed is Wych Elm bark which I spent the night processing to make cordage.


It's the site where I run my courses Norseman ;>)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sweet camp. Did you make that bucksaw in the field, or did you bring it along with you?

Fenlander said...

I made it in the field from an Ash sapling. I will do a post on it's construction. cheers Kevin

Anonymous said...

Is that a parachute you use as an awning? I se those in a lot of bushcraft gathering photos from across the pond.

Fenlander said...

It is indeed a parachute. What do you guys use at your gatherings?

Anonymous said...

Just the forest canopy for me. The forest here canopy is dense enough that unless it is reaing REALLY hard you can stay pretty dry. You manage a private reseve if I understand correctly. What all does you job entail?