1. Always keep your knifes / axes as sharp as possible – a sharp tool is a safe tool!

2. Gaffer tape has more uses than you can think of – always carry a ‘strip’ – wrap it round a water bottle or something you will take anyway instead of lugging a roll

3. 35mm film and the new APS film canisters make great small containers for herbs, spices, matches etc - If you use the clear ones you can see what is inside too!

4. Remember the rule of threes! – you can live 3 Minutes without air, 3 hours without adequate shelter in winter, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food! (Approximately of course!) remember this and you have the priority’s you need to address to survive.

5. Always carry water and check the map for likely water sources during your trip.

6. Don't forget the bog roll

7. When you’re looking for a campsite in the woods check all the surrounding trees are alive and then look up and check for dead, part broken or hung up fallen branches.

8. Keep your fire lighting equipment and a little tinder in a water proof bag/wrapper about your person Some where then if you loose everything you’ll still be able to light a fire.

9. Don’t Panic think things through stay clam and make clear decisions.

10. try and set camp before dark

11. Start the fire before you need it, because you never know what is coming

12. NEVER pitch under a big old tree, in particular Beech. They drop the biggest limbs

13. Always replace everything back into the same pockets (then you know where it is or isn't as the case maybe)

14. Never leave you sleeping bag in its stuff sack when you get home

15. Cut a 2ft length of Elder, hollow it out, use to blow into the heart of the fire.

16. A yard/metre of muslin, - It has many, many, fine uses as packs quite small. Here are just a few: Use it as a filter, Cooking in it e.g. tie your veg or meet in it and boil or steam or use it to make paneer, Carry stuff in it, Melt snow in it, Its a sling, Its a bandage, Its a scarf, Its a shemagh, Its socks (Russain wrap around type), Its a towel/handkerchief etc. - Its dirt cheap. When it get to dirty or to many catches turn it into charcloth and buy another yard

17. Learn to make do with what you have around you. Can you substitute anything in the vicinity for that much-needed piece of kit?

18. Standing dead wood is drier than fallen wood

19. Wood thats wet on the outside is usually dry inside if split

20. Use the leftover fire dogs from last night and your firesteel to relight the fire in the morning!

21. carefully pick your spot for the night

22. In wet or cold conditions dry birch bark on your trousers or other dry clothing and then store under your arm pit until lighting.

23. When you pack your bag write a kit list , then when you get home you can see what you used, what you didn't use and would never use and what you didn't use and really need to carry e.g. first aid kit. This way you can up date your list every time you go out. you should end up with a lite pack that contains all you need. - I lay my kit out and take a digital photo before I go and the amend a word document that i've used over and over again.