The LOCATIONS
We currently run courses in three highly distinctive and unique locations. Our primary site in the United Kingdom is a fantastic piece of un-spoilt ancient woodland where deer and squirrels abound among the bracken undergrowth and sun bathed clearings of the Essex countryside. Being located conveniently close to all major forms of transportation feeding London our site is ideal for all our bush crafting needs as well as offering easy access and safe parking to our guests and visitors and as such is an ideal place for you to begin to hone your own newly acquired wilderness living skills to perfection.

Our second (and favourite) site is located in the exquisitely beautiful Swedish wilderness county of Värmland, a county and a country famous for its mighty lakes and majestic forests of silver birch, pine and spruce in whose shaded glades wolf, bear, lynx, and wolverine can still be found as well as the magnificent and noble king of the forest, the mighty Elk.

Your Instructor. Gary Wale, Born in Essex Gary spent much of his formative years exploring the verdant nooks and crannies of Epping Forest (a place where he can often be found today) Gary served with distinction for 15 years in HM forces,. Highly trained in military survival skills he then went on to study under and assist in the instruction of Bushcraft with Ray Mears and the Woodlore team here in the Great Britain.

Since those early days Gary has gone on to study and learn new bushcraft skills and attitudes from all over the world while constantly reviewing and renewing the core values of Bearclaw Bushcraft and its exciting curriculum, this is a life times journey which means the skills taught by Bearclaw aren't just rehashed skills learnt on someone else's course but are skills which have been lived and put into practice for real.

Through these adventures Gary, now proudly, has friends among the first nation people of North America and the Lappish Sámi in Northern Finland not to mention noted Scandinavian outdoorsmen and some of bushcraft's most noted figures such as Australia's foremost outdoors man Bob Cooper and Sweden's granddaddy of all things bushcraft and survival Preben Mortensen.

Your Instructor. Steve Wiggins.

Hailing from Kent, Steve has earned his bushcraft knowledge the old way, by doing! A former student with Bearclaw amongst others, Steve’s depth of knowledge is now second to none even though, if asked, he is humble enough to say there’s always something new to learn and that no one knows everything.

An expert and experienced field chef, Steve has excellent fire management skills. Steve, a former WEISS student, was in 2009 promoted to a lead instructor on the WEISS Temperate courses.

An instructor who has truly been there and done it and accumulated over 5 years instructional experience in the process