Shelter Building

Shelter building is the bushcraft skill of making a simple shelter from natural materials, such as fallen branches, sticks, leaves and ferns. A good shelter keeps off the wind and rain and holds in warmth, which is why it comes first on most survival lists. For families, it's also a brilliant team project: part den building, part problem-solving and all outdoors.

It's one of the oldest skills there is. People have always needed a way to stay dry and warm, and the basic ideas behind a woodland shelter have hardly changed.

The A-frame is the classic. A long, strong branch called a ridgepole rests in the fork of a tree or on two crossed sticks, with its other end on the ground. Shorter sticks lean along both sides like ribs, making a tent shape.

A lean-to has a single sloping wall propped against a fallen log or a pole tied between two trees. It's quick to build and open on one side.

A debris hut is an A-frame packed under a thick layer of leaves, bracken and forest litter. The deeper the layer, the better it keeps out the cold and wet.

A tarp shelter uses a waterproof sheet and some rope instead of natural materials. It's a handy shortcut when you're camping, and a good way to practise knots.

First, pick your spot. Look for flat, dry ground that isn't in a dip where rainwater collects, and always look up for dead or hanging branches overhead. Then gather your materials, using only wood that has already fallen. Set up the ridgepole, lean the ribs close together along both sides and weave thinner sticks through them to make a lattice. Finally, pile on leaves and ferns, starting at the bottom and working up, so the rain runs off like it does from tiles on a roof. A thick bed of dry leaves inside stops the cold ground stealing your warmth. When you're finished, good bushcrafters take the shelter apart and leave the woods as they found them.

Yes, and it works best as a team. Grown-ups can help lift and place the ridgepole while children hunt for the perfect sticks and gather armfuls of leaves. Your Activity Leader starts with the elements of survival and why shelter matters, then talks you through what to watch out for in the woods before everyone gets building. There's something very special about crawling inside a shelter you made yourselves, and plenty of children want to build another one straight away.

Clothes you don't mind getting muddy, with long sleeves and long trousers to protect against scratches, nettles and brambles. Sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots are best on uneven woodland ground. Gloves help when carrying rough branches, and a waterproof layer is handy in case the weather turns.

You might also like Survival Skills, Fire Lighting and Forest School.

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