Seeing your videos makes me want to do the exact same thing. Makes me wanna learn about how my Apache ancestors managed on their treks through the Chihuahuan desert.
For me, I would have to study up on my German and Polish ancestry and see how they lived and survived in this time period. I would love to do the same thing.
It's awesome to learn these details and see how these things are used. I'm Australian but most of my ancestors are Scottish. I love learning how my ancestors lived and the details of their daily life. Thanks for making these videos, they are appreciated.
I can see a lot of these things being used in the early days of Australian exploration. Hard places both lands, Australia a little more so though as the plant life was extremely different.
inspired me to do a similar trip in Norfolk last October, no Scottish ancestry but I just love how practical the kilt is, I traded up for a few modern comforts like fluffy wellies and a proper hiking backpack but did my first 20 mile hike on the peddars way, then to finish it off I spent I night under the stars in just my sleeping bag albeit a chilly one as it rained a few minutes before sunset, that part of the north norfolk coast has really low light pollution however so was extremely worth it, thanks for the inspiration
I can only imagine what the night sky would look like with little light pollution. I did experience that once when in the mountains in Arizona. I walked into a clearing and looked up..... I couldn't look away. It was so beautiful. I'm not trying to be religious, but thinking back to when reading about the people in old testimate bible days, the celestial bodies they described seeing that we today need a telescope to see.... wow........ Almost no light pollution then. I want to experience that.
Heyo, previously professional explorer here, worked with the US government to do some ecological surveys in the deserts of New Mexico. I just wanna say I was trained along the way by some very excellent wilderness experts, but I do wish I had done a lot more previous research like you have to determine what would be best to survive out there. I really like a lot of the kit you use like the cloth (which I can compare to my shemagh) and the staff (which I gifted several to my supervisors as it had many uses in the field) and will have to do a lot more previous research to ensure life out on the hitch is as practical and comfortable as possible next time I get out there. However, I'm glad we agree that knives are a must out there, you never know what you'll need and I keep my Bowie by my bedside all the time. Thank you for the inspiration and good luck on your future endeavors. Have a good yin!
god damn that landscape at 16:50 is absolutely jaw dropping... It almost looks like you've traveled back in time to the Jurassic period lol. I'm literally sitting here with the video paused just staring in amazement and jealousy.
Wonderful video, great resource. Sorry for going there, but how did you handle potty breaks? Good form is to bury, well away from water sources. Didn't see any larger leaves to wipe with. Curious how you handled this necessary, inevitable task and if it was addressed historically.
Sehr cool. Ein Schaffell nutze ich auch seit 20 Jahren als Isomatte. Ein Plaid suche ich noch. Ich denke das ein Plaid das ultimative Survivaltool ist.
I enjoyed your adventure, I am an Aussie, and I am a walking midge target. If you invent a repellent you will become a zillionaire over night. Best of Luck for your future adventures. 👌👍
I'm not usually one to leave comments, but you have inspired me in so many ways. Lately though I've been inspired to start forging traditional Scottish fire steels for flint and steel kits. Its a long way but if you would ever like one shipped out to you from the USA let me know, I'd be happy too!
Awesome breakdown Tom. Keeping your feet in good repair was probably the most important part. The thicker leather of the cow hide would be worth it. And the warmer plaid as well. I'd keep the pemmican and drop some of the bannock. Both are great "survival" food but you get more bang for your buck with the pemmican. Nate
Fascinating mate! So much thought gone into this! One thing that struck me is that you've got the weight right down. Much less than my modern gear - all in that wee bag and carried about you! I carry miles more weight for an over-nighter! Cheers!
Beautiful green country, even denuded of trees as it is these...centuries. Got a good dose of Scottish, Irish and supposedly Pictish, among other things in my lineage. Have always wanted to visit Scotland. Even dreamed of living a quiet life in the Highlands or something. The way things are going with the world now, I seriously doubt that will ever happen. I have more freedom in the USA, and there's a lot more land here. It does my heart good to see you roaming and enjoying it in a way that pays homage to and honors our ancestors.
I enjoy your videos on early cultural camping. I have been enjoying similar videos about living here in America in the late 1600s put out by an American. I will start looking for similar content for other cultures. Have a good day.
12:30 I was fascinated to see your use of dried meat as a protein source. Now, I'm a Saffer (from South Africa). My ancestors were called Voortrekkers, and they banded together in groups and travelled from the then Cape Colony (around Cape Town) into the hinterland. Clearly they also needed ways to make food last. Their solution was something called Biltong. This is salt-dried venison (or beef) sometimes seasoned with ground coriander and cloves. Many of us still make this today and is now available in the UK. If you want to chat about details, that would be my pleasure!
Awesome vid, thank you. Can't help but wonder about weather protection, surely the plaid will wet out leading to hypothermia in mild weather even. Campsite selection must have been incredibly important, and Scotland was far more forested then.
Wool retains about 80% of its insulation when wet, and because the wind doesn’t blow through wet wool as easily as dry wool it’s still about as warm. Norwegian fishers traditionally wore tightly felted knit mittens and deliberately wetted them to make them windproof.
I especially liked how much thought you put into the weight. The first time I went camping with my basket-hilt sword I thought it would be too heavy on the day hikes, but I ended up using it to balance weight like you did. This video inspired me use more historical food!
I'm up in the California Sierras. The terrain here is a tad dryer and warmer than the Highlands of Scotland, but many of the items he recommends still apply. However cotton and denim are much more appropriate during the dry months(the best ten and a half months of the year). Wool definitely makes sense in the true Winter up here, dress accordingly.
My family is a blend of cree and Scottish. My great grandpa was a McDonald, his father spoke fluent Gaelic. I love watching these historical videos, it helps me create a mental image of my ancestors.
That was fascinating. As an avid hiker in my younger days watching your trip and gear was fun. Frankly other than the shoes what you had was practical and comfortable compared to modern gear.
Really good video, thank you. I cooked a modern Bannock recipe each day for my lunch during a hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon (carrying a bit more than 12kg!!!) and it is an excellent and fuel-economical food. I'll look up your earlier video and recipes. You're producing excellent content, best wishes.
Thoroughly enjoyed. I've often wondered about trying such a journey where I live in Colorado. The trail would be roughly 2700 to 3400 meters, and nighttime temps can drop below 2° C in some spots of the Rockies. Foraging is an issue as one would have to time the trip to be able to forage most wild berries. Water would be an issue, as TTBOMK, currently no stream or body of water is Giardia free anymore, so a water filter or boiling would be necessary for drinking water. Enjoyed your video very much. It has been a few generations since my Great, Great, Great Grandparents emigrated from. Scotland, but it does give me a sense of reconnecting with my heritage.
The Highanders carried pemican in America. Especially, when they married in to Native families. A product of such a union. Yours truly, Brian. I say hello from the U.S. and Let's go Brandon!
Tom mate I have to say I love all ur videos so much and how much detail actually goes into not just ur kit but how u tell it an different ways u use the camera 😍just pointing out u say about it hard to get cow hide but just go to IKEA an they do cow hide rugs an sheep hid rugs as well
This is so cool! love your vibe and what you are doing, its like going back to go forward. I personally think our ancestors were right about pretty much everything and did it better than us .
An excellent presentation Sir, I do this at least twice a year (30+years), although not with gear of old, my kids choose where, & throw darts in a board for when they also choose 5 of the ten bits of kit I take with me, not including the clothes I'm stood in & those depend on the season, I do this in all seasons & for 5 to 12 days at a time, with 2 days food in case of emergencies, It's not like I'm under fire but it does still keep me grounded & hopefully will give me an edge should I ever need it, my Princess(granddaughter 10) has taken an interest & is a very quick learner regardless of her autism, it doesn't hold her back building motorcycles so why should this be different, on our last trip together she taught a guy that had everything the world would possibly need to go camping with, how to start a fire in a drizzle, she used the "Bowdrill" she made from scraps in the forest, where as he couldn't do it with the shop bought one he paid over£40 for, I think they believe you only have to have them to know how they work, where as we know that practice makes capable, perfect is not a word I use very much as it never seems to turn out that way.
Im intending to try this, but when the weather is a bit warmer and I've convinced my wife to let me. I like to think i have sufficient skill in most things i could be moderately comfortable out in the wild. My main weak point is campfire cooking, but without doing it i'm never going to learn.
I love your videos. I discovered you last year and now realize that i've missed some of your content because my sub box just doesn't show me everything sometimes. I've fixed the issue by ringing that bell. Anyway, you give me a lot of inspiration for my art(and just bring some joy to my life in general) and i'm happy that this video popped up in my sub feed.
I really love this video and have loads of respect and admiration for the effort it must have taken to produce it. Your experience with deer skin footwear matches my own. Deer hide is so useful for so many things but footwear is not one of them. Thanks for another well done and entertaining video experience!
Love your videos. In my younger days, I hiked and camped out a great deal. It is so interesting to see how you make and use natural items to make ingenious tools and equipment. I am ashamed to say I used modern conveniences but wish I was young enough to do things your way.
That was a really enjoyable watch, thanks for sharing it. It is people like you that are keeping the past alive and exploring it looks truly amazing, thanks again and cheers.
Love your channel. I have a friend who lives in the Highlands and she contracted Lyme disease years ago ,. Not to put a damper on your enthusiasm but are you aware of this and do you take precautions. Apparently you can get better advice from a Vet than the NHS which is true still to this day , know very little about it. For me this knowledge and awareness would also be part of my " bush craft kit " Let me know and keep up the wonderful vids Do dheagh shlainte
Love these videos, great kit. I’m constantly watching videos to update my traditional bushcraft kit and I really love how primitive this kit is and how natural, love it.
I just recently subscribed and bought one of your cool patches.I really appreciate what you do as I've been into Scotish culture most of my Life.I am a big fan of a traditional Scotish band named the Tannahil Weavers.Keep up the amazing work.👍
much respect for what u built yourself knowledgewise and with this channel! Gives me a big motivation in learning survival skills and expand my knowledge. Ty good sir!
You are like the end game main character in a 17th century highland survival game. It would have been cool to see you walking and setting up/tearing down camp like the show Survivor Man. It would be cool if it has a storyline as well. Why is this man going on a four day trip? What would the communities around him be doing? Would he even pass anyone or just wildlife? Great video, i can't wait for more.
During the Seven Years' War (French and Indian War) (1756-1763) the 42nd Royal Highlanders, 77th Montgomery's Highlanders, and the 78th Fraiser's Highlanders regiments were in North America and had quite a bit of contacts with Native Americans. It is completely possible that some of the soldiers could have learned about pemmican and taken that knowledge back to Scotland. See the book Sons of the Mountains by Ian Macpherson McCulloch.
Well done. I don’t know what leather you used for your shoes. Ah, I remember, deer hide, no. If you use cow hide, belly leather, your shoes will last much longer than a few days. To shape them easily you should case the leather just before working it. Put a “sockette” of deer hide or pig skin, glued with a mixture of pva glue and wallpaper paste, flesh side down, after you’ve shaped the shoes. I like what you’re doing.
You should do a video constrasting what you have in this video with a hiker with all the modern hiking equipment like Goretex jacket, backpack and hiking tent.
Love your videos man. You really inspire me to go camping in my kilt and 17th-18th century garb. I always enjoy your videos man. Keep up the good work and if you ever get a chance to come over to the great northwest hit me up and we'll do some camping out in the wilderness. With cougars, bears, wolves and other challenges that might be out in the great outdoors 😁👍.
really awesome video, thank you :) I admire what your doing here, using history but filling in the gaps our knowledge by working out what could have been done to solve problems with the materials they had available in that time, and then trying it out, I have heard this referred to as "experimental archeology"
Being of Scottish ancestry I do this very thing every now and then. Only from the Colorado Rockies. So I wear a Viscos/poly blend Great Kilt in the summer and my 16 oz 5 yd Feileadh Mòr in the mid Spring and mid to late Autumn. I belive the kilt pin was born from Queen Victoria obsession with modesty. I don't think Highlander would have worn them.
Absolutely fantastic! Myself & a group of friends are attempting historical hiking (mostly early medieval) & some of this info we can use for our own packs. Thank you!
If I ever make it out to Scotland, I would love to do one of these with you, I have a great tartan, ( 9 yards of fabric, same pattern as your 4 meter one), A bow I made myself, my dirk, Broadsword, sigh dubh, drinking horn, and tankard, sporran, and kilt pins, tinder box, with a lighter, just in case. My Tam, belts and all. had them for about 20 years, but rarely get to use the gear of my ancestors. and much more.
9 yards of “narrowcloth” (half the width of “broadcloth, which is what most machine-woven cloth is since the arm span of a human is no longer a concern) is about right for a great kilt. It would be woven as a single length and then cut into two half-lengths and sewn together selvedge to selvedge.
you needed a waterproof windbreaker ! maybe an oil skin tarp ? keep your body heat from getting blown away ! not very heavy ! the supplies and equipment are great ! this is the stuff I carries when I was growing up ! I was always walking somewhere ! had no money to buy equipment ,and it was not available to buy anyway ! I made it ! researched and then made it !
I am from the USA, and have been watching a few videos on y tube from Scotland, cyclist, mountain climbing and the type of tents they are using... in your travels, have you met any like that and are they surprised at your outfit w/home made food ,etc... and the long sword would be a topic of conversation...thanks, been enjoying your videos... 👍
You should consider hardtack. If done right they are surprisingly tasty for just flour salt and water. Of course you can experiment with it and add flavoring. But it has an incredible shelf life and is super lightweight
From the dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries. Living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known we were among you...until now.
It doesn't get said enough how tough the Highlanders were. I know my great-grandfather was Scottish, but don't know if he was from the highlands or a lowland Scot. Either way, the only trip I have on my agenda that's a must do before I die is to see the highlands.
You can toughen yourself up quite easily if you have the gumption. For example I went mountaineering in Siberia in winter. I had less issues with the cold than the guide did and they were local.
My grandma would make drawer oat slab cut in to rectangle shapes and fried in bacon fat or beef dripping cook till crispy and brown on the outside very tasty and filling TC from Marcus