Night Out : Noahs First Night Under Tarp

Once again Noah and myself attended the September meet at White Rose woods near Towcester with plans for it to be Noah's first night under tarp (the Vango Banshee 300 went along in the car in case Noah felt uncomfortable without the security of being in a tent)

I set up the tarp in a flying diamond configuration close to the communal fire pit, this way I would be close enough to hear him if there were any issues. 

Alex managed to get two rabbits during the day and demo his method for preparing the rabbit for the stew.  Noah watched with interest on what was happening, however he did not want to try the stew later.

I took the bow along with me for some practice and set up a target a safe distance away, after a while I was getting some nice clusters.

Anyone who wanted to have a go on the bow did, however not every one listened to instruction and preferred to come up with their own method of firing the bow.

Around the camp

Bunny Stew

Though out the day I spent time with Noah under our tarp and he seemed pretty comfortable with the idea of sleeping under the tarp.  We sat around the campfire for most of the night and Noah soon started to fall asleep after some hot chocolate.

Noah got into his sleeping bag and soon feel off to sleep.

Throughout the evening I checked on Noah several times, placing him back on to his sleeping mat after rolling off.

In the morning we both woke up early, Noah had a great nights sleep and woke up happy, especially when we were visited by one of the fellow campers dog.

Its moments like this where I really want a bushdog for myself. 

It was a very successful night out in the woods and Noah enjoyed his time in the woods.  Now we are both looking forward to the next night out. 

Bimble : Tom Dick Harry Tree

For awhile my brother and myself had wanted to go find a local tree with which has some history behind it, so we took the kids out for a walk.

It was a nice eerie day as we walked to the tree we were looking for.

an this was the tree we were looking for.

 

The History
The Dunsdon brothers, Tom, Dick and Harry were from Fulbrook which is just outside Burford and part of the Burford Parish, they were also known as "The Burford Highwaymen". The brothers began their life of crime by robbing farmers of stock and money as they travelled to market, they would hide the stolen livestock in the local Wychwood Forest. 

They were rumoured to be responsible for robbing the Gloucester to Oxford coach. The oldest brother Dick disappeared after a failed robbery at Tangley Hall, 2 miles outside Burford. The brothers attempted to rob the place but the owners had been tipped off and as Dick put his arm through an opening in the door to remove the bolt the people waiting inside grabbed his arm and tied it to the bolt so that Dick could not pull it back out. Dick shouted to his brothers "cut! cut!" and one of his brothers drew his sword and severed off his arm at the elbow. 

As they fled they are rumoured to have gone to the Merrymouth Inn where their requests for help were refused and they then shot the innkeeper and left him for dead. The brothers fled and Dick was never seen or heard of again and is believed to have died of his injuries. Tom and Harry were captured after attending the Burford Whitsuntide Festival in Capps Lodge, after an altercation with a man called William Harding who was shot by Harry in the chest,  The landlord and several others apprehended the fugitives and delivered them to the Gloucestershire gaol (jail). 

Some weeks later Harding died and the brothers were tried for his murder and convicted. The sentence on these "desperate fellows who had long been a terror to the country where they lived" as the judge summed it up was death by hanging and their bodies to be hung in chains thereafter. Their bodies were hanged from a gibbet tree on the edge of the forest which was once their refuge. This tree is still there today. 

Text  from http://www.tomdickandharry.co.uk/othertomdickandharrys.html

H, T carved into the tree. (possibly a D below but could not say for sure)

The Gibbet Tree - Gibbet Tree, Capp's Lodge, Fulbrook

The Gibbet Tree a couple of miles beyond Burford, near Capp's Lodge, still stands today, gnarled and crooked branches reach out of the old oak like a witch's fingers pointing to the sky.

Text from - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1447209

Kids loved the walk as we found some Geocashe treasure on the way to the Tree.

Bimble : Woodland Wandering

Another bimble around the woods with Noah and Ellie.  Both had great fun climbing over the logs.

Bimble : Bimble and Sledges

Set off from my brother place, looking back down the road

Looking down over the farmers field

My boy Noah pulling his cousin Ellie along, he did well for a 2.5 year old pulling her up the hills, only a few spills too.

Found a small hill for them to slid down

Got the feeling we were being watched

Finally got up to the woods for a walk around

My brother's manly pose

The girlfriend trying to pretend to be warm.

On the way out and back for a brew

Bimble : Bluebells and Birds

Out with the kids today, Noah and his cousin Ellie, my brother and I went for a bimble around a woodland. No bushcraft today but lots of amazing views.