Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: 666_pack on May 19, 2010
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One for all you bushcrafters out there
http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/uhsearch/performancedetail.aspx?eventnameid=40452
The world’s leading authority on fieldcraft and survival brings his unique one man show to the Ulster Hall.
In this new presentation Ray takes us on a journey to the most extreme corners of the world sharing his many fascinating experiences during the filming of his tv programmes.
It is a compelling story of wilderness, wildlife its people and the bushcraft skills necessary for survival.
Famous for his ‘Survival’ series on ITV, Ray`s skills have been acquired through working in some of the world`s remotest and harshest environments.
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Think I'll have to make it along to that one!
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Nice find
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I'd go see him - any other takers?
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Count me in
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there with bells on.......aint changing my trunks til then either!! :P
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there with bells on.......aint changing my trunks til then either!! :P
I'm not sitting beside you then!!!
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there with bells on.......aint changing my trunks til then either!! :P
Come on Bill, that's only a day longer than you usually keep them on anyway. ;)
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I had a dream about Ray Mears last night. Will have to stop eating choccy late at night.
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Might just have to go along to this as well :)
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So, are we going to have a NIWild pint or 2 afterwards? I'll ask Ray if he wants to come along
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I'm never kmown to turn down one of those!
So, are we going to have a NIWild pint or 2 afterwards? I'll ask Ray if he wants to come along
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So, are we going to have a NIWild pint or 2 afterwards? I'll ask Ray if he wants to come along
I like your thinking :)
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I aint sitting beside J .....he dreams about ray!! :-\
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I could probably allow myself to go to this... and have a pint :)
Shall grab a ticket tomorrow.
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Sounds good, count me in also. Shall see if Mrs wants to come along.
Kids your on your own tonight........
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Got my ticket booked!!
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Is there anyone from derry direction heading to this? I'd love to go but don't have transport and the last train back leaves at half 9 which is cutting things abit tight, otherwise i'm left with an 11 bus :'( So if anyone wants to cut down their petrol costs?
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Hi rich im thinking bout going but i dont know my way round belfast i'll have a think bout it and let u know in a day or 2 if thats ok and im in Derry.
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Hi rich im thinking bout going but i dont know my way round belfast i'll have a think bout it and let u know in a day or 2 if thats ok and im in Derry.
That would be handy if you are heading up I know belfast resonably well the halls is pretty easy to find once you get up Gt victoria street by the europa.
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just booked my ticket, looking forward to this, wife isn't goin so going on my own (loner!) ;D
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just booked my ticket, looking forward to this, wife isn't goin so going on my own (loner!) ;D
Just booked as well. I'm on my todd also so if you want to hook up for a beer before hand let me know (& anyone else).
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Ticket came in the post yesterday! :)
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going to get mine next week if not sold out
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I still haven't booked, but both Kat and I hope to go if there are still tickets available!
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So whos going to this?
I am
anyone wanna meet for a pint before or after?
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yeah i'll be there Lenny. Heading down after work so will have some time to kill before the event if you fancy a jar or two.
Was just reading a review from a recent event in Scotland and apparently the format has been changed to a Q&A session rather than showing slides etc. The guy wasn't very impressed at all so hopefully it isn't a let down in Belfast.
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I could meet anyone at half 6 or quater to 7 in the crown for a social one before the start.
hows that sound Sawyer?
Anyone else is welcome.
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Cool, I'll be drinking a Guiness at the bar by 6.30 :-)
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I'm in - will see you at the bar about the same time.
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Anybody know if there will be a chance to get one of his books there and get it signed?
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Greetings--
I moved here with my wife and joined the forum this past summer. As I'm going to see Ray this evening, it would be good to meet some of the fellow outdoor enthusiasts in the area; if it's not intruding, I wouldn't mind chatting over a pint before or after his presentation. I reckon I'll be pretty easy to spot, as I can't imagine that there will be too many other Americans with long hair in the vicinity.
In any case, I hope to meet some of you this evening.
All the best!
Greg
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Welcome to the forums and Norn Iron Greg! If I see you tonight I'll be sure to say hello!
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Right ok guys I will be in the crown at 1830 and be wearing a green t-shirt with Kahki combats trousers.
hope to see you all there.
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I moved here with my wife and joined the forum this past summer. As I'm going to see Ray this evening, it would be good to meet some of the fellow outdoor enthusiasts in the area; if it's not intruding, I wouldn't mind chatting over a pint before or after his presentation. I reckon I'll be pretty easy to spot, as I can't imagine that there will be too many other Americans with long hair in the vicinity.
Hi Gregory, welcome to the forum! There are always plenty of day trips and overnighters being organised so keep an eye out, you're always more than welcome to come along. Also, feel free to drop a wee post in the Introductions (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=10.0) section to say hello and tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm still not entirely sure if I'm going tonight or not guys. As in I still haven't bought my ticket :D Will be a last minute decision if I do go, but if I can make it I will most likely meet you fellas in the Crown beforehand.
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I really wanted to see Raymondo but alas, I can't seem to find a spare moment these days. I'll be looking forward to hearing what you all thought.
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Let me start by saying that Ray Mears has always inspired me and through his programmes and documenteries I have been challenged to try bushcrafting and to get outside into the great outdoors.
I was extremely disappointed by the presentation! Who cares about Brian Black getting frost bite and how does the story about Fin McCool compare with the story of the wolverine??? The fact that Ray had to interupt Brian during several of his pontifications just was not what I was expecting, I thought tonight focused too much and too heavily on the mystic and not enough on the practical.No wonder there was no format to be found about the event. :'(
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well how did it go everyone.
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Sorry Bill, but I disagree. Brian Black has been to many of the wild places that Ray had been to himself and I found his questions to be insightful and enlightening. Ray was charming and friendly and all in all, I really enjoyed the show.
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Sorry Bill, but I disagree. Brian Black has been to many of the wild places that Ray had been to himself and I found his questions to be insightful and enlightening. Ray was charming and friendly and all in all, I really enjoyed the show.
Same here, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I wasn't sure how the format of interviewing interspersed with clips was going to work but I think it ran very smoothly. Brian Black at least has spent time working outdoors and can appreciate the subject so he was as good a person as any to be the interviewer and I found Ray's answers to be insightful and fascinating, especially when talking about aboriginal beliefs and practices. The questions from the audience were also a great chance to hear Ray's thoughts and experiences, although I guess it was inevitable that somebody would ask the Bear Grylls question, however I think Ray handled it respectfully and well. I could have listened to him for hours and I think he would have been willing to answer more questions too if there had been time.
I met him afterwards to get my book signed and he was a complete gent, taking time to chat and meet people. He told me that he'd love to get over here more often and so we should keep an eye out for him when in the Mournes!
A big thumbs up from me! ;D
All in all a great evening
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I had mixed feelings initially. Before the interval I was literally falling asleep... it all seemed stilted and obvious. I blamed my expectations more than anything: Ray is so detailed and candid in his shows and books, perhaps there wasn't much new for this format? Having always seen him outdoors, the indoor setting also felt strange. Brian's repeating of more mystical feelings was a little annoying, but everyone's entitled to their own thoughts on such things.
However, the second half improved greatly, and the Q&A was very good. Ray seemed very at home taking questions and as always, answered strongly with a mix of facts, experience and opinion, all from a respectful standpoint. He really does move past pointless negativity very well.
All in, a little unusual, but finished strong and I'm glad I went.
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I am to glad I went but I would of like more on the survival and pratical side of things.
The Q&A Section was good and so was the videos that were shown.
overall 8/10 for the night.
also enjoyed meeting Sawyer, 20clicks & Greg.
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I really enjoyed the evening and found the mystical talk very interesting and it made a lot of sense to me. Plus i felt like we got to know Ray a bit better.
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I really enjoyed the program last night. While some of us might have liked more examples of his actually using various skills in specific primitive settings, I understand that he was presenting for a wide and varied audience.
Regarding his addressing “the mystic”, I appreciated Ray’s response to Brian Black in correcting that the behaviour of a particular society that we might consider mystic is “not mystic at all; it’s down to earth – it’s what they do.” Given his demonstrated belief in not judging, listening and being respectful of any culture he’s visiting, Ray maintains a sense of integrity that’s lost in programs that put a pop-culture spin on like subjects for the sake of ratings.
While he’s obviously a master of his craft and knowledgeable on a multitude of fronts, Ray shows great humility and decorum. Specific to that point, he didn’t take the bait when obliquely or directly asked about Bear or other outdoor presenters. While it doesn’t take much to pick up his basic opinion on the subject, he refrained from making negative comments or personal attacks. This is a mark of character and integrity.
I’ll cut it short in saying that Ray Mears is a great emissary not just for bushcraft, but for the natural environment and ecological education as well. It was also good to meet up with several guys from the forum last night—20clicks, Lenny and Sawyer. I look forward to meeting up again as well as meeting more of you.
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Right ok guys I will be in the crown at 1830 and be wearing a green t-shirt with Kahki combats trousers.
hope to see you all there.
Where you sitting towards the front of the gallery on the left hand side?
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Fair dues people.... maybe it was a let down to me because I had expectations of how things would be and not knowing Brian Black (I admit I turn the channel over when he comes on) nor what subjects or format the evening would take, I still feel it should have been billed as an evening with Blacky and Mearso!
Still an avid fan though and glad others found it insightful and maybe the next time he comes I will too.
I was busting to ask would he consider becoming the next Chief Scout!
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Here's my take on the night http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/ (http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/) - hard to get down all my thoughts about what I heard and string it together in a coherent fashion, but there you go!
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Enjoyed the review Simon, nearly wish i'd gone now (but it was a bit pricey)
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Where you sitting towards the front of the gallery on the left hand side?
I was - blue icebreaker with red/white down sleeve, goatee, looking wrecked :)
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I was directly opposite you, blue jeans, blue fleece top and looking serious!
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I was directly opposite you, blue jeans, blue fleece top and looking serious!
Serious thinking, or serious scary? I will be polite either way when we meet :)
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Thought that goatee looked familiar last night at Tollymore, def need some ni-wild merchandise, its either that or pink carnations next time ;D
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I was directly opposite you, blue jeans, blue fleece top and looking serious!
Serious thinking, or serious scary? I will be polite either way when we meet :)
Serious thinking, absorbing every word Uncle Ray said!
Serious scary? I'll let others decide on that! :D
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Here's my take on the night http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/ (http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/) - hard to get down all my thoughts about what I heard and string it together in a coherent fashion, but there you go!
Nice review Simon - very well covered.
I think I should clarify some of what I said as I got a feel from the comments it was misleading.
Falling asleep - this was mainly the fan noise from the large projector (fans put me right out) and being tired, but the programme didn't flow well and I hadn't settled into the format so I did 'tune out' pretty easily...not a problem in the 2nd half as mentioned.
Mystic - I don't have a problem with the spirit songs, etc. I understand the vital role these things played in passing down/accessing knowledge and keeping cultures alive... it was more the remarks about dowsing, or the feeling Brian was pushing for some validation of 'magical' elements. I know there are very subtle skills and intuitions that develop from spending time outdoors but at 1st it verged on pushing beyond that which doesn't interest me.
I'm probably too young to remember the bushcraft shows that well - to me they're always about the people (native or explorers) and the wildlife: It was brilliant later on when he opened up and the anecdotes and discussion started. My bad; sometimes we need to see what we've written from someone else's mocassins to know if we've expressed sufficiently! ;D
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Thought that goatee looked familiar last night at Tollymore, def need some ni-wild merchandise, its either that or pink carnations next time ;D
Pink snowshoes!!! ;D
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Here's my take on the night http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/ (http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/) - hard to get down all my thoughts about what I heard and string it together in a coherent fashion, but there you go!
Nice review Simon - very well covered.
I think I should clarify some of what I said as I got a feel from the comments it was misleading.
Falling asleep - this was mainly the fan noise from the large projector (fans put me right out) and being tired, but the programme didn't flow well and I hadn't settled into the format so I did 'tune out' pretty easily...not a problem in the 2nd half as mentioned.
Mystic - I don't have a problem with the spirit songs, etc. I understand the vital role these things played in passing down/accessing knowledge and keeping cultures alive... it was more the remarks about dowsing, or the feeling Brian was pushing for some validation of 'magical' elements. I know there are very subtle skills and intuitions that develop from spending time outdoors but at 1st it verged on pushing beyond that which doesn't interest me.
I'm probably too young to remember the bushcraft shows that well - to me they're always about the people (native or explorers) and the wildlife: It was brilliant later on when he opened up and the anecdotes and discussion started. My bad; sometimes we need to see what we've written from someone else's mocassins to know if we've expressed sufficiently! ;D
Cheers Craig :0)
I had to read this thread to understand where you were coming from on the mystic thing and I agree entirely. The comment about "placing a rock in a particular place to divert the flow of the underground water" riled me and I refer you to this gem which summarises things nicely:
(http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/the_economic_argument.png)
Now, although I am happy to roundly denounce dowsing I (like you) don't have a problem with the song lines - to me it sounds much like a form of oral history. What I am prepared to buy into is the idea that by letting go of all the distractions that your mind becomes clearer and you start to understand the signs around you. Tracking would be a good example of this - it might seem magical to the uninitiated, but in reality it is just tuning in to the subtle signs and understanding the nature of the animal that is being tracked.
As for the falling asleep thing - hey we covered that one on Facebook right ;-)
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Without wanting to threadjack, this is a topic I'm generally extremely interested in. Anyone who wants more info can check out the following links to a couple of excellent blogs/podcasts on the skepticism movement. (They're the ones I listen to / read the most but by no means the only ones)
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/
http://skeptoid.com/
(http://i.imgur.com/zHBaA.jpg)
(http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/the_economic_argument.png)
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Yeah, I just realised if people were looking for reviews and found this thread I should clarify.
mmm "relativity" sounds like a nice pasta sauce... I'm thinking there has to be tuna and salami in there, garlic, oregano, sieved tomatoes, half a yellow pepper and half a red onion (both roasted 1st), then drizzled with ceasar dressing. Yes... that might work 8)
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Interesting to read everyone's opinion. I was pretty happy with the show although would perhaps have preferred a different format where there was more direct interaction with the audience. But hey can't please all the people all the time and BB done an admirable job imo.
My only beef was Ray's comment about Ed Wardle carrying a rifle for protection from the bears in alone in the wild! Thought that was a bit unfair!
Oh yeah and great to meet Lenny, 20clicks and Gregory.
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Here's my take on the night http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/ (http://www.northern-focus.com/blog/ray-mears-at-the-ulster-hall/) - hard to get down all my thoughts about what I heard and string it together in a coherent fashion, but there you go!
Great review Simon.
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Anyone who wants more info can check out the following links to a couple of excellent blogs/podcasts on the skepticism movement. (They're the ones I listen to / read the most but by no means the only ones)
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/
http://skeptoid.com/
I'm just not sure there is a need for a movement like that.
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Skepticism is just not believeing things that have no merit or proof. It's hard to argue against.
Anyone who wants more info can check out the following links to a couple of excellent blogs/podcasts on the skepticism movement. (They're the ones I listen to / read the most but by no means the only ones)
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/
http://skeptoid.com/
I'm just not sure there is a need for a movement like that.
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Anyone who wants more info can check out the following links to a couple of excellent blogs/podcasts on the skepticism movement. (They're the ones I listen to / read the most but by no means the only ones)
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/
http://skeptoid.com/
I'm just not sure there is a need for a movement like that.
Spoken like a true, errr, skeptic ;D
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Aren't we getting waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy off topic here?! ;)
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I enjoyed Ray's show the other night, I wondered beforehand what is he going to do to entertain a live audience for a couple of hours, on-stage firelighting tutorials, slideshows with dramatic soundtrack, dancing girls. It was a good evenings entertainment and I think the best part of the night was the Q&A which was interesting, that and also spotting who in the audience was wearing camo ;D. It's good he came over to Belfast and I'm sure he was pleasantly surprised at an almost full house in the Ulster Hall.
For £25 it was good value and a break from the daily grind.