I once had a fantastic encounter in Norway, near Finse, which is also something I think about often. I was hiking there and in the middle of the night I had to break up my tent and look for a more sheltered spot due to heavy winds. When I was walking under the full moon there was among the rough and rocky landscape an arctic fox and it came close to me and was not afraid of me at all. So close that I could almost touch it! It was amazing in that atmosphere...as if it was a movie setting. Maybe it doesn't sound that special, but I later found out this was actually very special, because there's only 128 arctic foxes left in whole of Scandinavia. I'll never forget this. :)
That is an amazing story. That is one of those rare moments that makes the outdoors so special. I heard that there are some programs to help the arctic fox population grow. I have never seen any of them. Thanks for sharing :) - Martin
Im from Texas,USA love your Videos my friend. I am a avid outdoors man and I love seeing people from around the world enjoy the same greay sunsets, moonlight, and sunrise as I. There is one thing that all of us bushmen and bushwomen all have in comin in the woods we are humbled by its beauty and power.
Hello John. We all live on the same little rock . There is a lot of simple but powerful things to enjoy in nature for sure :) Thanks for watching - Martin
So ive been really into these silent bushcraft videos. Becuase i hate it when people talk too much. But the case is different for you everything you say is enjoyable to listen too and very deliberate. Thank you.
Hi Martin wounderfull videos and a perfect delivery of information highly informative channel , I use a similar set up over here in Scotland but I use a y branch attached to the para cord then hook the poncho on it using the pocket makes it a little easier to get it all nice and tight All the best Colin
It just goes to show that not all fires burn the way we want them to, but I'm so pleased to see that yours decided to burn really well. Your shelter was a good one and obviously suited your needs since you slept so comfortably. I did like the camp fire story... Thanks for sharing. Take care...
I had a similar experience once with my brother. We were riding our bikes through some trails in a thick woods during a cold cloudy night. As we were following a river..we saw a glowing ball of soft blue light about two feet under the water. We turned off our headlights..and tried to understand what it could be. The entire forest was dark except for the ball of light under the water. We threw some stones into the water but the light remained. We were obviously very confused by the incident. Pretty spooky but we still love the woods. Thanks for making me think of that time..i had forgotten about it. All the best from Canada🍁
I tend to carry a few strips of birch bark, because I know how well it works and know everywhere I go may not have dead birch trees to pull the bark from. Like your presentation and explanations of the moment. Comfortable to watch and listen to. Thanks for inviting us in.
Greetings from the heartland of America. I enjoy watching you do what you enjoy the most and you have inspired me to get out in the woods for about a year now. You are a beautiful person. God bless you, friend.
I have the Terava Skrama and it is a very good tool, the steel is very good and it holds a good edge. Yes, I have seen lights when fell walking in England many years ago. I was with a party of four hikers and we all saw it and did not comment for a long time after seeing the three lights following us. The lights were not hikers with flashlights, they were hovering above the ground and we could see the horizon beneath them, there was no Moon. I like this video you have made because it shows firelighting is not always easy and you must persevere.
I enjoyed this one so much last year that I watched it again. Gently falling snow; a cheerful but modest wood fire and some hearty food all contribute to a fine night in the woods. Thank you for sharing.
This is when a small candle comes into play. Even a small tea candle would give you up to three hours of drying time for your kindling. If you have wild hogs now, you will forever. We have millions of them in Texas and we can hunt them 24/7 all year and it does not even put a dent in the population. Good video. I subbed.
That is a great tip. I like the challenge of making fires with the stuff I find in the woods. The wild bore population is growing every year around here. Maybe I will make a bore hunting video at some point :) Thanks for watching - Martin
I had the pleasure of visiting your beautiful country a few years ago. The hospitality I was shown was second to none. I would say that exploring Galdhøpiggen was at the top of my list. Awesome video and keep up the great work.
I AM SOOOOO HAPPY TO SEE YOU BACK!!!!!... You were one of the first people I ever watched and then fell in love with Bush Craft!... I will first finish cleaning my house and THEN get comfortable with a glass of wine to take this latest adventure with you😊
Hello there, and cheers from New Mexico my friend. Great stories from the woods and camping. Time to share one of my own. I was bow hunting the high country of the Gila wilderness in southern New Mexico bout 2 years back. The Gila is the 2nd largest mountain range stateside. I had hunted and explored its vast territory for the past 7 years while pursuing wild turkey, wild boar, javelina, mule deer, grouse, elk and trout along the way. It was early fall, in the 1st weeks of September. As I walked a Ridgeline in high hopes of spotting an elk to make a stalk attempt, the sun was slowly starting to makes its way down below the highest western peak of the mountains. I had decided to call it quits for the day as I only had an hour or less of sunlight to spare, so I turned around and started walking back towards camp this time keeping a steady walking pace with no concern of spooking any animals. As I made my way back, on that clear, quite, evening I noticed a bright white light off in the distance, I originally thought it to be a bright star as only 2 or 3 stars were visible to me at that time in the evening. The hour past.. and with the last sunlight withering away I picked a headlamp out from my daypack to continue my path back. It had been no more than 15 minutes since I had seen the last rays of sunshine. I referred back to the star shining bright in the night sky, and stood in admiration as more stars began to saturate the darkness Then suddenly as I was stood close to directly beneath the light.. it slowly began to move eastward... now appearing to be hovering like a helicopter. I stood in disbelief as I recalled the hour prior when I 1st saw the bright light still in the sky. What i still scratch my head about to this day is that when the object began to go eastward not a single sound was made... and as you know when you are in a place as desolate as the wilderness on a calm evening... everything can be heard. -Brando
Glad you have time to make videos again, I really like your style of filming. It's relaxing, like I'm in the woods as well, I just sit there staring into the campfire listening to the crackle and pop, thanks!
Great video, as always. One night, while laying atop Enchanted Rock in Texas, my ex wife and I watched a ball of light move around in geometric patterns for nearly an hour until it darted away. (PS we were not drinking) Love your videos!
What a wonderful encounter. It really gets the mind wondering. Now that you are using stoves.. you probably realize they have far less smoke and are really efficient as well. Take care man
Great story! And I love that it scared you but yiu think about this experience and still wish to find the location. I love watching your videos. I'm from Essex, London.UK.
Thanks very much for sharing! I've recently discovered your channel and am loving watching when I need something to relax with. I really like the quiet format, hearing your boots crunch in the snow, the fire crackling, etc. The exact opposite to hysterical t.v. shows!
Good show brother , I have the same poncho both halves haven't used it yet except to setup in the back yard for water proofing. Got a two day trip this weekend in the Sacramento Mountain range in New Mexico almost makes me want to take it but my pack is already loaded . I too am leaving my axe this trip and taking a esee 5 knife and my folding saw , there will be snow and lows around 19° F . Happy times !
Thanks for stopping by. It is always interesting to try out some new stuff. The canvas poncho is not the lightest piece of kit. It looks pretty cool though :) - Martin
The fire making can be a nice little challenge when everything is wet. It is a great feeling when the fire starts catching though :) Thanks for watching - Martin
Good stuff here, that's a nice saw but I think I would bring a small hatchet instead of the big knife for splitting. I know that lots of people use the knife for splitting but I was trained to use a ax/hatchet many years ago. Thanks for taking us along on your adventure.
Thanks for stopping by. I also like to carry an axe. Usually I bring my Fiskars splitting axe. It is a bit of weight to carry but it makes splitting very easy. The knife is more of a small experiment for me. It worked a lot better than I had expected :) - Martin
Another great video. I really liked the way you explained what you were doing and thinking as you tried to get your fire going. You should have a TV show.
I just found your channel and really enjoyed this video. I found it genuine and very real. I have run into the same issues with starting fires that you did in this one, especially with wet wood. You have a calm, persistent approach to bushcraft that I find refreshing. Thanks for posting these. I'm looking forward to more.
I am happy to hear that you like the video. It is as real as I am able to make it. Just me, a camera with some gear in a forest. I like to go out and spend time in the woods. Nothing more and nothing less :) Thanks a lot for watching and commenting - Martin
Hi there, another wonderful episode :) possibly some twenty years ago! but a long time back I'd done an overnighter in woodlands around the mountains of the Snowdonia area of Wales (U.K.), a gale had picked up overnight and with very very strong winds we made our way out & down from the forest to more open country, trekking over meadows, we were suddenly confronted by a water spout travelling across the open ground towards us from the distance, a huge spout (my guess at least x5 houses high) - panic definitely struck us both as well as the sheer wonder of the experience, it diverted before getting right up to us, seemingly running out of speed and the water was dropped en mass about 20 yards from us!!! bizarre but on the other side (beyond us at that time) was a large river and the winds bouncing off the mountains must have created a vortex which 'picked up' the river water and spun it around towards us, lifting it clean out of the river - presenting to us the vision of a water spout, seemingly out-of-control hurtling itself towards us across land!!!!! definitely one for the memory bank! the awe & wonder of nature :)
Very nice video friend :) and great choice of saw I must say. I carry a Fiskars X5 for splitting wood. I have found that it weighs about the same as a large knife, but splits much better. The handle is quite short, so at times I use it as a "batoning" tool. What's the poncho and wool sweater? Happy Healthy 2018!!
Confirming it's one of the two Polish Lavuu Ponchos - assembling them together you have tent. This is why he said, that last time he justed it as a tent. I bought the same some mounths ago from an online army-shop. Very robust und practical. I saw similar poncho-tents made by the Soviet-army.
I was wondering about the direction of the wind, maybe we should keep it in consideration before we make the tent so the fire is built in the correct direction so it deosnt smoke the tent . I love all your videos good job !
I agree about taking wind direction into consideration when putting up camp. I have found that the wind often tends to change directions in the woods. Glad you like the videos :) Thanks for watching - Martin
Nice video Martin. I really enjoyed sharing the experience with you. I've never had any unusual experiences in the woods. When these things happen there's normally a rational explanation I find. Every time I see a Norwegian bushcraft vid though, I really want to visit again to do a long hiking and wildcamp trip. Norway is so natural, clean, and beautiful, and lovely people too. Thank you for sharing Martin. Take care.
Thank you for stopping by. I agree that there are rational explanations for most of the strange things in this world. It was an interesting thing to experience when it happened tough :) Take care my friend - Martin
This happened about 30 years ago. My wife and I were looking for some land for building a home outside of town about 5.5 miles. Late at night 2 in the morning and very hot 84 degrees in August. It was very hot inside not able to sleep I got up when outside and sat on the hood of my truck, it was just me wife stayed inside. I heard a sound like the wind blowing after 5-10 seconds I see this light coming down and around a corner, it went right pass my place. The light was like a light inside of a light, this object was about 10-15 feet off the ground and was going very very fast. When it got in front of my place I heard no more wind at all no sound what so ever and down the road it went. Never to be seen by me again. And nice vid Martin.
Funny thing. I had quite a similar night to yours this weekend (4-5.02.17) - begun late sat evening, the forrest was dark already, made supper on the fire , put my trousers and the jacket in an orange 40l dry bag, slept in a hammock, had porridge that i premixed myself for breakfast ( I bet you had a difficult washup afterwards too ;) . All this near Rakkestad ( not far from your spot? ) Maybe next time you'll see a strange light on the other side of the valley it will be my campfire ;) Good video, good channel. Keep on! Hilsen, Marek
I was so glad to see you get your fire going.The fire is always one of the most comforing things when its cold and dark.. Just found your channel and subbedbecause I found you very relaxing to watch. Your Forrest is beautiful.
Just stumbled in and already sub'd. Very nice video and story. I've seen a lot of things that I could not explain. I was raised on a farm and lived there into my 20's. One winter evening, leaving for night shift, the sky to the south was a light with red. It was as if a forest fire was burning, I learned later there were no fires. I still have not found an explanation for this event and have not experienced it again.
Excellent video, we have the boar over here interesting creature get close in during the dark hours. Interesting experience with the light ball strange. thanks for sharing
Amazing I am so envious I live in Brisbane Australia a tropical climate and to experience snow its seasonal but need to travel over a thousand kilometres. Oh and I love using canvas I wish I could include a picture of my setup, but you need a car to carry it all. Thank you.
NICE VID STRANGEST THING I HAD HAPPEN WAS DURING A 10 TRIP IN A NATIONAL FOREST HERE IN THE USA THERE WAS A BAD STORM GOING ON FOR 2 DAYS AND 1 NIGHT I HEARD A NOISE AROUND 2-3AM INSIDE MY TARP AREA SO I OPENED MY EYES AND TO MY SUPRISE THERE WERE 3 BOB CATS UNDER THE END OF MY TARP LOOKED TO ME LIKE A MOTHER AND 2 KITS/CUBS MO SAT AND STARED AT ME AND I AT HER FOR ALMOST 30 MINS. THEN AS THE RAIN SLOWED DOWN THEY JUST WALKED AWAY NEVER TO BE SEEN BY ME AGAIN BUT NOW THAT HAD ME A LITTLE BIT FREAKED OUT BUT TO THIS DAY I WOULD STILL SHARE MY CAMP WITH THEM 3 THEN NEVER BOTHERED ME NOR I THEM KEEP UP WITH YOUR VIDS I TRULY ENJOY THEM
Thank you for the thumbs up video. Give them pigs another 5-8 years. There may be more pigs than you want. Liked the way you put up the shelter. Thank you for sharing
Norwegian, I Loved the video. I have to say that the picture you showed at the end of the video was beautiful. That view was something that belongs on a Christmas card. Your new blade was close to being a heavy duty Machete. That's probably why it didn't work so great using it with the baton. The blade is thick so it needs extra weight to force the grain burst. On the other hand, It was excellent with it's tree chopping performance. Just wanted to thank you for all that you do in making these videos. I have enjoyed every one that I have seen.
Your videos are awesome! That big knife you brought with you sure took the abuse of batoning the small logs, no problem. What kind is it? It looks pretty thick on the spine. I use a khukri machete made from a truck leaf spring. It's thick enough to take a batoning and do some heavy chopping. Again, great video. Thank you!
Thanks my friend :) The knife is called the "Terävä Skrama". It is a pretty sturdy knife. Not all that thick but it can take a beating for sure. I have a Kukri knife on the way in the mail from Katmandu Nepal at the moment. I am really looking forward to trying it out :) - Martin
Excellent! Your photography and editing are absolutely perfect. There was even some suspence in waiting for the fire to start. That is a very nice bush knife, a real "chopper." As far as strange occurrances, I also had one about 10 years ago in a scrub-pine (miniature pine trees in my region due to frequent fires) forrest. It was dusk in the late spring. I was lying on my back looking at the sky, waiting for stars to appear, when suddenly from the North (my feet were due South) three small lights came into my field of view from above my head. They were positioned in a perfect equilateral triangle. As they moved exactly due South they abruptly stopped right over head. It seemed that they were high in the upper atmosphere. They stood directly overhead for about 15 - 20 seconds and then rapidly parted, each light head away from the other. One went back due North, one went Southwest, and the third went Southeast, all in perfect unison. After being shocked, I thought to myself, they must have been satellites or something being retasked by the NSA. (lol). I told a few friends, but not much came it. Then about three years ago, I was watching something about the NASA Space Shuttle. Several of the astronauts had recorded strange occurrences in orbit which were unexplainable. One phenomenon they filmed and described was the three lights, which did exactly the same thing I had witnessed ten years ago. If I had not seen the NASA footage, I would have never thought much of it. I've had one other sky occurrence that happened to me in Mexico. But, that's another time. Thanks Martin.
Thank you for sharing that story. It sounds like an interesting thing to have seen. I guess there are many things going on in this world that we don not fully understand. Most things have a natural explanation though. The Terävä Skrama is a real tool for sure. It is the only "real" chopper I have used so far but it was a lot of fun to try it in the woods. Thanks a lot for watching and commenting - Martin
Have just seen all your videos and really appreciate the content. Slow, comfy, informative and of good quality! Would be a great experience to camp and learn from you! Keep making videos!:)
Great video. You just got a new subscriber. No strange experiences other than the time I left camp to climb a mountain and when I came back exactly half my beer was stolen.
You just got another subscriber! I plan on coming to Norway in december or january to start my LONG trip around Europe. Norway is one of the top countries I want to visit. And well, I LOVE the cold :D
Thanks for subscribing. It sounds like you have a real adventure ahead of you. If you want to know anything about Norway, just ask. I will answer as best as I can :) - Martin
I have heard about those. It might very well be the thing I saw. It might also be some burning swamp gas that I have read about. Or the good old space ship from outer space..? You never know :) Thanks a lot for watching - Martin
You always make awesome videos, Sir! It's always a pleasure to watch. Reminds of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories in Canada where I lived for almost 20 yrs. Now currently living in San Francisco. Great videos.
A small wax candle would have help nurse the fire up and going . I like cold weather camping but it's must to be prepared . I seen the new fangled lite weight axes that are inexpensive and nice at the hardware store . I'm on the fence about keeping a big blade . it's a lot more sharpening in the field . Good video
I leave my small axe at home now. I bought a TOPS Knives 12" machete and take a Silky Saw Gombouy. I camp in the Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon, USA where there are pine, spruce, and cedar. When I leave home, my blades are all sharp enough to shave the hair off my arms and when I come back, I use a ceramic stick to hone them. This is easier for me than carrying an axe. I have never regretted not having the axe with me.
I agree that some kind of fire aid would have made the fire go faster, but I kind of like the challenge of making do with what I find around camp. The biggest problem was that the firewood was a little damp. I think I prefer a splitting axe over a large knife. It is a little more to carry but less work to use. The Terävä Skrama did a good job though :) Thanks for watching - Martin
Nice video, I'm envious. I have to try a Winter Camp soon. It isn't like we don't get Winter in Canada. Hahaha. I noticed that you had a set of Nesting pots. They look to be the same size that I have. Except mine are Czech Military pots, and considerably thicker and heavier. If you pick up this message, I would appreciate knowing which brand yours are. Not that I mind a little extra weight, but it is good to pare down your pack weight whenever possible. All My Best. Terry.
It is always good to have some kind of tinder for easy fire making. I kind of like the challenge of make do with what I find around camp though. Thanks a lot for stopping by :) - Martin
Hello my friend. Can you first tell me which corner of the poncho you pulled up to get this setup? To answer your question around the campfire: I once made an overnighter on a hillfort - a ruined castle in the middle of the forest. I woke up from restless sleep several times at night when I thought I heard the "ping-ping-ping" from forging hammers on anvils.
Great videos brother! Personally, I cant wait for the autumn and winter! No mosquitos, nor blackflies and in my opinion, the nature turns in to its most beautiful state! Seeing Ruska and swimming in Avanto along with bathing in a wilderness Sauna.. And watching the Aurora Borealis! My favorite things to do outdoors, hands down. :) Greetings from Finland sir!
Thanks my friend. I also like the cold and dark season a lot. I can't say that I am too bothered with the bugs when I have a decent bug net on my shelter. I miss the northern lights from when I lived up north in Tromsø :) - Martin
I once had a fantastic encounter in Norway, near Finse, which is also something I think about often. I was hiking there and in the middle of the night I had to break up my tent and look for a more sheltered spot due to heavy winds. When I was walking under the full moon there was among the rough and rocky landscape an arctic fox and it came close to me and was not afraid of me at all. So close that I could almost touch it! It was amazing in that atmosphere...as if it was a movie setting.
Maybe it doesn't sound that special, but I later found out this was actually very special, because there's only 128 arctic foxes left in whole of Scandinavia. I'll never forget this. :)
cool story :D
Twabourne & Louis LLP Thanks!
That is an amazing story. That is one of those rare moments that makes the outdoors so special. I heard that there are some programs to help the arctic fox population grow. I have never seen any of them. Thanks for sharing :)
- Martin
Martin, you are Bob Ross of bushcraft. Your videos are both therapeutic and educational.
Thanks! Glad you like what I do :)
- Martin
Im from Texas,USA love your Videos my friend. I am a avid outdoors man and I love seeing people from around the world enjoy the same greay sunsets, moonlight, and sunrise as I. There is one thing that all of us bushmen and bushwomen all have in comin in the woods we are humbled by its beauty and power.
Hello John. We all live on the same little rock . There is a lot of simple but powerful things to enjoy in nature for sure :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
So ive been really into these silent bushcraft videos. Becuase i hate it when people talk too much.
But the case is different for you everything you say is enjoyable to listen too and very deliberate.
Thank you.
I had the pleasure of spending another night in my favourite place, the woods. I hope you enjoy coming along on this one :)
- Martin
what camera and lens you use?
Here I use a first generation Sony A7 with an old Nikon 50mm 1.2 AIS lens.
- Martin
Hi Martin wounderfull videos and a perfect delivery of information highly informative channel , I use a similar set up over here in Scotland but I use a y branch attached to the para cord then hook the poncho on it using the pocket makes it a little easier to get it all nice and tight
All the best Colin
The audio sucks, and you mumbling didn't help. Can't HEAR!
HooKares? Think you might be at this video for the wrong reason.
It just goes to show that not all fires burn the way we want them to, but I'm so pleased to see that yours decided to burn really well. Your shelter was a good one and obviously suited your needs since you slept so comfortably. I did like the camp fire story... Thanks for sharing. Take care...
Thanks for stopping by. Both the shelter and the fire worked out pretty good in the end :)
- Martin
I had a similar experience once with my brother.
We were riding our bikes through some trails in a thick woods during a cold cloudy night. As we were following a river..we saw a glowing ball of soft blue light about two feet under the water. We turned off our headlights..and tried to understand what it could be. The entire forest was dark except for the ball of light under the water. We threw some stones into the water but the light remained.
We were obviously very confused by the incident.
Pretty spooky but we still love the woods.
Thanks for making me think of that time..i had forgotten about it.
All the best from Canada🍁
I tend to carry a few strips of birch bark, because I know how well it works and know everywhere I go may not have dead birch trees to pull the bark from. Like your presentation and explanations of the moment. Comfortable to watch and listen to. Thanks for inviting us in.
Greetings from the heartland of America. I enjoy watching you do what you enjoy the most and you have inspired me to get out in the woods for about a year now. You are a beautiful person. God bless you, friend.
Another fantastic episode, sir. Your videos are always entertaining and very soothing. Far more enjoyable than the stupid Super Bowl.
Thank you my friend. I enjoy watching a campfire more than watching anything on TV :)
- Martin
Thank you ! Fantastic!
I have the Terava Skrama and it is a very good tool, the steel is very good and it holds a good edge. Yes, I have seen lights when fell walking in England many years ago. I was with a party of four hikers and we all saw it and did not comment for a long time after seeing the three lights following us. The lights were not hikers with flashlights, they were hovering above the ground and we could see the horizon beneath them, there was no Moon.
I like this video you have made because it shows firelighting is not always easy and you must persevere.
The Skrama seems to be a good tool. Making a fire when everything is wet can be a nice little challenge :)
Thanks for sharing your story.
- Martin
I enjoyed this one so much last year that I watched it again. Gently falling snow; a cheerful but modest wood fire and some hearty food all contribute to a fine night in the woods. Thank you for sharing.
This is when a small candle comes into play. Even a small tea candle would give you up to three hours of drying time for your kindling. If you have wild hogs now, you will forever. We have millions of them in Texas and we can hunt them 24/7 all year and it does not even put a dent in the population. Good video. I subbed.
That is a great tip. I like the challenge of making fires with the stuff I find in the woods. The wild bore population is growing every year around here. Maybe I will make a bore hunting video at some point :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
I had the pleasure of visiting your beautiful country a few years ago. The hospitality I was shown was second to none. I would say that exploring Galdhøpiggen was at the top of my list. Awesome video and keep up the great work.
I AM SOOOOO HAPPY TO SEE YOU BACK!!!!!... You were one of the first people I ever watched and then fell in love with Bush Craft!... I will first finish cleaning my house and THEN get comfortable with a glass of wine to take this latest adventure with you😊
Hello there, and cheers from New Mexico my friend.
Great stories from the woods and camping. Time to share one of my own.
I was bow hunting the high country of the Gila wilderness in southern New Mexico bout 2 years back.
The Gila is the 2nd largest mountain range stateside. I had hunted and explored its vast territory for the past 7 years while pursuing wild turkey, wild boar, javelina, mule deer, grouse, elk and trout along the way.
It was early fall, in the 1st weeks of September. As I walked a Ridgeline in high hopes of spotting an elk to make a stalk attempt, the sun was slowly starting to makes its way down below the highest western peak of the mountains. I had decided to call it quits for the day as I only had an hour or less of sunlight to spare, so I turned around and started walking back towards camp this time keeping a steady walking pace with no concern of spooking any animals. As I made my way back, on that clear, quite, evening I noticed a bright white light off in the distance, I originally thought it to be a bright star as only 2 or 3 stars were visible to me at that time in the evening. The hour past.. and with the last sunlight withering away I picked a headlamp out from my daypack to continue my path back. It had been no more than 15 minutes since I had seen the last rays of sunshine.
I referred back to the star shining bright in the night sky, and stood in admiration as more stars began to saturate the darkness
Then suddenly as I was stood close to directly beneath the light.. it slowly began to move eastward... now appearing to be hovering like a helicopter. I stood in disbelief as I recalled the hour prior when I 1st saw the bright light still in the sky. What i still scratch my head about to this day is that when the object began to go eastward not a single sound was made... and as you know when you are in a place as desolate as the wilderness on a calm evening... everything can be heard.
-Brando
Yes my friend. That is one of those moment that boggles your mind for years. Thanks a lot for sharing your story :)
- Martin
Thank you for sharing yours sir.
Till next time, Cheers my friend!
-Brando
Glad you have time to make videos again, I really like your style of filming. It's relaxing, like I'm in the woods as well, I just sit there staring into the campfire listening to the crackle and pop, thanks!
Thank you for the kind words. More videos are coming soon :)
See you on the next one - Martin
Great video, as always. One night, while laying atop Enchanted Rock in Texas, my ex wife and I watched a ball of light move around in geometric patterns for nearly an hour until it darted away. (PS we were not drinking) Love your videos!
Thanks. Thats a cool story :)
- Martin
I enjoyed this so much, I felt like I was there. I was worried you might not get your fire started but you seemed so calm and patient about it.
I enjoyed sharing your camp with you. Thank you.
I am happy that you join in :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
What a wonderful encounter. It really gets the mind wondering. Now that you are using stoves.. you probably realize they have far less smoke and are really efficient as well. Take care man
It is a memory for life. I still enjoy regular camp fires in the winter months :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Great story! And I love that it scared you but yiu think about this experience and still wish to find the location. I love watching your videos. I'm from Essex, London.UK.
Martin another enjoyable video and I don't if it's been mentioned but thank you for for speaking English your explanations are fantastic.
Thanks a lot for the kind words :)
- Martin
that big knife looked handy, interesting set up. thx for sharing.
You are very welcome :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Thanks very much for sharing! I've recently discovered your channel and am loving watching when I need something to relax with. I really like the quiet format, hearing your boots crunch in the snow, the fire crackling, etc. The exact opposite to hysterical t.v. shows!
Watching & listening to you is so soothing...
Good to see you again on here Martin. So new new adventures a head with the new job !!!!!! All the best Jay
Thanks for stopping by my friend :)
More adventures are on the way - Martin
That light you saw is ball lightning. I have seen it several times. It is really cool to see.
excellent video and beautiful scenery thanks for sharing it.
Glad you liked it :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Beautiful area you are in Martin. Thank you for sharing and showing some of your gear and techniques.
Glad you liked it :)
Thanks a lot for watching - Martin
Good show brother , I have the same poncho both halves haven't used it yet except to setup in the back yard for water proofing. Got a two day trip this weekend in the Sacramento Mountain range in New Mexico almost makes me want to take it but my pack is already loaded . I too am leaving my axe this trip and taking a esee 5 knife and my folding saw , there will be snow and lows around 19° F . Happy times !
Thanks for stopping by. It is always interesting to try out some new stuff. The canvas poncho is not the lightest piece of kit. It looks pretty cool though :)
- Martin
Tak! enjoyed your perseverance with the fire - its never fun - and some1 usually ends up getting a firestarter or similar.
The fire making can be a nice little challenge when everything is wet. It is a great feeling when the fire starts catching though :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Good stuff here, that's a nice saw but I think I would bring a small hatchet instead of the big knife for splitting. I know that lots of people use the knife for splitting but I was trained to use a ax/hatchet many years ago. Thanks for taking us along on your adventure.
Thanks for stopping by. I also like to carry an axe. Usually I bring my Fiskars splitting axe. It is a bit of weight to carry but it makes splitting very easy. The knife is more of a small experiment for me. It worked a lot better than I had expected :)
- Martin
Another great video. I really liked the way you explained what you were doing and thinking as you tried to get your fire going. You should have a TV show.
I just found your channel and really enjoyed this video. I found it genuine and very real. I have run into the same issues with starting fires that you did in this one, especially with wet wood. You have a calm, persistent approach to bushcraft that I find refreshing. Thanks for posting these. I'm looking forward to more.
I am happy to hear that you like the video. It is as real as I am able to make it. Just me, a camera with some gear in a forest. I like to go out and spend time in the woods. Nothing more and nothing less :)
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting - Martin
Hi there, another wonderful episode :) possibly some twenty years ago! but a long time back I'd done an overnighter in woodlands around the mountains of the Snowdonia area of Wales (U.K.), a gale had picked up overnight and with very very strong winds we made our way out & down from the forest to more open country, trekking over meadows, we were suddenly confronted by a water spout travelling across the open ground towards us from the distance, a huge spout (my guess at least x5 houses high) - panic definitely struck us both as well as the sheer wonder of the experience, it diverted before getting right up to us, seemingly running out of speed and the water was dropped en mass about 20 yards from us!!! bizarre but on the other side (beyond us at that time) was a large river and the winds bouncing off the mountains must have created a vortex which 'picked up' the river water and spun it around towards us, lifting it clean out of the river - presenting to us the vision of a water spout, seemingly out-of-control hurtling itself towards us across land!!!!! definitely one for the memory bank! the awe & wonder of nature :)
That is for sure a very strange thing you experienced there. Thanks a lot for sharing :)
- Martin
Very nice video friend :) and great choice of saw I must say. I carry a Fiskars X5 for splitting wood. I have found that it weighs about the same as a large knife, but splits much better. The handle is quite short, so at times I use it as a "batoning" tool.
What's the poncho and wool sweater? Happy Healthy 2018!!
The poncho looks to be the Polish lavvu poncho. Sweater looks homemade.
Confirming it's one of the two Polish Lavuu Ponchos - assembling them together you have tent. This is why he said, that last time he justed it as a tent. I bought the same some mounths ago from an online army-shop. Very robust und practical. I saw similar poncho-tents made by the Soviet-army.
I ENJOYED this video SO MUCH !!!!
Looking forward to watching the others !
Thank You for letting us share the outdoor experience! 👍
Thank you for joining in :)
See you on the next one - Martin
Great overnighter my friend, thanks so much sharing 👍
It was a nice little trip. Thanks for watching :)
- Martin
Enjoyed your video. It's nice to see the countryside in that area.
Thanks my friend :)
- Martin
I was wondering about the direction of the wind, maybe we should keep it in consideration before we make the tent so the fire is built in the correct direction so it deosnt smoke the tent . I love all your videos good job !
I agree about taking wind direction into consideration when putting up camp. I have found that the wind often tends to change directions in the woods. Glad you like the videos :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Nice video Martin. I really enjoyed sharing the experience with you. I've never had any unusual experiences in the woods. When these things happen there's normally a rational explanation I find. Every time I see a Norwegian bushcraft vid though, I really want to visit again to do a long hiking and wildcamp trip. Norway is so natural, clean, and beautiful, and lovely people too. Thank you for sharing Martin. Take care.
Thank you for stopping by. I agree that there are rational explanations for most of the strange things in this world. It was an interesting thing to experience when it happened tough :)
Take care my friend - Martin
from Southern California,...those wood shavings refuse to light...made it tough to get started..nice job !
Thanks my friend. It was not the easiest fire I have made :)
- Martin
Nice, really nice, a most enjoyable video, thanks for sharing
ATB Pete
Glad you like it. Thanks for watching :)
- Martin
ball lightning is what you saw. Very rare. You are very lucky to have seen it. I saw it once in the mountains of Wyoming USA.
Excellent video as usual my friend. I really enjoy them. Just ordered a Skrama and can't wait to get it.
Thanks. The Skrama is pretty sweet. Let me know you like it.
- Martin
This happened about 30 years ago. My wife and I were looking for some land for building a home outside of town about 5.5 miles. Late at night 2 in the morning and very hot 84 degrees in August. It was very hot inside not able to sleep I got up when outside and sat on the hood of my truck, it was just me wife stayed inside. I heard a sound like the wind blowing after 5-10 seconds I see this light coming down and around a corner, it went right pass my place. The light was like a light inside of a light, this object was about 10-15 feet off the ground and was going very very fast. When it got in front of my place I heard no more wind at all no sound what so ever and down the road it went. Never to be seen by me again. And nice vid Martin.
Funny thing. I had quite a similar night to yours this weekend (4-5.02.17) - begun late sat evening, the forrest was dark already, made supper on the fire , put my trousers and the jacket in an orange 40l dry bag, slept in a hammock, had porridge that i premixed myself for breakfast ( I bet you had a difficult washup afterwards too ;) . All this near Rakkestad ( not far from your spot? )
Maybe next time you'll see a strange light on the other side of the valley it will be my campfire ;)
Good video, good channel. Keep on!
Hilsen, Marek
That is way cool. I am not far away from Rakkestad. Just a bit closer to Sweden :)
Thanks for stopping by - Martin
I'm new to your videos, but oh my goodness do I enjoy watching you in your element. Thanks for sharing the experience!
I was so glad to see you get your fire going.The fire is always one of the most comforing things when its cold and dark.. Just found your channel and subbedbecause I found you very relaxing to watch. Your Forrest is beautiful.
Thanks a lot Nina :)
See you on the next one - Martin
Just discovered your channel.....enjoying ALL your videos. Thanks for sharing....
That is great to hear. Welcome on board :)
Thanks for watching my videos - Martin
Very nice video. Like your style. The camp was nice. I will have to try that setup. Take care, Al
Thanks Al. I think the setup will work pretty good with a regular tarp as well. Let me know how it works if you try it :)
- Martin
Nice video and nature very relaxing be in woods.
Thank you. The woods are my favourite place to be :)
- Martin
Hey Martin. Another great video. I was cheering you on when you were trying to get the fire started. :) Glad to see you back out there.
Thank you for stopping by. It was a nice feeling when the fire started to catch :)
- Martin
Just stumbled in and already sub'd. Very nice video and story. I've seen a lot of things that I could not explain. I was raised on a farm and lived there into my 20's. One winter evening, leaving for night shift, the sky to the south was a light with red. It was as if a forest fire was burning, I learned later there were no fires. I still have not found an explanation for this event and have not experienced it again.
Excellent video, we have the boar over here interesting creature get close in during the dark hours. Interesting experience with the light ball strange. thanks for sharing
Thanks a lot for stopping by. Glad you liked it :)
- Martin
Amazing I am so envious I live in Brisbane Australia a tropical climate and to experience snow its seasonal but need to travel over a thousand kilometres. Oh and I love using canvas I wish I could include a picture of my setup, but you need a car to carry it all. Thank you.
First time I have come across Norwegian Woods , I have subscribed, to good to miss out on
Thanks a lot for doing so my friend :)
See you on the next one - Martin
NICE VID STRANGEST THING I HAD HAPPEN WAS DURING A 10 TRIP IN A NATIONAL FOREST HERE IN THE USA THERE WAS A BAD STORM GOING ON FOR 2 DAYS AND 1 NIGHT I HEARD A NOISE AROUND 2-3AM INSIDE MY TARP AREA SO I OPENED MY EYES AND TO MY SUPRISE THERE WERE 3 BOB CATS UNDER THE END OF MY TARP LOOKED TO ME LIKE A MOTHER AND 2 KITS/CUBS MO SAT AND STARED AT ME AND I AT HER FOR ALMOST 30 MINS. THEN AS THE RAIN SLOWED DOWN THEY JUST WALKED AWAY NEVER TO BE SEEN BY ME AGAIN BUT NOW THAT HAD ME A LITTLE BIT FREAKED OUT BUT TO THIS DAY I WOULD STILL SHARE MY CAMP WITH THEM 3 THEN NEVER BOTHERED ME NOR I THEM KEEP UP WITH YOUR VIDS I TRULY ENJOY THEM
I can imagine you got a bit freaked out by that. Fascinating story, thanks for sharing it :)
More videos are coming - Martin
That was the first vid of yours that I have seen and I enjoyed it a lot, also found the story you shared with us to be interesting. Thanks.
You're a brave man heading back there to camp after seein that :)
Thank you for the thumbs up video. Give them pigs another 5-8 years. There may be more pigs than you want. Liked the way you put up the shelter. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for stopping by. I guess you are right about the pigs. There are a lot of them around here already.
- Martin
Norwegian, I Loved the video. I have to say that the picture you showed at the end of the video was beautiful. That view was something that belongs on a Christmas card. Your new blade was close to being a heavy duty Machete. That's probably why it didn't work so great using it with the baton. The blade is thick so it needs extra weight to force the grain burst. On the other hand, It was excellent with it's tree chopping performance. Just wanted to thank you for all that you do in making these videos. I have enjoyed every one that I have seen.
Your videos are awesome! That big knife you brought with you sure took the abuse of batoning the small logs, no problem. What kind is it? It looks pretty thick on the spine. I use a khukri machete made from a truck leaf spring. It's thick enough to take a batoning and do some heavy chopping. Again, great video. Thank you!
Thanks my friend :)
The knife is called the "Terävä Skrama". It is a pretty sturdy knife. Not all that thick but it can take a beating for sure. I have a Kukri knife on the way in the mail from Katmandu Nepal at the moment. I am really looking forward to trying it out :)
- Martin
Excellent! Your photography and editing are absolutely perfect. There was even some suspence in waiting for the fire to start. That is a very nice bush knife, a real "chopper."
As far as strange occurrances, I also had one about 10 years ago in a scrub-pine (miniature pine trees in my region due to frequent fires) forrest.
It was dusk in the late spring. I was lying on my back looking at the sky, waiting for stars to appear, when suddenly from the North (my feet were due South) three small lights came into my field of view from above my head. They were positioned in a perfect equilateral triangle. As they moved exactly due South they abruptly stopped right over head. It seemed that they were high in the upper atmosphere. They stood directly overhead for about 15 - 20 seconds and then rapidly parted, each light head away from the other. One went back due North, one went Southwest, and the third went Southeast, all in perfect unison. After being shocked, I thought to myself, they must have been satellites or something being retasked by the NSA. (lol). I told a few friends, but not much came it.
Then about three years ago, I was watching something about the NASA Space Shuttle. Several of the astronauts had recorded strange occurrences in orbit which were unexplainable. One phenomenon they filmed and described was the three lights, which did exactly the same thing I had witnessed ten years ago. If I had not seen the NASA footage, I would have never thought much of it. I've had one other sky occurrence that happened to me in Mexico. But, that's another time. Thanks Martin.
Thank you for sharing that story. It sounds like an interesting thing to have seen. I guess there are many things going on in this world that we don not fully understand. Most things have a natural explanation though.
The Terävä Skrama is a real tool for sure. It is the only "real" chopper I have used so far but it was a lot of fun to try it in the woods.
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting - Martin
My pleasure. It's always good to watch your adventures. Great content and background.
Fred Thorne it was the dragon balls
really good to see you out doing vids Martin and testing out some new stuff. take care Dave
Thanks for stopping by Dave. It is always nice to spend time in the woods testing new stuff (and old stuff :)
- Martin
Have just seen all your videos and really appreciate the content. Slow, comfy, informative and of good quality! Would be a great experience to camp and learn from you! Keep making videos!:)
Just found your channel this afternoon (and subscribed). I'm really enjoying your videos. Very nice 👍. I look forward to more in the future.
Hello Martin all the way from Wisconsin! Thank you for the video, beautiful country there where you are in Norway! Take good care-Philip
Martin you have so amazing videos! Please make more!
Great video. You just got a new subscriber. No strange experiences other than the time I left camp to climb a mountain and when I came back exactly half my beer was stolen.
lovely tranquil video ,thank you
Thanks :)
- Martin
du är mkt välkommen att göra mer av allt du gör "unge man",väldigt välgjorda videos! från en gamling, 50år +. ☝👍👍
Takk for det Mikael. Flere videoer kommer snart :)
- Martin
Lovely video, as always. Nice videography. Always trying new things, too.
Or cinematography...
Thanks my friend:)
Always fun to try new stuff - Martin
Great video my friend , enjoyed the story ! nice camp as well !
atb john
Glad you like it! Thanks a lot for watching :)
- Martin
You just got another subscriber! I plan on coming to Norway in december or january to start my LONG trip around Europe. Norway is one of the top countries I want to visit. And well, I LOVE the cold :D
Thanks for subscribing. It sounds like you have a real adventure ahead of you. If you want to know anything about Norway, just ask. I will answer as best as I can :)
- Martin
This is a really cool video, very relaxing also.
Thanks! Glad you liked it :)
- Martin
Hi Martin
Great video. In regards to your story, research plasma ball lightning or just ball lightning.
I have heard about those. It might very well be the thing I saw. It might also be some burning swamp gas that I have read about. Or the good old space ship from outer space..? You never know :)
Thanks a lot for watching - Martin
Where can I get that AMAZING sweater... it looks so warm and functional. Is it a Norwegian style?
It is a traditional Norwegian design called a kofte. It is made by my mother :)
Thanks a lot for watching - Martin
You always make awesome videos, Sir! It's always a pleasure to watch. Reminds of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories in Canada where I lived for almost 20 yrs. Now currently living in San Francisco. Great videos.
I like that little half teepee shelter .. did it work well for u
Hello my friend. It is a pretty cool shelter. I would have liked it to be a tad larger. Other than that I think it is good for what it is.
- Martin
A small wax candle would have help nurse the fire up and going . I like cold weather camping but it's must to be prepared . I seen the new fangled lite weight axes that are inexpensive and nice at the hardware store . I'm on the fence about keeping a big blade . it's a lot more sharpening in the field . Good video
what I would like to see you make is and iglue snow / tarp shelter but maybe to late in the season , winter solstice is almost over ?
I leave my small axe at home now. I bought a TOPS Knives 12" machete and take a Silky Saw Gombouy. I camp in the Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon, USA where there are pine, spruce, and cedar. When I leave home, my blades are all sharp enough to shave the hair off my arms and when I come back, I use a ceramic stick to hone them. This is easier for me than carrying an axe. I have never regretted not having the axe with me.
I agree that some kind of fire aid would have made the fire go faster, but I kind of like the challenge of making do with what I find around camp. The biggest problem was that the firewood was a little damp. I think I prefer a splitting axe over a large knife. It is a little more to carry but less work to use. The Terävä Skrama did a good job though :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Awesome, looks like a great adventure!!! That is a beast of a knife!!!
It was a nice little adventure. That knife is the largest one I have used. It is a pretty capable tool :)
Thanks a lot for watching - Martin
Nice video, I'm envious. I have to try a Winter Camp soon. It isn't like we don't get Winter in Canada. Hahaha. I noticed that you had a set of Nesting pots. They look to be the same size that I have. Except mine are Czech Military pots, and considerably thicker and heavier. If you pick up this message, I would appreciate knowing which brand yours are. Not that I mind a little extra weight, but it is good to pare down your pack weight whenever possible. All My Best. Terry.
You sound knackerd lol great video. I keep a pocket of birch bark and tinder where ever i go just a tip but a good one.
It is always good to have some kind of tinder for easy fire making. I kind of like the challenge of make do with what I find around camp though. Thanks a lot for stopping by :)
- Martin
Another good video there. All liked and subscribed awaiting ur next vid. ATB for sharing
Thanks my friend. More videos are coming :)
- Martin
I just found your channel and I absolutely love it! What a beautiful place in the world! Keep up the awesome videos!
well done Martin,great setup buddy
atb
steve
It was a new one for me. It worked pretty good :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Your video's and presentation are always very well done.
so who's the fool who disliked this video. such an easy person to watch. brilliant job
Thank you my friend. I think that different people like different things. That is what makes the world so diverse :)
- Martin
It was an accident I'm sure, or they were just jealous.
Very enjoyable and relaxing. What did you have for dinner? Thanks again.
Thank you my friend. I had some sausages. Nice and easy camp food :)
- Martin
Love it. Subbed :), any chance you could tell me what mm and f stop that lens you're using is?
Thanks for doing so Nicholas. The lens is 50mm F1.2, but I guess you already know that :)
- Martin
Great video, and super beautiful location, homeland of the bloodline.
Thanks man! It sure is :)
- Martin
Good video, you rock , I don t found you on Instagram ! Happy to see your next video always good, thanks Martin
Thank you for stopping by. I am not on Instagram yet.. maybe I need to look into that.
- Martin
+NorwegianWoods hi I just start to be on Instagram 3weeks ago, and looking for you, but I found your video interesting and relaxing thanks to respond
Hello my friend. Can you first tell me which corner of the poncho you pulled up to get this setup?
To answer your question around the campfire: I once made an overnighter on a hillfort - a ruined castle in the middle of the forest. I woke up from restless sleep several times at night when I thought I heard the "ping-ping-ping" from forging hammers on anvils.
Just found your vedoe really enjoyed watching hope to see more wish you all the very best until next time my friend
Great kickin back video. Thanks
You are very welcome :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Good information about the fish.
Great videos brother! Personally, I cant wait for the autumn and winter! No mosquitos, nor blackflies and in my opinion, the nature turns in to its most beautiful state! Seeing Ruska and swimming in Avanto along with bathing in a wilderness Sauna.. And watching the Aurora Borealis! My favorite things to do outdoors, hands down. :) Greetings from Finland sir!
Thanks my friend. I also like the cold and dark season a lot. I can't say that I am too bothered with the bugs when I have a decent bug net on my shelter. I miss the northern lights from when I lived up north in Tromsø :)
- Martin
That is one beautiful knife.
It does the job :)
Thanks for watching - Martin
Just found your Chanel and I love it.
Thanks my friend :)
- Martin