Bow making and wild camping weekend. Reconnect with yourself and nature in an idyllic Sussex woodland.
This weekend course is a great opportunity to make your own traditional wood bow while experiencing a closer connection to nature and yourself.
Tom thrives when he is connected to nature and his passion is passing that along to others. While making a bow is the goal, the process of connecting to themselves, nature and their fellow participants takes people in new directions and opens possibilities.
Tom guides you step by step through the process of turning a stick of wood into a dynamic, arrow launching, bow.
We start with bringing ourselves back to our senses through guided forest mindfulness. Forest Bathing, as it is known in Japan, is a health practice that enlivens our senses and realigns us with ourselves and the natural world.
We then move on to the basics of tool safety and the ergonomics of using ones body effectively. After that the shavings start to fly.
Working with your body outdoors is a tiring, but rewarding experience, best suited to adults or motivated teens. Physical work is moderated with chances to rest, stare into the fire, and simply BE in the woods.
You will be wild camping (with your own tent) in a lovely Sussex woodland, with meals cooked over an open fire. Whether your a voracious carnivore or a gluten free vegan, I have got you covered.
The course begins on Friday evening when you will arrive to a light meal and set up your tent and connect around the fire. It will end Sunday evening when you pack up, tired and happy, with a new bow under your arm.
What you get
This all inclusive course comes with a host of benefits:
- Nature immersion in an amazing woodland
- Seasoned bow wood, ready to be worked
- Instruction in bow making and woodland lore
- 2 days and nights wild camping
- Personalize attention – courses restricted to 5 participants
- Archery kit (3 arrows, bracer, finger tab), bowstring
- Delicious food cooked over an open fire
- Dry roundhouse to work in if it is raining.
- All tools and supplies included
- Composting Loo
Cost
£275 (all inclusive)
£100 deposit required to secure a place + £175 remainder 14 days before the course starts.
Email tom.gerber@tie.education for booking details and to sign up for your bow making course.
A few photos from recent courses
Being in nature 
Rough shaping the bows 
Slowly working down the wood 
Teaching the bow to bend 
Enjoying yourself 
A dry, wood heated space to work in case of rain
About your instructor
Tom has a long history of archery, working outdoors and mindfulness.
Tom took to archery from a young age and spent hours in his garden shooting after school. As a teenager he made his first bow, a fiberglass laminate, for a school project. While satisfying in a way, working with fiberglass is an industrial process that did not really get to the heart of archery. As a young adult, he discovered traditional wood bows and the aptly named “Traditional Bowyers Bible”. Working from the book alone, he made and broke, a number of bows before realizing that one of the authors of TBB lived nearby.
He immediately signed up for a weekend mentoring session with legendary bowyer John Strunk. The deeper insights he gained allowed him to further develop his skills, completing workable bows in a number of styles. His job clearing mountain wilderness trails of fallen trees, gave him access to Yew and Vine Maple, both premium bow woods.
Tom has worked outdoors for over 20 years on several continents including Alaska, Australia and the wilderness of Northwestern US.
His interest in meditation came about through martial arts and later extended into managing a meditation centre for a year. He brings his experience of many 10 day silent meditation retreats into every course.
Course Dates
2021
Jan 1-3
New years is the time for a new Yew (tongue firmly in cheek). Relax from the holidays, feel the warmth of the roaring fire and fortify yourself with hearty stews from our seasonal menu. This time of year is traditionally the time for crafts in northern cultures. Start 2021 in fellowship, contemplation and craft a new you.
Apr 16-18
Join us for Bluebell season! Your hard work will be rewarded with a stroll through the woods in the heart Bluebell season. Come and celebrate the bursting forth of birds and flowers.
Jun 4-6
Spring has sprung and the tinges of summer breezes are blowing through the trees. Come celebrate the full bloom and bustle of a woodland in June while making a wood bow.
Jul 30 – Aug 1
It is summer and the buzzing of bees is not the only sounds in the woods. The whisper of the rasp and the drawknife make a perfect complement to summer in the woods. Join us for fun in the sun and shavings.
Email tom.gerber@tie.education for booking details and to sign up for your bow making course.