Trial By Fire podcastit

Todays episode will the last for the foreseeable future in this format. This is due to taxing time requirements and right now, working as a self-employed person, the hours in the day are tougher to keep track of more than ever! But we will continue to produce content, including the knowledge hub episodes, as well as articles and recommendations eac…

With such uncertain times upon us, and with the coming winter showing threat of rocketing energy prices and potential power outages, we thought it was a good time to look at how we can all be better prepared in the home for short term disruptions.Our guest today is Toby Cowern an expert in urban preparedness and survival to talk to him about the th…

Welcome to this weeks briefing. this week we're looking back at our Charlie Walker interview, having had time to digest it a little, we speak about what resonated with us. We also discuss Kit envy and using what you have, in relation to bikepacking, after I spent the weekend getting my kit hammered on rough terrain.We talk about Howl Bushcraft and …

Our guest today is Charlie Walker, a British writer, explorer and journalists who has spent the last decade travelling to the four corners of the globe, including a 43,000-mile bicycle journey through Europe, Asia and Africa, across Mongolia by horse and most recently, walking across Siberia. A journey that was cut short by the invasion of Ukraine.…

Welcome to a new week of Trial by Fire. Jeremias attended a ski making course over the weekend and I pick his brain into the process involved. We also touch on some more feedback from our last few episodes regarding clothing and trusting your own experienceKirjoittanut Padraig Croke

Survival reality shows? Love em or hate em? what do they bring to the outdoor community? These are some of the questions Jeremias and I tackle on this weeks show. We discuss the series Alone, and what drives people to sign up, or quit, as well as some other really bizarre examples of other shows that have aired over the years.This episode was inspi…

today we're talking about clothing. It's role in society as a signifier but also as a protective tool against the elements, allowing us to go further and higher and deeper into the wild. We are the only animals on the planet that wear clothing. today we discuss clothing in the outdoors and what it means to us.…

today we are discussing sloyd. the subject of crafts and skills that are so important to the nordic household, and are taught in school for a very young age. but how can this skillset round out our outdoor skillset and what does it have to offer when we are in the woods?We discuss some elements of last weeks episode also, and we reference this vide…

This week Jeremias and I make a somewhat small attempt and defining bushcraft and bushcraft skills, and what that means. We discuss peripheral skills outside of that remit and how they can inform and round out our knowledge and skillset in the outdoors. Cooking, hunting, fishing, leadership skills... blacksmithing... whatever it may be.…

welcome to this weeks briefing! Today we are answering some of the comments from last weeks episode about the Happy People documentary. We're discussing finding fulfilment in work, adjusting to the seasons and the concept of "Wintering"We end the episode with a sneak preview of the new Patreon content we're going to be rolling out this year!…

Have you ever wanted to know how to navigate yourself using the signs the nature shows us. If you have the tools and the skillset, you can navigate any terrain on the planet. From the desert to the city and everything in between.Our guest today is Tristan Gooley, one of my favourite authors. World traveller, author, and natural navigator, Tristan h…

this week we're discussing Happy People, a documentary film based in the Russian Taiga, which follows a group of trappers as they live their lives throughout the four seasons of the year.We discuss sustainable living, self reliance and Seasonal adjustment.you can watch the documentary herehttps://youtu.be/fbhPIK-oBvA…

Welcome to our Wednesday briefing. Today we are talking about something hot off the press. Yvon Chouinard has sold Patagonia to an Environmental trust fund and has vowed to donate $100m a year to environmental causes. But how effective is this in reality?We're discussing company greenwashing, sustainability measures in the outdoors and what we can …

This week we got a chance to talk to Joe Flowers, a world renowned knife designer, expedition leader and explorer. Joe's work can be seen in many of the knife designs of Condor and Tops Knives, and his school Bushcraft Global, lead jungle expeditions. He has also spent time with native tribes, learning from them and working with them, and he is als…

New to Trial by Fire, We're coming to you every Wednesday with news articles, discussions, opinions, reviews or anything else that you guys can think of!This week we're discussing an article that appeared in Outside magazine this week regarding two hikers that got lost in New Hampshire and had to call in mountain rescue services. The hikers were su…

This week I'm joined by Ali Milne. Ali has set up a womens social hiking club called the Out Out Club in Ireland and is the founder of Mindfule, a company dedicated to exploring the relationship between our food and our minds.We talk about the social and mental benefits of hiking, the empowerment of trying new things and of course, our connection t…

Our guest today is Taneli Roininen, a Finn who has spent the last number of years cycling thousands of kilometres across the world. His latest endeavor has found him at the helm of a massive project in the Arctic region, connecting and mapping over 3000km of cycling and forest gravel road trails for the public to enjoy. We talk cycle touring vs bik…

This week we're talking to Paul Kirtley. A man who needs no introduction, Paul has been one of the most prominent and outspoken voices in the Bushcraft scene for many years. We had the pleasure of bending his ear on some topics we've been thinking about such as the role of social media in bushcraft, being authentic about capturing your journey and …

This week we are once again joined by our friend Jamie Dakota of Howl Bushcraft. We got a chance to talk about some concepts we'd be discussing in conversations and decided we wanted to do a podcast on it. Jamie talks about his teaching methods and we go into some ideas on facilitation, imposter syndrome, and imparting an appreciation for nature.…

This week we're talking to Elle Nikishkova. Outdoor chef, wild forager and mushroom expert. We talk about the rebellious nature of foraging, overcoming your fear of wild edibles, and some hints and tips for the coming seasonKirjoittanut Padraig Croke

It's been a busy few week here at camp TBF. last week we ran our first ever course. The Arctic Experience Weekend, and from what we can gather, guests had a great time. We talk about that today. And this week we have a killer interview with Mikko Kettunen of Karu Survival..Mikkos background is in Guerrilla and reconnaissance tactics with the Finnis…

This one was a wild card! we spoke to documentary maker and photographer Spike Johnson about narratives! finding a story, being vulnerable and taking the time needed to tell a compelling story. Instagram, selling your work, finding your style... a super interesting conversation. Spike has amazing resources available for free online about building a…

Happy new year! This week Jeremias and I discuss the year ahead. We talk about the Arctic experience course coming up in March and what we hope to achieve with it. We also talk about what our goals are for the year, as well as going back to basics, learning aids, and the connection I have between playing music and my outdoor pursuits. We finish the…

Merry Christmas from all of us at Trial by Fire. This week we're coming to you with a great interview with Erik Rudels. Erik is one of the course leaders at the Finnish Outdoor Academy where Jeremias studied.We're talking about leadership, what makes a good leader, what makes a bad one, and how can we learn to be strong leaders and good decision ma…

This week I'm talking to Peyman, one half of the duo known as Nomads Trails. Matilda and Peyman have been peddling around the world for the last 3.5 years and there’s no sign of them stopping any time soon. A really interesting guy and a great deal of insight about our connection to nature and the power of using our own engines to get out and explo…

This weeks episode is probably one of my favorite conversations in a long time. Jeremias and I sat down with Toby Cowern, whom jeremias has worked with in the past. A great conversation about mindfulness, psychology, the positive impact of nature on our brains, preparedness and survival courses. It’s jammed!you can find more information about Tobys…

This week Jeremias and I discuss the changing seasons and how to deal with motivation and energy levels this time of year. We discuss instagram, photography and FOMO, as well as answer some questions from last week. I also have an interview with Vidar Lyrstrand in Denmark during the summer at the Danish Outdoor Festival…

This week Jeremias and I sit down and talk about cold weather clothing! How we lose body heat, how to protect ourselves against is, and how to dress for really cold weather, like in the Arctic.We also discuss a new course we are designing and want to bring you guys along for the ride! follow this link to find out about the course and how you can at…

We are back folks! A new season of Trial by Fire is underway.My guest today is Kim Krohn, a very interesting guy, biologist and winner of Alone in Denmark. We talk about isolation, self sufficiency and the ability to listen to natures clues around you.You can check out Kims comapany at https://vedbaalet.dk/He is trained in everything from bushcraft…

My guest this week is Trustin Timber, the Canadian log cabin builder we all like to watch on YouTube. We discuss lots of things, including how he left the corporate world to go and live the life he does. We talk about honing your craft, learning from your mistakes and embracing the processKirjoittanut Padraig Croke

This week I've had the pleasure of talking to Greg Funnell, a London-based photographer whos work spans across everything from portraiture to lifestyle, journalism and travel! A really interesting guy with lots of amazing stories to tell over his travels.We speak about bushcraft and the joy of using retro kit, photography, Go Bags and conflict reso…

This has been our longest episode to date! We sit down and dissect some our favourite outdoor and bushcraft films, discussing the accuracies and inaccuracies of the films plot line.Cast Away, Into the Wild and The Revenant are three very different movies but all have one thing in common, they paint a beautiful picture of the worlds they are set in,…

I got a chance to sit down and have a debrief with Jeremias, who you will know from the last episode. Being home a few weeks now has given me some time to reflect a little on my arctic experience. We talk about homesteading, living sustainably, dogs dogs dogs, and a little about the Outdoor Academy in Finland where Jeremias got his outdoors trainin…

This week I had the privilege of spending a few days with Hannah and Jeremias Kinnunen-Levy, a couple who run a homestead and dog sledding company up here in the North of Sweden. We discuss the lifestyle choices involved in what they do. we also talk a little about how they got to where they are and whats involved in living a life of simplicity and…

Greetings from the North. This week I had the opportunity to talk to two great photographers. We discuss brands and clothing, frostbite and eagles!Kirjoittanut Padraig Croke

We're back for the first episode of 2021 and kicking it off with an interview with Jamie Dakota of Howl bushcraft. We discuss how creativity can help tell a story and sell courses. And how its important to understand your own limits when it comes to teaching and experience. I also give a little update as to what I will be up to this year and how I …

After a long hiatus I managed to get an episode together. With the winter season coming in, the conversation revolves around how we can up the game and build on our knowledge base. We also have an interview with Lars Nyhuus, winner of Alone series 2 in DenmarkKirjoittanut Padraig Croke

This week Padraig is flying solo with Joe on holidays with his family. We have an interview with a good friend of the show Ciaran Nugent who is a forester here in Ireland. We talk about getting back to our roots and into the forest. The history of woodlands here in Ireland and the UK and what does the future look like for our countries forests…