LATEST OUTDOOR GUIDES
Keep up to date with the latest guides, activities and resources from Survival Guides UK. Explore new articles covering outdoor skills, survival, Scout activities, camping, navigation, knots, fire safety and practical skills.
Our latest posts are designed to help Scouts, youth groups, leaders and anyone interested in outdoor learning develop practical knowledge and confidence. From new activity ideas and survival skills to useful how-to guides, check back regularly for the latest resources.
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SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge: Something Big Is Coming
Something big is coming to Survival Guides UK. Not another short list of outdoor activities. Not a course that finishes after a few lessons. And not a challenge that stops when you reach number 100. We are building something much bigger. The SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge is going to be a huge, ever-growing collection of…
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How to Protect a Wet Map
A map is one of those pieces of outdoor equipment that is easy to take for granted until it gets soaked and starts to fall apart in your hands. Once the paper becomes wet, it can become difficult to fold, markings can smudge and the map may start to tear surprisingly easily. Keeping it protected…
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How to Build Your Outdoor Skills One Step at a Time
Outdoor skills can seem like a huge subject when you first start learning. There are maps and compasses, fires, shelters, knots, navigation, cooking, first aid, weather, water and plenty more besides. You don’t need to learn everything at once. In fact, trying to do so can make it harder to remember what you’ve learned. A…
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How to Leave Useful Details of Your Route With Someone
Before heading out for a walk, hike or other outdoor trip, it is worth making sure someone knows where you are going. It doesn’t need to be a complicated itinerary. A few clear details can make a big difference if your plans change, you are delayed or someone needs to work out where you might…
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How to Stay Calm When Things Don’t Go to Plan
A lot of outdoor problems start out as small inconveniences. You take the wrong turn, the weather changes, something breaks or the route takes longer than expected. The problem is often not the original mistake, but what happens next. Staying calm gives you a much better chance of thinking clearly and dealing with whatever has…
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How to Recognise When Someone in Your Group Is Struggling
Pay Attention to the Person, Not Just the Pace When you are walking with other people, it is easy to concentrate on your own pace, the route ahead or how far you have left to go. Someone who is struggling might not immediately say anything, though, and sometimes the first signs are quite subtle. They…
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How to Organise the Inside of Your Tent
Start With the Space You Actually Have One of the easiest ways to make a tent feel untidy is to treat every bit of floor space as storage. It might seem harmless when you first arrive, but once your rucksack, boots, clothing, food and sleeping gear are all scattered around, you quickly run out of…
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How to Stay Comfortable in a Small Tent
A small tent can be surprisingly comfortable when you know how to use the space properly. The problem is that it doesn’t take much equipment, wet clothing or a badly organised rucksack to make the inside feel cramped. You don’t need a huge tent to have a good night’s sleep outdoors. You just need to…
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How to Deal With a Long Uphill Section
A long uphill section can change the whole feel of a walk. A route that seemed easy on the map can suddenly become hard work when you’re faced with a steady climb that just seems to keep going. The biggest mistake is often trying to attack the hill too quickly. You start at the same…
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How to Know When You Need to Stop and Rest
When you’re enjoying a walk or outdoor adventure, it can be tempting to keep going. You might have a certain distance in mind. Perhaps you’re trying to reach a particular viewpoint, get back before dark or simply don’t want to be the person who suggests stopping. But being tired isn’t something you should ignore just…
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How to Explore the Outdoors Without Damaging the Environment
Getting outside is one of the best ways to appreciate the natural world. But the more people who visit outdoor spaces, the more important it becomes to think about the effect we have while we’re there. That doesn’t mean you need to tiptoe through the countryside afraid of touching anything. It mostly comes down to…
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