Brew-up skills in forest are put to the test!

WHILST many people were at home recovering from excesses over the festive season, members of the West Fife Woodlands group were in Townhill Wood with Lynn Strachan, Fife Countryside ranger, learning basic woodland management skills.

These included brashing (the removal of small lower branches) and the thinning out of unwanted sapling trees.

Equally important was learning how to brew up tea safely in a woodland setting!

The picture shows participants clustered around a Kelly Kettle, anxiously waiting to see if a fire had been successfully established inside its inner chamber.

This useful item, sometimes known as a Volcano Kettle, has been an essential piece of kit for Irish fishermen for generations. It can be operated with virtually any fuel: twigs, dry grass, bark, pine cones etc and boils water in minutes.

If you would like to know more about the activities of West Fife Woodlands, contact John Le Marie (chair) on 01383 889 359 or email him at jlemarie@balmule.freeserve.co.uk .

Alternatively, just turn up at our next meeting on 31st January, Blairhall Community Centre, at 7 pm, where you will be most welcome.