Shelter Building

Shelter building is the bushcraft skill of making somewhere to stay dry and warm using only what nature provides: fallen branches, sticks, leaves and ferns. In a survival situation, shelter usually comes first, before water, fire or food, because wind, rain and cold can cause trouble fast. It's also basically den building for adults, and nobody's judging.

The A-frame is the bushcraft classic. A long, sturdy branch called a ridgepole rests in the fork of a tree or on two crossed sticks, with the other end on the ground. Shorter sticks lean along both sides like ribs, giving you a neat tent shape.

The lean-to is a single sloping wall propped against a fallen log or a pole tied between two trees. Quick to build, open on one side and great for sitting beside a fire.

The debris hut is an A-frame buried under a thick layer of leaves, bracken and forest litter. It looks like a compost heap and works like a duvet.

The tarp shelter swaps natural materials for a waterproof sheet and some rope. Less rugged and more practical, plus a good excuse to practise your knots.

Start with location. You want flat, dry ground, out of any dip where rainwater pools, with nothing dead or dangling overhead. Bushcrafters call those hanging branches widowmakers, which is a pretty good reason to look up before you build.

Next, gather fallen wood only, never branches from living trees. Prop up your ridgepole, stack the ribs close together along both sides and weave thinner sticks through them to make a lattice. Then thatch it from the bottom up with leaves and ferns so the rain runs off, like tiles on a roof. Pile a thick layer of dry leaves inside too, because the cold ground will happily steal your warmth all night.

Good, because this is where you start. Your Activity Leader walks you through the elements of survival, why shelter matters and what to watch out for in the woods. After that it's foraging, building and a fair bit of team problem-solving, usually with someone insisting their stick is the best stick. It's hands-on, a little muddy and oddly satisfying when you finally crawl inside the thing you made. Fewer spreadsheets, more sticks.

Long sleeves and long trousers you don't mind getting muddy, to keep off scratches, nettles and brambles. Sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots are a must on uneven woodland ground. Gloves help when hauling rough branches. A waterproof layer is wise too. You are building a rain shelter for a reason.

You might also like Survival Skills, Fire Lighting and Rope Making & Useful Knots.

See all Camp Wildfire activities