Expedition Craft Weekend

Practical training for curious enthusiasts, emerging leaders, and outdoor professionals.

 

Lead with confidence in the wilderness.

Join us for an immersive weekend designed to develop your skills and mindset so you can thrive — and help others thrive — in remote expedition environments.

 

On this 2-day, 2-night experiential course you will:

  • Deepen your ability to lead and manage groups safely and effectively in wilderness settings.
  • Sharpen your personal expedition skills, including campcraft, bushcraft, and wilderness living.
  • Explore practical and theoretical approaches to teaching these skills to others, empowering your groups with confidence and competence on expedition.

 

Please Note: the Expedition Craft Weekend is only open to adults over 18 years old. If you are looking for one of our Expeditions or Adventures for young people, please head to our programmes page.

 

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Cost: £200*

Dates: Friday 25th – Sunday 27th September 2026

Location: Camp Redwood

 

*£100 with a Leader Rebate: You can apply for a 50% rebate if you lead on a British Exploring Society Adventure or Expedition at any point in the 12 months following the end of the course you attended. This rebate applies to both new and returning Leaders. Apply for your rebate by emailing expeditions@britishexploring.org.

 

How to register:

1. Fill in and submit the form below.

2. We will email you an invoice for £200.

3. Pay the invoice in full within 7 days.

4. Your place will be confirmed when we receive payment.

 

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meet your tutors

James Dyer

James Dyer is the former Operations Manager at British Exploring Society and a veteran of professional expedition leadership. In addition to being a Chief Leader with us on countless occasions, he has set up and led expeditions and adventurous projects across the world for a wide range of client groups from young people, adults, scientists and TV production companies. His background is in outdoor and adventurous sports coaching and instructing, and he has been involved in developing young people and expedition leaders for nearly 30 years.

Susannah Cass

Susannah began her British Exploring journey as Chief Scientist, leading scientific programmes in tropical rainforest environments. She has since held senior leadership roles across a wide range of expedition settings, including temperate, alpine and high‑latitude wilderness biomes, serving as Knowledge Leader, Base Camp Manager, Deputy and Chief Leader. Alongside expedition leadership, Susannah has worked as an ecology and environmental sciences lecturer, supported community arts and youth charities, and completed extensive self‑supported journeys by boat, foot and bicycle, including ocean‑rowing expeditions.

Andy Browning

Andy has been involved with British Exploring since 2017, first joining as an Adventure Leader in remote tropical rainforest environments. He has since led annually as an Adventure, Knowledge and Chief Leader across diverse wilderness settings, including mountainous, polar and sub‑arctic biomes. Passionate about youth development through challenge and immersion in nature, Andy is committed to widening access to transformational outdoor experiences. Beyond British Exploring, he leads expeditions across the UK and internationally, supports youth crime reduction initiatives, and serves on the ShelterBox disaster response team.

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Programme Information

  • Cost

    £200 / £100 with Leader Rebate*

    *Leader Rebate: You can apply for a 50% rebate if you lead on a British Exploring Society Adventure or Expedition at any point in the 12 months following the end of the course you attended. This rebate applies to both new and returning Leaders. Apply for your rebate by emailing expeditions@britishexploring.org.

    Cancellation Policy: You may claim a full refund if you cancel up to 28 days before the start of the event. If you register less than 28 days before the event, we cannot offer any refund unless the event is cancelled by British Exploring Society. Apply for a refund by emailing expeditions@britishexploring.org.

    Cost includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast and lunch on Sunday, all cooked together over an outdoor fire. Please eat dinner before you arrive on Friday and bring snacks in case you get hungry during the weekend.

  • Dates and Timings

    Arrival: 5-7pm, Friday 25 September 2026

    Departure: 3pm, Sunday 27 September 2026

     

  • Location

    Camp Redwood
    Thoresby Estate
    Newark
    Nottinghamshire
    NG22 9EN

    Camp Redwood is a secluded woodland in the heart of Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, just a 10-minute drive from the A1.

    Driving

    Camp Redwood is 10 minutes from the A1 motorway.

    • Sheffield: 1h
    • Birmingham: 1h45
    • Manchester: 2h15
    • Newcastle: 2h30
    • Bristol: 3h15
    • London: 3h30

    Train

    The two nearest train stations are a 15-20 minute taxi ride away:

    • Retford: on mainline between London, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
    • Worksop: on mainline between Lincoln, Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds.

  • Programme Itinerary

    During the weekend, you will explore both the theory and practice of:

    • The core principles of survival and their relationship to expedition leadership, including the Educational Expedition Development Model.
    • Safe use and handling of tools commonly used on expedition.
    • Campcraft: setting up, laying out, and operating different types of camps, including improvised shelters across varied environments — with the chance to build and sleep in your own shelter.
    • Fire lighting and management, stove use, and wilderness cooking.
    • Identifying safe water sources and methods for water purification.
    • Food preparation, hygiene, and safety in expedition contexts.
    • An introduction to tracking, environmental awareness, and situational awareness skills.
    • Nature awareness games and tools for engaging expedition groups with the environment.

     

Is Expedition Craft for you?

Expedition Craft is purposefully designed for:

  • Aspiring Leaders who want to lead on expeditions with British Exploring Society.
  • Experienced Leaders looking to deepen expedition and group leadership skills.
  • Young Explorers over 18 years old taking the next step toward becoming leaders themselves.
  • Outdoor professionals keen to learn what they don’t teach you on Mountain Leader training.
  • Curious, adventurous adults looking for a unique opportunity to learn from British Exploring Society’s 93 years of continuous expedition experience.

The kit you need to bring.

We will be camping in the woods. Basic washing and toilet facilities are available.

You will need to bring:

  • Sleeping kit: including tent or tarp, sleeping bag, mat, pillow and anything else you need to be comfortable in autumn.
  • Eating kit: including food container with lid to eat from, fork, spoon, knife, mug and water bottle.
  • Hygiene kit: including toothbrush and toothpaste, wash kit and towel, sanitary products, and any medications you need.
  • Outdoor all-weather clothing: including waterproofs, warm and sturdy footwear, hat and gloves.
  • Camp kit: torch, day bag, pen and paper.
  • A personal first-aid kit: with any regular medication you would normally take.

You will not need to bring:

  • Knives: All bladed items that might be needed are provided, so no need to bring your own.

 


 

“The training I received from British Exploring Society has been a crucial part of my journey as an outdoor leader—practical, immersive, and delivered by people genuinely committed to your development.

British Exploring Society training gave me a unique combination of skills I couldn’t have gained anywhere else and connected me with a supportive network that has helped me grow both personally and professionally.

I highly recommend both their training courses and the experience of volunteering on an expedition.”

 

– Louise Kelly, Social Leader / Adventure Leader / Basecamp Manager