LATEST OUTDOOR GUIDES

Keep up to date with the latest guides, activities and resources from Pure Bushcraft. 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.


  • 30-Minute Activity Plan: Fire Safety Decision Challenge

    30-Minute Activity Plan: Fire Safety Decision Challenge

    Activity Type: Fire Safety & Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Indoors or a suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Scenario cards, paper and pens Activity Overview This activity teaches young people to recognise when a fire is becoming unsafe and make sensible decisions before a situation becomes an emergency. Rather than lighting a fire, the…

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  • 30-Minute Activity Plan: Pack the Perfect Camp

    30-Minute Activity Plan: Pack the Perfect Camp

    Activity Type: Camping & CampcraftAge Range: Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Indoors or outdoorsEquipment: A selection of camping equipment, or printed pictures/cards of equipment Activity Overview This activity challenges young people to decide what they actually need for a camping trip. The objective isn’t to see who can pack the most. It’s to teach…

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  • 30-Minute Activity Plan: Outdoor Team Challenge

    30-Minute Activity Plan: Outdoor Team Challenge

    Activity Type: Teamwork & Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Rope, a few natural or safe everyday objects, paper and pencils Activity Overview This activity gives young people a series of short outdoor problems to solve as a team. The challenges are deliberately simple. The aim isn’t to…

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  • 30-Minute Activity Plan: Navigation Decision Challenge

    30-Minute Activity Plan: Navigation Decision Challenge

    Activity Type: NavigationAge Range: Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Maps, compasses and pencils Activity Overview This activity gets young people thinking about navigation rather than simply following instructions. The challenge is to give them a destination and let them decide how they are going to get there. They’ll need to consider the…

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  • 30-Minute Activity Plan: Shelter Builder Challenge

    30-Minute Activity Plan: Shelter Builder Challenge

    Activity Type: Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor areaEquipment: Rope, tarpaulin or groundsheet, sticks or poles where appropriate Activity Overview This activity challenges young people to work together to create a simple emergency shelter. The emphasis isn’t on building the biggest or most impressive structure. It’s about planning, teamwork, using…

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  • 30-Minute Activity Plan: Outdoor Observation Challenge

    30-Minute Activity Plan: Outdoor Observation Challenge

    Activity Type: Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesLocation: OutdoorsEquipment: None required, although paper and pencils can be useful Activity Overview How observant are your young people? This simple 30-minute activity encourages them to slow down and notice things they might normally walk straight past. The activity works well in a woodland,…

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  • 30-Minute Activity Plan: Outdoor Skills Challenge

    30-Minute Activity Plan: Outdoor Skills Challenge

    Activity Type: Outdoor SkillsAge Range: Beavers, Cubs, Scouts or ExplorersDuration: 30 minutesGroup Size: Small groups or PatrolsLocation: Outdoors or a suitable indoor spaceEquipment: Paper, pens and a selection of basic outdoor equipment appropriate to the group Activity Overview This quick activity gives young people the chance to practise several outdoor skills while working as a…

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  • Chief Scout’s Diamond Award Explained

    Chief Scout’s Diamond Award Explained

    What Is the Chief Scout’s Diamond Award? The Chief Scout’s Diamond Award is the highest of the Chief Scout’s Awards. It is the final Chief Scout’s Award before the King’s Scout Award, making it a significant achievement for Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members. The award builds on many of the skills developed through the…

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  • Chief Scout’s Platinum Award Explained

    Chief Scout’s Platinum Award Explained

    What Is the Chief Scout’s Platinum Award? The Chief Scout’s Platinum Award is one of the top awards available to Explorer Scouts. It gives Explorers the opportunity to develop their skills, take on new challenges and demonstrate commitment both within Scouting and beyond it. It isn’t simply an award for completing a collection of badges.…

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  • Explorers Cooking Activities: Fun Outdoor Food Ideas

    Explorers Cooking Activities: Fun Outdoor Food Ideas

    Outdoor cooking is one of those skills that becomes much more interesting when Explorers are given responsibility. Instead of simply following a recipe, they can plan a meal, choose ingredients, organise equipment and work out how to cook everything safely. Camping also introduces challenges that don’t normally exist in a kitchen. You might have limited…

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Looking for something specific? Explore our activity plans for practical outdoor sessions, take on our survival challenges, or browse our badges to discover new skills and achievements to work towards.

Whether you’re looking for Scout activities, survival skills, camping ideas, navigation resources or practical outdoor learning, explore the rest of Pure Bushcraft to find your next challenge.