Trex Explore Ltd

Our Course Content and Skills

Monthly scheduled courses and bespoke activities.

Hosted at our Gloucestershire woodland base,
or partner sites in South West England and South Wales.

Discover new resources, paths, views, and skills.

Based in an off-grid woodland space, at the northern tip of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, a brief walk from parking.
Our fire-circle and bushcraft skills area provides all we need for an outdoor-learning retreat.
Further afield, we enjoy simple woodland and farm-based facilities.

Bring your own outdoor gear and lunch, and enjoy an escape from modern technology.
For overnight camps, also bring some camping equipment.
Talk to us if you need any guidance about clothing, equipment, or activities.

→ See our available courses detailed below.

→ Then check our upcoming dates for planned activities and locations.

Practical Skills...

The following skills form the basis for our themed courses, and can be combined to follow your interest.

We consider these the fundamental knowledge you need for off-grid life, and are based on the Institute of Outdoor Learning Bushcraft standards.

Our teaching and mentoring involves practical learning from introduction, to developing your own confidence through experimentation with real resources.

Tree-lore and Tree ID
myths, legends, toxicity, utility and edibility; recognition from bark, leaves, shape, habitat

Basic Foraging
what is that leaf and can I eat it? the edibility and toxicity of plants and trees around us

Fire-lighting
sources of ignition, tinder, and progression to a usable fire

Bladed Tools
variation, handling, law, and maintenance

Natural Shelter Building
siting, structure, and suitable cover

Water Sourcing and Preparation
finding water and purifying it for survival

Cordage and Natural Fibres
sourcing and making strings and bindings

Navigation
compass, maps and natural indicators

Basic wood carving
greenwood carving and fixings for simple tools and structures, etc

Campfire cooking
stews, breads and grills

Themed Courses + Events...

Each course is focused around learning specific skills, off-grid, and also allows flexibility to follow your interest, within the themed topics.
Our events provide a true outdoor escape and more opportunity to explore and relax.

All our sessions take a relaxed approach and can be adapted for half days, full days, or two day events with optional camping - see our next upcoming events.

Bespoke activities can be arranged for organised groups or individuals, for alternatives dates, focus, locations and durations, please contact us to discuss.

Who Are the Courses For...

We mainly offer courses for adults interested to spend more time outdoors, to learn more about ways to live amongst the natural environment.
Sessions with youngsters/teens can also be run, with responsible parents alongside to help guide.

Our courses are valuable for team-building activities, executive leadership development, and for woodland mindfulness.
There are unquantifiable personal development experience during our courses, such as improving awareness using all senses and in self-control and patience.

Maybe you want an off-grid retreat, maybe you appreciate traditional crafts, maybe you want to challenge what you know.
We can tailor courses to suit any need.

Example Activity Structure...

All timing and activities are flexible. We want you to enjoy and unwind, thinking of this as an off-grid retreat rather than a challenge.
Specific details for arrival, required kit and focus of the activities will vary (as advertised on our upcoming events page) and will be sent to you in advance.

Base Locations...

 May Hill Woodlands
(nr Gloucester)

varied woodland, rich in quality tree-life and wildlife, accessible from the local village and nearby long-distance footpaths (Gloucesteshire Way, Wysis Way). we are lucky to have our bushcraft base here, from which we hold our fireside group-cook and dedicated outdoor skills sessions. the site has nearby parking within a short walk, and off-grid facilities, making it also good for overnight "wild" woodland camps.

 Black Mountains
(nr Abergavenny)

a diverse set of valleys and ridges, with some areas of dense forest, sprawling moorland and hidden farms. this is an area shaped by ice-age glaciers and provides some deep twisting valleys, hiding a quieter set of paths and spaces for truely "getting away from it all". the remote tranquility of this area makes it particularly special, as well as the variety of woodland and moorland foraged treats - strawberries, bilberries, woody sorrel and hazelnuts.

 Cotswold Vale
(North Gloucestershire to Herefordshire)

we like this as an alternative to the typical UK national parks, also being our home territory - there is a diversity of rocky edges, bubbling streams, distant views, woodland and farm-estates to enjoy. Ancient woodlands, plantations and coppices provide rich material for foraging, tree ID, shelter building and natural crafts like cord-making and greenwood carving, and there's a surprising amount of geocaches!

Further Afield:

 Brecon Beacons

a range of peaks forming interlocking horseshoe ridges and with lower forests and waterways - great for small or long hikes. renowned for being rainy. plentiful wild food. stunning skylines.

 Dartmoor

truely a region to escape into (or from, during the annual Prison Break challenge!). you can stay on well trodden paths or explore whichever direction you choose and will always find something of interest, whether it's a tor, leat or old quarry. wide moorland with areas of forest, occasional sea views and rockclimbs. on top of that, we love a good wide-game or "letterboxing" treasure hunt here too! a true outdoor playground.

 Snowdonia

in a landscape that truely reflects the legends of the home of dragons, you will find tranquil sunny streams and harsh, clouded rock edges. the views are spectacular whether heading down a hidden valley or climbing one of the peaks around Yr Wyddfa. we can show you how the landscape was altered by industrial works and rediscover ancient pathways.