Be like Bear
Learn to survive in the wild
Six survival tips from our time at the Bear Grylls Explorers Camp in Ras Al Khaimah
W ith the Mad
Max origin story that seems to be 2020’s main running theme, knowing how to survive in the wilderness no longer feels like such an eccentric indulgence.
So, when the invite came to experience the UAE’s new Bear Grylls Explorers Camp, we barrel-rolled at the chance.
Out there, in the hinterland of Jebel Jais’ via ferrata, What’s
On made a pact with nature and emerged sporting a bandana and endowed with a new respect for the great outdoors.
01 That’s not a knife
After setting off on a trek across a shadowed wadi, our first survival checkpoint was a sit-down knife skills class with Ben, a man whose real-life experiences in facing extremities and mentoring teenagers have left him wary, and with a healthy regard for hidden peril. Your blade is your lifeline, but it comes with its own dangers. Ben teaches us how to whittle primitive, but potentially life-saving tools such as pegs and trap parts.
02 Nature’s TV
Pushing further into RAK’s valleyscape, past puzzled goats and over loose rock underfoot, our next rendezvous is with Jake. “Bear, calls fire ‘Nature’s TV’”, Jake tells us, as the young instructor manages to light a collection of spindly twigs using his bushman’s striking rod. He details a few techniques to spark flame without resorting to matches or a lighter, including the 9V battery and wire wool method, components which are admittedly rare in the wild. The key is to follow the motto of the Scouting organisation of which Mr Grylls is chief and ‘always be prepared’. There’s no point starting a fire if there’s nothing to feed it. You need an ample supply of tinder, kindling, and then bigger wood to hurl on top.
03 The rule of three
Our expedition guides, Martin and Leon, stop under a lone acacia tree to explain one of the golden rules behind the priorities of survival training. “You can last three weeks without food,” Martin says, although my hangry alter-ego begs to differ. “Three days without water,” he adds sternly, “but only three seconds with a bad attitude.”
04 Knot OK
Tom is our rope skills sensei, and this *gestures at the mountains around us* is his dojo. Through a few practiced flicks of his wrist, Tom relays the ancient art of folding bits of string together. We learn a few vital, genuinely life-saving rope tricks, culminating in the complicated Alpine Butterfly. It’s not ‘ how long a piece of string is’ that’s important, it’s knowing what to do with it, and each knot lends itself to a particular problem-solving application.
05 Cheat meals
Outside of Deliveroo coverage areas, and in harsh, inhospitable environments, finding your next meal can be a challenge. Instructor Leon lets us in on some tried and tested ways of tracking down water sources, such as looking out for certain vegetation, and where there’s water, there are likely to be ‘snacks’. Luckily for us Martin and Leon had some Bear-inspired treats prepared earlier – mealworms. Well, at least we didn’t have to wash it down with a Bear-inspired beverage. They taste like dryroasted peanuts in case you were wondering.
06 Skyfall
The best exit strategy is very rarely rappelling down a sheer ragged cliff face. But seeing as the simulated extraction that rounded off our training was essentially mountain rescue, over the top we went. We learned here that facing your fears can lead to fulfilment, excitement and a desire to do it again immediately. It can also lead to mild chafing.
Bear Grylls Explorers Camp in Ras Al Khaimah is open to the public now. The half-day experience (the one we tested) is just Dhs450, there are also eight-hour sessions and a 24hour experience available at Dhs1,300. Tel: (056) 317 3958, beargryllscamp.ae