I attended the Tracking Course (17-23 May 2026). There were 9 people on the course and upon arrival, our kit was driven up to the camp while we walked the few hundred metres up the hill and into the woods. We experienced some cold nights with wind and heavy rain and the final 2 days were scorchingly hot, which was a test in itself. Dave (Excellent) led the course assisted by Wayne (Top Man), along with Steve and Reece (Both very supportive). The first 2 days were mostly instructional theory on the topic around the campsite. Therafter things ramped up with intensive periods of tracking through various medium. The days activities were extensive and there wasn't much downtime, sometimes barely enough time to eat. No complaints, I was there to learn tracking, not laze around in a hammock! On the Wednesday afternoon we were given instruction by Ray Mears and the tone of the course seemed to go up a level, we were all becoming more in-tune with the location and our senses. Thursday was a very long day, with Ray making another appearance when we watched Foxes hunting and staked out the Badger sett. After spending just over an hour watching Woodpeckers, Mice, Voles and Badgers we walked back to camp. I wouldn't be surprised if we had walked about 20km that day. After arriving back at camp, some flopped but a small group showered and chatted aroud the fire. On Friday we revisted the theory and prepared for the group tracking activity on Saturday. By the end of the week, all participants were able to perform the various roles, including Lead Tracker. I have no hesitation in recommending this course.

A fantastic course and all round experience. Couldn''t have had a better instructor in Brian, whose treasure trove of knowledge, experience, stories, and humour made every day a joy as well as a welcome challenge and an opportunity to learn. I came away from the course with so many special memories and new skills that I can''t wait to get out and make use of, and much of that came not only from the outstanding quality and spirit of the teaching by the Woodlore team, but also the immersive nature of the course - camping out, becoming attuned to the rhythms of the weather and the wildlife, and the comradeship which comes from sharing the whole thing with a great group of like-minded people. Would heartily recommend.

I found the Tracking and Nature Awareness course eye opening and ultimately life changing.
 
I remember pondering one night, how many days have I been on the course? To my surprise, I realised I had only just finished the first full day! It was a joy to reflect on how much I had learned in the space of one day, but also how little I knew and how much more I had to learn. Even after completing the course I remain excited by the prospect of developing my experience.
 
I literally cannot stop noticing animals in the wild now. The slightest movement in my peripheral vision and I�m locked on immediately. I�ve lived in one area for almost 20 years and only recently discovered Foxes and Pheasants shortly after returning from the course. I simply never noticed them before! I feel like the wildlife is rewarding me for learning to be respectful of nature by using the lightest of footsteps and minimising my impact on my surroundings. What a privilege!
 
I also want to say that all the instructors were amazing! They were all keen to teach and share their genuine interest in the subject. I certainly didn�t find an occasion when one of the instructors couldn�t answer one of my numerous questions. Many of which were beyond the subject being taught. They were all very caring and attentive. A pleasure to learn from. Brian was especially cool, but that�s probably because I met him for the first time and he kept getting lumbered we me in his group. All the instructors were excellent! Thank you Steve, Tom and Brian! Oh and Ray! ;) It was very generous of Ray to take the time out of his busy schedule to teach us. Especially on the last day before the course ended when he recounted the story of the search for the lost girl. A story I will never forget. Thanks for the continued inspiration!
 
After just one week of training I feel that I have been gifted with the keys to a secret garden that has long been hidden in plain sight. A privilege and responsibility I will not take lightly. It�s probably the most profound gift I have ever received. I�ll be forever grateful. Thank you to all the Woodlore Team!

I really cannot rate this course, and other courses Woodlore run highly enough. It was so good it''s actually the second time I''ve done it! The quality of instruction you get from these instructors is second to none. Their detailed knowledge, passion for their subject and enthusiasm to pass that knowledge on will be hard to beat by rival companies. Once again thanks very much and see you on the next one.

I had booked this 2 years ago, it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic but this year the course dates fell just a few days after restrictions were eased so I jumped at the chance to get out. I was glad I did. This course starts you on a path to awakening your senses to the natural world, absolutely perfect when you�ve been banged up for a year. (If your worried about COVID, don�t be as they have thought of everything). It�s the slowest paced course I�ve done but possibly the most rewarding and one of the more tiring. Noticing everything is quite new to me and requires concentration. Don�t let experience put you off. The group consisted of birdwatchers, vets, complete novices and even people who have done the course previously. The guys teaching all have 10+ years experience instructing for Woodlore and decades of field time behind them. We saw wild animals every day at close quarters including deer and owls which I was really surprised about given we were mainly novices. Ray made several appearances to offer advice and encouragement despite a busy schedule. I would recommend this to anyone. Cheers Woodlore!

This was an excellent course. It has even changed the way that I move which is now much quieter, and I often hear the phrase "Where did you come from!?" Ray is an excellent teacher, and teaches in an engaging and very informative way - lectures often featured anecdotes, some of which were hilariously funny! TV and media give an insight into Ray''s knowledge and skills, but it''s only when you study alongside Ray in person that his depth and breadth of knowledge become apparent. Dave and Tom were also excellent instructors and extremely helpful.
This course was well planned with superb attention to detail, which is the hallmark of all Woodlore courses. All the students were given time to acclimatise, and as the course progressed, we were given more difficult tasks which matched our growing knowledge and confidence. The rate of learning was superbly judged to match everyone''s abilities.
Spending even just a week living close to nature is a very humbling and rewarding experience. You begin to feel increasingly at home in the forest and become confident in your knowledge and equipment. You transform from a visitor into a resident, and it feels great. The clutter of civilisation falls away, and a feeling of wellbeing envelops you. You begin to look at the world differently, and even trees that you might normally just see as landmarks feel more like quiet, wise old friends. I genuinely believe that bushcraft and the study of nature is at the heart of our long term survival on earth. You learn to waste little, live lightly, and love your surroundings.
I would highly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in tracking and would like to thank Ray, Dave, Tom and all the staff at Woodlore for an extremely rewarding and memorable experience.

This is just a bit of feedback from my tracking course which finished this Saturday. A big thank you for a good course and the standard of your staff. Tom, Dave and Steve were very good, easy to talk to and full of information, and made the course very enjoyable. Plus can you mention to Ray a big thank you for taking the time to come down and do a lesson with us.

Tom did an outstanding job taking us through what is a very frustrating process of understanding what tracking is, but all I can say is Tom was fantastic and this course, in my option is the best course I have attended with Woodlore; Outstanding.

I returned home from a week on your Tracking course to see if my feedback would be the same as I felt during those last few minutes sitting under the parachute.

I feel, even more so now than ever, that it was the most amazing, eye opening, life changing course I have ever been on. I''ve been on a lot of courses where I have trained and learned skills but not one where I now look at the world around me in more depth, see more, hear more and notice more.

The instructors; Tom, Dave & Steve were all extremely knowledgeable, approachable at any time and patient, especially with some of the questions course members asked. They bought the best out in everyone and helped boost us up when we lost direction.

It was amazing to see how they changed a group of excited adult school children walking up the track at the beginning of the course to become a silent observant coordinated team.

Please consider a 5 across the board on your feedback form. Even the self-catering & accommodation was excellent (that''s only because I have previously done the fundamental course).

I will hold that week in my mind forever, and the tool kit of knowledge they have provided me, to build on.

Firstly, I`ve never reviewed any product before but if there`s to be an exception it has to be Woodlore. The Woodlore Tracking Course is superb. It is my 5th Woodlore course in 3 years and each of the same unwaveringly high standards. Consummate in their expertise; friendly in their approach, Dan, Keith and Tom create an environment in which learning becomes a great pleasure. One evening at dusk, we bumped into Ray Mears on a rain and windswept hilltop. He was very generous with his time and gave us some fascinating insights. The other course attendees were a great bunch too.

Absolutely fantastic course. Dan, Keith and Steve are extremely knowledgeable instructors and their enthusiasm really rubbed off on the group. There is a very good balance between theory and practical, with the course culminating in a fun exercise which calls upon all of the skills learned over the week. I thoroughly recommend this course to people who have an interest in tracking as well as anyone who just wants to add a new dimension to their walks in the countryside.

I found this course great value for money and very enjoyable. The instructors were, as always, very informative and very personable. I would say that a decent pair of binoculars is key for this course. The better they are, the less the eye strain and the more the enjoyment. I would like to thank Dan Hume for lending a spectacular Zeiss set that more than overcame the problems I encountered with my monocular! I learnt a lot and I hope to return.

Excellent course. Dan, Keith and Steve are very good instructors. I would recommend this course to everyone.

This course is a must for anyone with an interest in real tracking techniques, a solid foundation on which to build. The course exceeded my expectations and throughout the week my confidence really grew. You will not come away an expert by any means and it would be totally unrealistic to have that expectation, however you''ll have the appropriate tools to carry on building.

The staff were fantastic, many thanks again to Dan, Keith, Tom and Sarah who made the course throughly enjoyable and informative.

There was also the unexpected pleasure of having Ray join us and help us with our Deer identification and final exercise, although with such a busy schedule I''m sure this is not always possible, but it really was the icing on the cake for me! Great course recommended!