Ray Mears
Ray Mears teaches bushcraft, tracking and wilderness skills through television, books, videos and his Woodlore school, helping people feel more at home in nature.
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Latest
Ray’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
BBC Two
Ebury SpotlightOverview
- Based in
- Sussex, England
- Work
- Bushcraft instructor, broadcaster and author
- School
- Founded Woodlore in 1983
- TV beginnings
- Tracks on the BBC, 1994
- Signature subjects
- Tracking, wilderness skills and learning from nature
Mini bio
How it started.
Ray grew up on the North Downs in southern England, following fox tracks into the woods. Wanting to sleep outdoors without money for camping equipment, he looked for other ways to manage. His school judo teacher, Kingsley, encouraged his curiosity, and the local library became a place to study survival skills.
A school before the screen.
He founded Woodlore, the School of Wilderness Bushcraft, in 1983. Teaching came first, followed by BBC programmes including Tracks in 1994, World of Survival in 1997 and Extreme Survival in 1999. Ray Mears’ Bushcraft brought his approach to a wider television audience in 2004 and 2005.
Learning from people and places.
His work has taken him around the world to learn alongside Indigenous communities, tracking wildlife and studying traditional ways to find food, shelter and warmth. That curiosity runs through his books, from outdoor cooking in Wilderness Chef to trees in British Woodland and reading signs in Outdoor Tracking Handbook.
Creditschronological, newest first
Books
- 2025Outdoor Tracking HandbookAuthor
- 2023British WoodlandAuthor
- 2020Wilderness Chef: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking OutdoorsAuthor
- 2016Out on the Land: Bushcraft Skills from the Northern ForestCo-author with Lars Fält
Television
- 2021Wild China with Ray MearsPresenter
- 2004–2005Ray Mears’ BushcraftPresenter
- 2003The Real Heroes of TelemarkPresenter
- 1999–2002Extreme SurvivalPresenter
- 1997–2002World of SurvivalPresenter
- 1994–1997TracksPresenter
Awards
Quotes
Technology is useful, but understanding is essential.Ray Mears, Woodlore blog
In an April 2026 conversation about compass cases and navigation, Ray explained why knowing how to read the land still matters alongside electronic tools.
Trivia
- His early tracking practice involved following foxes on the North Downs.
- His judo teacher helped inspire the practical, resourceful approach that became central to his bushcraft teaching.
- He helped Westley Richards adapt its Bishop Hill Bag to carry cameras and lenses.
- In a 2026 interview, he described his black Labrador, Jag, and his habit of writing late at night when things are quiet.
Find Ray
Follow Ray and Woodlore for field skills, films and news from the woods.
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