THE ØYO VIKING AXE by Tyr Neilsen

This versatile and functional Viking axe, made by the Norwegian company Øyo, won the SOG Scandinavian Outdoor Award in 2021.

Since the Viking Age, knife blades and axe pieces have been forged in the mountain village of Geilo, in Viken County, Norway, and Øyo’s modern Viking axe, is a copy of a 1000-year-old axe-head that was excavated near the company’s base there.

At just 13 inches (32.5 cm) in length, and weighing only 19 ounces (0.5 kg), it’s small enough to fit inside a backpack and light enough for anyone to use, making it a family favorite in the Nordic countries.

The nicely shaped ash handle is easy to hold, and its curve prevents the axe from slipping when splitting small logs and branches or cutting up firewood. The tough forged steel axe-head is very efficient for cutting and chopping, and packs quite a punch for its size.

The Øyo Viking axe comes with a small fitted felt axe-head sheath with leather strap for protection.

Back in 1882, Knut Øyo started a forge in Geilo, where he made farm equipment, tools, axes, knives and kitchen utensils. Over the next 130 years, the Øyo company survived floods, fires, world wars, and cultural and market changes, and at one point, produced all of the axes made in Norway!

Geilo is now a popular ski resort town, and the fifth generation of the family business still runs the Øyo company from there, specializing in quality kitchen knives, gift items, and camping axes and knives.

For more detailed information about Øyo products and the history of the Øyo company, check out: https://oeyo.no/

THE GREAT OUTDOORS MEAL by Tyr Neilsen

Eating outdoors is a real good-mood booster. The health benefits of being outdoors are well documented and eating in the great outdoors does wonders for your well-being.

There is nothing like eating delicious food out in nature, and making appetizing outdoor meals is really pretty easy. Once you figure this out, every meal made in the great outdoors can taste great.

Being able to turn meat and vegetables into an enjoyable meal is a vital skill. It’s not about making some fancy dish, it’s about having the ability and confidence to make a tasty meal for yourself, your family and friends. It doesn’t take that much effort and it’s much easier than most people imagine.

Eating outdoors on a hiking or camping trip doesn’t have to mean just eating dry pre-packed or boring food, and day trip food doesn’t have to be just sausages. Once you realize that meals made in a kitchen can also be made on a campfire, your outdoor eating experiences can be as amazing as the breathtaking views.

omelette: 3 Eggs, 1 tsp butter, pinch of pepper, pinch of salt, grated cheese. Making a great omelet can be done just as easily over an open campfire as on a stove in a kitchen.

Everyone is capable of making a tasty and healthy meal and you don’t need special equipment or technical expertise to prepare and cook a meal in a reasonable amount of time.

Understanding how quick and easy it is to make great tasting and healthy meals is liberating, and being able to prepare and cook food makes you self-reliant and impressive.

A great meal makes the day much better, and knowing how to cook empowers us. Whether it is steak dinner, pizza, chicken, burgers, fish, omelette or salad, all the best meals can be made simply and easily, once you know how. All you need is a pan, heat and the right ingredients.

steak sandwich: 100 g steak, 1 tsp butter, 1 ciabatta or similar bread roll, 2 slices cheese, 2 slices fresh arugula leaves, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp mayonnaise, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper.

Delicious meals are easy to make on a pan over a campfire throughout the year. They can also be made in a very short time. Start with the basics and when you feel confident, just add your favorite ingredients to satisfy your personal taste and make them even better.

Bacon, egg and beans. Easy to heat up and tastes fantastic any time of the year.

If merely eating a sandwich outside can have benefits, just think what making and eating a delicious meal outdoors can do.

Every meal made in the great outdoors can taste great. Simply make what you like and enjoy what you eat.

Gifts don’t need
To be extravagant
A little praise is often enough
Sharing food
And something to drink
Has secured many friendships

Hávamál – verse 52

(Hávamál is the wisdom of the Vikings written down in the 13th century)

The GRÄNSFORS WILDLIFE AXE by Tyr Neilsen

There are axes, and then there are the Swedish Gränsfors Bruk axes. My absolute favorite is the Gränsfors Wildlife traditional scouting and camping axe, which is beautiful, efficient and raw, and puts the joy back into manual labor.

The Wildlife’s steel axe head is shaped and weighted flawlessly, with a thick convex edge that produces plenty of splitting power. The cutting edge is polished and sharp and cuts clean every time. The hickory haft is straight and clear and hung with skill, so that even after a lot of outdoors use it stays solid. Splitting wood with this beauty is not a chore, it’s a pleasure.

At 1.3 pounds (0.6 kg) and 13.5 inches (35cm) in total length, the Wildlife axe is practical for carrying in or on a backpack. It also comes with a custom leather sheath that is shaped to cover the edge and top part of the butt/poll, making sure it can be carried safely and stops the edge from cutting into a backpack.

The Wildlife axe is a serious ‘must have’ piece of equipment that is great at chopping trees, lopping off large branches and splitting small logs for a campfire. This fantastic ‘all-rounder’ easily cuts sticks and feathers them and can also be used for carving.

The word ‘bruk’ means work, but can be translated in several ways. Sagbruk translates to sawmill for example whilst Jernbruk translates to ironworks. Gränsfors bruk dates back to the late 19th century, when Johan Pettersson, a scythe smith, moved with his family and brother Anders, from one part of Sweden called Älvdalen to another area called Gränsfors.

There they set up Gränsfors Scythe Forge, and in 1902 Anders bought another scythe forge in Gränsfors, which formed the basis for Gränsfors Bruk’s Axe Forge, a place where they forged both scythes and axes.

During the last 119 years, Gränsfors Bruk has changed ownership many times, was almost shut down due to the competition from the saw, the industrialization of forestry, financial crisis and other legal issues. Throughout the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, the use of an axe in the logging industry dwindled due in large to chainsaws being widely used for forestry work.

The chainsaw meant that more work could be done with fewer forest workers. As a result, fewer people used an axe, and the demand for axes fell dramatically. By the late 70’s, the chainsaw had completely taken over in the forestry industry and axe customers disappeared. In 1985, Gränsfors Bruk went bankrupt and was bought by Svedbro Smide, which sold off its forestry tools business.

Like most other tool manufacturers, Gränsfors Bruk had started focusing on producing axes as quickly and cheaply as possible, which led to poorer function and quality. Thankfully, in the midst of all this and the promise of industrialization, Olle Andersson, a self-taught engineering genius, kept all the Gränsfors Bruk production equipment up to scratch for 30 years, enabling Gränsfors Bruk to focus again on quality.

In the late 1980s, Gränsfors Bruk went back to their traditional, craft-based system of production. Gränsfors Bruk experts studied all available information on axes and axe design. Old axes were analysed, practical tests were carried out, and many old axe forgers and axe users were consulted, always with the goal of creating better craftsmanship and a more eco-friendly and attractive product.

Much of this information about axes is contained in ‘The Axe Book’, which accompanies every axe sold by Gränsfors.

Despite tough competition in the 1990s, Gränsfors Bruk became an important player in the axe market, with sales increasing steadily in a number of countries.

There are not many axe forges left in Sweden, or in other countries around the world. In Scandinavia there are only 3 such forges in Sweden (Hultafors/Hults Bruk, S.A. Wetterlings and Gränsfors Bruk), 1 in Finland (Fiskars) and 1 in Norway (Øyo). Gränsfors Bruk is not only the largest Scandinavian axe producer, it is one of the leading axe producers in the world, selling their axes in 30 countries.

The Gränsfors Wildlife axe is probably the closest thing to a modern Scandinavian ‘Viking’ axe. This axe is fantastic for chopping, cutting, splitting, feathering and carving. The handle is solid, safe and comfortable with a great grip. For anyone wanting a camping size high grade axe, the Gränsfors Wildlife is a perfect option.

There is a smaller version of the Gränsfors Wildlife called the Gränsfors Hand Hatchet. It has the same axe head as the Wildlife but has a shorter handle.

Link to Gränsfors Bruk website: https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/our-history/

INSIDER AXE FIGHT REVIEW by Tyr Neilsen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJToYvIy9gc&ab_channel=Insider

A few weeks before Christmas 2020, a producer from INSIDER got in contact and asked if I was interested in reviewing axe fight scenes from the Vikings TV series.

Insider also wanted me to review the reality of axe fight scenes from ‘realistic’ movies and TV such as John Wick, Bullet to the Head, Transporter and Frontier, and from sci-fi and fantasy movies such as Snowpiercer, The Old Guard, Serenity, Avengers: Endgame and Lord of the Rings.

During a video conversaton with Insider producer Ju Shardlow, who was making this episode, we talked about how I would deconstruct techniques from an axe fight scene, the quality of the choreography, the camerawork, and if and why the scene worked. We talked about what if anything I would have done differently regarding a situation similair to certain axe fight scenes.

We also talked about how ‘real’ an axe fight could be in a fantasy or science fiction film. Days later, the episode was green lit, and I would be the first Norwegian to be in an Insider video.

On the 22nd of December, I was connected to a video chat with Ju and senior video producer David Ibekwe, who quickly organized the technical aspects of videoing this episode. When everything was operational, David started recording as Ju began asking questions regarding axe scenes.

Some of the questions were straightforward whilst other follow up questions ensured that I clarified a technical or historical aspect of the scene, or gave my personal meaning about the scene.

It was a strange sensation to be sitting in my living room, talking to producers in the UK, and giving my opinion about Ragnar and Rollo’s axe fighting in the TV series Vikings. This was the show that brought axes and axe fighting to prominence for the modern audience, by showing us how the axe had come to prominence in the Viking Age.

I was asked to talk about the differences between the various types of ‘Viking’ axes and to demonstrate some of the many techniques that could be used with these weapons. Ragnar Lothbrok actor Travis Fimmel has made the single-handed Viking axe famous around the world for the everyman, and Rollo actor Clive Stanton has done the same with the Viking battle axe. It was a pleasure to watch the complete axe fight scenes they were in, but it was no simple job to rate them.

Disputes throughout the Viking Ages were often ‘solved’ by combat and there were regulated duels called Holmgang. The axe fight scene between Ragnar and Earl Haraldson was a tense dual where few techniques were used, but they were used to good effect.

It is a completely different type of fight when Ragnar’s army faces Rollo and his Viking battle axe. In Berserker mode, Rollo exploits the chaos, raining down brutal blows with his battle axe, and even when the haft of his axe is cut in two, Rollo continues using the broken axe haft as an effective weapon.

Jason Momoa swings a mean North American Tomahawk axe in a brutal fight scene from the TV series Frontier. In this scene, basic axe swings and attacks were used in a very realistic way, and when the weapon was trapped and stripped away, the fight ended up with savage grappling.

Most weapon fight scenes focus so much on the striking, that they don’t show how quickly this can end up grappling with weapons, both standing up and on the ground, which this scene does to great effect.

It is one thing to know how to use an axe when attacking. It is something quite different to know how to defend against an axe attack. A scene with Keanu Reeves fighting against two axe weilding attackers in the John Wick 3 movie, was a great way to address this difference. Here Keanu uses blocks, parries, trapping and locking techniques as well as creating and closing the distance between himself, his attackers and the weapons.

Getting out of the way of an axe requires a lot of focus, coordination and energy, and is not enough in itself to ensure safety. The weapon has to be stripped from the attacker or used against the attacker, something a scene from another movie would allow us to go into later.

Trying to explain how it would be to defend yourself against two axe-weilding attackers in a hall as big as a closet, as Jason Statham does in the movie Transporter, was almost as much fun as watching this scene. Filled with a mixture of danger and excellently timed maneauvres, the creative choreography includes how using an inanimate object can be used to your advantage when unarmed. A good thing to know in such a situation.

It’s not often you qet asked “How would you defend yourself in a train compartment filled to capacity with axe weilding maniacs?” Hopefully I would do as well as Chris Evans does in the movie Snowpiercer. This is just a nightmare scenario.

Technique alone would not be enough. Strength and stamina would not be enough. Spacial awareness and luck might help, but if you lose your grip on a weapon, or lose your balance, as Chris’s character does in the movie, taking out the legs of an opponent is a very effective maneuvre.

After addressing the scary use of a Fireman’s axe and the great work done by Jason Momoa in the movie Bullet to the head, I got to address the use of metal Fireman’s axes weilded with bravado by Ed Skrein in Deadpool.

For several axe fight scenes, I had to change my thoughts regarding the reality of the situation, and consider the elements of the movie. As it is impossible to give any points out of ten for reality to a fantasy figure with a fantasy axe in a fantasy setting, I tried to take into consideration what would be possible if the characters were real, and of course the work of actors, stuntmen and the choreography and filming.

Charlene Theron does an incredible job of weilding a double bladed axe in the movie The Old Guard. Theron’s character Andy (Andromache) is about 6000 years old, and has amazing healing abilities. As this cannot be regarded as realistic, the axe fighting had to be looked at and rated in a totaly different way than a realistic axe fight.

Andy has had many millennia to practice weapon fighting, and is pretty much invulnerable, so the creative choreography of the scene makes sense. In reality, it is highly unlikely that a real person would be able to swing a deadly sharp double bladed axe around their body in a fight like this without causing serious damage to themselves, and I advise not to try.

In a similiar fashion, Summer Glau’s exciting axe scene in the sci-fi movie Serenity, shows elegance within brutal axe swings, as her character, River Tam, goes into a type of berserker mode against many opponents. Again, these moves would not be able to be performed by a real person in a realistic situation without serious consequences, but within the parameters of the scene, the character shows how an axe can be weilded as an extension of the body.

Gimli swings a long hafted battle axe with relish in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. In this fantasy adventure, the dwarf compensates for his height disadvantage by using a weapon with reach. Every time he swings or thrusts the axe, he does it with all his energy and intention. Not something that can realistically be done for us mere mortals, as it quickly drains energy, but is done to great effect in the film.

In Avengers: Endgame, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, weilds the fantasy axe Stormbreaker with powerful intent. This modern mythical weapon could be based on a Viking battle axe or Medieval pollaxe, and is swung as these historical weapons would be swung. There are many sophisticated tricks and techniques for such weapons, based on quartstaff or stick fighting.

Outside of the exciting fantasy fighting in the scene, there was the very important theme of turning an opponent’s weapon against them. Technique has to be used against a bigger and more powerful opponent, in order to turn a disadvantage into an advantage.

The Insider producers encouraged me talk at length about axes, fighting techniques, historical weapons, stunts, choreography, filming and all aspects of the impressive work that went into the making of these fight scenes. After watching each axe fight scene in its entireity, I also had to ‘rate’ them, which was no easy task.

All of this was then edited and pieced together with film clips in order to create the finished video. From start to finish, this was a really interesting and exciting experience, and I would like to thank everyone involved with this project, especially Ju Shardlow, for making it happen.

Axes are not abundant in movies and TV show fight scenes, but when they have athletic actors and stuntmen who perform scenes that are creatively choreographed and filmed well, they are every bit as exciting as any other weapon used in a fight scene.

Link to Insider video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJToYvIy9gc&ab_channel=Insider

STORM KITCHEN by Tyr Neilsen

Stormkjøkken means ‘Storm Kitchen’ in Norwegian, and it’s the name given to equipment used when making hot food and drinks out in nature. Throughout the year, Norwegians are out in all weathers with their storm kitchens, using both campfire and multifuel burners as a source of heat.

All around the world, the basic ingredients for transportable cooking equipment have been carried down from ancient nomadic tribes, to pioneers and the recreational outdoorsman and woman of today. From generation to generation, this basic equipment has been continually refined into the amazing and diverse modern storm kitchen.

The storm kitchen, often called a portable stove in English, is a combination of specially designed portable and lightweight equipment, used for frying or cooking food and drink when camping, hiking and spending time out in nature.

The earliest portable stoves were mainly made of ceramic and date back to 17th century Asia and the modern portable stove appeared in Europe in the mid 19th century.

The forerunner to the Norwegian storm kitchen was the Nansenkjelen ‘Nansen boiler’, which was a primus using paraffin fuel, used during the Fram expedition to the North Pole by Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen in 1893-96.

Everyone carrying a backpack with all they need for a camping trip knows how important it is to reduce the weight and size of equipment they have with them. A lightweight and easily transportable means of cooking is always preffered when camping, backpacking or traveling in remote locations.

Storm kitchens are usually comprosed of a saucepan, frying pan, coffee pot and handle to lift the pan or pot off the fire or burner. All of these items are normally packed into the saucepan, and many storm kitchens also have cups and plates that also fit into the pan.

There are 2 different types of storm kitchen. The first can be used with all kinds of fire. The second is used with a gas or multifuel burner such as kerosene, environmental gasoline, diesel or rubbing alcohol.

A gas or multifuel storm kitchen usually consists of pots and pans, a heat source that is powered by liquid fuel or gas, and a holder that secures safety, stability and access to air.

Storm kitchens vary in accessories, which can include a windshield that protects the burner as well as holding a frying pan or pot in place. There are also varying designs to the pot and pan handle, all of which are designed to being handled with thick gloves.

Storm kitchen sets come in a variety of different sizes and quality. Even though they can be quite light when packed together, not every item has to be packed for every trip.

The biggest difference between the two types of modern storm kitchen is how they are heated. A campfire made of chopped wood, branches or twigs, means that you don’t have to carry fuel to heat up your equipment. Although a campfire provides a lot of heat, this heat is difficult to regulate and campfires can quickly get cold.

Campfires also work poorly in rain conditions, require additional work and fuel to keep heated, and it is not advisable to use a campfire to heat up a storm kitchen in a tent.

Gas and multifuel burners are often more complicated to use than working with a campfire, but work much better in the cold and diverse weather conditions, and are safer to use in nature during a hot and dry summer. Gas and multifuel burners can also be used in a tent, so long as the appropriate safety measures are taken.

Guidelines for using a storm kitchen: A storm kitchen should always be flat. If there is snow, you should have something solid underneath, or dig down to the ground. Keep storm kitchen away from other tents and people. Light with match and stand with your back to the wind.

Stay focused when working with a fire. If you need a lot of cooking time, be sure to have enough burners or wooden fuel. Store a burner in a bag as to avoid food tasting strange. A burner should be cold when refilling.

Do not play around a storm kitchen. In case of fuel spillage on clothes, move away from heat or fire and change clothes. A storm kitchen is the most reliable and easy to use means of boiling water for your coffee or making a fantastic meal when out in nature.

Whichever type of storm kitchen you choose, learn how to use it, be sure to know what type of fuel is required, and understand all safety measures needed when using the equipment.

Enjoy !

• Note: In Norway, it is prohibited to make a campfire in or near a forest between April 15th and September 15th, due to the danger of forest fires.

VIKING SURVIVAL AXE by Tyr Neilsen

When it came to hunting, combat, and life in the wilderness of Viking Age Scandinavia, an axe was the go-to survival tool.

In the harsh Nordic climate, survival often depended on the ability to quickly chop firewood and build shelter. Not only was an axe the perfect tool for these tasks, it could also be used for building a Viking ship and protecting the family.

An iron axehead was relatively easy and cheap to make, and even the poorest Viking farm had an axe. Every child knew how to use an axe, and every adult male had mastered it.

This vauable and versatile tool, changed steadily throughout the Viking Age. Some axeheads were elegant and thin, others were thick and heavy. Some had sharp pointed tips on each end of the blade, others had a ‘beard’ form which made it perfect for cutting and shaving wood.

The best axeheads had a hardened steel edge welded to the iron, which made it a better cutting edge.

viking axe with elongated beard

Quality modern Viking axes and replicas, are valued by outdoor enthusiasts and collectors around the world.

With a sturdy Viking axe in your possession, you'll be well-equipped to tackle most survival situations out in the wild.

For more info about the Viking Axe: https://www.vikingmartialarts.com/viking-warfare/2016/11/17/the-viking-axe-by-tyr-neilsen

VIKING SURVIVAL KNIFE by Tyr Neilsen

No other sentence describes the importance of a knife in the Viking Age like this Nordic quote: “Knívleysur maður er lívleysur maður” which translates to "The Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man".

A knife was the most essential tool for staying alive in the rugged North a thousand years ago. With cold and hostile winters that could last 6 months out of the year, owning a knife would mean the difference between starving and surviving.

For centuries, a knife was something every Scandinavian man, woman and child owned, in every class of Viking society, including slaves and kings. In the Scandinavian areas, Viking knives came in all shapes and sizes, but the Norwegian versions were more detailed than the rest.

There were two distinctive types of Viking knives, a small knife that served as a household tool, and a larger knife (sax) used for hunting, fishing and fighting.

When Vikings were looking for a reliable and versatile tool to carry on their next wilderness adventure, they looked no further than the sax. Often called a “Viking hunting knife”, “Viking fighting knife” and “Viking war knife”, the Viking sax was a mean, one-handed, single edged cutting weapon, that could be used for hunting, fishing and even combat.

The Viking sax had no crossguard and was often simply made, with hilts of wood, bone or horn and simple fittings. The sharp tipped blade varied in size from 18 to 70 cm (7 – 28 in) and was usually about 8mm thick (0.3 in). This thick blade made it an effective tool for all types of survival work, from skinning wild animals to chopping wood.

TOP ROW: UNDECORATED SAX AND SAX WITH DECORATED GRIP - second ROW: SAX WITH OSEBERG DRAGON STYLE GRIP AND SMALL SAX - BOTTOM: UNFINSHED VIKING SAX

A Viking sax is tough, solid and reliable, exactly what is needed when survival depends on the quality of your equipment. After handling a variety of Viking sax, I can attest to them being an essential utility tool for Vikings in harsh Norwegian nature, where the ability to hunt, gather, and build was crucial.

Several knife manufacturers around the world produce modern versions and replicas, and a high quality Viking sax is prized by outdoor enthusiasts and collectors alike. With a rugged Viking survival knife by your side, you'll be prepared for whatever challenges the wilderness throws your way.

For more information about the Viking sax: https://www.vikingmartialarts.com/viking-warfare/2016/10/28/the-viking-seax-by-tyr-neilsen

VIKING HUNTING, FISHING and WOODSMANSHIP by Tyr Neilsen

Scandinavian people during the Viking Age could survive in all kinds of nature. In a land which experiences extreme weather and treacherous 6 month winters, surviving was a full time job, and for Vikings, and Viking Age families, the most important thing each day regarding survival was finding food. This meant that hunting, fishing and woodsmanshp skills were necessary skills that had to be maintained all the time.

In addition to these skills, Vikings needed tough and durable clothing, for hunting and fishing out in the mountains, forests, lakes, rivers and sea. Viking Age hunters made their own clothes and footwear for use in rough terrain, and made specialized clothing that tolerated being outside in rain or snow during violent storms and freezing winters.

Vikings also made all the hunting and fishing equipment needed in order to flourish year round. In all conditions, having the best tools and equipment is a must, as having the best possible equipment has always been important when survival out in nature can depend on the smallest advantage.

viking knife (left) and modern norwegian ‘tolle’ knife (right)

KNIFE

With cold and hostile winters that could last 6 months out of the year, owning a knife would mean the difference between starving and surviving. The Viking ‘survival’ knife was called a Sax, and it was a rugged knive used for hunting, fishing and fighting.

The Viking sax, also known as a “Viking hunting knife”, “Viking fighting knife” and “Viking war knife”, was a mean, one-handed, single edged cutting weapon, that could be used for survival out in the winderness and survival in combat.

For more info on the Viking Survival Knife: https://www.vikingmartialarts.com/viking-man/2023/3/21/viking-survival-knife-by-tyr-neilsen

viking axe (over) and modern Norwegian camping axe (under)

AXE

From cutting and splitting wood, to building a house, ship and boat, or being used in a hunt or fight, an axe was truly a valuable and versatile Viking tool.

In Viking age Scandinavia, the axe was the most common tool used by any farmer. Even the poorest farm had to have an axe to cut and split wood, so from childhood everyone who grew up on a farm knew how to use an axe. Iron and weapons made of iron were expensive, but an axehead was relatively easy and cheap to make. This, and the fact that it was a tool used since childhood, the axe became the personal weapon of the Viking.

This everyday tool for the ordinary Northman changed steadily throughout the Viking Age . Some axeheads were elegant and thin, others were thick and heavy. The best axeheads had a hardened steel edge welded to the iron which made it a better cutting edge. A thousand years later, and after many design changes, the Viking style axe is becoming ever more popular when it comes to camping in Scandinavia.

SPEAR

Spears were used for hunting in the Viking Age, and being able to throw a spear with great strength and accuracy was as important to a Viking as being a good archer. With a well-balanced shaft, and a steel spear tip beautifully shaped for accuracy in flight, hunting or combat, the Viking spear was formidable and fatal in both close combat and long distances.

Spear training began at a young age, and the most important thing was to hit the target. If used in a skillful way whilst hunting, a spear would not be lost as easy as an arrow. The Viking spear was cheap to make because only the spearhead were made of iron, and it took little time to train someone to use it.

In its simplest form, a spear is just a pole with a sharp end, but in its finest form, the Viking spear was a work of art. Spears have long disappeared from use when hunting in Scandinavia, but the practice of spear throwing for fun and competition is still alive and well.

viking longbow (over) modern compound bow (under)

BOW and ARROW

For Viking age hunters, it was an absolute necessity to be able to use a bow and arrow. Vikings learned how to use a bow and arrow from childhood and this equipment was simple to make. Arrows shot from a Viking bow could hit a target from a long distance, but for Viking hunters, it was important to hit an animal in such a way that it would fall where it was hit and not run away. No hunter wanted to lose an arrow or his meal.

Typical Viking longbows were about 5 to 6.5 feet tall, were made of ash, yew or elm, and had an effective distance of up to 650 feet. Archaeological findings indicate that it was mostly longbows used in the Viking era in Scandinavia, but a find in Birka, Sweden shows that recurve bows similar to those used in Eastern Europe may have been used for hunting in Viking Scandinavia.

The continuing modernization of weapons has displaced the bow and arrow as the primary weapon in hunting, but the use of a bow and arrow for hunting never disappeared. Hunting with both historical bows and modern compound bows (which have a levering system of cables and pulleys to bend the limbs) is becoming increasingly popular.

FISHING EQUIPMENT

Fish and seafood played a major role in the Viking era. Fish was important food for the Viking diet and lakes and rivers delivered plenty of freshwater fish. In some regions of Viking Age Norway, especially along the coast, fishing was more important for the Vikings than agriculture.

Archeological finds show that Viking age fishing equipment consisted of nets, fish traps, lines, fishing rods and harpoons. Fishing nets were also used in lakes, rivers and streams. Viking age Scandinavians could also catch fish with only their hands!

Fish were caught with hook and line from land and from small boats. A Viking fishing line could have one or more hooks on the end, and finds from Viking Age Scandinavia, including finds from the Gokstad Viking ship, show that fishing hooks made of bone and iron were used.

Archaeological evidence of Viking towns shows that a lot of fish were caught locally in nearby rivers and lakes. Cod and herring were the two most important fish, but the Vikings could choose between 26 different types of fish. Fish were also transported from place to place, and these transported fish were salted in barrels to avoid being destroyed during the journey. Fish preserved in salt was a main course on Viking ships, and salted fish guaranteed a nutritious form of food through the long winter on land.

WOODSMANSHIP

In Viking Age Scandinavia, all food and building materials came from the forest, so being outdoors was an important part of life for our ancestors. Since the Scandinavian folk spent much of their time in nature, they naturally became skilled woodsmen and experts in tracking wildlife, trapping, hunting, fishing, cutting wood for building and camping.

In order to be capable woodsmen, Vikings had to have a well developed understanding about nature. They had to know what plants and herbs were good and what were poisonous. They had to know how to build a shelter and light a fire in all kinds of weather. They had to know how to find animals, then catch, kill, slaughter, preserve and cook them.

For the people of Viking Age Scandinavia, days revolved around making sure they had food to eat. As well as their woodsmanship skills, hunting skills, and quality equipment, the other elements Vikings needed was the right attitude and good common sense when hunting, fishing and being outdoors. Qualities that will never lose their value.

Good hunting

HÁVAMÁL - verse 11

No one can carry
a better cargo
than good common sense

VIKING SURVIVAL by Tyr Neilsen

HUNTING, FISHING and OUTDOORS LIVING in the VIKING AGE and TODAY, was a lecture by survival expert Håkon Thoresen and myself, held at  Eidsfoss Estate, Vestfold County, Norway, during the annual Eidsfoss Festival.

There has been fishing in Lake Eikeren, and hunting in the forests and hills surrounding Eidsfoss, since before the Viking Age. Today, this is area is a favorite location for modern hunters and fishermen.

Some years ago I contacted Håkon, regarding a survival course I was arranging in the hills near Eidsfoss. Not long after we started talking, we found out that Håkon was as interested in Viking Age Norway as I was about his field of expertise.

The result of these coversations became the lecture at Eidsfoss Estate.

Eidsfoss Estate, lake eikeren and surrounding forests and hills, Vestfold County, Norway.

An amazing amount of historical and archaeological research has been done regarding Viking Age farming, yet there is very little information about Viking hunting, woodcraft and survival.

History books mention people hunting and surviving harsh winters in Viking Age Scandinavia, without going into real depth about how they did it. Most of what we know about this period has been written by poets, academics, and historians. There is little, if anything, documented by hunters or woodsmen.

During the lecture, Håkon and I proposed that hunters and survivalists might have special insight into this extremely important part of Viking Age life.

For the first part of the lecture, I talked about Viking hunting, fishing and survival skills, learned by word of mouth over generations, and by practical experience. Right after that, Håkon talked about modern hunting, bushcraft and survival out in nature.

I had a variety of Viking weapons and tools, some of which was passed round the audience of locals and hunting and fishing enthusiasts, that were visiting the festival. It seemed that they were interested in what we had to say, but it was obvious they wanted to handle the Viking axe, hunting knife, bow and arrows, and smaller items, all made from natural materials, than the hi-tech equipment.

At the end of the lecture, Håkon and I dicussed the three major takeaways our reasearch had shown us.

The first is neccessity. Viking hunters and woodsmen relied on hunting, fishing and woodsmanship to obtain their food, resources and to survive, while modern-day hunters and survivalists use their skills to supplement what they already have.

Second is low-tech vs hi-tech. Viking hunters and woodsmen had a greater understanding and connection to their natural environment, were intimately familiar with their countryside, and had developed a variety of survival skills to navigate and thrive in the wilderness. In contrast, most modern-day hunters and survivalists lack the same level of experience, and rely more on equipment and technology rather than their own skills and intuition.

Finally, lifestyle vs hobby. In Viking society, self-sufficiency, and hunting and woodcraft skills, were highly valued and vital, whereas today, hunting and survival skills are regarded as hobby or recreation activities.

My big takeaway, is that technology and mindset are the biggest differences between Viking and modern hunters and woodsmen, but there were many other fascinating aspects I discovered from my research and talks with Håkon, which I’ll address in other Viking survival articles.

I’m really happy I had the opportunity to work with Håkon on this subject. I enjoyed his perspective, and appreciate him generously giving his valuable time and wealth of knowledge, to this exciting and educational, but rarely discussed part of Viking history.

HÅKON THORESEN (63) has been hunting since he was a boy. He thrives in all kinds of nature and always has a backpack, map and compass with him.

In the late 1970s, Håkon was an instructor in winter survival for British forces in Western Norway. Courses always occurred in february, and Håkon was responsible for training the soldiers to ski, live out in winter, and survive in extreme winter conditions.

From 1976 til 1996, Håkon held a series of courses in mountain survival for the department of defense. This course inlcuded all season survival, mountain rescue, climbing and maneauvers in ice conditions, and survival diet and nutrition. Håkon also contributed an article in a book about winter exercises for AMF forces (Allied Mobile Forces).

Håkon's company, PSC, has held a series of courses, lectures and seminars on the themes: raising awareness, personality development, mastery and leadership. Håkon also arranges challenge training which clarify mechanisms associated with the mentioned themes.

For more information: www.psc.no

A huge thanks to Bjørn at Gammelt og Nytt for making this happen.

Check out Norway's leading specialty store for knives, outdoor equipment and militaria at their website: https://www.gn.no/

VIKING MAN CAMPFIRE by Tyr Neilsen

Fire was an incredibly important part of Viking life. It gave life-giving heat, was a means of cooking food, a tool for illumination, a deterrent against insects and predators, a provider of safety when used as a beacon, and an instrumental part of sacred Norse rituals such as a Viking funeral.

Whenever they went hunting or traveling, Viking warriors needed to eat and keep warm, so they had to have the ability to make a campfire in all weathers. A campfire was essential and the center of most activities when Viking warriors made camp.

Here they would cook food, eat, talk, dry clothing and equipment, and keep warm. Once a campfire was made, cooking equipment would quickly appear, as would drinking horns, mead and tall tales.

Campfires have been around a long time. Archeological evidence shows that man built campfires 1.9 million years ago. Campfires have been consistently used whenever people spent time outdoors, and a campfire is as popular today when outdoors as it was in the Viking Age.

Whether you use historical tools, or modern equipment such as a lighter, match, paper or flammable fire-starter to start your campfire, the main goal is to get the campfire going safely and enjoy the experience.

With the help of some basic information, it’s possible to start a campfire in any weather.

MAKING A CAMPFIRE

The principles of how to make a campfire have not changed since the Viking Age. There are many ways to make a campfire, but the secret to making a good campfire is to build it piece by piece. Firstly, there is the material used to make the fire. Secondly, there is the method used to ignite the material. Thirdly, there is the construction of the campfire.

Material used to make the fire

Wood shavings and thinly cut strips of dry wood light easily and are a great way to start a lasting campfire, as are dry pine needles, dry twigs and dry grass. Bark from a tree is a very good material for starting a fire. Most tree bark will do, but Birch bark is probably the best.

Dry string and unprepared wool are very goodmaterials to start a fire. The natural oil in wool is very helpful in getting a fire started.

Vikings collected a fungus called touchwood from tree bark, boiled it for several days in urine, then pounded it into something similar to felt. The sodium nitrate found in urine allowed the material to smolder rather than burn, which meant that Vikings could take this smoldering material with them as they moved from place to place, and start a fire quickly with the urine-soaked touchwood.

Method to start the fire

A lighter or matches work well enough, but if you ever run out of lighter fuel or matches, there are other methods of getting your campfire started. One method for starting a fire is the friction-based method usually called a fire-drill.

This usually means rubbing a piece of wood (drill) against another piece of wood in order to create friction, which creates heat, which in turn warms up the material used to make a fire, such as wood shavings, wool or touchwood. It’s a laborious job which can often lead to blisters.

Old Icelandic texts refer to this form of fire starting as bragð-alr (twirling-awl) and bragðals-eldr (fire produced using a bragð-alr).

Another method, which is called percussion, is when metal is hit against stone. On the hit, the spark from the metal falls into the wood shavings or wool to start the flame. In the Viking Age, the dominant hand struck a steel object against flint, which was held in the opposite hand.

Touchwood or other flammable material was held on the top of the flint, near the edge. In Old Norse, the name for this type of fire starting is drepa upp eld, meaning "to strike up a fire."

Vikings used a hand-forged steel fire striker called “fire-steel” to ignite a fire. When fire-steel was hit against a piece of stone or flint, they produced sparks hot enough to start a fire under any environmental conditions.

Ancient fire-steels are usually found accompanied by pieces of flint, and often packed together with flint and tinder in a small leather pouch. These fire-making kits are called eld-virki in Old Norse, meaning fire-worker, fire-making kit, or tinder-box.

Construction of the campfire

There are many methods of construction in building a campfire. Each method is a functional design made of wood that is placed above the material used to make a fire, once that material is burning strongly. Here are a few examples of the most popular campfire designs:

1.    A campfire can be built by placing thin pieces of wood against each other in a pyramid formation over the fire. The top ends of the wood can be held together by string, before placing over the fire, or placed loosely against each other. Either way, it is very important that there is enough room for oxygen between the fire and the wood.

2.    Another type of campfire is one built in the same way a log cabin is built. Here two sticks or pieces of wood are laid parallel to each other, on opposite sides of the fire. Two more sticks are then laid across the top of the first sticks. Then two more sticks are laid across the top of the second row of sticks.

Of all the campfire designs, the cabin design is the most difficult to fire up, but it is the least vulnerable to premature collapse, and is the most ideal cooking fire as it burns for longer and can support cooking pans.

3.    A variation of the cabin design is the funeral pyre design. The main difference from the standard cabin design is that the funeral pyre design starts with thin pieces of wood at the bottom and moves up to thicker pieces in the second and third layers. This design means that when the fire-build collapses, it does so without restricting the air flow.

I highly recommend using lots of thin sticks to get the fire going. Once the fire is going strong you can place split logs onto the fire in either pyramid fashion or log cabin fashion. Just make sure there is enough oxygen getting into the fire.

CAMPFIRE SMART

There are several problems that can prevent a fire from lighting properly. Either the wood is wet, there is too little material to start the fire, too much wind, and the most overlooked reason; lack of oxygen. A campfire may need forceful blowing to get it going, but too much blowing can extinguish a fire.

Rain usually extinguishes a fire, but wind or fog can also stifle the fire.  One way of getting a fire going in the rain is to put your flammable materials and wooden sticks inside a plastic bag and start the fire in the bag. In a strong wind you can use your body as a barrier against the wind.

In winter, it’s best to dig through the layers of snow down to solid ground, otherwise the fire will move downwards and collapse as the snow melts. Avoid building campfires under hanging branches, especially when they are covered in snow. Avoid making a campfire on a steep slope.

In popular hiking areas it’s recommended to use established camp sites so there is less wear on nature. When making a campfire in wilderness areas, it’s best to replace anything that was moved when preparing the campfire site.

Tufts of grass can be cut away to create a bare area of ground for a campfire. These tufts can be carefully replaced after the campfire has been extinguished. Covering grass or ground with a few inches of sand helps keep the grass from burning or being destroyed by the campfire.

Ideally, campfires are made in a fire ring, made up of a ring of rocks that surrounds an area of barren ground. This is done to protect nearby grass or wood from catching fire. For a Viking, such safety measures were of paramount importance. Losing wooden equipment, a tent or a wooden longship whilst traveling could mean disaster.

Don’t make campfire near combustibles. Don’t bury hot coals as they can continue to burn and cause tree root fires. It’s best to never leave a campfire unattended. An unattended campfire can be dangerous as any number of accidents can happen which can lead to property damage, personal injury or even forest fire.

When leaving a campfire for good, it's best to make sure it is fully extinguished. Ash, dirt, sand or snow can be used to extinguish a fire, but splashing water on the embers is best to make sure the fire is dead. 

Campfire embers left overnight only lose a fraction of their heat, and it's sometimes possible to restart the campfire by blowing gently on the embers.

In Norway it’s allowed to make a campfire between 15th September and 15th April, or when it obvious that it can’t cause a forest fire. There may be local variations, so check the rules for the nature area you are going to visit.

Hávamál - verse 3

Fire is needed
For those who visit
And are cold
Food is needed
And clothes
For those who have traveled far

VIKING HIKING by Tyr Neilsen

Like their ancestors, modern Norwegians love to go hiking out in nature. Some of them like to hike with the best modern equipment money can buy, some with just the bare essentials, and others like me go hiking with Viking gear.

Only by living as a Viking is it possible to understand how it was to be a Viking. Before such big tasks like learning how to hunt or fight as a Viking, the first step, literally, is to start walking in nature as a Viking.

By stripping modern equipment down to the essentials, with no electronic gear whatsoever, or making your own clothes and equipment as a Viking had to, you can experience a little of how it was to live as a Viking.

By hiking out in nature this way in winter, spring, summer or fall, you can get to understand pretty quickly what Vikings had to deal with.

Hiking over frozen lake in buskerud

With no roads, no fresh cut grass, and no quick fixes, a walk becomes a hike. You have to work to walk in long grass, deep snow, and to scramble over rocky areas. Scrambling is the term used for getting up steep terrain by having to use hands as well as feet, and this is something you have to do when out in wild nature.

Hiking out in the Norwegian nature with hand made shoes, clothes and equipment is just part of the experience. Seeing raw nature up close and a panoramic view of the scenery from the top of hills and mountains is something else, as is sleeping under the stars. Once you are out in this powerful nature, preparing food and cooking meals over an open fire is not a chore, it's an experience that you can live on for years.

Hiking out in nature is a great way to improve your physical health. The muscles used for hiking in nature improves your balance and stability, and helps against knee and hip overuse injuries that can result from walking or running on level-ground . Walking and hiking are radically different forms of exercise. Your joints, heart and muscles work in different ways whilst hiking, compared with walking. Hiking out in nature recruits and strengthens different muscles, such as hips, knees and ankles, that you don't normally use when walking on flat, man-made surfaces. 

Passive dynamics is the name for walking on a level surface, and thanks to gravitational and kinetic energy, your walking stride keeps you moving with little effort. It's like the swing of a pendulum swinging back and forth without any additional energy input. But when you hike on uneven terrain, as you have to do out in nature, your heart rate and metabolic rate go up, you use a lot of energy and you burn more calories. 

Hiking out in nature, is also an easy and immediate way to improve your mood. The idea that nature helps our mental state goes back over a thousand years. The sights, sounds and smells of nature calm activity in a part of the brain that research has linked to mental illness.

Hiking in nature reduces stress and negative, self-focused patterns of thought linked with anxiety and depression. Simply walking out in nature decreases negative mood and increases positive humor. 

Our ancestors hiked in nature because they had to. We do it because we want to. Whether with modern equipment, or with hand made equipment, the results are always beneficial.  

No matter what season, whether there is snow in the mountains, or the flowers are in full bloom,  whether you take a popular marked trail or an untamed unmarked trail, the mythical landscapes of Norway are worth a visit.

Hiking in rugged nature, surrounded by fresh air, water, trees and plants, is a powerful experience, you shouldn't miss.

VIKING MAN FOOD by Tyr Neilsen

The Norse people were fit, strong and healthy. Apart from living a physical lifestyle, in a land with lots of fresh water, fresh air and raw nature, a major reason for the good health of these people was their diet. Vikings knew how to hunt, trap, fish and cultivate livestock and crops. They had nutritious food in abundance, and had good techniques for preserving and storing food.

The men, women and children of the North ate much better than their European counterparts during the Viking Age. On every level of Viking society, from farmers to kings, meat was part of a meal eaten every day.

Being great hunters, Norsemen had reindeer, moose, bear, boar, rabbit, duck, geese and other animals as a regular part of their diet. Meat also came from domestic animals such as cow, pig, sheep, goat and chicken. Being great fishermen meant that fish from lakes, rivers, fjords and the sea, was also a large part of their diet.

Although meat and fish were often roasted and fried, meat was also boiled together with vegetables. Viking Age farmers cultivated vegetables and fruit, but these also grew wild. A wide range of nuts, berries, herbs and seasonings also helped flavor this diet. 

From their trips to other countries and empires in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Vikings found spices and different foods than they were used to. Bringing these spices back to Scandinavia helped Viking food taste even better. 

Some people think that Viking food was dry and boring, but research shows otherwise. Vikings loved feasts and would celebrate several times a year. Gathering in longhouses, they would feast for several days, eating lavish meals with all kinds of meat and mouthwatering sauces, washed down with fabulous homemade alcohol. At such feasts, roasted horse meat or lamb would be served with beer and mead. 

Food has always played a central role in having a good life, and Vikings had a great choice of tasty and healthy food. Healthy food was the fuel that made Vikings strong and durable. Today we can make a Viking meal with ingredients that are the same or similar to what made our ancestors powerful.

A good, healthy diet is essential for a healthy body. Making sure you have a good selection of fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruit in your diet is simple and recommended. Also recommended is a protein rich meal shortly after training or working hard. Eating healthy food regularly and drinking plenty of fresh water throughout the day keeps energy up. 

Having a well balanced diet, daily exercise, and daily contact with nature, are essential for healthy mind, body and spirit. It is simple to fry up some fish, or cook some meat on an open campfire, and eating out in nature throughout the year is a fantastic and rewarding exerience. 

After a hard day’s work, a man needs a great tasting and fulfilling meal. A great meal makes the day much better, and knowing how to cook empowers you.

A vital man-skill is being able to turn meat and vegetables into a tasty meal. This includes choosing the ingredients, preparing them, and turning them into a healthy dinner. In order to provide ourselves with good fuel, we need to be able to cook food.

This isn't about being able to make some fancy dish, but about having the ability and confidence to make a meal for yourself, for your family, and anyone you care for.

Here is a simple recipe for a great tasting and healthy meal for two that is easy to make on a campfire:

2x 200g Beef tenderloin
mushroom
onion
cherry tomato
paprika
lemon

Heat some of the fat from the beef in a frying pan. Grill the steaks for about thirty seconds on both sides to keep the juices in, then grill for two minutes on each side. Add slices of paprika, onion and cherry tomatoes. Fry in the pan with the beef, and squeeze a lemon lightly over the vegetables.

This is simple to make and tastes absolutely great. 

VIKING MAN - VIKING RITE of PASSAGE by Tyr Neilsen

Manhood was not something given in the Viking Age, it was something a boy had to earn. Over several years, young Norse males were told and shown what was needed of them to become men. A Viking man was expected to provide for and protect his family, and Viking men took very seriously the job of preparing their sons for manhood.

According to the oldest Scandinavian law books, a boy was legally considered an adult when he was 12, but generally a boy was considered a man in the Viking Age after he had passed 15 winters. In Iceland, a young male was considered an adult when he was ""hestefør og drikkefør", meaning he was able to ride a horse and allowed to participate in drinking with the other men. 

In Viking Age Scandinavia, an extra pair of hands helping out at the farm was a real benifit, so from early childhood, boys had everyday tasks that were needed to be done responsibly.

There were many essential skills a boy had to acquire, and these skills were taught by fathers, brothers, uncles, and other grown men in and around the family. Age didn't automatically mean a boy had what was required of him to be regarded as a man by his peers, so young males had to prove their worth.

Viking manhood training had to start early in a young boy's life, as becoming a man in the Viking Age was something that could only be achieved through years of training and experience. Daily training in hunting, fishing, gathering, tending to animals, building, repairing and making equipment, gave a boy the ability to go from being reliant on his parents for food and security, to being totally self-reliant. 

A boy only achieved the change of status to a man after being able to successfuly do what was expected of a Viking man. Manhood rituals, such as hunting with a group of other Viking men and combat skills, were transitions that ensured the success of Norse society. 

The Viking rite of passage was something every Norse boy trained for and longed for. To be looked upon by peers as a man was a very important achievement not only for Norse males, but for all of Norse society.

The most important social institution in Viking Age Scandinavia was the family, and marriage was the core of the Norse family. From the age of 12, a young male could marry, which was the most obvious way for him to be regarded as a man, as providing for and taking care of a family was a very important and adult task. A Viking marriage was a legal contract wich consisted of power, inheritance and property.

A Viking wedding was an important transition not only for those being married, but for both the bride and the groom's families, as the wedding ceremony created a legal pact in which both families promised to help each other. In this pact that bound several families, the male head of the family had the final say in important matters.

The many years of training enabled Viking men to make tough decisions for the benifit of family and society. 

We at the Academy believe that the Viking rite of passage is a neccessity for young Scandinavian men. Therefore, the Academy not only trains students for physical well-being and self-defense situations, we train young men to become self-reliant and mature men.

We impart on our students dicipline, a good moral code, an appreciation for their cultural heritage and family, and stage by stage prepare them for the challenges life has in store. This is good for the students, good for their families, and good for society.

VIKING MAN in NATURE by Tyr Neilsen

The Norse people spent much of their time out in nature and became skilled woodsmen and hunters. Modern Norwegians still spend much of their time out in nature, especially during weekends and holidays, and woodsmanship and hunting are still popular year-round activities.

Although much has changed in the last millennium, most Norwegians keep in touch with nature and see the value of nature's life-giving gifts. Throughout the centuries, Norwegians have appreciated the fantastic nature that surrounds them, and just as their ancestors did, modern Norwegians feel that they are an integral part of nature and that they need to work with nature, not against it. 

Since the dawn of time, humans have lived in nature and as part of nature. Our ancestors understood the simple truth that everything is connected. We are a part of nature and nature is part of us.  Norwegians are almost daily in direct physical contact with nature, and recieve massive health benifits from having this contact. 

"Ut på tur aldri sur." This Norwegian saying, which basically translates to "Out for a walk, never sour" is used all the time by a nation of people who go for regular walks out in nature. Modern science is now proving what Norwegians have always known intuitively, that nature effects our character and does good things to the human brain, making us healthier, happier, and smarter.  

A walk outside in nature as a health-promoting physical activity is a given, but many modern Norwegians are also embracing walking barefoot out in nature. This the age-old activity stimulates the feet as they press on the gound, something which helps with the body's healing system. Climbing trees barefoot is also an activity that naturally stimulates the hands and feet.

Trees have always been vital to the health of life in Norway, and were of inestimable value for the Norse people. Trees represented a place where food was to be found, they were a source of heat, and were the most important building material. As important as trees were to Norse society, it was essential to not cut down too many trees in one area, as this would create ecological and resource problems. 

The people of the North knew that the Earth was incredibly old and had powerful energies, and that all nutrition and everything they needed to be healthy came from nature. It was of paramount importance for the Scandinavian people of the Viking Age to keep the earth fertile. If the nature that surrounded them was fertile, they too would be fertile.  

Vikings understood that spending time in nature strengthens the spirit and is very good for the health in general. Modern Norwegians understand this simple fact too, and spend a good deal of their time enjoying nature, in a country that has a surplus of fresh air and fresh water, surrounded by magnificent mountains, forests and fjords.

Get in touch with the Viking inside you, and enjoy the many benefits of being out in nature. Whether it is a walk in the forest or hills, camping out for a weekend, going fishing, or simply grilling your food out in nature, the physical, psychological and spiritual benefits are enormous. When Norwegians do this, they say "God tur", which means "Have a good journey". 

God tur

tyr neilsen

GOING a VÍKÍNG by Tyr Neilsen

In Old Norse, the word Víkingr means a person, while the word Víking means an activity. According to the sagas, the phrase "to go a-Viking" was used to describe the people from the north who went on voyages of discovery.

For a long time, I had thought of how it would be to go a-Viking. I wondered what my voyage of discovery might be like, and what it could bring.

Like most people, the thought of giving up the comforts of daily routines, and traveling the world, seemed like a pipe dream. However, this dream became a reality when I embarked on a year-long Viking adventure, that took me to nine countries, covering over 25,000 kilometers (15,000 miles).

flying norwegian air in january. departing Norway in a blizzard and arriving back in a snow storm.

Embarking on a such a big project was exciting and daunting. I wanted to visit as many places that were holding Viking festivals and historical events as posssible. A lot of preperation had to be done, and as it was an adventure that might only happen once in a lifetime, I had to plan carefully and in detail.

The journey kicked off in Norway, on New Year’s Eve, in the city of Drammen, that was celebrating it’s 200th-anniversary. There was a spectacular fireworks display, and a show based on a true Viking story from the area. It was a good way to start.

up helly aa fire festival in the shetland isles

From there, the real adventure began, and over a 12 month period, I traveling by car, boat, train, and plane, to Edinburgh and Largs in Scotland, Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, Hastings and York in England, Lönsboda in Sweden, Hafnarfjörður in Iceland, Trelleborg in Sweden and Denmark, Oldenburg in Germany, Moesgaard in Denmark, Gudvangen in Norway, Paris and Bayeux in France, and Wolin in Poland.

Each destination created new and memorable experiences. I took as much time as possible, taking in the stunning landscapes, culture and history of each location.

viking longhouse in trelleborg, denmark

My plan was to explore the places that held Viking arrangements, and get a sense of Viking influence there. Each country, city and town I visited, was proud of the Norse influence on their history.

Throughout the journey, I met interesting people from all over Europe and the Near East, who were embracing the culture and traditions of the Vikings. They showed me that the admiration of Vikings has not dwindled in the past 1000 years, and is in fact growing.

studying the original 11th century Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the conquest of England in 1066 by the Duke of Normandy. the bayeux tapestry is over 68 meters long - an incredible 224 feet!

Apart from traveling and taking part in Viking arrangements, I got to help build a full size copy of the Oseberg Viking Ship, and sail on Gaia, a full size copy of the Gokstad Viking ship.

In the Norwegian forest and hills, I participated in a Norse survival course, using only Viking Age equipment. A trip to Gudvangen was extra fun, when a Løse-tak Glima student of mine won the Gudvangen Glima championship, in epic style.

helping build saga oseberg, the full size copy of the 9th century Oseberg Viking Ship

I got to train armed and unarmed combat, with some of the best Viking swordfighters and glima experts in Europe. I took part in reenactments in Scotland and England, alongside several hundred participants, in historically correct clothes, armor and equipment.

At the Battle of Hastings, I fought on the same field where the historical battle took place in 1066 AD, and was surprised at what an emotional experience it was.

500 Viking and Slav warriors have a 'real' Viking battle, with hard hits from steel weapons

In Poland, I was the first Norwegian to fight in the Wolin steel-weapon battle. This was an exciting and dangerous experience, as it was a ‘real’ battle, with hard hits from the weapons, weilded by over 500 Viking and Slav warriors.

My Viking journey finished, exactly one year later, in the same place as I had started it. The adventure of a lifetime concluded at the New Year's Eve event in Drammen, only this time, after a Viking parade, I ended the year in a Viking swordfight, in front of thousands of cheering spectators, and with the backdrop of a stunning firework display.

new years eve viking swordfight

The year was not all fun and games. There were many challenges along the way, including a decade-old back injury that required hospitalization, but I would not have missed this year for anything. My voyage of dicovery gave me insight into the Viking world, and into myself.

For those who yearn for adventure, and seek to explore the world in a unique way, maybe my year going a-Viking, is a reminder that anything is possible.

Hávamál - verse 47

When I was young
And traveled alone
I often lost my way
I felt rich
When I met another
People are people's joy.

Link to short video of Going a Viking: https://www.vikingmartialarts.com/video/2015/9/14/viking-trailer

VIKING MAN OUTDOORS by Tyr Neilsen

Being outdoors was an essential part of life for our ancestors. All of their food and building materials came from the outdoors, so naturally they became experts at surviving and thriving, year round in the great outdoors.

"Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær." This old Norwegian saying means "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing." This is the commons sense mentality needed in a land that can have freezing winters that last 6 months.

For hunting and combat training, Vikings used specialized clothing that would withstand the weather and the wear and tear of use in rough terrain. Modern Norwegians also have specialized clothing for hunting and training. This clothing is called either 'Jaktklær' meaning hunting clothing, or ‘Skogsklær’ which simply means forest clothing.

Just as our ancestors did, we use skogsklær for combat glima training and camping. It's practical and tough, and exactly what we need for year round outdoor training and being out in Norwegian nature.

The Academy arranges year round outdoor combat glima courses and outdoor survival classes. On such courses, its really easy to get back to our Viking roots and core values.

Training in Viking combat and learning how to survive outdoors is very healthy and fun. Its never the same from month to month, and there is a big difference between being outdoors in the summer, and being outdoors in rain and snow.

The survival course consists of being out in nature for several days, making a shelter and equiment out of natural materials found in the forest, and learning about vegetation and means of surviving out in nature. It's always educational and a great experience. 

The Norsemen were great hunters, and for them, the hunt was both a practical and spiritual endeavor. This is still pretty true for most modern Norwegians who hunt, just as our ancestors did,  and get to enjoy the practical and spiritual benifits of being outdoors.

Today, we don't need to hunt to find food, we have the luxury of finding all we need in a local store. What we can't get from a store though, is the experience of being outdoors. 

Throughout the year, I spend time outdoors. Sometimes its a weekday, but definately on weekends. Sometimes I just take a backpack, and start walking in the nearby forest and hills. When I feel for stopping, I stop and enjoy the great outdoors, spring, summer, fall and winter. 

The simple acts of staying outdoors, building a fire and cooking a tasty meal is incredibly rewarding. Being able to fish, hunt, gather, prepare and cook food, is a very important part of becoming more self-reliant and independent. There's few easier ways to become more self-reliant and independent than the outdoors experience.

VIKING MAN by Geir Arneberg

glima tyr neilsen

Interest in Viking life and Norse mythology are massive today, but Tyr Neilsen (57) has been fascinated by Viking life and Norse mythology since he was a young boy and lived in England. When he moved to Norway in the 80s, he married a Norwegian woman and got in-laws that were knowledgeable in this rich heritage.

Thanks to my mother in-law I learned a lot about Norse mythology, and my father in-law introduced me to Laustak, the Viking martial art, says Tyr, who lives in Buskerud, Norway. Here he lives in many ways like a modern Viking and teaches the Viking martial arts. 

Tyr has been a consultant for several Norse related books, including a book about Viking martial arts. He is committed to promoting Norwegian culture and history, and is recent years he has held exhibitions and seminars at museums, schools and festivals in Norway and Europe.

NORWEGIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE

When journalist Bente Wemundstad interviewed Tyr for Byavisa Drammen and had conversations and discussions on various Viking topics, they hit on the idea of him writing a book about Hávamál with photography to illustrate it. After work on the book had started, they contacted Nova Publishing.

Just hours after Bente sent e mails, she received a phone call from publisher Jan Hervig who said that this was absolutely something Nova publishing wanted. Thus began a very hectic journey, literally. Besides diving into the brilliant philosophy that is found within Hávamál, Tyr and Bente traveled to Iceland where the original manuscript is held.

tyr neilsen with original hávamál manuscript - Photo: T. Neilsen - B. Wemundstad

VIKING JOURNEY

For a long time it seemed that there was absolutely no way to see the original vellum Hávamál manuscript, as it is heavily guarded and only very few have been allowed to photograph it, but Tyr and Bente received a mail from the institute that holds the manuscript, saying that they understood the importance of the work on this book, and granted exclusive access to the original manuscript from the year 1270. Photos had to be taken without a flash in a rather dark room at a museum in Reykjavik.

In the Viking Age, Odin’s speech was delivered as a performance. To recreate the original way of presenting Havamal, Tyr and Bente took exciting photographs of modern Vikings and models out in Norwegian nature and at sea.

Together, Tyr and Bente translated the first 80 verses of Hávamál (called Hávamál proper) to modern Norwegian, then Tyr translated the whole book into modern English, with the goal that this Norse heritage will be known to future generations.

Edited Byavisa article by Geir Arneberg

HÁVAMÁL

Hávamál is one of the most important documents from Viking Age Scandinavia, and is well described as the Wisdom of the North. 

Viking Wisdom - HÁVAMÁL - the Sayings of Odin is the most complete book about the Hávamál proper, and Tyr Neilsen had exclusive access to the original 13th century manuscript at the University of Iceland.

This magnificent book contains the Vikings wisdom in original Old Norse and a new modern translation, exciting photos of Odin and other Norse Gods, and information about the Gods and Hávamál. 

Also in this edition are insights into the violent history and many mysteries surrounding the Hávamál, as well as information about how Hávamál has influenced the world’s bestselling books and films.

In Viking times the sayings of Odin were delivered as a performance. Here the Hávamál is illustrated with fascinating photographs of models and modern Vikings in Norwegian nature to recreate the original way to present the message

There is much wisdom and inspiration to reclaim here, inherited from our ancestors, from an era that was subsequently named after them. Tyr and co-author Bente Wemundstad worked diligently to create a new translation of the Hávamál, and make the Vikings wisdom more accessible to the modern reader.

Foreword from Robert Ferguson author of Vikings - the Hammer and the Cross

Photo: T. Neilsen - B. Wemundstad

Foreword from Dr. Gunnar Pálsson Iceland Ambassador to Norway

Viking Wisdom - HÁVAMÁL - the Sayings of Odin from Nova Publishing in English, in Norwegian, and as an eBook. 

The Hávamál book in English can be ordered through your local book store: ISBN: 9788282810593

An English version is also available as an eBook - Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Viking-Wisdom-H%C3%A1v%C3%A1mal-Sayings-Odin-ebook/dp/B00Y0BLLPI