Ray Mears grew up in Southern England, among the rolling hills of the North Downs — a place full of wildlife and natural beauty. As a child, he developed a deep sensitivity to the environment around him, spending countless hours learning how to follow the movements of foxes through the woods. At the time, he had no idea that these early adventures would lay the foundations for his life’s purpose.

Keen to sleep outdoors but unable to afford standard camping gear, Ray began creating his own solutions, embracing a resourceful, hands-on approach that echoed the spirit of Robinson Crusoe.

A key figure in Ray’s formative years was his school judo instructor, Kingsley — a man of great influence and experience. A veteran of covert operations in Burma during the Second World War, Kingsley had a remarkable ability to see the world differently. He challenged Ray to question accepted norms and instilled powerful lessons that would shape Ray’s future philosophy. “Survival doesn’t depend on equipment,” Kingsley would say. “It depends on knowledge.” Another of his mantras, “maximum efficiency from minimum effort,” remains central to Ray’s teachings and writings today.

Fuelled by curiosity, Ray devoured everything he could find in his local library about survival and traditional outdoor skills. Before long, he was practising techniques not used on the North Downs for thousands of years. His journey has since taken him around the globe, where he has formed close connections with indigenous communities and shared in their knowledge of tracking, foraging, and living in harmony with nature.

Ray Mears | Early TV Career

Ray’s journey into television began not with a desire for fame, but with a passion for sharing the ancient and often forgotten skills of bushcraft and survival. His first break came in the early 1990s with Tracks, a BBC series that introduced him as a calm and knowledgeable presence, offering viewers a glimpse into the world of wilderness skills. The show highlighted his ability to communicate complex outdoor knowledge in an accessible and engaging way – a style that would become his trademark.

Ray Mears | Established TV Presenter

His first full series as a solo presenter, Ray Mears’ World of Survival (1997), was a landmark in British outdoor television. Rather than dramatising danger or survival scenarios for entertainment, Ray focused on authentic methods used by indigenous peoples around the world. Filmed in challenging locations such as Siberia, Namibia, and the Amazon, the series was widely praised for its respectful and educational tone. It set the tone for what would become his signature approach: blending practical skill with cultural understanding and deep environmental respect.

Throughout the 2000s, he fronted a string of successful and influential series, including Extreme Survival, Bushcraft, Wild Food, and Ray Mears Goes Walkabout. These programmes showcased his encyclopaedic knowledge of survival, tracking, and the natural world, as well as his ability to make these subjects accessible to a wide audience. Ray Mears’ Bushcraft, in particular, played a major role in popularising outdoor education in the UK.

Later projects such as Wild Britain with Ray Mears and Wilderness Walks offered a more reflective view of nature, with Ray exploring the British countryside and encouraging viewers to connect more deeply with the land. He has also presented historical and military-themed documentaries, highlighting his wider interest in how survival skills have shaped human stories throughout time.

Ray Mears | Books

Ray is s bestselling author whose writing includes practical guides, autobiographical reflections, and explorations of natural and cultural history. Titles such as Bushcraft, Essential Bushcraft, and The Survival Handbook have become go-to resources for outdoor enthusiasts, scouts, and survival instructors alike, offering clear, hands-on instruction in traditional skills such as fire-making, shelter-building, tracking, and foraging.

Beyond the practical, Ray has also written more personal works, including My Outdoor Life, a memoir that traces his journey from childhood fascination with the wild to becoming a household name in survival and bushcraft. In We Are Nature, he explores the deeper connection between humans and the natural world, encouraging readers to slow down, observe more closely, and rediscover their place in the ecosystem.

Ray Mears | Woodlore

In 1983, Ray founded Woodlore, now one of the UK’s leading bushcraft schools. It offers immersive courses in tracking, survival, and outdoor living. Through Woodlore, Ray has taught thousands of students from around the world.

What began with Ray personally teaching small groups of eager learners quickly developed into a highly respected organisation, thanks to his dedication, deep expertise, and commitment to sharing traditional outdoor skills.

Over the years, Woodlore has grown into a world-class training school, recognised internationally for its outstanding instruction in bushcraft, wilderness survival, tracking, and natural living. At its core is a small, highly skilled team of professionals who share Ray’s passion for nature and a commitment to the highest standards of safety, leadership, and teaching.

Ray Mears | Philosophy on Bushcraft

Ray believes that bushcraft liberates and empowers. It reacquaints man with nature, providing an escape from the shackles of modern life. Bushcraft is about being practical and resourceful. Rather than teach ten things, teach one which can be put to use in a wide variety of environments. Bushcraft is not a sentimental retreat into the past, a re-enactment of Aboriginal life, an exercise in Rambo-style machoism, or a cult-like spiritual experience. Ray teaches but doesn’t preach. He encourages people to open their eyes and see for themselves, to enjoy their own personal sense of wonder and discovery. He is merely a guide, passing on his knowledge.

Ray is perhaps the foremost expert in his field – certainly the most well-travelled; yet people are often surprised to see him rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in with those who are enjoying Bushcraft for the first time. Nothing pleases him more than to see a student reaching beyond their own expectation of themselves, challenging their own beliefs about the world around them as they see it anew through the eyes of Bushcraft, what Ray calls “The art of the possible.”

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book wildlife and bushcraft expert Ray Mears for your next event.

Contact us.