Are survivalists as rife in the UK?

I live in the uk and yes I would put myself down as a survivalist..

My preparations and it has been a lifelong pursuit ( always knew the smelly stuff would hit the fan at some point in my life!

Ex army infantryman, 2nd Dan in Atemi Ju jitsu very competent with my 70lb ( it can do some damage) Mongol horse bow. holidays spent wild camping, food store and water batteries, candles, Have rucksacks packed and ready to move should we need to get out of the city..if we can, always ensure the tank in the car is half full...

Fortunately I have a wife who can see things coming as well so I know I am not the only nutcase !!lol (wife has a crossbow )

I look at it this way ..most people do not see the logical conclusion of world events and the implications...reallisticaly ...things aren't going to get better!! so I ain't going down without a fight !

For me there are two main scenarios... 1. they drop a nuke ...in that case (I live in a big city ) so will stand in front of the widow with my arms around my wife and wait to be incinerated together )

2. We head the warning before things go pear shaped and mange to get out fof the city ...Scotland or the Borders..

I look at the things that are happening now and the bigger picture and how things are playing out ..environmentally, economically and socially..
and whatever anyone believes be it we are going to be beamed up by aliens, atttacked by aliens, global catastrophies, nuclear war, economic collapse ( and the implications) and socially the way human beings are behaving..

The logical conclusion is a very hard time for the average individual>

There are those that will lay back, do not want to see and hop fully stand in the chaos with their hand out expecting someone to look after them ( after all thats what we pay our taxes for) But there will be those that will survive....

But I don't think the survalist thing is big in the uk There is only one that I know of ...

Chance favours the prepared mind

Hey schuck,
where did you get your mongol horse bow from? (drool)
They are the greatest.

Internet its a Lajos Kassai Bear, cost about £120 and well worth its money, its very fast and powerful, Takes a bit of getting used to..its advantages are is short and light and packs a punch. I don't like guns ..far too noisy and the amumition is reusable! I would recomend it !!

Also I don't think there is anything in the UK with regards to survivalist thing...unfortunately there are far too many people about with there heads up their backsides to see exactly were all this crap is going!

Don't forget Mushrooms!

Ahh, survivalists. Unfortunately, many of us in the UK live in cities or towns, in small flats and don't have room for a garden shed (let alone a classic survivalist's celler or bunker). If a worst case scenario does occur and the military, emergency services, etc all collapse then we're probably pretty buggered.

The population would need to be massively reduced in order to enable some to survive. Let's just hope the survivors aren't all survivalists, if that were the case it'd probably be best to throw oneself off the balcony.... after a cup of tea (a sweet one..... go mad! It'll be the last one you have!) and a scone covered with loads of clotted cream and jam.

On a serious note though, after having been through a couple of revolutions and coups, some kind of authority tends to take control and not kill too many people. The main problem tends to occur when there are far too many people with guns about. Armed criminal elements tend to get rather quickly "dealt with".

Originally posted by Survival_Burger
It's been the norm there ever since they were fighting off our Tyrannical snatchgrabs Centuries ago. Again, it's a Constitutional right to bare arms in the United States of America, if you want to better understand why Americans have guns, read the Constitution.

Hmm, the famous Second Amendment...

As written in the constitution of the USA, this famous "right to bear arms" is actually qualified with the statement "As part of a well regulated militia". It says nothing about allowing people to bear arms as an individual.

Now, I'm not sure about you, but I read that as "You can keep your guns, but you need to be in a militia to do it". In fact, many State laws used to enforce militia participation, making all men of age keep a gun, powder and ammunition.

Where in that Amendment does it say all citizens can bear arms freely?

Bear in mind also that this law was written over 200 years ago, during a time when bandits, indians and foreign soldiers wandered about and you could not rely on the State to protect you.

Times change and people misread the constitution for their own ends.

As for the subject matter at hand...

There are people who are interested in "living rough" and "surviving". Many though are just too cozy in their modern living to think about next month, let alone what would happen if it all went away. I and my friends know how to live off the land. We enjoy camping and roughing it when possible.

Thing is, when you consider that the US has a population of 300+million, whereas the UK is only 60+million, there will be more survivalists anyway. Couple that to the fact that Britain is a nation of moderate weather, moderate environments etc, we don't have to deal with the harsh reality of mother nature, except for a freak occurrence.

One member posted on the first page that the Great Storm of 1987 paralysed the country. Not really, that was a bit of an exaggeration and I think you'll find we fared no worse than the USA does when they get hit by a storm.

Also, I've never seen British people loot and riot during a natural disaster. That's not to say it wouldn't happen in the future, but for example, during the flooding this year, we were still very British about it, standing in line for supplies and help, generally behaving and there was a strong sense of community.

This is were I see a difference between the USA and ourselves.

In America, it is very much about "Me, Me! ME! MEEEE!!!!" and what YOU can do to help YOURSELF.

Don't expect anyone else to help you. And they are all taught this at a young age. Hence why they despise our NHS etc.

Here in the UK, we club together, are more community orientated and are willing to make sacrifices for the common good.

Different cultures at the end of the day.

[edit on 12/11/07 by stumason]

reply to post by stumason


Aye and we're less paranoid, we're not under the impression that we own the world or that the world hates us....

we just kind of plod on through the daily grind, appreciating the little things like tea and the occasional sunshine.

Aye !! thats what Brits do mumble complain but just get on with things...until we have had enough!!

tea can make nettles taste rather nice......i am a bushcrafter of the rather english kind, no guns but have bags packed and food stocked. i do however live surrounded by woodland on top of a hill in kent downs, so no fear of flooding (little daughter thinks that is good). i am teaching children foraging and simple skills as they are still very young.
think our problem in uk is that people think your certifyable if you talk about the maddness that seems to be happening globally. we dont get much in the way of news on the telly, its all about some famous pop star shagging some other equally unimportant famous pop star. i have a couple of frinds whom are like minded and my folks have always talked about the state of earth and human activity. so i grew up growing food, camping in the middle of nowhere, and spending time in the woods.
m xx

No in the uk we hear very little..good that you are getting the kids early at least they will have some chance ...kids haven't a clue what is in store and the parents don't help

I am up in Yorkshire and we had the bad floods ....really makes you wake up to see how the infrastructure can break down!!

reply to post by morganathefey


Aye it's nice to see kids being interested in the outdoors.

I always try and go camping for a few weeks a year, not managed as much as I wanted this year, but I'm becoming quite adapt at fire building, gathering and creating wind breaks and shelters, if I have children then I think I'm gonna show them the ropes from a young age.

But as mentioned, survivalism is probably different here than in the states, we don't have as much wilderness and we're always near some kind of village or town or what-not...

Cumbria is beautiful, and if i had to make a quick escape, i'd find myself a nice cave and hide out there in the mountains (and drink my flask of tea).

(off topic slightly - but isn't that really, really funny in the shaun of the dead film, on the morning of the outbreak and suffering from hangovers, they fend off a few zombies and then sit back down with a cup of tea and watch the news... my favourite quote is shaun's mum after her husband is attacked, she says 'well, i shut the curtains'...)

Survivalist here too.

I keep a full backpack kitted 24/7 and an emergency pack with me(or in the van) at all times.

I have a standard recurve for emergencies but my baby is my compound.
Ridiculously accurate,quiet,short and light and over 310 fps so who needs a gun.
(Oh yeah.. and my SOG seal knife for wrestling with grizzlies lol)

I take survivalism as in 'realistic' situations, like major storm,food/water shortage/loss of shelter eg and am prepared accordingly.

Scotland would be my place of refuge too.. Until the Ice age anyhoo

Already done a number of trips round the Borders and up into Scotland and worked out the best places ..I know from where I am we would never get through Glasgow, so it would have to be the borders..think I would steer away from the Lake District!

Ice age I can cope with ...I hate the heat !!lol did a lot of training in Norway ...so I can cope !!

reply to post by shuck


I love the cold but heat doesn't bother me either.
It's easier to warm up than it is to cool down I think.
It saps your strength quickly too.
(tried a 15 mile run in 46degree C in Dubai. WOO!! fun!!

I got a sleeping bag rated to - 17 C,liner for further insulation and two emergency silver thermal blankets in my day pack.
So I don't think I'll get cold even without a fire.

I was up at Hadrians wall a week ago in about 1 C temps and STILL had to strip layers off

its not the cold in the uk thats the problem its the rain......definatly need decent wet weather gear (i always keep spares in the car, sprogs are always jumping rather too deep puddles!)
m xx

reply to post by shuck


Hi Shuck, just wondering why you would steer clear of the lake district?

just curious...

I would dumb it down to saying Brits are more used to the government taking care of them and they relying completely on the government to provide them with security and other important needs. However, the moment god forbid something really bad happens and the government collapses and anarchy ensues (ala Hurricane Katrina) then they're going to be very screwed because there won't be anybody to take care of them. It will be back to the law of the fittest, and if the situation doesn't improve quickly, there will be looting and a complete breakdown of society would ensue.

Originally posted by Flyer
I slept through the whole thing, I dont remember any problems whatsoever apart from the damage, no loss of services, no food shortages.

Did you need a stock of guns and ammo then to keep you safe?

The moment society breaks down and anarchy ensues, you'll be completely defenseless at the mercy of thugs or whoever has weapons.
Sure, the possibility of something like that happening are very small, but there's still a possibility.

[edit on 26-11-2007 by NuclearHead]

Originally posted by NuclearHead
I would dumb it down to saying Brits are more used to the government taking care of them and they relying completely on the government to provide them with security and other important needs. However, the moment god forbid something really bad happens and the government collapses and anarchy ensues (ala Hurricane Katrina) then they're going to be very screwed because there won't be anybody to take care of them. It will be back to the law of the fittest, and if the situation doesn't improve quickly, there will be looting and a complete breakdown of society would ensue.

Kind of like the US or pretty much any developed country then. The things that make a country part of the developed world are what makes a society soft. It is increases centralisation of resources and reliance on finance as the main means of establishing status.

However when TSHTF finance and centralised resources will be a thing of the past. The pecking order will be changed to a slightly more Darwinian society. Take a look at many of the countries in Africa where society has broken down. See who rule the place. It's the big boys with the muscle. The weaker elements of society are consumed. This is the way of the world.

People need to realise that modern society is a myth. the UK doesn't have the social bonding of 60 years ago. We are a nation of compartmentalised individuals who simply share the same piece of land. Unless the individual takes responsibility for their own well being then they will become food.

reply to post by shuck

I love this thread. Funniest thing on ATS. All this chest beating, sweaty, back to basics people.

Its probably worth pointing out that if it comes to nukes, you dont think they are just going to drop one on London, one on Birmingham, one on Liverpool etc etc et?? Most big cities would be hit by several well placed salvos. Then the Airports, army bases, military dumps, communications bases, railway lines, docks, ports electricity generating places would be hit, probably by smaller cruise missile type nukes or even airbursts.
Assuming you even survived that, dont you think the fall out/infection/disease/flooding would slow you down somewhat, unless you have a VERY well built shelter to survive the first 6 weeks?
OK lets assume it isnt nukes then, lets assume a non nuclear attack and you lose, say half the population 30million people. Dont you think that some of those people are simply going to let you do what you want?Martial law and curfew would come into force immediatley.

OK lets say you get away with the above.

Firstly. How are you going to get up to Scotland? If there is a nuke anywhere near you and you survive, your vehicle would be electrically useless.

Assuming you can get one going, and the military or local militia dont shoot you in the process, do you think the roads would be driveable? dont you think that a few of the 30 million people here would have that idea?.
Assuming the roads are driveable. Where are you going to get your fuel from? Dont you think that the Military/militia and other little gangs arent going to protect their fuel sources?
Assuming you get fuel. Do you honestly think people anywhere outside of where you live are going to let you move through what will be their territory? that brings on another problem, do you think the scots are going to let everyone move into their country?.
OK you get a horse. or horses if you have a family. How far do you think you could ride in a day? Ive done cross country riding and I tell you, your old bum and thighs get sore mighty quickly.
Horses make good eating too, so how long and how far do you think you will get before someone decides to use their Bow and Arrow to shoot your horse along with maybe you, thats also assuming your horse doesnt go lame or get other problems?
OK you got daughters?, well unless you can protect them for every minute of every day you better shoot them now, cos someone is going to rape them.
Now dont get me started on how long you can survive on Rabbits, the odd pheasant and some seafood. You would probably lose so much weight in the first two to six weeks and almost certainly get diarrhoea from the diet change you wouldnt have the energy to do any more.
Ray Mears might get away with it but I doubt if even he could do for long enough to count. Do you HONESTLY believe he got as fat as he is eating leaves and the odd shellfish.?

Enough of the macho chestbeating eh ? You havent even started working out the logistics.