Ray Mears has carved out a successful career with his business Woodlore which offers bushcraft-related courses and presenting award-winning TV series on survival techniques, writes Dan Moore.
His best-selling books include The Outdoor Survival Handbook, Bushcraft and British Woodland.
Ray, 60, lives in rural East Sussex with his wife Ruth, the mother of his grown-up stepson.
He also runs bushcraft courses overseas that teach self-reliance and resourcefulness, skills which Ray believes are essential in the modern world.
His next major course is in the Arctic in January.
What did your parents teach you about money?
My dad was an extremely good printer who worked for a company called De La Rue, the world’s largest commercial printer of banknotes. While my mum worked in administration. Dad was quite shrewd, but we really didn’t discuss money. I think they thought money was not a matter that should trouble a child, which is very wise.
I grew up in Surrey and when I discovered the North Downs Way was a brisk 20 minutes’ walk from my door, it opened up a world of possibilities – and was far more interesting than money.
Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?
After A-Levels I worked in London, doing something financial in the City. I can’t recall exactly what and didn’t remain there for long. I left to work for Operation Raleigh, which was based in rooms 440, 441 and 442 at the Old War Office building in Whitehall. I was the youngest member of the team that set up the selection process and led outdoor adventures for the expeditions.
It was great fun but didn’t pay much. There was no way I could make a living at it so I started writing about the expeditions, sustainability and environment for magazines.
What was the best year of your financial life?
We’ve had peaks and troughs, including surviving two recessions and losing a warehouse full of DVDs in a fire. But there have been several good years, such as an overseas TV series in Australia, the Arctic and Canada, but I’m not in entertainment, which pays really well, so it’s all relative.
What has been your biggest money mistake?
I don’t really think in those terms. Anything you do wrong is just a lesson in life that hopefully you can turn into a positive or learn something valuable from. I have to say that I don’t dwell on the past or focus on things that have gone wrong. I put them to one side and move on.
The most expensive thing you bought for fun?
I bought a Rolex once to cheer myself up after my first wife died [of breast cancer aged 50 in 2006].
Best money decision you have made?
Starting my business. The company’s been through two recessions. The first time we were small enough to squirrel ourselves away. With the second one, we saw it coming and knew what we’d experience. We battened down the hatches, and we did well in the sense that we got through it.
I’m very proud that the company has been running for 40-plus years. As far as I’m aware Woodlore is the oldest company in the world that teaches bushcraft.
Do you have a pension?
I have a private one but don’t know much about it, because that kind of thing doesn’t interest me. I understand why small business owners and sole traders don’t get around to having one because it’s tough enough to earn a living. It really bugs me that our politicians don’t have a clue about small businesses and have never done enough to support them.
Do you own a property?
My lovely wife Ruth and I live in a detached house in Sussex. It’s my only property because I spend enough time away from home as it is.
What would you do if you were Chancellor?
I really worry about the Green Belt. During lockdown, we saw its value massively. It provided incredible psychological benefits for people who were struggling.
The current Government wants to build on the Green Belt even though there is plenty of brownfield land. That really worries me.
The environment is never high enough on the agenda. If we don’t fight for the environment now, we will face a bigger bill further down the road. I’d like to see politicians think about the future beyond their own terms in office.
What is your number one financial priority?
These are uncertain times, so my priority is to keep going, to make sure we can survive and ensure my family are happy and well.
- For tickets for Ray’s Woodlore Arctic Winter Course in northern Finland, January 15-25, 2025 and other courses in the UK and abroad go to raymears.com.
