Tucked away in the Irish forestry near Finnebrogue Lough, a tranquil path guides you past a grouping of luxurious, Scandinavian-inspired tepees, leading the way to an open lawn sloping gradients of serene greenery. Sitting on this charming locale, you'll find a makeshift shelter constructed from timber and reclaimed garbage. Its counterpart, an open-roofed tent, flaunts wooden shelves housing a collection of cast-iron cookware, all centered around a flickering, radiant fireplace.

In the snug haven of Finnebrogue Woods, you'll meet Rory Gorman, a passionate chef in residence, also renowned for heading the kitchen at Stereo, a favored brunch restaurant in Belfast. He can be spotted working diligently around the fire pit, handling robust slices of sourdough, concocting wild herb butter, and daubing leek thyme cream onto charcoal crackers.

Finnebrogue woods, approximately 21 miles from Belfast, offers an enthralling blend of an event venue, a camping site, a bushcraft teaching space, and an outdoor cooking arena in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. Constructed and curated by Rob Hill, a bushcraft veteran and mountain guide, this place is nothing less than an oasis for outdoor enthusiasts, barbecue zealots, agricultural tourists, and wilderness survival buffs.

Living mostly in the makeshift shelter accompanied by his pet dog, a part-Irish setter called "Wreck-It" Ralph, Hill built this camping site using his survival expertise and readily available resources in the forest. Many nights, Hill shares his overnight stay at the shelter with occasional wildlife visitors like a friendly fox hoping for a cozy sleepover.  

After 5 years of military service, Hill sought to venture into becoming a mountain guide but ended up in the bushcraft arena. His journey to find a perfect home base for his bushcraft practice led Hill to lease land from Finnebrogue property owner, Ed Lindsay, which eventually expanded under the Finnebrogue Woods brand. Offering classes and hands-on experiences here since 2019, Hill has managed to educate and entertain around 4,000 visitors between April 2021 and October 2022 alone.

Classes often kick off with students tasked to ignite a fire using a steel striker and any local landscape materials- a challenge most are ill-prepared for in the region's typically damp weather.

Sharing his deep-seated wisdom on plant resins and their potential as fire starters, the range of edible and medicinal plants found in the area, Hill has been instrumental in promoting the educational aspects of bushcraft. 

Chef Gorman finds his association with Hill enriching, "Rob has enlightened me with his profound understanding of plants outside of culinary uses. I've learned about practical and medicinal applications of plants, camping site structuring, and even birch bark whisk making techniques," he says.  

Between catering to the demands of food preparation for your late lunch or early dinner, Gorman shares his love for camping and the thrill of cooking using seasonal elements found in his immediate environment.

Gorman's outdoor kitchen includes local produce, home-grown condiments and sauces, pickled vegetables and their eventual transformation into delectable dishes over a rustic, open fire. Those meals not only satiate your taste buds but also serve as an experimental ground for new dishes before delivering them to Finnebrogue's seasonal feasts.

As a visitor in this woodland haven, you get to partake in the meal, experiencing first-hand the essence and flavor of food cooked over a campfire. While savoring the taste of each bite, you feel the warmth spreading from your stomach to your toes. This enchanting scene offers a strikingly raw yet refined experience of survival and sumptuousness in the wilderness.

Reflecting on his gastronomic journey and ideology, Gorman shares, "I value spending quality time with my friends and loved ones post a meal. This simple but meaningful experience is something I strive to incorporate in all my cooking. The beauty of Finnebrogue is that it provides the opportunity to create such beautiful moments surrounded by nature."