Photographer, film maker, bushcraft enthusiast and podcaster, Padraig Croke’s adventure-packed life in Sweden is a far cry from the years he spent as a graphic designer in Ireland. A wonderful example of blending professional skills with a life outdoors, you’ll likely find him at his home on Lake Immeln, canoeing, camping off the grid and educating wannabe campers on the best tools and techniques to survive in the wild. 

Tell us a bit about your journey from being a graphic designer in Ireland, to bushcraft enthusiast and awesome podcast host to your current life in Sweden?

Ha! Well it definitely didn’t happen overnight. I grew up in the early 90s in the pre internet days. So, like many people my age, I spent a lot of time outside. Sometimes I honestly feel like bushcraft and outdoor pursuits as an adult is basically an extension of building dens and climbing trees when you’re a kid.

In any case, it pretty much fell by the wayside as I got older, especially by the time I was in college. I studied Visual Communications in IADT in Dublin and went on to work in the industry for about ten years. I think at some point, I just figured I wanted to get outside more. When you spend 5 days a week working in the city, concrete can get pretty draining. A half-serious New Year’s resolution I undertook to go camping more in the coming Summer found me looking for groups on Facebook to join. That’s when I discovered the strange and exciting world of Bushcraft and I got totally hooked.

It was so cool to see these people getting back to basics and focussing on skills and knowledge, rather than on expensive Gore Tex jackets and hiking poles! (you know the type)… Not that there’s anything wrong with that stuff, and I do nerd out on equipment of course, but this was something I’d never seen before. 

Before long I was meeting up with people for camps, heading out on extended trips, and eventually finding my way to Sweden, arguably the mecca of bushcraft enthusiasts. I still had my skill set as a communicator and designer, so I think I just did what I knew best. That’s what led to me creating the podcast and making videos and the likes.

What gets you up in the morning?

My coffee addiction! No, I guess there’s always something to be excited about. It’s important for me to always have projects on the go; whether that’s freelancing for clients or a personal project, I tend to keep myself fairly occupied… I probably take too much on sometimes, but when a creative ‘a-ha’ moment strikes, the energy that gives me is pretty powerful and I’ll find it difficult to focus on anything else. So I suppose if I was to put it in one sentence I would say what gets me up in the morning is the drive to create!

Your three great loves?

That’s a tough one! I love design and movies and writing and reading and dogs and everything in between!

But if I had to choose… apart from bushcraft and camping? Probably first and foremost would be photography. I’ve been shooting digital since I was about 14 years old when my dad gave me his old Canon. But when I moved to Stockholm for a year (that’s another story) when I was 21 I picked up an old Minolta 35mm analogue camera. I found myself wandering the streets every day shooting roll after roll of film just for its own sake. I would say that practice really taught me how to hone my photography skills and I’ve been completely obsessed with it ever since.

Second, I would say music… maybe that’s a boring response, but metal is my language! In another life I’ve been in various bands playing guitar and screaming into a microphone. Life would be pretty boring without heavy metal.

Thirdly, I would say anything related to Horror and Sci-fi. My childhood was spent absorbed in Stephen King books and The X-files. Old horror movie posters and that kind of thing have always seemed so cool to me. I’m definitely a horror nut!

Favourite way to enjoy the outdoors

With friends. As they say, an experience shared is an experience doubled. My favourite camping trips have been with at least one good friend. I believe it brings you closer together and strengthens your bond.

Most recent adventure

I have just returned from having spent 3 months in the Arctic here in Sweden, working with a company who specialise in giving people an Arctic tipi camping experience. While I was up there I learned a lot of new skills. I learned what -30 degrees feels like, and how to dress accordingly. I learned how to ride a snowmobile, as that was the main mode of transport across the frozen lakes, and I also befriended a couple who run a dog sledding company from their homestead. They also taught me a lot about dogs and how to look after them up in the North. I recorded a small documentary with them, which you can watch here https://youtu.be/K-gJe0QNHZw

Coffee – how do you take it?

Milk, no sugar. In Sweden, when you go camping, you make kokkaffe. Basically cowboy coffee, where you pour your grinds straight on top of your water in the kettle and put it onto the fire to boil. Then you let it sit and let all the grinds sink to the bottom before pouring.

First thing you do when you get to a campsite

I guess it depends on how you got there. If it was a hike in, usually I’ll just take my pack off and sit for a few mins. After that I usually look up, and make sure there’s nothing precarious that’s going to fall on you during the night like overhanging branches or dead stumps. After that, find a spot to set up my sleep system, whether that’s a tarp and hammock or a tent… following this I usually decide that this is in fact not a good camping spot and stroll off to find something better.

Best camping-fail story?

Where to start? I think there’s been quite a few, but one that sticks out in my head is the time I was camping in Kerry with my good friend Brian. We left it quite late to actually head out, as the weather was absolutely awful! Raindrops the size of golf balls were pelting down and everything was totally soaked before we even got to camp. I forgot my gaiters are so all the rain that was dripping from my poncho was soaking the bottoms of my trousers, which was then in turn soaking into my socks.

It was getting dusky by the time we decided on our camp, a little peninsula beside the lake. Hastily, we gathered what wood we could find in order to get a fire lit and hopefully dry our stuff out. That fire ended up taking us about an hour to actually get lit, and when we did, we spent the whole time trying to shelter it from the rain and drying out the remaining wood we had. So, wet and cold and feeling a little miserable, we just accepted our fate.

It was only then that we saw him… a giant badger. He looked about the size of a cocker spaniel, and they can be aggressive if provoked. We watched in silence as he walked past us and off into a hole in the ground. It was then that we realised that we had set up camp surrounded by these holes, in the middle of a badger den! That night was spent cold and wet, and paranoid that we were going to be raided by a pack of angry badgers.

When we can travel again, where’s first on your list?

Back home to Ireland. I haven’t seen my friends or family in over a year now, which is totally crazy. I hope we can all spend Christmas together this year.

Beach or mountains?

I would say in summer, the beach for sure. In winter, the mountains call me.

What’s the 3 things you can’t camp without?

I guess, aside from the obvious necessities like a backpack, and a shelter etc, my three non-essential camp items would be my camera, my 1.5ltr Kettle from Eagle Products and my Fjallraven Cap. I’ve had that cap on my head for almost every camp trip I’ve ever been on. I would feel naked without it.

Best meal eaten in the outdoors

Oh man there’s been so many good meals, I wouldn’t know where to start with that one. I’m lucky enough to know quite a few outdoor cooks and they’ve made some unbelievable dishes over the years. There was a leg of deer at a camp years ago that I still think about sometimes. We cooked it in an earth oven, which is how our ancestors would have cooked their meat. You dig a hole in the ground and fill the bottom with rocks. Then you light a fire in the hole and when it dies, the rocks underneath are really hot. You wrap the meat in either green leaves or in foil and bury it with the hot rocks for about 5-6 hours. I promise you will never taste meat as juicy or tender as when it’s been cooked in an earth oven. Absolutely delicious.

Mantra for living the good life?

I would say first and foremost, be kind. Don’t let people’s crappy behaviours stop you from being kind. Be loyal to those that love you and always go out of your way to show them how much they mean to you. Be curious and enthusiastic about the things that genuinely bring you joy in life… and if you can make a living from those things, even better! Don’t hold grudges and always accept someone’s apology. Say yes as often as you can. Let your weird out. 

And remember; nobody will ever take you as seriously as you take yourself, so never pass up an opportunity to laugh at yourself.

Website: www.padraig.me
Instagram: @padraigcroke
Podcast: Trial By Fire