Bushcraft Book Recommendations?

All sounds like a perfect Bank Holiday weekend plan!

All the best for your adventure in “The Bush”. I hope the book provides what you were looking for. 

My outdoor activities this weekend are not so adventurous. Breakfast with a friend at a nearby spot tomorrow, followed by a walk. The weather forecast looks promising, so I plan to make the most of the rest of the weekend in the garden. 

I managed to obtain quite a good condition used copy of the Mors Kochanski paperback - first impression is that it looks promising.

If the weather is kind (sometime over the Bank Holiday): I will pitch my hammock between a couple of trees and start reading.

With non-fiction books such as this; I like to read a topic.  Pause to mull it over.  Then have a go at / plan or source something around the topic - before reading the next section.

Chapter 1 is firecraft and outdoor cooking. 

The field near us is tinder dry and set drying ready for baling - so a camp fire or barbecue will need to wait for another time. 

Still, it would be fine to break out the trusty Trangia Stove in a pavered area of the garden. 

The windspeed and direction early on Saturday morning looks well set for a cooked breakfast excuse ...without our neighbours getting either disturbed or jealous!

That sounds like an enjoyable thing to do. I always loved outdoor activities as a child and would have loved to have learned bushcraft skills, so the book was tempting. I would be better off first learning some of the basic basics, such as tying knots and lighting a fire. 

Thank you for that additional information.

In part, I am trying to revive some skills long ago enjoyed (when I was very young) and used to be in the company of a couple of male relatives who really knew their outdoorsman lore and craft.

Luckily, I am quite knowledgeable about native UK plants and trees - I think your good point about Canadian species versus UK species would probably be manageable.

I came across the following supplemental literature. It would suggest that the Kochanski book is comprehensive.
https://ia801706.us.archive.org/18/items/outdoorlife/Mors-Kochanski-Bushcraft-and-his.pdf

I have not engaged in Bushcraft. If were wishing to learn serious Bushcraft skills that would stand the test of time in any situation near home or in other geographical areas of Northern Europe, I would buy the Kochanski book. From the reviews on Amazon, it seems to have stood the test of time. My only hesitation is to ask if the skills needed in Britain would be the same as those needed in Canada (tree species, climate etc)? Having said that, UK readers have given the book great reviews.

If you are only interested in day trips, then there is not much you need. Your main issue is just to be prepared for changeable weather.

Knowing how make a fire by rubbing sticks together, which berries to eat, how to make a bivouac or snow hole, or a stretcher, or how to cross a glacier, and general rope work, is a bit unnecessary.

All you need is to be able read a map, plus a compass. A decent phone will give your location if you want to cheat.

Then it is just layered clothes, a hat, waterproofs, suitable footwear, and avoiding heat stroke or hypothermia. You can take some basic first aid kit if you want. Then just some food and water. Nuts, sultanas, cookies, fruit, are my preferred options as full of energy and not affected by heat. Nuts have salt which is good if sweating a bit. Chocolate is ok in winter. Sandwiches less good if they'll be warm for hours, although cheese or jam is ok .

Keep your eyes open and be aware of the weather or tides.

Unless in the highlands and islands you will be on footpaths.

A thermos will give you soup or coffee, so no need for a gas camping stove. But if you want one just get something cheap from go outdoors, and shelter it from the wind.

If you want to catch a fish and gut/cook/eat it, then that requires a pan, a knife and some way to catch it of course.