I love this technique, and I think you will too. It is a one-log campfire that allows you to cook straightaway, without waiting for it to burn down to embers. And, let’s face it, this fire looks very cool too. The flat top is ideal for a pan and, as the fire begins off the ground, it is perfect for cooking in the snow or in coastal or riverside environments where wet rocks would split and pop if the fire were on the ground. Use it for cooking up your rockpooling spoils! The Swedish log fire is very quickly and easily made with a chainsaw, which is ideal as it provides a wide gap where the incisions are made and allows you to leave the base intact. However, this is my preferred technique, which only uses hand tools and is much more useful in the wild.
1. Saw a dry log to the desired size.
2. Use your billhook, or the batoning technique, to split the log into halves, then quarters.
3. Stand the four quarters on end and refit them like jigsaw pieces. You may wish to fix them together with wire or even string towards the bottom. Stuff the gaps with tinder.
4. Ignite! Your fire log should need no further intervention and will burn down slowly and steadily. Time to get cooking …
