On March 21 and 22, 2026, the second edition of Camp & Carve took place. The event was a small-scale and relaxed gathering of enthusiastic spoon carvers, bowl turners, green woodworkers, and nature lovers. At nature campsite Twilhaar in Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park, around 60 participants spent a weekend entirely focused on carving together, meeting others, and enjoying nature.
Relaxing together, camping and carving in nature
Space to make and connect
Camp & Carve was set up as an accessible weekend with plenty of space to make whatever you like. We provide the basics: fresh wood, a beautiful campsite in nature, and food cooked over the campfire. For those interested, there was also a program with inspirational sessions by experienced makers, meant to explore shapes and techniques and get more out of woodcarving. Most importantly, though, there was plenty of time to get to work yourself, meet people who share this passion, and carve together.
Demonstrations and presentations
On Saturday, Per Norén, an internationally known Swedish woodcarver, gave the first presentation. He shared his life story, his way of working, and several decorative techniques he enjoys using. In the afternoon, the large tent was reserved for Jan Harm ter Brugge, the pioneer of contemporary spoon carving in the Netherlands. He demonstrated the traditional way of carving a spoon from naturally curved wood.
Wim Appelman closed the afternoon with a demonstration on splitting firewood, discussing different types of axes, techniques, and safety. Wild forager and outdoor cook Jeroen Nielen then prepared another delicious campfire meal, just as he had done at lunch. Throughout the day, several campfires were used for making coffee and tea—very popular, as it was still quite chilly for the time of year.
Space for yourself
On Sunday morning, a lovely spring sun finally appeared. I (Carolina) gave a talk about the natural spoon size. The focus was on the proportions of the human body: which spoon sizes feel comfortable, and how do they relate to the Golden Ratio? German woodcarver Christoph Westerburg closed the weekend with a lesser-known project: carving a small brush from a piece of hazel.
Many participants also used this beautiful spring day to quietly chop, carve, or turn something on their own in the sunshine. The woodcarving friends and notes booklet was also well used.
A diverse and engaged group
Camp & Carve is aimed at people who can already carve wood independently. This created a varied group of beginners, advanced carvers, experienced makers, and teachers. Knowledge was shared freely, work was admired, and people learned from each other. Reactions and stories on social media also showed that people went home not only with inspiration and a supply of fresh wood: many projects started during the weekend were completed in the weeks that followed.
Camp & Carve returns from March 19 to 21, 2027
All in all, Camp & Carve 2026 was a successful and inspiring weekend that certainly deserves another edition. So you can already mark March 19 to 21, 2027 in your calendar, because we are welcome once again at Camping Twilhaar. Camp & Carve is something we create together, so if you have ideas for the program or would like to contribute, I would love to hear from you!
