“I like a man who likes the outdoors.”

I watched as the other attractive women in the group nodded in agreement.

Perhaps the ladies in question wanted the peace of mind of knowing if the worst came to the worst their partner would be able to beat up and skin a rabbit.

Whatever the reason it seemed to be the common consensus.

Now I have nothing against the open air but I rarely spend anytime time in it.

However, for some time I have always felt I should be more outdoorsy.

For one thing it may help boost my credibility if in later life I find myself aboard a boat with a police chief and grizzled old sea dog hunting a great white shark, you know how people like that are when they get together.

I decided my outdoorsy skill of choice would be making fire without matches and I enrolled on a bush skills course in Pembrokeshire.

As the Welsh had only days earlier discovered fire I felt sure they would be the most enthusiastic teachers.

Using a sharp knife I was entrusted to scrape some tinder from dry bark and gather some twigs while my teacher got his various fire-making tools together.

He told me about the mysterious process using words like bow drill, spindle and fire board which I assume are woodsmen talk for magic.

I watched him effortlessly rub the drill and almost immediately a glowing ember appeared which he lovingly put on the tinder and then the twigs and coaxed into an impressive flame.

I knelt down by my equipment feeling just like Mowgli.

However, there was no cheerful little ember for me instead the bow shot out from under me and the wooden drill wrapped me around the knuckles.

Resisting the urge to swear in front |of the innocent forest animals I persevered only to get the same punishment again.

Treating me with the kindly patience you might give to an idiot child he gave me further pointers and adjusted my position and hands until at last after more than 80 attempts I produced a pathetic little ember that I jealously protected and placed in the tinder.

It went up in flames beautifully and for a moment I was overjoyed until I remembered I was still holding the tinder and the fire was now defending itself somehow.

Dropping my creation on my twigs and watching them come alight I felt just like a cowboy.