Welcome to the Ice and Fire Home Page

Please click on the image above to find out more about our Axe Training DVD.

Ice and Fire Stav exists to provide information, study materials and direct training in Stav. Stav is a traditional Northern European practice of body, mind and Spirit training brought to the UK by Ivar Hafskjold. Stav literally means 'knowledge of the rune staves'. Runes are very powerful tools for developing the whole person. It is possible to simply study the runes for their own sake. Please see the free introductory rune study programme if that is your specific interest.

However, In order to really learn Stav it is necessary to have an active practice. The best practice we have developed is training in Martial Arts. This always was a traditional aspect of Stav training. Ivar Hafskjold learned Stav from his family as a young man, then spent 14 years in Japan becoming a highly graded Bugei practitioner and teacher. Since settling in the UK in 1992 Ivar has taught a modern system of Stav martial arts. Stav training combines the Stav tradition and the best of Japanese teaching.

Graham Butcher is one of Ivar's four original students. Graham teaches Stav at his centre in Crewkerne in Somerset as well as travelling around the world to teach. Graham is interested in all aspects of Stav with a particular interest in training through Martial Arts.

Graham's teaching and practice is firmly based in his training from Ivar Hafskjold. However Graham has also incorporated elements from Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) and from other systems of training. This includes training as a level one self–protection instructor with Geoff Thompson.

This site has details of the resources we have available at present. These include our membership programme which supports distance learning, literature, video, courses (see below) and classes, the Summer Stav Camp and free online programme on runes.

Training Programme

Stav Training in Crewkerne, Somerset Next course in Crewkerne on 15th of October, Training with the Staff. More information here.

Stav Training in Salisbury Next course on the 26th of November, Axe Training. More information here.

USA Stav Seminar in Illinois on the 10th to 12th of September. More information here.

Stav Training with Ivar Hafskjold in 2016 in Somerset 23rd to 25th of September. More details here.

Previous Events

Sweden Stav Seminar was held in May 2015 with Graham Butcher. Pictures from Sweden here.

Stav Camp 2015 was held in Somerset last July with Ivar Hafskjold. You can buy the DVD set of the event here.