two-day course dry stone walling

location: Silkstone, South Yorkshire

Have you ever looked at a dry stone wall and wondered how it was built? Come and try a dry stone walling course and learn an ancient craft which will provide you with hours of enjoyment while you also contribute to Britain’s unique landscape and environment. Whether you’re a budding professional or a keen hobby waller, courses are paced to meet the requirements of the individual.

Courses are taught by Les Young, professional dry stone waller and instructor certified by the Dry Stone Walling Association (DSWA).

The course consists of a short session of classroom-based learning where walling basics, health and safely etc. will be covered. Then it's out into the field to learn walling at the sharp end!

You will learn:

• health & safety while walling
• about the tools we use to build a wall
• how to safely strip down a wall
• how to identify component parts of the wall
• site preparation
• how to build a wall

By the end of the two days we hope you'll be as enthusiastic about walling as your instructors are.
The courses are held at Nabs Wood, which are dear to us as it’s the site of the Huskar pit disaster where 26 children died in the 19th Century. We are attempting to re-wall the whole wood to keep it as a fitting memorial to the children so that we remember their short lives. As such, anyone who helps with this, which will include you, will have their name put on a plaque and placed in the wall.

Accommodation is not provided with this course, but local accommodation information is sent with directions on booking.

dates: see 'book online' below

more on dry stone walling

Diane is in full flow, while Fiona ponders where to place her next stone

dry stone wall before and after repair

after lunch on day two and the wall nears copestone height