two-day course

dry stone walling


venue: Nabs Wood, 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 Hadrian's Dry Stone Walls - professional dry stone wallers and instructors 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 is 5 minutes from Junction 37 of the M1 near Barnsley. The woods 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 there is a campsite 3 miles away at Rockley Bottom, Birdwell, there are plenty of good-value local B&Bs, and course participants can stay at nearby Wentworth Castle if there are spaces available. It's reasonably priced, and isn't advertised to the general public. Call Mary on 01226 776000 or email her on m.wilby@northern.ac.uk and tell her that you're booked on a course at Nabs Wood.

more on dry stone walling


how to book:
  

if you can't open the booking form, you need Acrobat Reader - it's free
arrive:
  
around 9.00 each day for a 9.30am prompt start
depart:
  
after the course finishes each day at 4.30pm
directions:
  
click here for a map and directions to Nabs Wood
what to bring:
  
work clothes; pen and notebook; packed lunch
let us know:
  
if you have any special needs
price:
  
£125
Refundable up to two weeks prior to course (minus £30 admin fee)
No refunds for cancellations within two weeks of course
lunch:
  
bring a packed lunch each day
discounts:
 
car sharing:
  
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 

 

 

 


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