Outdoors and rural skills courses

FEATURED

Dry Stone Walling for beginners - 2 days including artisan locally sourced lunch

Gold AWARD

(13)

Dry Stone Walling for beginners - 2 days including artisan locally sourced lunch

Lancashire - Next course on 18th April 2020

£175

A fun, informal and uplifting experience for all. Cheshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire. A uniquely superior choice. Would you, your friends or your family enjoy a fun and informal session building a real dry stone wall in a stunning countryside setting? Get out in the fresh air, be next to nature, and restore an important feature that defines the British landscape. Dry stone walling is a positive and relaxing experience which promotes mindfulness and boosts wellbeing in an inspirational, natural environment. Delivered by highly qualified craftsmen and Dry Stone Walling Association...

FEATURED

Platinum AWARD

2 day workshop exploring worsted and woollen spinning

Norfolk - Next course on 18th April 2020

£165

If you are a hand spinner who like many, is a little unclear on the difference between worsted and woollen spinning then this two day workshop is for you. It has been designed to clarify and explore the differences between worsted and woollen spinning spending a full day on each. You will have the opportunity to card and comb a variety of fleeces including our very own North Ronaldsay and Icelandic, to determine the most appropriate way of processing each. By the end of the workshop you will have at...

FEATURED

Bronze AWARD

Cold Process Soap Making at the Rural Skills Centre Cardiff

Cardiff - Next course on 7th June 2020

£90

Historically, soap was made from animal fat and something all farmers’ wives made to keep their family clean. Contemporary ingredients make soap making a creative skill. This one-day course will enable you to make gifts just in time for Christmas that will impress special friends and relatives. What you will learn during the workshop; • Examine the essential equipment used for cold process soap making: • Discuss the characteristics of oils and fats used in cold process soap making; • Follow health and safety procedures when working with lye; •...

FEATURED

Silver AWARD

Garden Pig Keeping Course

East Sussex - Next course on 19th April 2020

£98

This course introduces you to keeping pigs for either meat or as pets. Pigs make a fantastic addition to a garden farm; Aside from the simple pleasures of keeping pigs they also help to clear and improve a patch of land for future planting and will clear your surplus veg and cuttings. You will learn how much space you need and what is involved in small scale pig keeping to ensure you go away feeling confident to start keeping pigs yourself in a back garden or smallholding type set up....

Spoon carving at Walderchain Wood, Canterbury with Mark Saich and Jill Swan

Gold AWARD

(28)

Spoon carving at Walderchain Wood, Canterbury with Mark Saich and Jill Swan

Kent - Next course on 6th June 2020

£80

Corona Virus We are still taking bookings for the July - November classes this year, however, please be mindful that this may have to change if/when stricter control measures are imposed. If your class is cancelled then refunds will be made. Vouchers are only redeemed if the class goes ahead. Your tutors will guide you through the process from selecting a log through to a completed spoon. About the tutors: Mark Saich Originally trained as a carpenter/joiner, Mark has worked as an eco-builder, sustainable construction consultant and trainer. He has...

Gold AWARD

(21)

Introduction to sustainable beekeeping

East Sussex - Next course on 25th April 2020

£40

Would you like to know how to keep bees sustainably, on a small scale? Or are you just intrigued to know what goes on inside that enigmatic wooden box...Maybe you have heard about the plight of our bees and want to understand how to best help them. Many people would like a colony of honeybees in their garden, and on this course I will show you how a hive works, and how to keep your bees happy and healthy with minimal intervention. Topics covered include: What type of hive Where...

Gold AWARD

(16)

Basket making for beginners

Worcestershire - Next course on 5th June 2020

£75

You can make a multi-coloured round shopping basket on this one day course. Learn ancient weaving techniques and take home your own creation. Jon and Becky are both qualified teachers and have been teaching basket making for 25 years. Basketiers sit or stand to weave at table top height. We have regular workshops teaching 8 people to make their own coloured willow baskets using locally grown and Somerset willows. If you are a beginner and you want to make a large, strong and durable basket in coloured willow, this is...

A Practical Dry Stone Walling Workshop Central London

Platinum AWARD

(59)

A Practical Dry Stone Walling Workshop Central London

London - Next course on 4th April 2020

£85

'Hands-on' practical participation in learning about DSW techniques including; Foundations, Cheek Ends, Tie Stones, Jumpers, Fingers, Shims, Through Stones, Lintels and Top Stones. (One over two, two over one !!) These one day workshops are a 'hands on' introduction or improvement for DIY and interested persons of all ages and abilities aged over 16yrs. You will build a DSW and learn the heritage and craft overview and geological terms of the different material, the engineering terms and descripton of stones used. You will receive, and discuss, an overview into the...

Platinum AWARD

(31)

Basic beekeeping

Shropshire - Next course on 13th June 2020

£55

Basic beekeeping at Acton Scott Historic Working Farm. An informal but comprehensive introduction to beekeeping, including a brief history of the honeybee and similar insects, and their use in the garden and agriculture. Course participants will gain an understanding of the bee’s lifestyle, individual duties and contribution to the colony’s life and development. You will learn how to identify the queen, worker and male drone bee before selecting equipment and suitable locations for hives. General handling and manipulation of bee colonies will be covered, together with honey production, extracting, processing...

Platinum AWARD

(17)

Make a shave horse at Sallerton Wood

Devon - Next course on 30th May 2020

£170

These two-day courses in shave horse making teach a wide range of green woodworking techniques whilst making your own traditional green wood shaving horse using timber sourced within the woodland. The topics covered include the properties of green wood, cleaving techniques and the use of traditional hand tools and equipment such as draw-knives and pole lathes. A shave horse is a fundamental piece of kit needed by all green woodworkers and it will be yours to keep at the end of the course, and the course fee is less than...