Set in the stunning rolling hills of Speyside at the very heart of malt whisky country in the scottish highlands.
We all know whisky is matured in wood, so why not drink it from wood too, by making your very own unique hand carved wooden whisky tumbler! This course is suitable for all abilities. You will be shown how to select, cleave and carve out freshly felled logs, using a selection of hand tools and devices, including carving knives, shavehorses and pole lathes to create your very own whisky tumblers to take home. Slainte!
An introduction to Ged - Creator and Tutor at Gedwood;
If you're thinking about doing a workshop at Gedwood or buying one of our handcrafted products, we thought it might be handy for you to know a bit more about the teacher and creator!
Ged has been a Countryside ranger for Moray Council for 20 years. He studied forestry at Bangor University and not surprisingly he enjoys being outdoors with nature. Ged first got into green woodworking through renovating his house and garden. He built his own bespoke kitchen from wood and taught himself as he went. He enjoyed it so much he decided he'd like to teach others how to craft beautiful items from natural resources.
Ged's interests include hill walking, bird watching, yoga, conservation, environmental issues and northern soul. He's a very calm and encouraging teacher and an all round great human being!
Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts. Start dates may be amended on request.
All tools and materials are provided along with tea and coffee.
Please bring a packed lunch.
Covid safety measures will be in place.
Plenty of places to stay in nearby villages of Dufftown, Aberlour and Craigellachie - check out the village websites.
1 day (10:00am to 5:00pm)
This craft course provider has been awarded Platinum status for receiving 50 or more 5 star ratings from previous students.
The Students' Choice award ensures that course providers get recognised for their efforts in the teaching and practice of UK craft.
They also allow tutors to gain valuable feedback on their courses and for new students to find the course that's right for them.
Loved taking part in the log to tumbler course. Ged is an enthusiastic teacher with an obvious passion for his craft. His attitude makes for a relaxed, fun and interesting day. Ged’s outdoor workshop is quite something, I really enjoyed using the shave horse! Thanks again Ged, I’ll raise a dram to you when my tumbler is ready!
Response from Gedwood:
Ah thanks Shona! Yes have a dram for me!As days out go, this was right up there for us. Thank you Ged, it was just great and I learned so much.
We couldn't wait to have a sip out of the tumblers that night, so we lined them with cling film, topped them up and had a lovely time.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Doug. Glad you and Alex enjoyed the workshop. Enjoy your drams - slainte!Recently attended the log to Tumbler course.
Great easy going instruction, good workshop setup in an apt and wonderful location. Friendly atmosphere, some sassy tumblers just aching to be used and more skills to add to my armoury. Thank you Ged.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Jon. Not too long now before yiu can enjoy a dram in your tumblers!😊I recently attended one of Ged's Log to Tumbler courses, and can honestly say that I had an amazing day. Ged was both patient and knowledgeable, and the friendly atmosphere made everyone feel at ease. The surprisingly awesome tumblers I managed to make are a total bonus to a fantastic experience.
I would thoroughly recommend Ged and this course to anyone who is considering it.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks for your kind words Anna. Enjoy a dram in your fine tumblers😊It was great turning a log into several tumblers (pun intended!) and Ged guided us on our journey of discovery brilliantly. There were points in the process where I thought I'd blown it but he calmly and with great skill showed me how to get back on track. The tumblers look great and I'll definitely be back for more.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks so much Rob😊 Hope to see you again on a workshopI really enjoyed my log to tumbler course and look forward to doing another one. It was the most enjoyable learning experience iv'e had, would highly recommend it. Ged is a brilliant tutor and very patient giving time for each student. A brilliant venue setup/style also adds to the experience. Big thumbs up from me. Slainte.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Tim. Enjoy a dram in your tumblers when there ready - slainte!Learnt more on green woodworking in a day than in a couple of months of self-instruction / youtube. Ged is very patient, friendly and really knows his stuff. Fantastic selection of quality tools to use in a welcoming 'back to nature' environment. Definitely going to book more courses from Gedwood again. Hopefully by then, I'll have perfected my 'bow line knot'
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks so much Adrian - i need to learn that 'bow line' too!😊This was a Great course; undoubtedly the most fun I had had for a long time. Ged is indeed patient and has a really good instructional technique, with demonstration and advice/mentoring whist still letting everyone to work-away at their own pace.
I am looking to book a pole lathe course, as soon as the dates are published.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Pen. Yes be nice to see you on another course😊Great course. Instructor Ged was patient and informative, as well as helpful when required. Highly recommend this day, especially for those with little or no woodworking experience like myself. Managed to knock up a couple of nice wee cups from the lump of wood I started with. Looking forward to using them when theyre dried out and treated in a month or so.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Iain,Great course - really enjoyed the day. I have almost no woodworking skills but that was not a problem, and the demonstrations were good and easy to understand. Ged was an excellent instructor and always there to sort out problems when your needed him. It is a fascinating process that is using the same techniques from hundreds of years ago.
We all managed to get a couple of tumblers to take home and I am looking forward to being able to use mine, in a couple of months once the wood has seasoned.
Response from Gedwood:
Enjoy your dams soon Mike, ThanksI have done a couple of other green woodworking courses and enjoyed learning new skills. This course was a great day and a whole new set of skills to learn. Ged was patient and helpful throughout the day with some great tips and fixes for my mistakes. Amazing to get a couple of tumblers made when starting the day with a tree trunk! It's hard work, but very much worth the effort.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Andrew. Some fine tumblers made and soon be ready for a dram or two!I had a greenwood weekend and went on Ged's introduction course the day before this log to tumbler course. Whilst I heartily recommend doing the same if you can, Ged's skills as a teacher mean that a complete novice will still come away from a wonderful day with skills that you'll want to put to good use and tumblers to be proud of.
The hardest part is having the patience to wait until the wood has seasoned, before having your first triumphant dram from your very own tumbler...Of course, you can always buy a couple of Ged's lovely handmade tumblers if you want to cut to the chase.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Derek. Yes it will be worth the wait for when you taste your first dram from your own hand made tumbler 👍Highly recommend doing the log to tumbler course with Ged. A brilliant day spent in his workshop, surrounded by wood and inspiration. Ged is very knowledgable about his craft and willing to help out with any questions you may have. His clear, patient and adaptive way of teaching will leave you feeling totally comfortable and capable in what you are doing, even if you have no experience (and are slightly scared of an axe)! And you take home a wee creation of your own to boot.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks for your kind words Robyn. Enjoy your tumblers! 😉A great course for beginners, or those with a little more green wood working experience. Ged's relaxed teaching style makes it easy to learn, and not worry about making mistakes - he can usually fix them! I'd recommend Ged's courses, and I'll be doing another.
Response from Gedwood:
Hi Yvonne,Thanks Ged- great course. Learnt a lot (including that I need to practice quite a bit!). Would recommend this course anytime. One of the highlights is using the manual lathe.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks Prem. Glad you enjoyed turning the tumblers on the lathe and enjoy a dram in them soon 😊I had a great day with Ged in his well equipped outdoor workshop. This is the third course I have done with Ged and it won't be my last. Ged is a friendly and enthusiastic teacher who is very willing to pass on his knowledge of green woodworking. Knew skills are learnt and you walk away with a unique handcrafted piece.
Response from Gedwood:
Hi Les, thanks so much for your kind words. Hope to see you again soon👍My log to tumbler course was great, Ged is a very knowledgeable, friendly and inspiring teacher whom is passionate about his craft and sharing his skills, the workshop is in a beautiful sheltered setting in Speyside , Scotland with plenty of room for getting to grips with the tools needed ( pole lathe was great fun) yet creating a friendly sociable space, something helped by Geds friendly, relaxed approach and the kettle always ready for a brew. I started this course not quite at beginner level along with some who were, we all learnt a wealth of green wood working skills and finished with a product to be proud of.. I highly recommend learning your green wood working skills with Ged in this great setting...
Response from Gedwood:
..ahh thanks very much Alan for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a pleasure sharing my knowledge with you😊Enjoyed my day with Ged. He is a great teacher who takes his time with you on those things you find difficult to do. Fantastic setting too. Highly recommended.
Response from Gedwood:
Thanks again Thys. Really enjoyed delivering this workshop. Hope your making good use of your whisky tumblers - slainte!