Reviews for Ecclesall Woods Craft Courses

Great value for the money spent. Well done to Dave and Kay for squashing a huge amount of very useful information into one day. We were introduced to many sharpening and restoring techniques on a variety of tools. I particularly appreciated the one-to-one teaching and the sociable, chatty atmosphere. I would strongly advise future participants to bring pen and paper for making lots of notes and sketches. There is a lot to take in, which can easily be forgotten. I highly recommend this course.

Dave and team, Kay and Mel, were outstanding teachers. Very supportive and encouraging all the way, from sycamore log in the morning that we slowly morphed into a spoon in the afternoon. As a total rookie I learned an enormous amount about wood, techniques and tools, and enjoyed the informal atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Very enjoyable. Turned a wooden log into a spoon, with the help of Dave and the volunteers. Learnt a lot about wood, woodcraft, hand tools and techniques. The setting was great as was the coffee, biscuits and the conversations with the rest of the group. And, on this occasion, I was glad to be going home with the wooden spoon. Good fun and my thanks to all that were there.

A great day all round with a good group of people and came away with a nice stick too.
Would highly recommend.
Thankyou.

I did this course 25th July it was great, I have never done anything like this before . I was a bit daunted when I started and worried I would mess it up. But there was so much help available from the staff . Also it was so hot, but we were constantly reminded to drink plenty. Even if you have never picked up a carving knife, or made a stick give it a go, it is well worth it. You will come away with a stick you can be proud of.
I just hope my son will like it too.

Excellent day. Helpful, informative and friendly tutor and volunteers and some lovely, like-minded fellow students. Overall, relaxing, creative and therapeutic. Many thanks.

Such a fun course, and amazing what you can achieve in a day! We'll definitely be back for another course!

Such an amazing course, Iain and Dave were fantastic tutor's.

I never realised how much hard work goes into forging a blade, I was really happy how my knife turned out, but I do wish we had more time to fine tune a few details.

I would recommend this course to everyone interested in bladesmithing. Any future courses they decide to arrange, I will be more than happy to attend again

Recently had the pleasure of completing this course and Iain and David were fantastic.

One hell of an experience and a beautiful blade sat proudly at home

Had a fab day from start to finish.
I was worried that the course content would not cover my needs, I was wrong, All aspects of tool sharpening was covered during the day, from draw knives to super sharp chisels.
The mysteries surrounding achieving a razor shaft cutting edge melted away with plain and simple techniques using basic equipment that anyone could buy without breaking the bank.
Good course, learnt a a lot.

Attended the course on the 6th June,lucky enough to have a great bunch of like minded course members from all walks of life. Dave and his team were very out going and shared all manner of tips. Came away with a renewed vigour to carry on with the knowledge gained from this course, may well attend other courses at this facility, keep up the good work.

I enjoyed my course with Jasper so much. He was really knowledgeable and eager to share his skills. He is a great teacher and I have recommended him to several friends already.
I came away with an elm bark container that I was extremely proud of and the skills to be able to create more in the future.
I will be back to take a different course later in the year.

Absolutely loved this course, especially the draw horse, I could have stayed there forever. Teacher and volunteers were great, I learned loads and Ecclesall Woods is amazing. And I'm really really proud of my stool!

Rachael is an amazing tutor - I have done the round Zarzo with her and would have done this course if I wasn't on holiday. She is so patient, gives time to every student and is incredibly knowledgeable about the background of this and many other baskets. I made a really great basket which my wife uses in the garden all the time (not for cheese making though which is what the basket was originally meant for).

An excellent, practical, course in a splendid setting. Experienced tutor demonstrated and explained clearly and well plus volunteer helpers meant help was always available when needed. All staff friendly and enthusiastic. I felt I'd learned a lot and would do another course there.

A great day learning a new skill in a delightful environment. The course was hands on from start to finish and the course tutor with 3 volunteers, along with a small class of 6 meant that everyone got the support and attention they needed.