[Deere]

I recently went on a dry stone walling course not too far from Buxton in Derbyshire and thought I'd just share with anybody that maybe looking to go on one of these courses.

It starts with local bacon/sausage filled rolls and cups of tea around 10am on a Saturday morning.
You then head out to dismantle/clear the walling site.
After sorting stones into sizes the area is made level and the first stones are layed.

Diner breaks the day into two sessions with a cup of tea and cake and a shorter break mid afternoon.

Our two instructors Dave and Mark talk you through every aspect and show you exactly how to get the wall area prepared and the importance of getting it right.
They are both farmers/smallholders/wallers and are very good at teaching.

The course is layed back and would suit anybody who wants to have a go or would like to take it further and use this as a great starting point.

Working on a farm myself found this very worthwhile and has given me the confidence to repair sections of wall and get it right (we have probably around 20+kilometres of walls to repair!).

Catering for all abilities and group numbers vary and they even have a shed on wheels that allows you to stay dry on the wettest days!

I think they have a website, if you search five wells, Flagg Derbyshire on the net you should find it.

All refreshments are included in the price and they even take you for a drink at the pub before heading home!

[bazzais]

I wish I was nearer, I think I would enjoy that too .  Sounds like you really enjoyed it as well.

I like watching the peeps at the royal welsh building their walls.  When I try it I always take so much time finding the right stone for the right bit I am their all day and get nothing much done - but I spose that should be part of the enjoyment.

I like building walls - but like you - I wish I had time to repair them all - I sometimes wonder if the previous owners of my land were superheroes - how did they build all these walls and hedges?   

Baz

[lachlanandmarcus]

For those up in NE Scotland the Traditional Skills Centre based at Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire also does dry stone walling courses, novice to advanced.
I know as I am yesterday and today on their lime mortar course which is brilliant, esp as we are honing our skills on a real steading not just a practice wall. Ace stuff.

[Bionic]

I should have been on a dry stone walling course today but it was cancelled as there wern't enough people  .
They are hoping it will run later this year or next year.
 
Sally

[VSS]

A load of boys from my son's year in school have been doing walling. Earlier on they did some clawdd banks and entered the youth class for clawdd walls at the local ploughing match.

A couple of weeks ago a minibus load of them went to a dry stone walling competition in Nant Gwynnant - they all did a fantastic job. The judge (from Yorkshire) was amazed to find a school encouraging kids to get walling.

[Bionic]

Its a dying art so yes., great for the schoolboys to get involved
Sally

[chrismahon]

Got chatting to a chap at a show recently. He told me that two perfectly good looking walls can have very different life expectancies depending on how carefully they are built. A bad one can fall down in 5 years. A good one will go 20 plus.

[robert waddell]

if they only last 20 years you are better with a fence     the walls round here have been up from the early 1800 and still standing