Traditional Soil and Stone Banking ~ Fully Booked

An opportunity to spend two days developing your Soil and Stone Banking skills, with expert countryside craftsman Peter Drake.

The old green lane at Denmark Farm has some sections of Cardiganshire style Soil and Stone Banking, never completed when the lane was renovated 15 years ago.

We will be re-using stone from the old sheds to complete this project. The principle aim is to give you as much ‘hands-on’ experience as possible. You will be learning about laying footings, dressing stone, laying stones and back-filling to retain an existing bank.

Tools will be provided. You will be using lump hammers, pitching chisels and cold chisels. Please bring your own work gloves.

Tutor: Peter Drake

Peter has a long history of teaching and helping to develop Denmark Farm. His hedge-laying and stone walling skills are hard to match within the county and West Wales.

We have a tradition of building living stone walls going back to Neolithic ages and this is a skill which we need to keep alive. Stone faced walls or banks consist of an earth bank, faced with the local stone, often collected from the fields they enclose.

The main purpose of the course is to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to build a stone faced structure. The soil and stone banking technique can be replicated in your garden and provides a great habitat for wildlife, particularly mason bees and newts.

Please come dressed for potential poor weather and bring a packed lunch. Due to COVID requirements we are currently unable to provide any refreshments so come with plenty of hot and cold drinks and your own cups etc.

Fee:

Unwaged/low-waged participants: £90 for 2 days or if places permit £50 per day (Only 2 places available at the lower rate. Please book these places only if you really can’t afford the full price places)

Waged participants: £110 for 2 days or if places permit £60 per day

Maximum places for six participants. Priority places will be allocated to participants who can attend both days.

NB. COVID-19: This workshop will take place with social distancing and enhanced hygiene measures in place.

• There will be a smaller number of participants than usual, to allow for at least 2m between all participants
• All tools will be sanitised by the tutor and allocated to individual participants
• Please also bring all of your own drinks, food, flask and cups etc.
• There will be access to toilets and hand washing plus plenty of hand sanitiser available

If you require accommodation during this course you can stay in the Self-Catering Eco Lodge at Denmark Farm from £40 per night (min 2 nights), our shared dormitory – £25 per night or Eco Campsite – £15 per night.

You may also be interested in our other workshops and courses including:  Willow Weaving Posy Basket, Willow Weaving Pet Basket, Re-Wild Your Dad, Discovering Summer Trees, Roundwood Timber Framing, ecology, conservation and countryside crafts. See our events page for the full list.