Walling

[Toots]

Not exactly bushcrafty but have any of you guys been on Tamaracs dry stone walling course? Am going on 3/4 june as dry stone walls fascinate me. I live in the Dales where there are miles and miles and miles of them. Think it would be good to have some insight into the vast amount of work that went into building them, and some satisfaction in being able to repair and restore them on a small scale.

 

[g4ghb]

I haven't been on a course but arranged a walling session for the scouts a few years a go with a local farmer. It was good fun and by the end of the day you certanly start to see the 'right' rock!


I reccon you will have a great time - will be stiff and sore but will have had fun!

 

[Longstrider]

Good luck on the course Toots. I did some dry stone walling on my course at Aggy College (More years ago than I'd like to amit) and found it incredibly satisfying. G4ghb is right too, it doesn't take too long to "get your eye in" and you'll find that you can soon spot the "right" stone from the heap almost without thinking.

 

[pierre girard]

Worked for a year as assistant to a stone mason. Not too much of it was dry masonery, but what an eye the man had - and incredible strength in the arms. Very interesting trade, but not too much call for it anymore. Even at that time (25 years ago) - he was one of only three stone masons left in the local (union). The rest were all brick masons.

 

[Nemisis]

This is the type common in parts of the uk Pierre.
http://www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk/images/dsw2.jpg
Dave.

 

[pierre girard]

Beautiful work!

 

[swyn]

Good luck with the walling/stone masonary course Toots. My only addition to this 'see the right stone' concept is 'if you have picked it up, lay it' otherwise after a day at stone picking you will find that you have wasted energy picking tons of stone without building your wall!...... Hard work. Swyn.