Writing this post some 8 years after attended the course, I find myself happily using skills learned that weekend. Recent activities led to me searching out Facebook posts from the time containing these photo's and the captions are my comments added at the time.
Back Then
In 2008, I was in the middle of a massive life change having taken voluntary redundancy after 39 years with BT and was excited by the prospect of life though I had no idea what it would contain. As I was leaving, I was asked what I intended doing and having no idea I randomly suggested that in some years time they may find me
in a field building drystone walls.
Not expecting to ever do anything with it but being interested in the subject, I signed up for two weekend courses with University of Derby , one with Gritstone and a second with Limestone, though the latter was cancelled due to low numbers.
Today
After a couple of years as a Patrolling Ranger at National Trust Lyme Park where I regularly chatted to the volunteer Drystone Walling team, I took up the opportunity of a trial working with them and now after 15 months working with them and still a rookie, I have added massively to my skills and confidence and am to be found one day most weeks,
in a field building drystone walls.
Weekend Course in Photo's and Comments
Course run by the fabulous Sally Hodgson at Higher Plainsteads Farm near Charlesworth in the Peak District.
Day 1
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| Good section completed by previous student |
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| Deteriorating section we're about to strip out |
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| Stripping out |
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| Collapsed section |
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Stripped out down to ground level.
Old bed yet to be removed. |
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| Stone graded around stripped section |
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| Bed cleared out |
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| Flattening bed before restoring foundations |
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| "Ugly Stones" going into foundation |
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| Ugly stones reaching full width of base |
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| Foundation layer with packing almost complete |
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| First few building stones going in from either side. |
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End of day 1. Strip, sort and foundation done.
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location
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| View to building site from car. |
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| View from building site toward the High Peak. |
Day 2
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Day 2 - first layer in on top of footing.
A bit wet under foot - it rained a lot overnight. |
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First 'through' stone placed.
These go in every three of four feet and all levels. |
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| Side view. It is actually beginning to look like a wall. |
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| Add caption |
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View into wall now several layers high.
Stone coming in from each side and packing in centre to lock. |
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Looking toward end of previous wall.
Coping stones finish against a block stone. |
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Left is end of previous wall. Our wall now growing out to the right and gradually gaining height.
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| Lunch time. We seem to suddenly have a wall but still have a way to go. |
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| Even at this height we are building with lumps of rock. Note it still builds in from each side. |
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| Top of new wall flattened and ready for coping stones. |
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| Hectic late building as afternoon disappears. |
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| Coping stones going on. Remaining wall still to have top stones added to bring up to lines. |
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| Finished section of our new wall |
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Join point from previous wall to our new wall.
Capping stones to left have fallen toward block stone. We used some thick at top coming away from blocking stone and then continued vertical. (to right) |
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| Busy |
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As we left it at the end of our day:-
Working end at far end.
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View back from working end.
Line pegs indicate start of our section. |
