Nothern College at Wentworth Castle, Barnsley

I have added this grade I listed building to our accommodation list for our Dry Stone Walling Courses at Silkstone Common. We used this venue for the AGM of the Dry Stone Walling Association and it was fantastic! The staff were brilliant, the location superb (just off jun 37 of the M1) and all set in a British stately home. It's great to have your breakfast in an ornate hall with lovely paintings on the ceiling, and then to look out of the windows of this great house and see the rolling landscaped parkland designed and built by the Fitzwilliam family over two hundred years.

Wentworth Castle is 5 minutes by car from our Dry Stone Walling venue at Nabs Wood Silkstone Common so it couldn't be any better placed.

The gardens are beautiful too. I thoroughly recommend a visit when the rhododendrons and azalea are in flower. Stunning is an understatement!

The accommodation is administered by the Northern College and presently costs £21.50 per person per night for B&B. Mary and her staff leave no stone unturned to make your stay a memorable one.

To book this accommodation call Mary Wilby on 01226 776015 or email her at m.wilby@northern.ac.uk. All details are on our web site.

You can see more of Wentworth Castle in pictures by clicking here.

Course Dates for 2008

Here are the dates and locations for our Dry Stone Walling Courses during 2008. There will be other courses due to demand (there is currently a waiting list of folk wanting to do a course before March 2008 which we will do when the weather permits at Silkstone Common) so please keep your eye on this site and also at www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk/courses/index.php.

Here we go then:

1/2 March 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

5/6 April 2008 Walling for Women at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

10/11 May 2008 Beginners at Colden near Hebden Bridge

14/15 June 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

12/13 July 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

21/25 July 2008 Special Features at the Pennine Camphill Community, Wakefield

9/10 August 2008 Beginnersand Improvers at Colden near Hebden Bridge

13/14 September 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

11/12 October 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common



For further details please see our web site or better still call Les Young on +44 (0)7952 551025.

Walling for Women 05-06 April 2008

The first Walling for Womens Course has been scheduled for 5th and 6th April 2008. The format is exactly the same as a Beginners Course except it's specifically designed for ladies. This will be held at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common.

Cost is £105.75 (£90 + VAT). To book your place on the course please either download an application form or fill in the on line booking form.

If there is the demand for a ladies only course at any of our other locations i.e. Hebden Bridge, Northumberland ot Hawick, we will gladly hold a Walling for Women course at these beautiful locations. Please call Les (07952 551025) or email us at info@hadriansdrystone walls.com and we will put your name on a holding list.

A very different Dry Stone Walling Course!

Strange how things turn out isn’t it? This course was oversubscribed and by 09:30 on Saturday it was 2 members short! Even so it was a good course with Gareth, Mick, Nick and Johno asking lots of good questions and taking care with their walling – in fact they took too much care and got themselves into a tizzy trying to find that ‘perfect’ stone!

We had a splendid meal at the Chilli Lodge on Saturday night and we were joined by past student Hugo and Barry from High Hoyland Dry Stone Walls. Barry gave the students an alternative insight into walling as a career, the up’s and downs and the difficulty small start up businesses has with the tax man and all the other red tape that is there to trip up today’s entrepreneur.

Sunday was certainly different as we were joined by the TV crew from Yorkshire TV’s My Yorkshire who were filming our course for inclusion in the program. I was worried that the filming would be intrusive and maybe spoil the course but I needn’t have worried on that score. The crew (Mark Stokes (Camera), Terry Meadowcroft (Sound), Ian Clayton (Presenter) and Jane Hickson (Producer)) were great and really nice people so before too long we were one big happy walling family!! To make the course run smoothly with so many folk involved, Barry very kindly gave up his Sunday to give me a hand.

I think all the course, and Barry too, were chuffed to be interviewed by Ian for My Yorkshire. They were that chuffed they didn’t make any sarcy comments when Ian had a go at some walling!

If the care and patience the crew used in filming our course is anything to go by, the TV program should be great!

Thank you to one and all for a great course. It was a pleasure to meet you and I’ll look forward to seeing you on an Improvers Course – including Ian!! A big thanks to Barry for his help and humour!!

The course from L to R: Nick, Santa's large helper Barry, Mick, Jonathan (Johno) and Gareth

The My Yorkshire crew and cast, L to R: Terry, Mark, Jane, Ian, Barry, Mick, Nick, Johno and Gareth

Comments about the course:

" I enjoyed the weekend and had a great sense of achievement when we'd finished the wall"

"This course was a great introduction to the art of Dry Stone Walling. Instructor was excellent. Very friendly atmosphere"

"From a younger persons perspective this course offers a valuable alternative to everyday life. Really interesting and I learned a lot. Thanks!"

"I found this beginners course excellent. It has taught me the basics of Dry Stone Walling which is valuable knowledge and an additional skill. I look forward to future Improvers Courses!"

Post Script: We had the first batch of plaques made with names of those who have contributed to the re-walling of Nabs Wood and the first plaque was placed in the wall at the end of this course. A big thank you to John Walton Engraving who really pulled out the stops to get the plaques engraved and back to me in 5 days and a huge thanks to Dave Steel who made fixings and mounted the plaques ready for fitting.

The Beautiful Dry Stone Walls of Menorca

Last week I returned for the fourth time to the lovely island of Menorca for a well earned week long holiday, and was I ready for a break! Should have taken two weeks as a week was too short!

I stayed in an apartment in Es Castel just south of Mahon. Linda and John, owners of the apartment made us feel really welcome and are smashing people. They run 'f1rstcall' property management looking after villas and apartments on the island. They're the only folk I've come across who's washing machine is used more than ours!

Out and about we visited old familiar places and some new ones. The fishing harbour of Calas Fons in Es Castel was a great setting for dining out with some great restaurants and bars. All the restaurants we dined in were good, especially Trebol who's fish dishes were superb and staff really helpful and friendly. The only restaurant we had any complaints about was La Capriciosa who's staff were surly and rude. My grilled sea bass was overcooked, vegetables cold and to top it off they overcharged. So if you're heading to Calas Fons I'd avoid that particular establishment.

There were some fantastic examples of Menorcan dry stone walling. Scattered around the island, especially in the north, were little 'huts' and structures made from dry stone and several which had been made with dry stone techniques but were cemented. One of my better finds was a section of wall just off the Cami d'en Kane where there was a lunkey (which is a hole through the wall for sheep to squeeze through into the next field) a stile and some kind of flue all in 5 metres of wall! I wonder if this is the testing centre for the local dry stone walling organisation as it's most unusual to find those kind of features so close together?!

Here are a few examples of the fantastic walls of Menorca. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did.

Filming 'My Yorkshire' with Ian Clayton

On Monday I had the pleasure of being filmed by a crew from Yorkshire TV's My Yorkshire hosted and presented by Ian Clayton. The subject, apart from "My" Yorkshire was the renovations I, no we, are carrying out on the dry stone walls of Nabs Wood of which I have written about here before.


























It was a great day and very interesting for me and my daughter Laura (who incidentally is responsible for these photographs - stick to the day time job Flower!). The weather was exceptionally kind to us and we had a really enjoyable day! Thanks to Producer Jane, Cameraman Mark, Soundman Terry and Ian for making us feel at ease. I'm sure the program will be even better than I imagine!

I look forward to meeting up with the My Yorkshire team in October when they'll be filming a walling course for inclusion in the program which is due to be screened on YTV in the spring of 2008.







You're going to have to watch the program to see where Ian and myself were going to in the 'space suits'!!

A Special Hadrian's Wall!!

I was commissioned by David Cross to build a wall at the bottom of his garden to separate a vegetable plot and play area from the main lawn. The garden had been levelled ready for landscaping and David wanted the wall building before the turf and plants were brought on site.

David, being an architect and a director of Coda Studios, wanted something special for his garden. After a couple of site visits to throw some ideas around and to physically mark out our ideas so that we could visualise what the end result would be, David decided on an undulating, curved wall in two sections with a seat built into one section. A doddle eh!!

David had moved 20 tonnes of stone from his front drive to the bottom of the garden so while I pinned out the job I had help from Sam, Andy and Jake to sort the stone into foundation stone, building stone, through stone, cheek end stone, stone for the seat and potential stone for the copestones. This in itself took a great deal of time and was in fact an ongoing process throughout the build.

After 50 man hours the first section of curved undulating wall was built. Now the next challenge
the same again plus a seat! I’d thought long and hard on how to pin this section out and spent a good 3 hours placing pins and running strings between them to visualise the finished job and to make sure the curve and line of the wall and seat flowed.

On this section I had the help of Dom and Declan who had completed their DSWA Level 1 exams at their college under the guidance of Master Craftsman Bill Noble. I’d brought them along to help sort the remaining stone and to act as labourers bringing me the stone I required as I built the wall. I could see they were dying to have a go and put some stone into the wall so under supervision I let them loose on the wall. They did a great job. I was really impressed at their skills and the care they took. A credit to their teacher!

The wall and seat completed it then took me a days work (on my own, everyone seemed to do a runner at this stage – I wonder why?!!) to select cut and shape nearly 200 (cope) stones for the top of the wall. I had arms like Arnie by the time I’d finished!!

What has made the wall for me is the excitement and delight with which it has been received by David and his wife Toni. In fact David got so enthused he built himself a little wall around the plot with the spare stone and considering he hadn’t had any tuition he did a great job of it. (He’d have done better if he’d been on one of my courses!!). When David said to me ‘It’s even better than I imagined! It’s beautiful. I’m delighted.’ then I knew I had done a good job!

A Beginners Dry Stone Walling Course from a students perspective

Beginners Dry Stone Walling Course 11^th -12^th August 2007, Silkstone Common, South Yorkshire

Instructor : Les Young

Students: Andy Suttie ( this is moi), Alan Bell, John Armitage, Mike Dennis, Ian Garside, Reece Senior

The course started on the Saturday morning, where else but in the local Pub ( The Station Inn). Unfortunately the bar was closed and tea / coffee was all that was available. We started with the some basic theory for approx 1 hour. We then went off to Nabs Wood, a quiet little spot, the sun was shining, it was going to be a beautiful day, in fact it was bloody roasting.

We were to continue a wall started by a previous course. We did, in the end do another 4.5 meters between the 6 of us. We first had to get our stone sorted out, this sounds a bit daft but it really does make life a lot easier when you start to build your wall, largest stones in a row nearest the wall, and then about 4 or 5 more rows with the smallest stones furthest from the wall. This took about 1.5 hours. After lunch we started by preparing the foundations, then used the largest stones for the base. During the course of the day we did the first foot of the wall. Les kept everyone happy by preparing copious amounts of tea. We finished on the Saturday at about 1630, and guess what, yes back to the pub for some light refreshment in the form of Tetley’s, and I don’t mean Teabags. As is normal we then went to the Chilli Lodge Indian Restaurant for some nice food and some more beer........

On Sunday we were back on the job at 0930 to continue the wall. We were lucky with the weather again, although cooler it stayed dry. By lunch time we had the first lift done and the through stones in place. The second lift was complete by about 1500, and by 1600 we had the copestones in place and our part in the great rewall of Nabs Wood done. We then adjourned to the pub for a well earned beer(s) and the certificate presentation.

During the weekend we had a couple of visits from Barry a professional dry stone waller from High Hoyland. I think he only turned up for a brew! We also had a visit from Charlotte from Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, who said she was impressed by the work we had done.

It was a great weekend and a great course, Les really knows his stuff. I would recommend anyone to have a go at Dry Stone Walling, man or woman. It is very relaxing and when the weather is as nice as it was this weekend, it makes it all the more enjoyable. Also I made some new friends, a real nice bunch of guys. At the end of course, you have something to show for your efforts, which will be there for many years to come.

Andy Suttie

Welwyn Garden City

Beginners Course at Silkstone Common 11th and 12th August 2007

The course gathered at The Station Inn at Silkstone Common on a sunny and warm day for a cup of tea and a steady start to the day. Our students included ex Army and Navy personnel, Telecoms Engineer, Insurance Broker and Driving Instructor to name a few. After an hours introduction and theory session we took leave of the best landlord in South Yorkshire, Mark Grey, and travelled the short distance to our walling site in Nabs Wood.

It wasn't long before the students were wiping their brow due to the exertions of stripping down the wall and sorting out the stone into the seperate component parts i.e. foundation stone, walling stone, throughstones, copestones and heartings. Although this part of the walling process can be quite tedious it's an essential part of the process and fits into my ethos of the 7 P's, which should be well known to all servicemen, which are - Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Pi** Poor Performance! Witticisms aside, preparation is paramount in marking out and planning your wall before a stone is even laid.

Under the tuition of Les Young the pins were set and the wall started taking shape and despite the efforts of a couple of nosey dogs to derail the course, the wall was at a foot high when we packed in for the day.

It has now become a tradition that on the Saturday evening of the course we all descend on the Chilli Lodge, and excellent Indian restaurant located a few hundred yards from the walling site at Westfield Equestrian Centre - after a couple of well earned pints of Tetley's back at the Station Inn that is!! This course there were 17 poeple at the table!! The company included the current students, past students, parents of past students, professional dry stone wallers, significant other halfs and the lovely Charlotte from Rotherham Chamber of Commerce who had given up her Saturday to report on our walling courses. I'm please to say that the company and meal were excellent as were the Bangla's with which we rinsed it down with!












































Sunday was a little cooler with not as much sun but for us working under under the sheltered and shady canopy of Nabs Wood it didn't affect us too much. Before too long we had completed the first lift and placed the throughstones into the wall. The walling carried on in relative silence, a sure sign of concentration and effort, which I think you'll agree turned out to be a splendid piece of walling for the students first try at dry stone walling!!

A big thank you to (from L to R) Andy, Reece, Alan, Mike, John and Ian for their participance, company, wit and repartee!

For information on Hadrian's Dry Stone Walls please click here.

Alternatively you can call Les Young on +44 (0)7952 551025.

Dry Stone Walling Courses

The Beginners Course at Silkstone Common 11th and 12th August is now fully booked and the Beginners Course at the same location on the 6th and 7th of October is filling fast.

Unfortunately we have had to cancel two courses at Colden, 20th - 24th August and 15th-16th September due to family commitments. We now have a waiting list for budding wallers who want to attend a course at Colden, West Yorkshire which we hope hold on a weekend sometime in the Autumn. Please call Les for details (07952 551025) or email les@hadriansdrystonewalls.com

Courses at our partner dry stone walling training company Border Stonecraft continue to be very popular and have a high demand. Please go to Border Stonecraft to book a place at a course in the Scottish Borders.

Course dates for 2008 are now on our web site www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk.

New for 2008 are our Special features Courses. Already earmarked is an Apiary made from dry stone at a college for young people with special needs near Wakefield. More details are at our Special Features Courses page or you can call Les on 07952 551025 or email at les@hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

Filming with John Cravens Countryfile

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting one of the icons of my youth, Mr John Craven of Newsround fame. My dry stone walling course partner Colin Purvis of Border Stonecraft had been approached by the BBC’s Countryfile team to do a TV program on dry stane dyking and Colin’s dry stone walling courses in the Scottish Borders and Colin asked me if I’d give him a hand.

I had no hesitation and agreed to Colin’s request not only for a chance to meet one of the great broadcasters of recent years but for another opportunity to wall in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland and to meet up again with past students, namely Grant and Ron.

I drove up on the Tuesday night through some of the most torrential rain I’ve experienced, although when I crossed the border it had turned into a lovely evening. I checked in at my usual haunt when in Hawick, Lynwood Cottage where it was great to see proprietors Maggie and David again.

After a great nights sleep in the fantastic surroundings of Lynwood Cottage it was off to meet Colin. We had some time to kill as the other members of the walling gang weren’t due to meet us until 11:00 so we went to Chey Blythe's house to look at a cairn which Colin had built for the famous round the world yachtsman. I think you’ll agree that it’s a fantastic piece of art and dry stone walling. Colin has been commissioned to do another two cairns for Chey Blythe.

We met up with the lads at the walling site and did some preparation before myself, Colin and his good lady Jacqui went to meet the BBC Countryfile team and led them to the walling site.

After brief introductions it was straight into filming. It was easy to see why John is such a great broadcaster. His professionalism was so evident as he introduced the program and super star of

the moment, Colin. As the afternoon progressed everyone relaxed and it turned into a very enjoyable afternoon; good company, good fun and good weather which wasn’t forecast! I thought

Colin and Ron did very well on their first TV appearance being amateurs to stage and screen and I think it’ll be a very good program when it is broadcast in the autumn.

All too soon it was over and after a team photograph it was time to depart. My lasting moment of the day was John Craven taking time to look into Jack (Colin’s son) and Aaron’s (Grants grandson) bucket and discuss the contents with them – frogs and toads – which the young lads, being bored and under awed with the proceedings, had collected from the surrounding fields. There’s not many ‘stars’ who would have had time for those lads, never mind the contents of their bucket!

So thanks to one and all for a great day and Mr Craven it was a pleasure to meet you and well worth the 400 mile round trip!

John Craven’s Country File is broadcast on Sunday mornings at 11:00 on BBC1. I’ll let you know when this particular episode is due for broadcasting.

For more information on our dry stone walling and dry stone walling courses go to

www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

or call Les Young on 07952 551025