Dry Stone Walling Course at Hebden Bridge August 2008

This is the wettest course we've held so far! It absolutely tipped it down all Saturday. Waterproofs were no protection against the rain.

Barry looks a bit forlorn in this picture! He looks how the rest of us were feeling!

It was that bad that I called it a day shortly after 15:00 as it was getting so slippy. So we instructors retired to our accommodation, Riverdene House, where John and Ann had switched on the heating in preparation of us returning with wet gear. A quick shower then into Hebden Bridge where we had another (we ate there on Friday night too!) great meal at the Olive Branch which is a Turkish restaurant run by Oguz and his team.

Chris Heeley came along with us to repair a retaining wall in Helens & Phil's paddock - as well as to drink lots of beer!
Sunday was a better day - thank goodness. We cleared away about 6 inches of oozing mud which had collected during the night. All our boots were still soaking off the previous day - except mine because I'd remembered to bring my very warm and dry Toggi wellies!

It didn't take long for the ground to churn up and despite there being only two short sharp showers, the ground didn't dry up at all.

Here's Bernadette trying her hand at mud dancing!

We were really starting to struggle for decent stone by the time we got to wall height which required some heavy hammer work to make 3 pieces of stone from one! Here's Bill taking a swing at a BOB (big orrible b*£$&"!) to make more building stone. Notice the Heeleys doing what they do best - standing and watching!

Yours truly tidies the gear away while Bill inspects his handiwork.

From L to R: Chris, Bernadette, Andrew, Fred, Bill (kneeling), Colin and Andrew. A really nice bunch of people and a real pleasure to teach.

The course with the addition of Chris Heeley on the left and big daddy Heeley, Barry, on the right.