Lord Geordie Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I fancy giving this a go apparently there are courses for the craft set over a weekend for the part 1 begginers course and I think I may give it a go and see what it's like. There is also the oppertunity to progress to level 2 and advanced level 3 if I want to go all the way. Need a word with the GF to see if she would mind and if she is OK may take a punt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I fancy giving this a go apparently there are courses for the craft set over a weekend for the part 1 begginers course and I think I may give it a go and see what it's like. There is also the oppertunity to progress to level 2 and advanced level 3 if I want to go all the way. Need a word with the GF to see if she would mind and if she is OK may take a punt Dry stone walling is a euphemism for the art of the 'crafty butcher' down my way. I almost literally ****** my self reading your post LG. Hope you find what you are looking for chap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I did a weekend course once.........hope you have a strong back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenshooter Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) I've two weeks on a family farm coming up with a lot of stone walling to be 'repaired'. Is there any recommended reading or a Dummies Guide? Always wonder is it a jigsaw exercise to best match the stone shapes or do you (sometimes) split the stones to fit? Edit - found this Youtube trailer for the DVD produced by The Crowood Press entitled 'Dry Stone Walling: Techniques In Action'. This is available for purchase at www.crowood.com for £19.99 Edited July 7, 2011 by Glenshooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowdy Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Is the dry walling course with the Heritage skills initiative by any chance? Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crosshair Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Dry stone walling is an art, I've got miles of them, most are kept maintained by myself, others were in a poor state before my time and no point in being rebuilt. Building the gaps that appear annualy is a job I dont mind, a lot of bending but you get used to it. I was told when I started "always keep the belly full", meaning no holes in the middle of the wall. Always lock each stone and "cap" the top so rainwater runs off, hence dry stone wall. As you get experienced you will look at a stone on the floor and fit it in place on the wall, you dont pick up half a dozen stones and try to see if they will fit, I was always told you only pick up a stone once. I was taught by my father when I left school, a long time ago. When you repair a length of wall properly it's nice to stand back and look at it and say with pride "I done that". There are no dry stone wallers that I know of in my area and is a forgotten art, about twenty years ago I was quoted fifty pounds a yard to rebuild a gap, there must be a future in drystone walling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escortmagnum999 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 drystone walling is certainly an art form. i served my time as a bricklayer/stonemason, so when a local farmer asked me to repair some of his walling i thought it cant be that hard can it? BIG mistake! good wallers make it look very easy, i still hear lads at work saying that its just the same as building a wall with mortar but its certainly not. good look with the course, wallers are in short supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 It'll take you a lot longer than a weekend to learn walling LG! It will give you the basics though and it's a good skill for a shooter to have when you need to get farmers on side! I've been walling on and off for 12 years. I'm still not as good as some of the blokes I know who have done it every day for probably pushing 40 years! I can do it neatly but I'm slow - they sling them up faster than I can build a mortared version! All this talk of never put a stone down? Well not when you're really good, but I still do. It's far better than putting a wrong 'un in the wall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 There must be dozens of courses around Newcastle Lord Geordie,but don't know if there would be much demand for wallers IN Newcastle.Northumberland and Cumbria(where I'm from)has literally 1000's of miles of dry stone walls and there are loads of lads doing this work as the demand is there.If there's an agricultural college in your vicinity now is the time to make enquiries,in time for the new term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 There must be dozens of courses around Newcastle Lord Geordie,but don't know if there would be much demand for wallers IN Newcastle.Northumberland and Cumbria(where I'm from)has literally 1000's of miles of dry stone walls and there are loads of lads doing this work as the demand is there.If there's an agricultural college in your vicinity now is the time to make enquiries,in time for the new term. You mean Kirkley Hall College!! I studied there back in the 80s The dry stone walling just seems to be a nice way to get out and about and I love old traditional ways of doing things and just fancied giving it a good go and yes I had the idea I could offer a trade with a farmer or large land lord for some vermin shooting in return for my services. I heard a long time ago that dry stone wallers were in decline and I guess it won't hurt to give it a bash and see what it's like. I expect heavy and repetative lifting but I do that already as I work in a warehouse now. LG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Also,if there are any Agricultural shows in your area,there is often a demo' of walling taking place,usually a competition or a college advertising its courses.You may be able to pick up some info' there.It's not the easiest of work,but you're outside(in all elements!)in the countryside,by yourself.Very rewarding in more than just a financial aspect.Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 i worked on a hill farm in wasdale for too many years and in that time we built almosta mile of wall, i would say any one who has walked that way/scarfell has passed thrue one of our walls. the guy who showed me how to do it was on 45£ a meter and could chuch up 12to 15m a day very easey up to 20m a day with two of us at it, it takes a ton of stone to build a sheep wall,you have your bases skins filling thure stones and camms on top as well as burrid phones and broken fingers in the wall lol the bonus if walling was getting to put fenn tunnels in the wall bases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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