Dry stone walling day at Foxburrow Wood

Join our Countryside and Reseves Manager, Toby Swift, to learn the basics of Cotswolds Dry Stone Walling.

Over 4,000 miles (6,437 km) of dry stone walls run across the Cotswold landscape, and they are an instantly recognisable characteristic of the Wychwood Forest area. Like character lines on a much-loved face, dry stone walls are so familiar that we would probably only notice them if they vanished. Sadly, following changes in farm and land management as well as increasing labour costs, many walls have fallen into disrepair.

Dry stone walls offer amazing habitat and wildlife corridors. Mosses and lichens, pennywort and cranesbill all make their homes here. Slow worms, bees and wasps live within nooks and crannies. Birds like wrens, wheatears and little owls nest in cavities.

Then, of course, there’s the point of keeping rural skills alive. As much art as science, building a dry stone wall without mortar relies on the careful placing of stones and the stones’ own weight to keep standing - for more than 100 years, if it’s a good one.

This one-day course will cover site preparation, tools, materials, building and completion. It will take place at our popular nature reserve Foxburrow Wood, near Witney, in West Oxfordshire. We will be walling close to the outdoor education area where our new eco-friendly compost loos are situated. All tools and equipment will be provided, as will tea and coffee freshly brewed round the campfire! Please bring suitable work clothes, a drink and a packed lunch.

All attendees will receive a Wychwood Forest Trust certificate of completion. We are proud that many of our trainees go on to join the WFT team of skilled and dedicated volunteer dry stone wallers, who are in constant demand to help local parishes and conservation groups look after these important heritage features.

ABOUT TOBY:

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Toby has been delivering walling training in West Oxfordshire for more than 15 years, from one-day introductory sessions to week-long courses leading to DSWA Level 1 certification. He also undertakes specialist walling training for staff at other local organisations. He is LANTRA-qualified and holds a FAIB Certificate in Emergency First Aid at Work. As well as being an experienced waller and teacher, as a conservationist he is also passionate and knowledgeable about the wildlife value of dry stone walls.

HOW TO FIND US:

We will meet in the car park at Foxburrow Wood. See map below.

CANCELLATION POLICY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

If you cancel your place less than 48 hours before the event or course we cannot offer a refund. If we have to cancel an event or course that you have booked we will offer a full refund.

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We aim to make our events and course as inclusive as possible but some outdoor spaces can present access difficulties. If you have any special requirements, please contact info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk before booking.

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As a registered charity, we are a non-profit making organisation.  All the proceeds from our events go to restoring nature in the Wychwood Forest area.