31 May 2005
Stone Walling Demonstration in Widecombe
Dartmoor National Park Authority supports and encourages the use of traditional countryside skills which are very important for conserving the special landscapes of Dartmoor. To help maintain these skills the National Park Authority organises free training courses, primarily for people living and/or working within the National Park.
If you are interested in finding out what is involved in building or repairing a dry stone wall, a demonstration day will be held on Thursday 23 June 2005 at Drywell Farm, Widecombe-in-the-Moor, by kind permission of landowner Sue Peach. Master Craftsman Dave Hannaford, from the Devon Rural Skills Trust (DRST), will be demonstrating the art of dry stone walling. The demonstration will run all day from 10 am to 4 pm and visitors can drop in at any time, although it would be best to avoid the lunch-time period, between 1 pm – 1.45 pm.
For those who wish to learn the practical skills demonstrated on 23 June, a dry stone walling course will be held during September 2005. Dry stone walling courses have been run by Dartmoor National Park Authority over the last 8 years and are extremely popular. Qualified Master Craftsmen from the DRST will be running the course which includes an introductory session on manual handling and safe lifting, tuition in both dry stone walling and stone-facing, and a final session on basic first aid.
There is no charge for entry to the demonstration day or for enrolment on the training course.
Further information on the September training course will be available on the demonstration day or contact Sue Halse, Land Management Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority on (01626) 832093.
Ends
For Further Information
Sue Halse, Land Management Officer,
Sue Eberle, Head of Land Management
Mike Nendick, Communications Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority.
Tel: (01626) 832093
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Notes for Editors
Dartmoor’s stone walls are an integral part of the landscape, providing shelter and security for livestock and wildlife as well as being significant historical features. Their maintenance is only possible with the help and skill of local people. The Authority's very successful rural skills courses, run over the last eight years, have provided new or more advanced training to nearly 150 trainees. Anyone is welcome to attend the demonstration days but priority for the training courses will be given to young farmers who live and/or work on Dartmoor and who will make use of their skills.
The demonstration site at Drywell Farm is located at Ordnance Survey grid reference SX 7007 7523. Parking is available and the site will be signed from Widecombe-in-the-Moor.
National Parks cover 10% of the land area of England, Wales and Scotland. They are of special value to the whole nation because of their great beauty, their wildlife and cultural interests and the opportunities they offer for quiet enjoyment. However, they are not nationally owned - the land is in the hands of many landowners or occupiers including farmers. Over 33,000 people live inside the Dartmoor National Park and many millions of visits are made to it each year.
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This page last updated 31 May 2005
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