Events - adults

If you're over 18 years old (family-friendly events are here) and looking to learn a new skill, why not join us?

Here's some examples of what you can expect - take a look in our events programme  to see what's coming up soon.

Willow weaving

Weaving is of the oldest known crafts, dating back over 10,000 years. You can learn how to use willow and rush to create amazing pieces.

Willow and rush weaving workshops are run at Kingfisher Barn all year. It may look complicated but with a bit of hard work (and a good sense of humour) you will learn how to make something beautiful to take home. 

Weaving workshops include items like birdfeeders, wreaths and Christmas decorations.

Hedgelaying (age 16+)

A countryside craft going back hundreds of years, used initially for making natural fences for livestock.

These living hedges provide food and shelter for local wildlife species such as wrens, small mammals and butterflies whilst also giving a more pleasing look than a barbed wire fence.

Most of our Stour hedges are made up of hawthorn and blackthorn due to their thorny stems - great for stopping livestock from pushing through once a hedge is established. Dotted inbetween these plants you may see rowan, field maple or oak, boosting diversity and enriching the hedge.

Participants will be taught how to use billhooks, bow saws and hatchets - the traditional tools used for hedgelaying - by the rangers.

Find out more

For more information, check out the National Hedgelaying Society

Coppicing

We coppice our trees for several different reasons and it can look quite severe initially. 

Conservation

This involves cutting back the tree stumps to ground level, allowing light to reach the ground which gives flowering plants chance to grow. This is done to trees that grow fast (willow, holly or silver birch) and would otherwise out compete all others, reducing the diversity or causing loss of sensitive habitat by taking over.

Hazel coppicing

A common practice of cutting back the same tree each year and harvesting its new growth for making hurdles and other such crafts.  Growth may take several years before it is ready to be cut.

To book

Please contact us to book a place, or visit our online events calendar.