Hurdle making course

Traditional Woodland Crafts To Take Home- Learn to split, shave and weave greenwood using traditional hand tools

Step into the woods and discover the timeless craft of hurdle making, a skill once vital to rural life and still loved today for its beauty, strength and connection to the land. This hands-on course invites you to create your own traditional hurdle using materials gathered straight from the forest.

Under expert guidance, you’ll learn to split, shave and weave greenwood using traditional hand tools. Working with hazel and willow, you’ll craft a woven hazel hurdle, perfect as decorative feature in your garden, or as sturdy panel for edging, fencing or plant support.

As you work, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship and woodland management that make these ancient skills sustainable.

Use traditional hand tools such as the froe, drawknife, billhook & shave horse

Learn to split (cleft) greenwood ready be be worked

Craft a woven hazel hurdle from rods harvested in local woodland

Understand the different properties of hazel & willow wood

Gain insight into the heritage & uses of hurdles in rural life

Explore coppicing & woodland management for sustainable materials

Take home a handcrafted hurdle (approx. 2 x 2½ ft) perfect for your garden or allotment

Enjoy a morning of purposeful craft, warm company and woodland connection.