Recently, an extremely exciting development has occurred – we have been working on Trelawny camp to make it more of a bushcraft and rural skills area at Running Deer. One of our students (TM) is very keen to learn as much as he can in this area and we have been dead hedging (thick & thin) hurdle fencing and plan to even lay a section of hedge up there too.
However, over a period of several weeks we have been practicing/learning to twist young hazel rods longitudinally into a rope like texture so we can make free standing hazel, wattle hurdles.
These are made entirely from hazel rods, some whole and some split (which is another skill to practice) bound together with an intricate weave top and bottom and plenty of twisted hazel ‘rope’.
As you can see from the pictures, last week (as November quietly segued into December), we successfully adapted the standard format (which is 6 ft wide by 4 ft tall with 9 uprights) to make a small 6 upright hurdle about 4 ft wide by 1 ½ ft tall.
This is just the beginning as now we have mastered the basic idea there is no holding us back. We may even take orders or start producing more ‘goods from the woods’.
Watch this space.
Dave
Running Deer School is a DfE registered independent school (registration number: 878/6067) for young people with Special Educational Needs.
Running Deer School is part of the Running Deer C.I.C Group.
Running Deer C.I.C provide activities and opportunities based around traditional rural skills and land based studies, bushcraft, equine assisted education, dog therapy, green woodworking and conservation.
Running Deer CIC is a not for profit organisation and company limited by guarantee. Company No: 7605814.
VAT Reg No: 289345260
Running Deer School,
Butterdon Wood,
Moretonhampstead,
Devon, TQ13 8PY
Telephone: +44(0)1647 400201
For interventions or alternative provision enquiries:
Telephone: +44(0)1647 279332