Wattle Hurdle Training Course

Enjoy the experience of learning a heritage skill (or two)! Learn the art of Coppicing and making traditional Wattle Hurdles within a woodland coppice, nestled within the Surrey Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty.

This two-day training course is delivered by Paul Matthews a Hedgelaying and Hurdle making professional.

Paul is highly skilled at ‘hurdle making’, this is an age-old practice of weaving cleft hazel rods through upright hazel rods. Hurdles are used as a rustic, practical and attractive alternative to modern-day fencing panels. These skills can also be used to make rustic arches.

During the training course, you will have the opportunity to make a panel or screen woven from Hazel. You can expect your finished hurdle to be 6ft in length and up to 4ft in height, therefore, you will need to ensure you have sufficient room on or in your car so you can take your finished work home!

Willow Hurdle Training Course

To extend the season for our hurdle making courses and for those who prefer to work with Willow we are introducing a two-day course to make a Willow Hurdle.

The hurdle Willow used for the two day course is pre-prepaired by soaking for 24hrs per foot.

This two-day course will allow you ample time to practise the techniques required to complete your hurdle these are the same techniques as used in making Hazel Wattle Hurdles.

The height of your finished hurdle will be dependent on individual progress but you can expect to leave with a completed hurdle between 6ft in length and 4ft to 5ft in height. You will need to ensure you have sufficient room on or in your car to take your finished work home.

Continuous fencing

This workshop is also helpful if you are looking at creating continuous Willow fencing as the techniques used are similar and can be adapted to suit a continuous weave.

 

Cost

 Hazel Wattle Hurdle: 2 day course: £230.00 per person

Willow Hurdle: 2 day course: £230.00 per person

Time

Hazel Wattle Hurdle: 2 day: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Willow Hurdle: 2 day: 10:00 a.m. – 4.p.m.

What will I learn?

Coppicing & cleaving

Following an introduction to the Hazel Wattle Hurdle course, you will spend the day learning how to coppice the hazel rods used to make the hurdles from the neighbouring woodlands and prepare them ready for use. You will learn how to use a billhook (traditional hand tool) to learn the skill of cleaving (splitting the wood).

Hazel Wattle Hurdle making
You will set up your mould ready for use and then using the Hazel rods you have cleaved earlier you will learn how to begin the unusual technique of weaving up the bottom of the hurdle. Paul will then continue to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to build up and finish off your weave to create your Wattle Hurdle panel. After care guidance will also be provided.
Groups
This course is for small groups only to ensure we can facilitate a professional and safe level of training, We have a 7 (trainee) to 1 (instructor) ratio. Please contact the organiser directly to discuss and arrange dates to suit.
Bespoke
Bespoke training courses are available. The trainer may be willing to travel to undertake the course elsewhere e.g. on your own land. Training is not necessarily restricted to weekends, please inform the organiser of the dates you would like to be considered.
Upcoming hazel wattle Workshops

Willow Hurdle Course coming soon.

Upcoming willow hurdle Workshops

James Douglas,
Wattle Hurdle Training Course

… In Paul we had an extremely friendly, informative, hands-on teacher. We were taken step by step through the whole process, from choosing our own hazel rods for the frame and weave, through preparing them for their different purposes, building the frame and finally weaving the split rods … A real mind-clearing exercise. Thank you Lorraine and Paul for a thoroughly well organised, enjoyable and fulfilling course. And a wonderful hurdle to take home at the end.

Iceland Traveller,
Wattle Hurdle Training Course

A fabulous outdoor weekend learning new skills and an ancient craft. All in all a very rewarding challenge and I was so pleased to go home with my own wattle hurdle to treasure in the garden.

Mark Butler,
Wattle Hurdle Training Course

I enjoyed a great two day course at Hedges and Hurdles. Expert tuition from Paul who practices the craft at the highest level and who cleary cares about passing on his knowledge. Lorraine made us all very welcome and kept the group supplied with hot food and drinks to sustain us through the weekend. Having done this course I feel equipped to have a go myself.

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