February 7, 2026 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
£65.00
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 pair of traditional hurdles 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 ash, you’ll craft two distinctive styles of hurdle: a woven hazel hurdle and a cleft ash hurdle. Both are perfect as decorative features in your garden, or as sturdy panels for edging, fencing or plant supports.
As you work, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship and woodland management that make these ancient skills sustainable. You’ll come away not only with two beautiful handmade hurdles, but also with the confidence to continue your journey into greenwood crafts at home.
This full-day course takes place under our large basecamp shelter set against the background of mixed woodlands and wetlands of Park In The Past’s 120 acres of wild space.
Use traditional hand tools such as the froe, drawknife, billhook & shave horse
Learn to split (cleft) green ash ready be be worked
Craft a woven hazel hurdle from rods harvested in local woodland
Understand the different properties of hazel & ash wood
Gain insight into the heritage & uses of hurdles in rural life
Explore coppicing & woodland management for sustainable materials
Take home two handcrafted hurdles (approx. 2 x 2½ ft each), perfect for your garden or allotment
Enjoy scrummy welsh cakes, freshly made & hot from our campfire skillet
Enjoy a day of purposeful craft, warm company and woodland connection. Take home two beautiful pieces of traditional craftsmanship made entirely by your own hands.
Who This Course Aimed At
Anyone interested in traditional woodland crafts and heritage skills
Gardeners and smallholders keen to make their own rustic features
Beginners looking to build hand tool confidence in a relaxed, natural setting
Bushcraft and greenwood enthusiasts wanting to deepen their practical knowledge
Your Tutor: James Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in outdoor education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
In 2017 James received the Bushcraft Competency Certificate awarded through the Institute for Outdoor Learning after 2 years of teaching experience and practical study. He is also a member of the IOL Bushcraft Professional Practise Group. The group aims to promote best practice in the growing industry of bushcraft activity providers.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the day you will learn a range of skills, including…
Book now
This course is aimed at adults aged 18 or over. We can accept students as young as 16 years, but they must be accompanied by an adult. This course costs £65 per person. If you want to come as a pair and only take away 2 hurdles between you then you will only be charged for 1 ticket. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
