Training Courses
Natural Stone Courses - at the National Stone Centre
All the tutors on these courses are highly skilled professional dry stone wallers with a wealth of knowledge and experience on the subject. They are all members of the Walls for the Future training group as well as the Dry Stone Walling Association. These courses are open to everyone - there are no restrictions. However, please bear in mind that the courses are held outdoors in all but the very worst weather and do involve the frequent lifting of stone.
Dry Stone Walling Course for Beginners
The National Stone Centre continues to hold the very popular introductory course on dry stone walling.
Held over a weekend, the course covers the basic skills of dry stone walling with a section on stone sourcing as well as a guided trail along the Millennium Wall.
This course also provides the basic skills required for the more advanced Stone Features for Improvers course.
Stone Features for Improvers Course
This course builds on the skills gained on the Dry Stone Walling course. The course may include terracing, wall ends, seats and other stone features to do with dry stone walling. Tutors and trainees will decide together which features will be built on each weekend.
We recommend completing the Dry Stone Walling course before attending the Stone Features for Improvers course in order to gain the basic skills.
Living Stones Sculpture Workshop
Carole Kirsopp is a professional sculptor and excellent tutor and continues to run her very popular courses on stone carving.
No previous experience or artistic skills are required for these courses. Take a look at the course dates and just come and enjoy yourself, discover your own creative abilities or take the first steps to a new craft career.
College of the Peak – Professional Courses
The Walls for the Future programme offers dry
stone walling training at three levels of ability.
This scheme is an intensive course, aimed at people wanting to take up dry stone walling professionally or professional wallers who want to improve their skills. Some experience of walling is therefore necessary. These courses are available through Walls for the Future at College of the Peak.
