Top Dry Stone Walling Courses Around The World

UNESCO has included the ‘art of dry stone walls in its catalog of the Intangible cultural heritage of humanity. It has underlined the importance of these structures in the global architectural culture of the landscape. Since ancient times, drywall has helped in the prevention of landslides, the fight against erosion, the creation of arable land, and in the preservation of the environment by creating bio-climatic conditions for agriculture and biodiversity protection. Students can learn about this ancient art by taking up dry stone wall construction courses. To help you start, we have curated the list of the top dry stone walling courses around the world.

Best Stone Walling Courses 

These are the best stone walling courses available around the world

The Stone Trust

The stonetrust.org  provides workshops to serious enthusiasts of dry stone wall construction. The aim of the workshop is to equip the students with the tools they need to build lasting and beautiful walls.  It will be a four-day workshop that teaches all kinds of skills needed to build a cheek end. Topics covered under level 1 include stone shaping for throughs and cheek material,  batter frames and building lines,  steps and stairs, flagging, and other building strategies. 

Each student will be assigned an instructor to aid in the path of reaching level 2. Level 2 of rebuilding a dry stone wall is the most difficult part of the certification process. The key here is to invest time in developing your skills. At this stage, you will learn to build 5 cheek ends and 50 feet of free-standing wall. The perk of this course is that it is taught by instructors who are certified by the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain.

Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Guild

YDSWG provides a 2-day non-residential course taught by certified instructors. The aim of this course is to help you build a modest first-wall project.  At first, a student is provided with a brief introduction to dry-stone architecture and safety instruction. After that hands-on instruction is given. It involves manual labor but you will not be expected to work beyond your capabilities. 

Students will be divided into two groups with an instructor for each group. You will start with building the foundations and then go on to build a dry section of the stone wall. Those with medical conditions or physical disabilities are given extra attention. However, you would have to inform about the same in private. Yorkshire Dry stone Walling Gild has plenty of material where you can practice your skills. The training for dry stone walls costs $120 (INR 9,797) for a training session. 

Dry Stone Walling Association

Bookswhen.com provides 4-day stone wall building courses for those interested to pursue a career in dry stone walling. The training session is aimed at initial and intermediate levels and those who complete it will receive qualification accredited by the DSWA Craft Certification Scheme.  The session will be conducted by master instructors from the National Training Centre in Crooklands. An optional test day is included in this course which can be availed by submitting a separate application form. 

You are required to bring lunch, water, protective clothing, waterproofs, safety boots, work gloves, goggles, and masks for each day. You will also have to follow the covid protocols. However,  local accommodation can be arranged by the Dry Stone Walling Association. The entire training of dry stone wall cost  £290 (INR 28,739)  per person. It includes the optional test fee.

Not Grove Holidays 

Notgroveholidays.com  provide a two-day course for rebuilding a stone wall for both beginners and experts. Students will get to learn how to repair and build a stone wall that is set on the private estate of Notgrove. The wall built will stay in the landscape for the next hundred years. Richard Grey, the master stone wall builder is assigned as the instructor. He has qualified the level 3 from the Dry Stone Wall Association.

In the course you will be taught dismantling walls, stone sorting, laying foundations, building up a wall, different types of stone, and the necessary tools on how to use them. The course is perfect for those who are above 16 years of age. You are required to bring warm clothing, lunch, drinks, gardening gloves, and a hat. All other facilities such as accommodation and parking will be provided. The charges are £ 185(INR 16,239) per person.

Also Read: Short-term courses online

Swedswa

Swedswa teaches basic dry stone architecture to both beginners and improvers. It will be a two-day course that will introduce you to the fundamental structure and construction of dry walls. The session will be conducted by qualified  DSWA instructors who are also professional wallers. Every instructor will be assigned 12 participants. The course involves hands-on experience. Thus,  physical activity is involved. 

In the training session you will learn health and safety tips, the use of tools, site preparation, laying foundations, and building walls. At Swedswa, you can choose a place for the training. The dry stone wall cost of training is  €‎100 (INR 8,775) per person. The fees are non-refundable but they can allocate you another day for training if notified in advance. You can also choose to pursue the LANTRA Craftsman Certification in dry stone walling from Swedswa.

Eligibility Criteria 

Dry stone walling course requires you to clear levels. The first level is relatively easy and you would have to clear it to reach level 2. The course can be taken up by anyone who is interested in dry stone walling and is willing to do physical work. However, students below the age of 16 years would have to seek permission from their guardians/parents for the same.

Application Fees

Application fees for the dry stone walling course can range between INR 8000 to INR 18,000 per person. The exact fees depend upon the institute you are applying to.

Application Process 

To apply for the dry stone walling course you can visit the website you like. There will be an application form that you need to fill out. You would also have to pay the required fees and show up on the day of the training session. For more details, you can also email the respective course providers.

FAQs

Dry stone walls are durable, sustainable, local, encourage wildlife, and provide respite from windy conditions.  It can be used as decoration or can be built as free-standing walls. Hence, dry stone walling courses are beneficial for the wider community. Want to know more about study abroad courses? Call Leverage Edu at 1800 572 000 and book our free 30-minute counseling session today.