Make Your Own Shavehorse – Green Woodworking Course in South Wales
Description
Learn traditional green woodworking in the heart of the Welsh countryside — and take home your own handmade shavehorse. Join us for a unique 2-day green woodworking course at Golden Hill Wood, just 40 minutes from Bristol or Cardiff. This hands-on weekend workshop will teach you the skills to build your own shavehorse — an essential tool for countless green woodworking projects — and you’ll take it home with you at the end of the course. Build your skills in a woodland workshop: Set in our stunning open-sided woodland workshop, built using timber from the land, this immersive course offers the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature, learn traditional skills, and unwind by the campfire. Whether you're a complete beginner or have some woodworking experience, you'll get hands-on with axes, drawknives, and traditional hand tools to create a functional, beautiful shavehorse from freshly felled timber. What you’ll learn: Over the two days, you’ll learn the core techniques of green woodworking (also known as "bodging") including: - How to source and select wood from the forest. - Splitting (cleaving) logs into usable blanks. - Using a side axe or carving axe to shape parts. - Shaping with a drawknife and shavehorse. - Cutting and finishing the seat and frame. - Creating tenons and fitting components. - Turning parts using a pole lathe. - Final assembly of your finished shavehorse. Stay in the Woods: Free meadow camping is included, with views over the Black Mountains and Wentwood Forest. There’s a firepit for shared evenings, plus tea, coffee, and biscuits each day. A compost toilet is available on site (please note: there is no shower). Meet your tutor: Celi, your instructor, has been green woodworking since 2010. Largely self-taught before taking on a green woodworking, woodland management, and natural building apprenticeship in 2017, they’ve since taught extensively, sold their craft, and co-founded Golden Hill Wood with their partner Reyna. This is a woman-owned project with a focus on inclusive teaching, ecological land management, and community engagement. Good to know: - Location: Monmouthshire between Usk & Chesptow (40 mins from Bristol or Cardiff, 20 mins from Newport). - Duration: 2 days (Saturday–Sunday). - You’ll take home: Your very own handmade shavehorse for green woodworking at home. - Not included: Lunch (please bring your own). - Age limit: 16+. - Physical requirements: Some upper-body strength and manual dexterity required; must be able to work standing - Clothing: Sturdy, toe-covered shoes and weather-appropriate clothing required. - Accessibility: Please let us know about any dietary or other needs — we’ll do our best to accommodate.
What's included in the price?
Tools, tuition, materials, tea and biscuits, camping.
Duration
15 hours
Cancellation policy
Easy - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 2 weeks before the course starts
Maker
Celi has been working with green wood since 2010, they were self taught and then took on an apprenticeship in teaching the craft, woodland management and green building in 2017. Since then they have worked in forestry, making and selling their craft, and teaching. As well as setting up the project at Golden Hill Wood. Golden Hill Wood is run by myself, Celi and my partner, Reyna. It is a woman owned project and we endevour to use female and minority gender teachers wherever possible. We also engage the public through volunteer days and projects to aid the management of the land and help people to develop skills.
Suitable for
- Adults
- Seniors
- Teenagers
- Hen dos
- UK Holiday
- Corporate days out & team building
- Parking provided
- Romantic
- School holiday workshops & activities
- Father's Day
- Engagement, birthdays & anniversaries
- Accommodation offered
- Suitable for beginners
- Mother's Day
- Stag dos
- Fairs, festivals & exhibitions
FAQs
Yes, we are not currently providing lunch with our courses, however, there will be plenty of tea, real coffee, and biscuits.
