Dry Stone Walling

Roctober Canada 6

2008-11-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

One of the wallers involved with the construction of the Cabanne at the Thanksgiving Festival was John Scott. He also won a prize for the best dry stone wall built by professionals. I asked him to send me photos for the blog along with some details about the work

Here is a copy of the main section of his very interesting email.

"As promised, here are some photos of the wall built in Burritt's Rapids which is about a half hour south of Ottawa, Ontario. Burritt's (1790) is the site of one of the first mills on the Rideau River which became the Rideau Canal...a strategic military shortcut between Kingston and Ottawa at a time (1833) when the USA was a threat. The Canal was built by Colonel John By who had the wisdom to import stonemasons from Scotland to quarry, cut and lay some very fine stonework in absolute wilderness, and trick a very diverse river to flow two ways. During this time the river saw much settlement...first as small clusters of farms, then mills then busy towns and military settlements. This stone house was built round 1834 on a high bank of sandy clay not far from Clowes, one of the first limestone quarries in the area but now long grown over. The original documents are lost, but it is reasonable to assume that scotish canal stonemasons built this and many of the many other houses in the area. The home owners asked me to build a wall to block out the busy road (and related tire noise) but not to block the beautiful meadow on the other side....they didn't want an imposing structure. We estimated the height of the wall by sighting through the owners eye to just cut out the road, plus two inches. There was an existing hedge which had grown very tall and wild. They had violently torn it out so we had to remove loose soil to 12 inches and replace with aggregate. Since we had to move so much soil anyway, we decided to alter some landscape to convince spring runoff around the wall and into a ravine. We also decided to create a simple pathway to the front door. The stone used is a dolomitic limestone and reasonably hard, featuring the odd trilobite fossil and calicte cluster, and ranges from a blue/grey to brown, in beds from 1" to 12". There was also a nice stash of granite glacial boulders that had been salvaged from a barn that burned before 1970. At that time the boulders had been pushed into a pile and left to gather moss. The wall is 160 feet long and split by a driveway and gate. Although the elevation slopes by 2', the copings are level....the difference was made up by using the gigantic footing stones at the tall end so that the copes could be uniform. The wall is battered, including all cheekends, except the gated ends which are plumb. The gate is cedar and reflects the shape of the arch above the main door of the house, and we used similar shaped stone to cap the cheekends. The hardware was made by a blacksmith who works for Parks Canada at Jones Falls...a historic site that marks the watershed of the canal and features an impressive sandstone dam. The hinge pintels connect to a 24" flat arm that hooks downwards into a slot shisel cut into the walling stone. A wreglet chisel cut into the above stone keeps the arm from moving sideways. The latch bolt slides into a femal receptor which also reaches and hooks into the walling stone. These inventions were created at a Tim Hortons in classic Canadian style! I did not build this wall alone. Jason Macrae was granted a month's leave to work with me and proved to be a solid waller. Mike Bonk also helped as the winter made an early appearance. These two gentlemen receive high praise! The owners, Ian and Nina Donald, were also key. Nina gathered and delivered hearting every day. I thank them for their hard work and trust. "

Roctober in Canada 5

2008-11-02T04:06:00.000-08:00

The outstanding feature at the Thanksgiving Festival at Cornish Hollow was this Cabanne. It was constructed without any support inside . The roof was made by adding diminishing circles of rocks in a cantilever style. The final building was fantastic. It looked and felt like something really special from medieval Europe. I suspect there is nothing else quite like it in Canada.

One has to admire John Shaw-Rimmington and his team of master craftsmen for their skill and hard work. Over a thousand visitors came during the festival and experienced a magnificent three days of entertainment.

To read all about it and the very varied activities going on in North America visit http://www.dswac.ca/

Rocktober Canada 4

2008-10-27T00:48:00.000-07:00

One of the students on the course, Sean Donnelly, returned to his property and rebuilt a long section of retaining wall. The photos show a before and after where he has added a neat set of steps.

Rocktober in Canada 3

2008-10-25T01:36:00.000-07:00

During the Thanksgiving Dry Stone Festival at Cornish Hollow in Ontario I was involved in teaching a group of students . They were constructing a wall typical of those found in Scotland with upright coping stones.Although some of the participants were experienced mortar masons most had done little dry stone work before and together they produced a very solid, long lasting and beautiful stretch of wall. Congratulations to all , Bob Wiskera, Margaret Abernathy, Phil Abernathy, Richard Portelance, Cameron Leseur, Sean Donnelly, Neil Innes, Vivian Walsworth, Sandra Pillar, Myriam Lefebvre, John Scott and Marguerite Long.

Rocktober in Canada 2

2008-10-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

One of the fine craftsmen I met up with this October was Dean McLellan. He was faced with a daunting task of building a wall with granite rocks and boulders which had been rolled about by the North American ice sheet and advancing and retreating glaciers. Dean had the skill to create a beautiful structure from material that many good wallers would have been struggling with. The photos show the starting pile of stone and the finished result. Well done Dean!

Rocktober in Canada

2008-10-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

In June 2006 I posted The Cheese Wedge on this blog. It was designed by John Shaw-Rimmington and built by him and some of his professionals in the Niagara Parks Botanic gardens. This year I was privileged to join John in building the follow up feature,The Veg Wedge, along with several of the horticultural students at the gardens.

What a great combination of fun and hard work it was. Many thanks to Darrell, Greg, Nadine, Justine, Josh, Blair, Blane, Luke (and his Dad) Laura, Lawrence, Ellen, Mat and any others that I have missed or misspelt. The concept designed by John and Evan Oxland will be planted in the spring with climbing vegetables. Next year it will be added to the blog again to show the 9 foot structure in its full glory.

Garden wall

2008-10-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

These photos were sent to me by David Bourne showing work he has done in his garden in the North of Scotland, a retaining wall with steps and a picnic area. This is a good example of what can be achieved by anyone with a real feeling for rocks. With little formal training David has demonstrated what can be done by ordinary folk . He has made his bit of the planet look cared for. Good luck to him and everyone else who realises what a difference dry stone walling can make, then does something about it.

Digging wells

2008-09-30T23:46:00.000-07:00

Back in August 2008 I published a photo of a deep well in France and asked how on earth it could have been dug. The best suggestions I have had were from Scott George in the USA.

On the subject of drystone well construction, when I was much younger, a friend of my grandfather told me they used to dig down a couple of feet and place a large metal ring at the bottom of the hole. They would then lay up there stone to the surface and then dig under the ring to slowly lower it and then add more stone to the top. He said the kept doing this deeper and deeper. I have no idea if this is possible or accurate. Either way, it sounds dangerous. I also have heard that they would excavate the hole, so that the holes depth and width at the top were the same. So a hole 10 feet deep would have a width of 10 feet at the top in the shape of an inverted cone. They would then lay up the well wall and backfill as they went along. This sounds more plausible to me, but that is a tremendous amount of earth being excavated. Where I live many of the wells are around 10 to 20 feet deep and the walls are mortared. I don't think I have ever seen a drylaid well around here. Scott

Tasmanian tracks

2008-09-29T00:58:00.000-07:00

John Hughes has been moving these enormous rocks with his team in Tasmania. They are building pathways using man power. For more information contact him on trackdesign@hotmail.com

Swiss Mountain Pass

2008-09-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

This photo was sent to me by Urs Lippert. The sheep are being driven up a recently restored track in the high alps . An earlier entry ( July 2008 Swiss 4 )showed the reconstruction of this hillside path. I did pass this way before the track was rebuilt and it was very tricky to negotiate then. Great credit to the Swiss who are really beginning to work hard to improve these ancient ways in a most extreme environment.

Swiss work completed

2008-09-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to publish the result of the work carried out this summer by Urs Lippert and his helpers. Wonderful to see dry stone walls being used for their traditional purpose. Something that is becoming more and more rare. The sheep gathering and marking is treated as a festival at Belalp. Have a look back to the blog June 2008 (world heritage site ) to see the scale of repair that was required

2008-09-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

This style and the castellated cope are typical of the walls round Crieff in Perthshire Scotland. This lovely photograph was taken by Blanche. To see other photos by this artist, mainly featuring the wildlife of Scotland go to:

http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51169&l=f16a0&id=551445756

Mongolia 3 Eagle Stand

2008-09-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

Another entry from landscape garden designer Duncan Haddow seen here admiring the eagle . http://www.earthmagic.eu

The Kazakh nomads of Western Mongolia are the only people in the world who hunt with Golden Eagles. The eagles are captured when young and trained to catch hares, small deer foxes and wolf cubs.The birds are released back into the wild after eight years. This carefully constructed cairn at the top of a high hill in the Altai range of mountains is used in the winter for hunting eagles to spot their prey.

Mongolia 2

2008-09-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

This shelter on a hill top is used by hunters in the snowy Mongolian winter.The smaller teepee would be for storing gear and supplies. Gaps between the stones were plugged with moss.

Duncan Haddow

Mongolia

2008-09-04T04:01:00.000-07:00

Duncan Haddow has just sent this entry after a time spent in Mongolia.

Dry stone walled area used for livestock in the summer months by nomads next to a "ger" the traditional felt lined tents of the area.

France 4 Faces

2008-08-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

When visiting France you never know what to expect. Just outside a modern church in a small town called Lavandou was this face carved out of stone. Surprisingly in the citadel at St.Tropez was another face looking at me from the end of a brass cannon. I realise that this is not made of stone but I mention it as a work of art which made me wonder why those planning decorations beside a church and a Citadel should be thinking along the same lines.

France 3 A Modern Dolmen ?

2008-08-22T23:38:00.000-07:00

There are ancient standing stones in France especially in Brittany around the Carnac area (which I shall put into the blog in later entries) .These were placed in prehistoric times and built by hand using large numbers of workers with the help of ropes ,tree branches and possibly horses. However in several other places the large flat rocks lend themselves to being set up in modern times by farmers with heavy equipment. Could be fun .

Thanks to Hilary Martin for helping to show the size of this monument.

France 2

2008-08-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Adolphe-Julien Foure (1839-1910 )carved around 300 fantastic figures on the cliffs at Rotheneuf in Brittany. Here are a few examples of his creations. To see more have alook at http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~fhs/rotheneuf.htm

Rocktober Festival

2008-08-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

I do not usually post coming events on this blog, however this is an exception for three reasons. Firstly I have had great support and many excelent photos from wallers in Canada secondly I like the walls in this particular picture and thirdly I have attended each of the festivals in Ontario found them inspiring and what is more the folk there are really friendly. For more information about the festival contact john@dswac.ca

France Deep Well

2008-08-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

This is a shot down the central well of the Citadel in St.Tropez taken during a recent visit to the South of France. I do not understand how this structure which goes down perpendicularly for many metres can be built .Can someone out there explain the means? Do they start from the surface , if not how are the sides supported while the stone is put in place? It all seems impossible. Please email me if not room on comments to normanhaddow@hotmail.co.uk

Commemorative Seat

2008-07-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

This delightful stopping place in the hills was built by members of the Central Scotland Branch of the DSWA as a tribute to the memory of Frank Moran who was a hard working and much valued waller for many years.

2008-07-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here are photos from waller Alan Ash along with his own information.

Here are a few photos of a public works dry stone bridge that I've just completed 1/4 mile up a rugged trail going up to the top Spencers Butte high above the Willamette Valley here in Western Oregon. The seasonal creeks that flow through it can have a forceful flow in our wet season. Western Oregon as well as the Pacific Northwest (or the Northwet!! as it is called) has in areas, times of rainfall exceeding 90 inches a year!! The bridge is 65 foot long, requirements 4 foot wide at the top , 5 1/2 foot wide at the bottom, gravel on top for the trail specifications but no gravel dumped in the "hearting" of the wall.. Many, many stones in the 400 -600 lb range, Most all of the lower course is in that range and many of the capstones. The faces that you see on the stones are their smallest dimension, so it's easy to be mislead about their actual size. It was built to deal with the large amounts of water coming of f the hill as well as to carry powered wheelbarrows, weighing up to a ton fully loaded, to carry gravel for maintenance of the trail. The 65 ton of stone was hauled up the trail by these tracked powered wheelbarrows
Alan Ash /Ash Stone Masonry www.thestonemason.com

Funky Bench

2008-07-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

These photos of a most unusual set of seats and tables was sent to me by Scott George in the USA. It is great for all of us to have the opportunity to see such interesting work. Please keep sending features which help to break the mould that constrains many of us.

Garden Features Swiss 5

2008-07-13T02:18:00.000-07:00

Dani Mettler sent me these photos from the completed work in his garden near Berne. Comfortable seems to cover the feeling when I was with him and the family in his world. The cantilever build over the seat works well and the sets of steps are inviting to adults and children to explore the area.

Mountain Tracks Swiss 4

2008-07-12T00:16:00.000-07:00

While I was not involved with repairing mountain tracks on this trip, I did marvel at some of the work being carried out to make very steep paths safer to walk on. One section which I visited on the way down to view a glacier was being repaired. The previously precipitous path was being changed into a winding way . This required the construction of retaining walls which supported the improved track. The path itself was pitched with large rocks set vertically into the surface. Although some loose stone was available most of the rocks needed were being delivered by helicopter. A tricky and very noisy business.

Another interesting feature were the Kaffer Stein (Beetle Stones) ,these are placed at the side of the paths when the track is running along a mountain side. The purpose of these rocks which are set every two or three metres is to mark the edge when the path is covered with snow.

Ancient Skittles Swiss3

2008-07-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

During the work at Belalp several artifacts were discovered. This set of skittles was for me the most interesting. The enclosure was identified as having been in use for between 100 and 300 years. A set of round rocks were found in what appeared to be an older section where fires had been made in the past. The stones varied in size from 10 centimetres to 20 centimetres across ,they had been carefully rounded and according to two different sources were used in the past as a set of skittles which would be set up in a pile so that those playing the game could throw stones at it to earn points. According to a Turkish member of the team he remembered seeing children playing this game in his homeland.

Roofing slabs Swiss 2

2008-07-03T00:29:00.000-07:00

One of the striking features of the area round Belalp is the traditional covers for the roofs. The shed shown here illustrates the use of an amazing collection of different shapes and sizes of local rocks. These are mainly schist which has been very carefully placed to keep out rain and the extreme driving snow in this area above 2000 metres. The other photo shows the modern equivalent where sheets of gneiss are used along with metal ties which were absent on the older roofs. The comment which craftsman Urs Lippert made was "This is regular irregularity". Took me a while to work that out but now I see exactly what he means.

World Heritage Site

2008-06-30T00:51:00.000-07:00

I have had the wonderful opportunity of working alongside Swiss wallers on this dry stone project at Belalp in Switzerland. The compound is still used to gather and sort sheep and goats in the high alps above 2000 metres . Many sections are in need of repair. Around 20 years ago major work was carried out using mortar, many of these sections are now requiring attention .The local and national authorities wish the work to be carried out using the traditional methods with dry stone.

During the time spent there I found several stone related features which will appear in future blog entries.

Part of Scotland

2008-06-06T02:20:00.001-07:00

There are times when dry stone wallers find the perfect end for a wall without having to lay a rock. This photo sent by master craftsman Nick Aitken shows a very handy lump of Scottish bedrock possibly contoured by a glacier at the end of the ice age.No one is going to disturb that for quite a while!

Rhiconich Sutherland

Moongate

2008-06-04T00:52:00.000-07:00

This delightful Moongate built by the DSWA West of Scotland branch won a prize at the Scottish Garden Show in Edinburgh. The photo shows driving force Irwin Campbell along with Canadian visitor John Shaw-Rimmington. Congratulations go to all involved including several members from other branches who helped greatly.

The Brochs of Scotland

2008-05-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Around the end of the iron age approximately 750 dry stone Brochs were constructed in Scotlland mainly on the islands and round the coasts where suitable flat rock was available. These buildings have been mostly robbed of stone but the best remaining example is Mousa Broch in Shetland which still stands just over 13 metres high. It is now thought that they were grand homes for chiefs and other important members of the Celtic society. There is generally a single entrance with a guard chamber. This led to spiralling stairs built between the two supporting walls. It is thought that the central area had wooden ceilings perhaps at more than one level though the top appears to have been left open. The photos here are of the full height Mousa Broch and one of the Glen Elg Brochs which show the gaps on the stairway which allowed light into the steps. The Brochs are a uniquely Scottish phenomenon ; that is how they are described by master craftsman Irwin Campbell who is currently organising the construction of one for the first time in two thousand years on the outskirts of the village of Strathyre.

Canadian Planning

2008-05-17T00:55:00.000-07:00

"Dry stone walling meshes well with modern technology. Here is a design of a church ruins first visualized in a program called Sketchup, which help luddites like me stretch and push shapes into place digitally and so be able to visually imagine what a wall here and a wall there will look like , and then as dry stone wallers we get to go out to try to build what it is we have produced on the computer screen. What is interesting is how close we got with the realization of the original digital graphic design. And the whole thing materialized in such a short time from design to finish so that there is a momentum and excitement about designing the next new project. This dry stone ruins church took 7 men two weeks to build. It is going to be a back drop for the wedding celebration on the property in June. Now the gardeners move in and make the thing beautiful with flowering living growing things. I hope they have as much fun as we had building the stone part."
John Shaw-Rimmington

2008-05-17T00:51:00.000-07:00

Setting The Last Rock

2008-05-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

One of the delights of dry stone walling for me is the celebrations at the completion of the work. Normally after a interesting project we have a get together of all those involved in the organising and construction of the job. Often there will be food, drink and music in addition to a ceremony which I enjoy where each person present signs their name and writes a message to whoever finds the bottle which we place somewhere in the wall along with coins or some other artifact which may be found 100 years later. The bottle of course has to be emptied before the placing. The wording varies enormously from good wishes to the finder or even a demand to repair the wall if they have broken it down.

The photos shown here are from a wonderful evening in Rossiniere in Switzerland when the final rock was lowered into place amid much rejoicing about repairing mountain paths in the high Alps.

Transformation in Ethiopia

2008-04-27T02:15:00.000-07:00

These photos from Dieter Schneider show work in Ethiopia which has changed lives . Through the charity Caritas ,a group of wallers from Switzerland have been helping the local people to build a series of retaining walls not along the valley sides but across the valleys. As a result the sudden flow of occasional heavy rain which normally scours away the very sparse soil is delayed by the dams.The effect is to create flat areas of rich fertile ground in a part of the country normally thought of as semi desert, which only supported a few goats in the past. This is a project where dry stone walls have meant that folk who were living at a subsistence level are now producing a surplus of food .A great credit to everyone involved.

Choosing the correct stone

2008-04-01T02:15:00.000-07:00

This fine garden entrance was built by Scottish Master Craftsman Jim Scott. Here you can see a good example of how wallers have to adapt their style to the available rock. At either side of the arch the adjoining wall has been built with round field stones which would not be suitable for the entrance. For the strength of the curve it must have been necessary to select a different type of rock and to dress these to produce the tapered effect. This is a situation becoming more common in the wallers world where they have to work as a mason but without mortar. Here in Scotland there are two seperate crafts which are overlapping . Quite a challenge for me perhaps I could get some lessons from you Jim?

Combinations

2008-03-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

There are times when dry stone work can be combined with mortared walls to create interesting features. This dip pool shows this beautifully . The initial stage was to erect a mortared structure to support a plastic liner. This was then surrounded by the dry stone phase. Finally flat stones were laid along the top edge to finish off a fine job. Xander Kuperij sent these photos of his work and for more examples have a look at his website http://www.brimstoneworx.com/

Sphere of Influence

2008-03-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

At one time dry stone walling was considered an important but basically functional part of the rural environment. In the countryside the wallers were respected as craft workers. Gradually in western Europe the walls and buildings built without cement began to fall into disrepair. This was the result of modern advances in fencing, the move into cities ,the catastrophic wars and a shortage of agricultural workers. Recently there has been a revival of interest. Fashions have changed , programmes on garden design on TV ,a realisation that many traditional crafts were being lost , these and other factors have resulted in many new people starting to enjoy building and appreciating the work. Many of the new comers had no background in the countryside and had a completely different approach to the craft. Now it is seen often as an art and the structures created do not need to be functional. They can be appreciated as works of great skill and often of great art.

This sphere built by Dean McLellan and John Shaw-Rimmington at Canada Blooms Garden Show ,is a fine illustration of what I mean. For more visit http://www.dswac.ca/

Quarrying by hand

2008-03-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

It is essential to have the right rocks for any job. Often almost every type of stone can be utilised for standard walls but when it comes to steps one really requires relatively large flat pieces. Recently I was able to quarry out by hand the perfect slabs for a set of 12 steps in the South of France. Luckily the local bedrock is a flat bedded limestone which can be detached fairly easily. We used iron bars and what is called a trump pick to loosen the required pieces. A small half ton trailer was all that was needed to move the slabs down to the job site. With the aid of a hessian sack two of us were able to load and unload all that we excavated.
Many places now do not allow the removal of bedrock ,so make sure that you seek permission before attempting an exercise like this.
The photo show the result of around 15 minutes of hard work to obtain three useful specimens.

Steps in the South of France

2008-03-10T02:11:00.000-07:00

I spent the last month avoiding a driech ( an old Scots word for dirty damp cold weather) winter time in Scotland. Down in the sunshine and lets face it the occasional wet and windy South of France , Canadian craftworker Hilary Martin and I helped Vince Bourne to build a set of steps. We were able to quarry out suitable rocks .(more of that in the next entry) Starting as always at the bottom we made sure that each tread was on a solid foundation and that each step had the weight of those above holding them in position. There was some discussion about the flatness of steps .We decided to slope them very slightly into the step above and very slightly into the hillside to make the climb feel more secure. The width was never less than 45 to 50 cms. and the height of the tread was kept almost constant at 20 cms.This regularity ensures that when you descend there is much less risk of tripping.The photos show a traditional before and after.

I must also mention Ros Bourne who did a wonderful job tending our needs with a magic combination of French and English cuisine.

time consuming work?

2008-02-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

Stone work does not always have to be time consuming and therefore expensive. This arrangement of stones and plants took about 30 minutes to build and plant up. It will of course take some years to develop into a mature part of the garden. So patience is still needed.

For more plant and stone inspiration go to www.earthmagic.eu

Change of Use!

2008-02-14T01:44:00.000-08:00

This dry stone wall built by Duncan Haddow was to be a retaining wall but the owner of the garden decided not to fill in the back. It then became a bridge!

If you look closely you can see a stone used as a spout for water to run through. This stone (found buried in the garden) matches some surviving 18th century open drains in the street.

Scott`s Design

2008-01-30T00:49:00.000-08:00

Quite an unusual and distinctive herring bone effect built into this attractive wall by Scott George in the US of A.

Carnac

2008-01-29T09:02:00.000-08:00

I am off to France for a working holiday. On the way South I shall be passing the amazing standing stones At Carnac in Britany. There are three thousand standing stones in several fields .No one knows exactly what the purpose of these rocks is. The best suggestion that I have heard was from Leigh Bamford who said that they seemed like a cemetery. With chambered cairns and a complete hillside of tombs covered over by soil in the village the whole complex to me is much more impressive than Stonehenge. I shall report on other dry stone work following my month away.

Written in stone

2008-01-22T00:07:00.000-08:00

Difficult not to obey, when the rules are presented like this.

1 .No running joints.

2 .Use proper batter.

3 .You shall not trace.

4 .You shall not use mortar.

5 .Build along courses.

6 .Do not cheat on the hearting.

7 .Do not rush.

8 .Do not drop stones on the wall.

9 .Use the shapes you have.

10.Stand back and look.

Thanks to John Shaw-Rimmington for the photo.

2008-01-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

Stone cheese added June 2006

Peru added July 2007

Pyramid added June 2007

A New Year thank you to the many folk out there who have sent photos to this blog since it started in 2006. Together we are helping to show the world the outstanding beauty and wonderful variety of dry stone work around the globe. I have picked a couple of striking entries that received several comments but every one widens our knowledge. Please keep them coming.

Chris Haddow,Gavin Rose,Dieter Schneider, Lynn Sinclair-Smith, Sean Adcock, Vince and Ros Bourne, Vasco Miguel, Neil Rippingale, Duncan Haddow, David Lindsay, Colin Purves, Findlay Haddow, Richard Mc.Nally, Chris Tanguay, Mairi Ferguson, Bill Stone, Robert Thomson, Leigh Bamford, Ina Brandt, Dave Goulder, John Shaw-Rimmington, Evan Oxland, Nick Aitken, Mike Ellis, Tom Ramage, Menno Braam, Dean McLellan.

Also thanks to any who I have missed and to all those who added comments .

New Website

2007-12-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

This photo is taken from the home page of Menno Braam`s newly presented website.Well worth a visit to see some fine work in dry stone .

http://www.whistlingdwarfstonework.com/

Winter wonderland

2007-12-22T09:06:00.000-08:00

I went off to work yesterday but the ground was solid and there was freezing fog .Back home via the coffee shop to pick up the camera.Everything looked different and rather strange.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-19T00:57:00.000-08:00

Yes a VERY MERRY YULETIDE to all out there ,especially those who have to face snow like this. Keep cosy.

Festive Greetings and Eatings

2007-12-14T00:49:00.000-08:00

A Very Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year to all those who put on stones around the festive season.

Winter

2007-12-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Winter is a coming in. It is quite a tricky time for walling especially when the sleet is pinging off your nose and you cant pick up the metal bar without gloves because your fingers would freeze to it. However there are times when the scene changes to a wonderland. The sun shines on the snow and you feel warm while working. This photo reminds me of a fantastic day when we rolled big snowballs to clear the ground then cut and laid turfs on the wall . Because it was so bright we actually finished off the job by moonlight. Whisky never tasted so good as on that evening.The grass grew happily and is still flourishing several years later.

Preparations

2007-11-30T01:01:00.000-08:00

The winter is fast approaching so we need to find some way of working through what may be horrible weather.I have tried various methods including the one shown here where the team has a movable tunnel.For me I found two problems.Firstly I normally build on my own and it is really tricky moving one of these tents by yourself and secondly I find that it is so cosy compared with outside that I am reluctant to venture out for rocks. The best solution I have found is a cop out but I love it.I head off to the south of France to have a working holiday with friends.

Seriously the type of structure shown used by Dean McLellan in the Canadian winter is a great help and I recommend its use when a job must be completed under adverse conditions.

Roadside Feature

2007-11-28T23:55:00.000-08:00

Mike Ellis sent in this photo.A very neat way to deal with a section of wall destroyed by a lorry.More and more you can see this type of dry stone feature gracing the countyrside where the original function has gone but people value the qualities of dry stone combined with colourful plants to create an attractive garden feature.

For many more examples of work by Mike and his associates check out www.greenislandstonework.com

Mallorcan wall

2007-11-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

Nick Aitken visited Mallorca recently for a dry stone conference.He took this photo there and here are his comments."This freestanding Mallorcan wall it is built the same way as the thousands of kilometres of retaining walls which provide safe platforms for olive, citrus and vine. Each stone touches every stone around it, if one fails natural arches are formed, they keep the wall strong."

My own thoughts are that some of the so called rules which we are taught in Scotland are broken here but I like it.A beautiful piece of work. Norman Haddow

See also Spanish style wall in archives sent by Bill Stone (August 2007)

Tornado damage

2007-11-25T02:00:00.000-08:00

Seems amazing but this Cairn at Royal Ashton golf course had to be rebuilt after the original was destroyed by a freak tornado.Sent by John Shaw-Rimmington.(That is the photo not the tornado!)

Terracing in the garden

2007-11-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

Here is a very good example of the way in which terracing can transform a garden .Dean McLellan has used the available rocks to best advantage during his work to create a very satisfying set of steps on what was a gentle slope .

For other examples of his work in North America contact hlmasonary@hsfx.ca

Balancing Rocks

2007-11-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

Along with the serious side of dry stone work,many wallers enjoy the challenge of sitting rocks one on another.While this is good fun it seems that some of us have much more success than others.I wonder what exactly is required for this skill .Is it careful choice of the stones,artistic ability ,a steady hand or some innate characteristic?Whatever it is I wish I could do it better.

This photo was sent by Evan Oxland.

Peaceful Garden

2007-10-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

This very neat garden built into the corner of a wall was created by Menno Braam.I particularly like the paving stones where the two circles appear to interlock.Additionally I like the idea of using wood on the seat which can be much more comfortable than cold stone.

For more details and other examples of his work contact menno_braam@yahoo.ca

Monster

2007-10-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

Dave Goulder discovered

this gruesome beastie deep in the woods in the North of Scotland near Rosehall.For other interesting creations contact marygoulder@btinternet.com

Dry stone festival

2007-10-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Once again the dry stone walling association of Canada under the leadership of John Shaw-Rimmington has held its October festival .It was a resounding success with a training course,a model in stone of a DNA molecule,a Gothic arch spanning the entrance to a picnic area based on a sheep pen,children building stone figures and evening entertainment which included talks and music in the Capitol theatre, in Ontario`s centre of walling ,Port Hope.
This is the fourth festival ,to see photos of the event and learn more visit http://www.dswac.ca/

Another Way With Rocks

2007-10-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

I met up with Sculptor Ina Brandt while on visit to Switzerland and discovered that there were many different ways to work with rocks.It is refreshing to realise that igneus rock which I find quite difficult to build walls with can be handled in such a beautiful manner.Here in her own words is the artists feeling about her work.

" Stein in dieser Art und weise bearbeitet wird zum absoluten Kulturobjekt. Alles ist bearbeitet und die ursprüngliche Form des Steins ist nicht mehr zu sehen. Das Gegenteil wäre eine dem Stein abgelauschte Form, wo der Künstler sich zurücknimmt und den Stein sprechen lässt. Hier kommt die Schönheit des Steins, durch die von mir gewollte Form, zur Geltung"

Rich plant growth on Limestone

2007-09-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

For those of us in the UK who are used to the occasional lichen moss or liverwort on our dry stone walls it is amazing to see the profusion of flowers on these walls in mainland Europe where limestone is far more common.Gerhard Stoll sent these photos.He has produced some fine guides to building without cement.For more information contact Gerhard on gstoll@bluewin.ch

Sweno Stone

2007-08-30T00:09:00.001-07:00

The Picts were inhabitants of Scotland at least 4000 years ago but we know very little about them .Most of the information comes from their marks on rocks and place names.The older marks were cup and ring forms some dated to 2000 B.C.The Sweno stone shown here was carved around 800A.D.It stands close to the village of Forres in the North and is most impressive.

Steps in Canada

2007-08-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

This delightful set of steps was built by Canadian Leigh Bamford.

To view more of her work visit http://www.stoneangels.ca/

Doon Fort

2007-08-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

This spectacular pre Christian fortification in Ireland has survived almost intact .It was visited by Scottish dry stone waller Robert Thomson who sent the photos. For other information about the traditional techniques contact Robert at mkb@thomsonm.freeserve.co.uk

Spanish style

2007-08-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken by the fine Canadian film maker Bill Stone in Mallorca.It shows how there are different methods of dealing with dry stone in addition to the traditional coursed system often used here in the UK .Round the mediterranean region the problem with durability is the threat of flash flooding.In order to cope with these occasional events the builders leave spaces between the rocks and avoid horizontal bedding which would create lines of weakness with the sudden pressure of water building up behind the retaining wall.

Not all hard work

2007-08-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

After moving a massive boulder into place by hand ,the workers deserve a picnic.Olives ,salad ,cold meat,banana cake and a hearty drink.That is the life.

Maine U.S.A.

2007-08-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

This unusual and attractive feature was built by Chris Tanguay .Such inspired work shows how the traditional techniques of dry stone walling can be adapted to blend with contemporary design in parks and gardens to create a truly restful space in our busy world.
For more information contact Chris mainedrystone@yahoo.com

THe Mitchell Arch

2007-07-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

This garden feature was built by the Central Scotland Branch of the Dry Stone Walling Association.It was part of a thank you to our retiring hard working secretary.

Lewis Black House

2007-07-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

This traditional Black House on the Isle of Lewis on the West coast of Scotland is still as it was in 1977 when it was used as a family dwelling.The only difference now will be the thatch which used to be of heather and had to be replaced regularly .Now the house is roofed with straw thatch which lasts much longer.Many of these houses had no chimney as the peat smoke filtered through the roof and helped to make the structure waterproof.The animals would be at one end in the winter to help with heating!

Magic Inca

2007-07-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

An enormous stone forming part of the outer wall of the great Incan fortress and temple of Saqsaywaman in the hills overlooking Cuzco. The stones were transported from >20km away. You can see how well they shaped the stones to fit together. The stonework for temples and important buildings was of this style, while for the stonework of commoners buildings etc the stones were not shaped.

Frog in Stone

2007-07-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Mairi Ferguson set up this lifelike amphibian on the beach at a picnic.It shows that it does not take 40 years of working with rocks to be creative.

Square Pillar

2007-07-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

This sqare pillar was constructed recently by Richard McNally in Mohonk Preserve,New Paltz, New York.the stone used was mainly Shawangunk conglomerate which is a Silurian sedimentary rock.It is great to hear these details of Geography and Geology .Some lovely words which add richness to the wallers language.For more information contact rkmc9@yahoo.com

Cairn at Hawick Scotland

2007-06-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

This neat structure was the first of three to be built by Colin Purvis for the famous yachtsman Sir Chay Blyth.I really like the use of rocks and the way that Colin has finished off the top.For more information contact Cspwalls@aol.com

Prince Albert`s Cairn

2007-06-06T01:45:00.000-07:00

This amazing pyramid was built in memory of Prince Albert, at the request of Queen Victoria ,after his untimely death.Sited near Balmoral Castle it is the largest dry stone feature in Scotland and a great tribute not only to his memory but also to the craftsmen who fashioned the rocks out of granite .

Dry stone hut and Globe

2007-05-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

These impressive structures ,an inspiration to all those using dry stone techniques ,were built by Richard McNally who studied with Dan Snow of Vermont.More details rkmc9@yahoo.com

Victorian Horse Trough

2007-04-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

This drinking trough was in a poor state when I was asked to restore it .This meant rebuilding most of the stonework in the original style,clearing out large quantities of debris from the two containers and getting the fresh spring water running again.This also involved digging out an old drain to prevent flooding in a nearby field.Hard work but very rewarding.

Simplicity in design

2007-04-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

This originally sloping garden was transformed with the use of a dry stone retaining wall .A lovely touch having the turf right up to the edge of the wall.For more landscaping ideas have a look at www.earthmagic.eu

Dry stone bridge in Maine

2007-03-25T02:01:00.000-07:00

This attractive little bridge was built at the Portland Flower Show in Maine USA by Chris Tanguay,Matt Carter and Mike Ellis.For more information contact Chris at mainedrystone@yahoo.com

Black house

2007-03-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

This fine example of the traditional West of Scotland dry stone building by Neil Rippingale, won him The Pinnacle Award from the DSWA of Great Britain.To view other examples of work by him and his group contact www.drystone.org.co

Rock filled log cribwall

2007-03-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

This interesting organic construction combining wood and rock was sent by Vasco Miguel who works as a landscaper in Portugal.The dam was built in Vesuvio`s National Park in ITaly.For more information have a look at http://www.engenhariaverde.blogspot.com

Rubble Helix

2007-03-11T03:39:00.000-07:00

Another unusual feature inspired by John Shaw-Rimmington.Despite the Canadian winterJohn organises training indoors and achieves amazing results.A great example to all those running courses round the world.More information from the DSWAC website http://www.dswac.ca Well worth a visit

Buttress arch

2007-02-27T08:37:00.000-08:00

A problem really finding a way to end a stretch of wall with an arch.It was solved by using two very large rocks which counter-balanced the thrust from along the wall.Quite an unusual look especially from the road below.

New terracing in France

2007-02-23T00:19:00.000-08:00

It has been a wonderful experience helping to restore this hillside in Fontreboule to its former glory.So much of our dry stone heritage across Europe is falling into disrepair.Many thanks to Vince, Ros, Leigh and the others who rebuilt this "little" piece of our culture

WELSH FEATURE

2007-01-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

What an amazing wall end sent by Sean Adcock.For more information contact sean@stonewaller.freeserve.co.uk

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2007-01-02T01:46:00.000-08:00

A very happy and prosperous 2007 to all dry stone wallers around the world

Dry stone house

2006-12-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

How about this amazing building in Wales?For more details contact Sean Adcock

sean@stonewaller.freeserve.co.uk

Save this Cabane in France

2006-12-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

URGENT

Please write this week to help to save this dry stone feature and the associated walls.They will be demolished by the deviation of rue RD2 near the town of Villeveyrac in France.

The address is Commissiare Enqueteur,

Mairie de Villeveyrac 34560

Villeveyrac,

France

for more information see www.pierreseche.net

Steps and wheelbarrow ramp

2006-12-07T01:19:00.000-08:00

Here in Brittany the problem of reaching the vegetable garden was solved by building a wheelbarrow ramp.

2006-12-05T14:55:00.001-08:00

Healing Wheel

2006-12-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

This circular wall with four trees representing North South East and West was built in Orangeville Canada at the entrance to the local hospital.According to Native American folklore the centre of these areas were places to heal the body .Built mainly by Orangeville residents organised by Lynn Sinclair-Smith .

Sitting pretty

2006-11-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

It is amazing what can find shelter in a wall!We could not repair this section till the bird had flown

The Mc.Neil Stone

2006-11-21T00:07:00.000-08:00

Great end for a wall but should we add milk or something else to get the moss to grow?

Fascinating stone

2006-11-20T14:05:00.000-08:00

Can anyone identify this strange stone?The ruler is 30cm. or 1 foot long in old money!

Fine work in Switzerland

2006-09-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Good use of limestone here by Dieter Schneider and his team to create a neat retaining wall and a comfortable set of steps.Have a look at www.stoneline.ch

Hill and Dale Bridge

2006-08-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

Is there a limit to the span of a dry stone bridge?
We had fun at the Thanksgiving Festival in Port Hope ,Ontario,building this bridge.Have a look at cheese please to view a original idea in stone.Also visit the excellent Canadian website http://www.dswac.ca

Steps in soft sandstone. Arizona USA

2006-08-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

From Gavin Rose
The stairway shown leads to a lookout point over looking Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona. Since its completion forty years ago the stairway carved into the soft sandstone bedrock had worn away. The durable and asthetically pleasing option chosen for rectifying this situation was to carve a trench in the walking surface and place harder rock of a similar colour in to form long lasting steps. For more information on this and other projects he has worked on, feel free to visit his web site at www.gavinrose.freeservers.com.

Cheese Please

2006-06-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

Chris wanted more stones ,how about this slice of cheese,created by John Shaw Rimmington and his group in Canada.
http://www.dswac.ca

Dry Stone Waller

2006-05-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

Wecome all you dry stone wallers.It is a great occupation stretching us mentally and physically.There is a special buzz when we finish a project like this dry stone bridge built in Scotland
Let me hear your experiences so that we can convert that world out there to the delights of our profession.