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A Wooden Summerhouse - Part 2: The Reciprocal Roof

A Wooden Summerhouse – Part 2: The Reciprocal Roof

by Anita, 22 September, 2014, 3 comments

With the henge completed, the next stage of the summerhouse build was to construct the roof. The type of structure we have chosen is a ‘reciprocal roof’. This is a simple and elegant roof form which is entirely self-supporting. It is also very strong, making it an ideal base for carrying a green roof since these can be quite heavy. To form a reciprocal roof, rafters are arranged in a spiral so that each rafter rests on the previous one. The last timber fits underneath the first so that the whole structure interlocks. This leaves a circular opening at the centre, which provides an opportunity for creating a skylight. Read more...
How we turned our woodland into an education centre and ​place to stay​

How we turned our woodland into an education centre and ​place to stay​

by Leigh, 23 August, 2014, 3 comments

When we bought our woodland in mid Wales 15 years ago it was in a very neglected state . The wood was a mix of western red cedar, hemlock, ash and oak. The previous owner removed all the valuable oak but left all the tops on the ground so it was really an overgrown jungle. What we did to improve our woodland The first thing we did was to clear site of all the oak tops and timber off the ground, which wasn’t easy as there was bramble growth covering everything. Read more...
Metal detectors and woodlands.

Metal detectors and woodlands.

by Ned Scanlan, 18 July, 2014, 8 comments

I have always been interested in history since a young age and over the years this interest has developed, until one day about 3 years ago, I got the urge to buy a metal detector. Since then, I have been exploring the fields of Wiltshire and Somerset. The reason that I enjoy it so much is that it is a great way to unwind and get some exercise; though the main reason for me is that whatever I dig, someone was stood right where I am now possibly thousands of years ago and I try and imagine what it would have looked like around me back then. Read more...
Why camping in your own wood is special

Why camping in your own wood is special

by Angus, 11 July, 2014, 6 comments

Camping in your own wood (or a friend's wood) is totally different than staying at a conventional campsite.  There is more freedom, more choice and more solitude - you can do lots of things that would not normally be allowed.  Recently, I was invited to a woodland to camp with some friends where we experienced free-range camping first-hand. For any camping expedition, it is important to locate a camping area - we found a grassy glade surrounded by beech trees.  Next, you need to find a good spot on which to pitch your tent - ground that initially seems flat is, by the end of the first night, clearly very 'slopy'!   Read more...
A wooden summerhouse - design and construction.

A wooden summerhouse – design and construction.

by Anita, 4 July, 2014, 10 comments

This summer, my family and I are building a wooden summerhouse from scratch in our garden. I have designed the building myself and it will be an octagonal structure with a ‘green’ roof, external deck and space for seating and a small woodburner inside. The process began last winter, when we salvaged the timber required for the structure from the many windblown trees resulting from the winter storms. We did this a few months in advance of actually starting construction to give the wood a chance to season a little Read more...
Sharing forestry tools and meeting people through streetbank.com

Sharing forestry tools and meeting people through streetbank.com

by Angus, 30 May, 2014, 1 comments

You need a tool but don't want to buy it.  You have a piece of forestry equipment and wonder if anyone else could use it. You want to know how to sharpen a chainsaw but don't know anyone nearby who could teach you how.  All these and many other problems would be solved if there were a website that put you in touch with neighbours who could help or who need help.  If such a platform existed it would help solve your problem and you would make friends locally.  In fact such a website exists already!   Streetbank.com was established as a not-for-profit enterprise to allow people to share things and skills for no cost, and it really works. Read more...
Noises of a Didgeridoo Maker

Noises of a Didgeridoo Maker

by stuart murdoch, 11 May, 2014, 1 comments

For many years now,  I have been making Didgeridoos. It all started with a friend of mine, who taught me how to make them. Sadly, he has now passed away, but he has left his legacy with me.  As a hedge-layer, I can gather an abundance of woody material, collecting them from path clearance work, coppicing and other woodland management tasks.  I try to ensure that I keep as environmentally friendly as possible by only taking sticks that are going to be cut out anyway. The development of the Didgeridoo Read more...
Restoring an old lake

Restoring an old lake

by Dick, 4 May, 2014, 1 comments

In an earlier blog post by Angus (January 2013), he discussed the pros and cons of dredging ponds and lakes.   In this piece I shall describe some of the practical aspects of carrying out the work and some important lessons I learned along the way. Background to the project. We had acquired a new area of woodland in my region and I was familiarising myself with ‘my’ new wood, noting down work that would be required before we could offer any of it for sale. One particular area troubled me; around 2.5 acres of very unkempt, scrubby land with just a few poplars surviving and many more dead trees. This was in complete contrast to the rest of the woodland which was all very well managed. Closer inspection revealed boggy conditions underfoot, with numerous pools of water Read more...

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