2009 Autumn Gathering at Taliesin

From October 9th to 11th, folk gathered at Taliesin to carve stones, make stools, crush apples, build shelters, learn woodcraft and make lanterns. The loo with a view also gained a new wattle privacy screen to replace the makeshift canvas, and the new pools were refined with a bit of dam building.... Clicking on any picture below
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The stonecarving course was led by Will Davies and we all learned a new background soundtrack - "Chip, Chip, Chip,...." Course participants were a study in concentration and some beautiful work resulted.












Andy Hurst soon had his students cleaving, chopping, shaving and turning ash legs for their three-legged stools and, for a change the ash was genuine Taliesin-grown instead of resorting to the more usual exercise of the wood-poacher's art.







The bushcraft and trailblazing course was, as usual, tremendous fun for the kids and some more mature folk, and the shelters built in Potterland wood are a joy to behold and rather tempting to one who enjoys sleeping rough.

I advise those who would see (or use) them to remember that thinning operations begin soon, and are likely to damage them.

Apples were chipped and pressed for deliciously fresh juice (no time to ferment!). Kids walked the plank to paddle the raft in the old pond; Lanterns were made and hung to illuminate the evenings, and the food and company were, as always, of the highest quality. A virtual pizza factory operated on Saturday night, and, after several years of experimentation, we've finally learned how to use the clay oven! Trevor turned up for the BBQ and was joined by several pennywhistles, guitars and such, and pretty soon there was dancing by lamplight. Apologies for video quality ;-)


Simon has posted a whole lot more pictures

We operate workshops and courses twice yearly at Taliesin Community Woodland Centre. For more information click here. or for general information about Southwest Community Woodlands Trust, click here
Do pay Taliesin a visit anytime and enjoy the space.
(click for map)