Get outside and learn something this April
Two events 11 and 12 April at Wandlebury are offering the chance to try traditional woodland crafts, from a focused day at the pole lathe to a full weekend of making, exploring, and getting your hands dirty. Both events are open to beginners.
If you’ve ever been curious about green woodworking, or just want a genuinely good reason to spend time outdoors this spring, we have two events coming up that are worth knowing about.
Both take place at Wandlebury Country Park. It’s a lovely spot at any time of year, but particularly so in April when the woodland is just coming back to life.
Pole Lathe Tuition Saturday 11 April, 10am to 2pm
The pole lathe is one of the oldest woodworking tools in existence. Foot-powered and deceptively simple, it lets you shape green (freshly cut) timber in a way that feels completely different from anything you’d do with a power tool. It takes a little getting used to, but once the rhythm clicks, it’s genuinely absorbing.
This is a tuition day, so you’ll be working with an experienced instructor throughout. No prior woodworking knowledge is needed, just a willingness to have a go. By the end of the session you’ll have a proper grounding in how to use the lathe, and something to show for it.
Pole Lathe Tuition Sat 11 April, 10am – 2pm. £45 per person – two spaces left book HERE
Woodland and Craft Weekend, 11 and 12 April, 10.30am to 4pm
The weekend event is broader in scope. Two full days of woodland crafts, outdoor activities, and the kind of easy sociability that comes from spending time with people who are enthusiastic about the same things.
It’s a celebration of traditional skills and natural materials, set within the parkland at Wandlebury. Whether you come for one day or both, there’s plenty to get involved with, and the pace is relaxed enough that you don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to do.
Events like this tend to be more enjoyable than you expect. There’s something about working with your hands outdoors, with other people around, that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.
Woodland and Craft Weekend. 11 and 12 April, 10.30am to 4pm. FREE Book HERE
