Book your stay here at The Old Vicarage B&B and add a woodland craft or wellness workshop
Woodland Crafts
We work with one of the best woodland craft and wellness teams in Wales, Forge Ways. Neil and Jayne offer exclusively tailored courses for guests at The Old Vicarage, run out of their private ancient woodland. All courses we offer are private and bespoke to you, providing focused and peaceful learning opportunities.
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You'll arrive at their home just 9 miles from The Old Vicarage, and take a short walk or drive down to their magical woodland. Your day will be spent learning, meditating, whittling or crafting, under the canopy of their hand built workshop shelters, or the canopy of the woodland. For those brave enough to enjoy cold water therapy, you may even wish to take a dip in their stream.
Whilst you reconnect with nature you may even get to spot a wild otter playing in the stream.
Meet your tutor
Neil moved to the Dyfi Valley in 2007 to work as a Renewable Engineering Project Manager and to live a more sustainable way of life on a smallholding, nestled in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains. He has a passion for traditional skills and low impact ways of living, combined with a wealth of experience instructing in the outdoors. Neil has diverse qualifications and experience of arboriculture, green wood working and bushcraft. He can often be found amongst the mountains as a member of his local mountain rescue team.
- Most experiences below are priced for two people, all can be tailored to larger groups (3-8) for a small surcharge.
- Courses start at 9:30 and finish around 3, you'll typically arrive back at The Old Vicarage before 5 to allow time to freshen up before heading out for your evening meal. Please aim to arrive at Forge Ways for 9:15. You are welcome to stay longer in the woodland once your course has finished.
- All of these are bolt-ons to accommodation bookings and therefore priced excluding accommodation. Transport to and from Forge Ways is not included therefore having a car is a necessity.
BUSHCRAFT
WORKSHOP DAY
An opportunity to get hands-on, the 6.5 acres of remote woodland and stream are yours for the day. You will also get to take home your own hand made fire striker.
Learn a variety of bushcraft skills. Your day will be bespoke to you, Neil and Jayne will tailor the day based on your phone consultation. It could involve several of the following activities:
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- fire lighting, fire striker, flint and steel, bowdrill, tinder types etc
- shelter building, hammocks, tarps, bivvies
- make a mallet or other useful tools
- Knife, axe and saw safety, including carving projects to take home
- knots and ropework
- water filtering, capture and safety
- Natural navigation
- foraging, including making your own tree tea
- and even axe throwing
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£180 for 2 people, includes packed lunches
WOODLAND WELLNESS DAY
For the love of trees! Take a peaceful day immersed in the Forge Ways woodland and by the stream. This is an opportunity to destress and connect with nature and learn about the ancient woodland that surrounds you.
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Your day will be bespoke to you, Neil and Jayne will tailor the day based on your phone consultation. It could involve:
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- Meditation and forest bathing
- Woodland flora and fauna identification
- Foraged woodland tea ceremony
- Celtic Ogham and carving
- Tree connections
- Cold water therapy
- Nordic slinging
- Barefoot trails
- Journey stick carving
- Woodland walk
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£180 for 2 people, includes packed lunches
GREEN WOOD CARVING DAY
Forge Ways Neil and Jayne are passionate about sharing their skills in green wood whittling and carving. Our most popular course will leave you with items you can take home and enjoy for years to come.
Your day will be bespoke to you, Neil and Jayne will tailor the day based on your phone consultation. It could involve several of the following activities:
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- spoon carving
- spatula carving
- stool making
- shrink pot carving
- small table making
- shave horse making
- hedgerow hook whitling
- whittle a woodland creature
- and more, maybe even make a mallet and chopping block to take home, so you can continue creating long after your adventure
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£180 for 2 people, includes packed lunches
FAMILY FIRE DAY (Group)
It is a primeval need within all of us, to connect around a fire, sharing stories and skills. This day activity is focused on that shared community experience, deep bonding, and helps you all to reconnect as a group. Whether you're a family, a group of friends, or work colleagues.
Your day will be bespoke to your group, Neil and Jayne will tailor the day based on your phone consultation. Here's a sample itinerary:
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- Woodland walk
- Make a delicious foraged tea
- Identify, collect and process firewood
- Learn fire starting skills using a variety of hand made tools from materials you find around you, striker, flint and steel, bowdrill and tinder types
- Knife, axe and saw skills & make a mallet
- Enjoy hot chocolate, marshmallows and other indulgent goodies around the fire
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There will be plenty of time to spend enjoying each others company around the fire and maybe a Celtic fire story or two
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£300 for up to 8 people (option to add packed lunches for adn cost)