24th February 2011 bethtilston

Courses

Scythe Courses 2020

This page is managed by Steve Tomlin, SABI Training Coordinator. For enquiries please contact Steve: stevetomlin8@gmail.com

Courses by region

Teachers marked * have attended the Scythe Teachers’ course held at the Somerset Scythe Festival. This 2 day course teaches is taught by Simon Fairlie, Christiane Laganda, Phil Batten and Steve Tomlin. It covers the methods and practicalities of teaching the use of the scythe including a strong emphasis on safety. Attendance on the course does not imply recommendation of a teacher by the Scythe Association.

Somerset Scythe Festival 2020

Scottish Scything Festival 2020


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North England

Steve Tomlin* Manchester stevetomlin8@gmail.com
 SteveTomlinCrafts.co.uk/learn-to-scythe
Practical, fun courses covering all the skills to use and maintain your scythe. I am an internationally respected scythe expert, author of ‘Learn to Scythe’  and sell scythe kits. I can travel to teach you or your group at your venue. Subscribe to my newsletter for more dates.

  • Learn to Scythe 24th July at Slaidburn, Lancashire – full
  • 16th August in N Wales – full
  • 29th August at Sedbergh, Cumbria
  • 4th Sept at Chapel-le-Dale, Yorkshire
  • Peening workshop tbc at Slaidburn, Lancashire
  • Email stevetomlin8@gmail.com  to book
has been teaching and demonstrating scything for over 7 years across the North East as well as training volunteers and staff for National Trust, Borders Forest Trust and Wildlife Trusts nationally. Please contact me directly to arrange your own one to one course or to ask about pre arranged courses as they are organised in 2020.
Jez Hastings* North England  Midlands  Nationaljeremyhastings@me.comwww.jeremyhastings.uk07725041946
All kit provided for courses. Other courses and peening events by arrangement. Scythe kits available to purchase.
  • April/May: The Way of the Scythe – near Leek. Day courses
  • April/May: and all summer through to August The Way of the Scythe,  Bumble Bee Trust  – Peak District Day courses
  • July: Scything and Haymaking –  Isle of Arran 5 days
  • September: The Way of the Scythe and late Haymaking – Kent 7 days

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Wales & Borders

David Kuegler*  Parry’s Meadow, Orcop Hill, Hereford, 
Learn Scythe, Sharpen & Peen, meadow, & mowing around trees. Steve Tomlin’s ‘Learn to Scythe book’, is covered. Home cooked lunch on course (John Letts ‘bread’). Will travel to teach in your Field or Orchard.  1:1 or up to 1:6. Scything equipment provided, Scythe Kits to purchase; made to fit peening pony & meadow products. & new Personal Handmade Snaths. Learn to Scythe @ Orcop Hill, Hereford, Course Dates: (from £60.00, including lunch)
  • April 24th, May  23rd, July 25th, Scything, Sharpening & Peening
  • April – August drop-in evening sessions, Wednesday 5.30-7.30pm
  • August 15th Peening Day & April 1st
  • Augustwww.humberwoodland.co.ukdetails to follow

Simon Cooter* – 01743 792294 orsimon.cooter@naturalengland.org.uk

Site manager for the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve, courses are run from the nature reserve base. The course will include how to set up, sharpen and use the scythe in different conditions, as well as the principles of hay meadow management. Following the course there will be a number of opportunities to come out and practice scything bracken on the nature reserve.

  • Introduction to alpine scything course – Saturday 25th July, 10am-3.30pm £50 including all equipment and refreshments.

Philip Lewis*, Moldphljoinery@googlemail.comInstagram: smithy_farm_
Available to teach individuals or groups in North Wales.

Philip Batten, Dyfed Permaculture Farm Trust, Carmarthenshire
Learn to scythe or improve your skills. Workshops give you – hands on experience; a chance to “try before you buy” or get your own scythe set up well; a visit to a smallholding where the scythe is integral to the management and is used year round in a variety of situations.
  • Introductory Scythe Courses –  Saturday 23rd May, Wednesday 8th June, Saturday 18th July, Sunday 9th August – £70 / £60 (low wage concession) £35 (youth rate)
  • Peening and Sharpening Workshops –  Wednesday 8th April, Saturday 1st August- £60 / £50 (low wage concession)

Andrea Gilpin*, Wild Meadow, Powys hello@wildmeadow.coLearn to scythe or improve your skills in 3 acres of wildflower meadows and orchards with a variety of terrain and vegetation types.Equipment provided. Scythe equipment available to purchase. 1:1 also available.

  • Learn to scythe – beginners – Sun 10th May, Sun 14th June, Frid 28th August, £55
  • Scything for improvers –Friday 10th July (more dates to follow), £55

Visit Wild Meadow for more information.

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South West England

Kevin Austin* Skyegrove Cornwall/SW Devon (07943653825)
kevin@skyegrove.co.uk www.skyegrove.co.uk

Learn to scythe with a relaxed efficient style with the Austrian scythe. Delivering to groups(max 6) or one to one sessions or attend courses below.

  • 16th May
  • 18th July
  • 15th Aug
Andi Rickard* Somersetandirickard@me.com0758 1239453
UK scythe champion 2019. Ladies champion for 9 years. 
Eight years experience teaching scythe skills throughout the South West. 
Course dates and venues booked by arrangement. 
One-to-one sessions, couples or group bookings. 
Go towww.somersetscytheschool.comfor more details and how to apply.

 

Chris Riley* (North Dorset)chris@pratensis.net07719 691312www.pratensis.net
Available for scythe training in the Wessex area, and beyond.
For the following beginners’ courses, see the relevant web sites for info and to book. Scythes available for purchase.

Richard Brown*,  richardjbrown556@gmail.com

  • Practical scything & grassland management. Tuesday 16th June 2020.  near Bath BA1 8AJ. An opportunity to learn to scythe on Emorsgate’s wild flower farm on the edge of the Cotswolds. Mow our restored  flower rich grasslands, surrounded by a patchwork of small fields, orchard, woodland and hedgerows. For details and to book online go here

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South East England

Stephan Gehrels, Brightonadmin@brightonpermaculture.org.uk
Scything Workshop, Stanmer Park, Brighton BN1 9PZ, 23 May, 10:00-17:00, £56-£175 (depending on income).
A practical and theoretical workshop covering the history, use and maintenance of the scythe, enabling the participant to use a scythe competently.  (There is also an option to volunteer the following day.)  For full details and bookings:

Claire Whiteclairewhitegardens@gmail.com,  07899 843 061
I offer demonstrations, individual and group training in Essex and the south east for beginners and improvers.

  • Essex Scythe Weekend 2020 Scythe practice, meadow management and peening, camping available. Booking and more info: chesmcgee@gmail.com

Clive Leeke* Hedgecraft@theoldfarmyard.co.uk http://www.theoldfarmyard.co.uk
I’ve been teaching scything for 9 years, in the South East shires and London, for colleges, local authorities and environmental groups. My courses are for complete novices & improvers, with or without their own scythes, and cover all types of vegetation. I also give one-to-one tuition on your own meadow.

  • Introduction to the Austrian Scythe; The Old Farmyard, Kidmore End, Oxon RG4 9AX; 1st August 2020; price £70, including refreshments; for booking, please contact me on:Hedgecraft@theoldfarmyard.co.uk
Nicole Clough*, Oxfordshirehttps://joyofscything.uk/
I provide training in the use, maintenance and joy of the Austrian scythe.  I run one day courses within Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties, and also offer bespoke sessions.  Places on my one day courses are £70 per person, with an additional cost of £20 if equipment hire is required. 

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East Anglia

Richard Brown*, Kings Lynn, Norfolk. richardjbrown556@gmail.com

Botanist, ecologist and seedsman offers scythe courses and tuition by arrangement.  I can tailor courses for individuals or groups to include practical scythe instruction plus wildflower meadow and grassland management. Visit Emorsgate Seeds website for more details or email me as above.

  • Practical scything & grassland management. Wednesday 01 July 2020. This course will take place on sown wild flower meadows around Emorsgate’s seed farm in Norfolk. book online here

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Scotland

Steve Tomlin*
SteveTomlinCrafts.co.uk  stevetomlin8@gmail.com 
Steve has taught several courses in Scotland, as far north as Caithness. Email to book a group workshop at your own venue and Steve will travel to you which is much more economical. Read about ascythe course near Ellen, Aberdeenshire. 

Rob Brodie, Fife,robmaculture@yahoo.co.uk,
Beginners and Improvers scything workshops suitable for anyone interested in using a scythe to manage green spaces. Please email to arrange a workshop and for more information. Also visit http://quietertimes.org  for more details and to see current workshop dates.

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Ireland

Susanne Raven rowanlily@yahoo.de
http://www.susanneraven.ie/
Susanne is currently the point of contact for Ireland and is trying to set up a scythe network in Ireland, including Northern Ireland. Contact her if you are interested in scythe courses in Ireland.

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Channel Islands

 

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National

If you have a group of friends and your own grass, the following teachers can be booked to come and teach at your own location.

Steve Tomlin* Manchesterstevetomlin8@gmail.com
stevetomlincrafts.co.uk/learn-to-scythe
Courses across the UK for beginners and improvers , run by an internationally respected mower and tutor. I have been teaching since 2010 and am the author of the Learn to Scythe book, the first practical instruction manual for the Austrian scythe.

Chris Riley*chris@pratensis.net07719 691312
Experienced scythe trainer based in north Dorset. I mainly deliver beginners’ courses in the Wessex area, but sometimes it can be feasible to go further afield. Austrian scythes available for purchase. See web site for more informationwww.pratensis.net

Jez Hastings* jeremyhastings@me.comwww.jeremyhastings.uk07725041946
All kit provided for courses. Other courses and peening events by arrangement. Scythe kits available to purchase.

Andrea Gilpin* Powys, hello@wildmeadow.co, www.wildmeadow.co

Courses across England and Wales for beginners and improvers.
I have enjoyed teaching since 2010 and am happy to travel to tutor groups in their own patch. Clients include Wildlife Trusts, The National Trust, RSPB and many community groups

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