Coracles, Charcoal and Coppice The UK’s Largest Woodland Crafts Display

The UK’s largest display and demonstrations of traditional woodland crafts is coming to Ragley Estate, Alcester, Warwickshire on the 20/21/22 September, as part of APF 2018 the UK’s largest and most exciting forestry, woodland, trees and timber show.

The demonstrations feature rarely seen woodland crafts, many dating back hundreds if not thousands of years, but are still relevant and practised today by a small number of highly skilled craftsmen and women.

Crafts being demonstrated include charcoal burning, coracle making, cane and rush seating, hazel hurdles, polelathe turning, oak swill baskets, wheelwright, willow weaving, Windsor chair making, steam bending scythe handles, besom brooms, dug out canoes, three legged stools, 17th Joinery, green oak building, spoon carving, whistle making, rolling pins, baby’s rattles, cleft gates and saw fettling!    Many of the craftsmen are offering a have-a-go opportunity to try your hand at these skills.   You can get a lesson in pole lathe turning from the current world champion, Peter Wood!   Watch an iron rim being fitted to a wooden cart wheel.

Saturday 22nd at 3pm will see the final of the World Log–to–Leg pole lathe turning championships where eight turners compete head to head in a frenzy of flying wood shavings to turn two Ash logs into two identical chair legs in the shortest possible time using only their leg powered lathes.  The winning time is likely to be less than eight minutes!

The championships are just one of a huge series of events taking place over the three days of APF 2018, other events include the World Poleclimbing Championships, the European  chainsaw carving championships, Stihl Timbersports, the UK forwarder driving championships,  fencing in the 21st Century, extensive woodland craft demonstrations and have-a-go opportunities, horse logging, vintage machinery and 2.5 miles and over £50 million of working forestry machinery.  If you enjoy woodland, trees and timber this is show you must not miss.

For more details contact [email protected] website: www.apfexhibition.co.uk