We were pleased to have Andy Loudon come to chat with all the eighteen of us last night at our hotel about his work as a professional dry stone waller. He was one of the four skilled wallers who worked on the Andy Goldsworthy touchstone fold installation which Gavin had taken us all to see that day at Tilberthwaite. ( a structure I have previously described on a blog posting back when we visited the Lake District last year - Handy Goldsworthys ) He explained how the slate circles had been scribed using a fence post secured horizontally through the middle of wall and a string tied to the end.
Andrew also described how he had come to do the major restoration work on the Monk Coniston Garden another amazing bit of dry stone walling we had been taken to see on our hike.
There was a lively question and answer period afterwards where various styles of walling and dyking were evaluated and the elements of good dry stone construction were discussed.
Andy and garden designer Janine Crimmins have been quite busy this weekend at the Holker Garden Show where they created an award winning display. They won the Large Gold medal.
Before driving all the way back down here to speak to us, Andy and Janine had been at the show all day and then had driven up to Newcastle to buy an engagement ring.
Congratulations Andy and Janine, and thank you for coming to talk to us, even though you had such an important previous engagement.
