A photoshop rendering of how the Pontypool dry stone footbridge will look.
A unique stone arched footbridge (using no mortar or formed concrete or metal beams ) will be constructed by students taking the special 6 day bridge building seminar to be held near Pontypool (near Bowmanville), Ontario the from July 9th to July 14 2018.
A beautiful permanent dry stone bridge with stone post handrails will be built to replace the old wooden bridge situated on this lovely property about an hour northeast of Toronto . It will span nearly 10 feet across a narrow manmade pond and will become the focal point of this spectacular sunken rockery garden.
The course will be held over Monday to Saturday, leaving the Sunday as an option to finish up if there is delay because of weather . It will be taught by John Shaw-Rimmington and one other instructor. Participants will get a unique experience having a full 'hands-on' experience learning to build a traditional Scottish ‘packhorse' bridge with cobbled walking surface.
The course fee is 200 dollars a day and has been deliberately set low to encourage stone enthusiasts, with or without experience, not just professionals. In addition to students having the standard instructional printed material provided for this DSWAC course, registrants attending the Pontypool Mitchell’s Bridge Workshop will get a copy of my recently published book How To Build Dry Stacked Walls and Bridges. If time permits during the build there will be field trip visit to at least one other other dry stone bridge in neighbouring Northumberland County . Lunches will be provided.
All inquiries about attending this course should be directed to mcclaryharris@sympatico.ca or john@dswac,ca This course is limited to 6 students.
