Hedge laying in the UK
| country: | Scotland, England, UK |
| price: | From £60 (2 days) - £160 (7 days) excluding flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Hedge laying in the UK
Hedges are an important part of our heritage. Functional and attractive, they define the patchwork landscape of lowland Britain, and provide food and shelter for birds and animals. Some hedgerows are very old, and may provide a genetic link with the past. Thousands of miles of hedgerows have been lost as a result of agricultural change and urban development, and those remaining are often in a poor condition. Laying rejuvenates a hedge by encouraging new growth from the base, while the old stems are woven together to make a stock-proof barrier.
Hedging is a fascinating craft to learn, with its many regional variations of style, and it can be immensely satisfying. Your hard work will leave a lasting impression on the landscape, helping to ensure that future generations can enjoy traditional countryside scenery for many years to come.
These holidays mainly take place in the winter months at some wonderful locations across the UK. Hedge laying techniques vary according to where you are in the country but full training in local practices will be provided - in fact a professional trainer is often on hand to help on many of our hedge laying holidays.
Our conservation holidays take place in some of the most peaceful and spectacular locations in the UK and last between 2 and 7 days in England and Wales or 10 days in Scotland. We even have a 28 day holiday based in the Shetland Isles in Scotland which takes places either in July or August. Our holidays often take place on land owned or managed by other countryside conservation organisations such as the National Trust, National Park Authorities and Wildlife Trusts, and our volunteers' work thus contributes to their management objectives for these sites.
Accommodation
Accommodation varies enormously but falls into three main categories as follows:
Superior - can include field studies centres, cottages or holiday parks. Showers and beds are available and full catering may be provided.
Standard - youth hostel or similar, usually with bunk-bed dormitories, a separate eating area, and showers where indicated.
Simple - village hall, caravan etc, usually consisting of communal area for eating, sleeping and living. Air beds or sleeping mats are usually provided but cooking and washing up facilities are basic and showers may not be available every day.
Leisure activities in your free time
Although your daytime activities will be taken up with conservation tasks, your evenings are free. After dinner, you can either do your own thing or enjoy the company of the other members of your group. On all holidays of one week or longer, you'll have a day off when you can explore the surrounding area. Activities are not organised but there will be plenty of information to help you and the group decide on your activities, which could include visits to local tourist attractions, shopping trips, a day at the seaside, walks, or other outdoor activities e.g. canoeing.
Hedging is a fascinating craft to learn, with its many regional variations of style, and it can be immensely satisfying. Your hard work will leave a lasting impression on the landscape, helping to ensure that future generations can enjoy traditional countryside scenery for many years to come.
These holidays mainly take place in the winter months at some wonderful locations across the UK. Hedge laying techniques vary according to where you are in the country but full training in local practices will be provided - in fact a professional trainer is often on hand to help on many of our hedge laying holidays.
Our conservation holidays take place in some of the most peaceful and spectacular locations in the UK and last between 2 and 7 days in England and Wales or 10 days in Scotland. We even have a 28 day holiday based in the Shetland Isles in Scotland which takes places either in July or August. Our holidays often take place on land owned or managed by other countryside conservation organisations such as the National Trust, National Park Authorities and Wildlife Trusts, and our volunteers' work thus contributes to their management objectives for these sites.
Accommodation
Accommodation varies enormously but falls into three main categories as follows:
Superior - can include field studies centres, cottages or holiday parks. Showers and beds are available and full catering may be provided.
Standard - youth hostel or similar, usually with bunk-bed dormitories, a separate eating area, and showers where indicated.
Simple - village hall, caravan etc, usually consisting of communal area for eating, sleeping and living. Air beds or sleeping mats are usually provided but cooking and washing up facilities are basic and showers may not be available every day.
Leisure activities in your free time
Although your daytime activities will be taken up with conservation tasks, your evenings are free. After dinner, you can either do your own thing or enjoy the company of the other members of your group. On all holidays of one week or longer, you'll have a day off when you can explore the surrounding area. Activities are not organised but there will be plenty of information to help you and the group decide on your activities, which could include visits to local tourist attractions, shopping trips, a day at the seaside, walks, or other outdoor activities e.g. canoeing.
traveller reviews for Hedge laying in the UK
Pleaching my first tree and bending it into the hedge successfully without it breaking off. The best way possible to start a new year. (more)
a day in a life of a volunteer
The normal working day lasts from approximately 9am to 5pm, depending on the weather and how everyone feels. Tea breaks and a picnic lunch are an important part of the day. The day will normally start with a tools talk from the Project Leader and an explanation of what the project entails and why it is being done. You will be shown how to use all tools correctly and safely, and will be briefed on any safety issues specific to the site.
Although practical conservation work is very rewarding, it can be quite physically demanding, so a reasonable level of fitness is required for all our holidays. During the day, however, you will be encouraged to work at your own pace, taking breaks whenever you need them. At the end of the day, you will return to your accommodation for dinner and relaxation. Most holidays are self-catering and everyone is asked to help out with the cooking, cleaning and washing up. Mucking in with these activities is part of the holiday experience!
Although practical conservation work is very rewarding, it can be quite physically demanding, so a reasonable level of fitness is required for all our holidays. During the day, however, you will be encouraged to work at your own pace, taking breaks whenever you need them. At the end of the day, you will return to your accommodation for dinner and relaxation. Most holidays are self-catering and everyone is asked to help out with the cooking, cleaning and washing up. Mucking in with these activities is part of the holiday experience!
how this holiday makes a difference
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Our hedgelaying holidays allow you to play a significant part in protecting our landscape heritage. Today many landowners don't have the resources to look after their hedges properly and so volunteers play an important role in preserving these classic landscape features and in conserving the valuable wildlife habitats that provide food and shelter for birds and animals.
By teaching the craft of hedge laying to participants on our holidays, we are helping to keep alive this ancient countryside skill for future generations. Whatever the activity you choose, you can be sure that your hard work will be contributing to a sustainable future for our planet. Our UK Conservation Holidays offer you a unique opportunity to take part in activities which improve the environment and protect the beautiful landscapes of the UK and their associated wildlife habitats and natural heritage and also leave a worthwhile legacy for future generations. Working with like-minded people in small groups (max: 12) you will share a common goal of ‘getting the job done’ and have fun in the process. Our trained leaders are there to ensure you have a good time, but also to make sure that health and safety rules are followed. In the evenings talks are sometimes held about the site and its importance to the flora and fauna of the area or you could visit a local pub and mix with the locals. If there is a day off, you can visit local attractions thus making sure that local people are benefitting from your visit. We encourage the use of public transport to get to the pick-up point (usually a train station) where a minibus is waiting to take you to the accommodation. Our accommodation is where possible locally owned and run and can vary from a local village hall to youth hostels or barn conversions on working farms. Working closely with local partners and other countryside organisations our work contributes to both local and national objectives for these sites. We work to create a more sustainable future by inspiring people to improve places. We were established in 1959, and have a successful history of environmental conservation volunteering throughout the UK. Through our goals and values we aim to enhance and enrich people’s lives, the communities in which they live and the quality of their environment. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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