A few days before the workshop the country was sweltering under the heat dome. No such concerns bothered our hardy group who made our way across the tussocks in drizzle to our fallen-down stretch of wall. We were a mile or so east of Bowes with our seasoned guide, Adam.
After a little instruction and encouragement, we set to work. There was a 3-metre broken section surrounded by a variety of stones of different shapes and sizes. All wet.
The walls are slightly triangular, with a wide base and a pointed top. They are built with sturdy outer walls with the gap filled with small stones. Gaps are a bad thing.
Adam scrutinised our efforts and repositioned a few stones. The wind and rain progressively increased.
DEFRA pays farmers around £32 a metre for dry stone wall maintenance. Adam can repair 8-10 metres on a good day. We managed two metres and reckoned they looked reasonably good. Adam told us that he would dismantle it all once we had departed.
Nonetheless it was a rare and enjoyable experience. Credit goes to the workshop participants for a demonstration of u3a stoicism.