This course gives you a practical grounding in reading the landscape.

"The ability to read the landscape is like moving from black and white to colour." - Ben Law, woodsman and builder of the famous woodland house.

It helps you to understand what makes a particular landscape the way it is, how it works and how it changes through time. It can make a walk in the country much more enjoyable and full of meaning. It's also a vital part of the permaculture design tool kit: observing and understanding what's already there is the essential first step towards designing new landscapes.

So you can take this weekend course either as part of your permaculture education or just for the sheer fun of it. No previous experience is necessary but experienced people may find it adds a whole new dimension to their understanding of the land.

Subjects covered include:

• how to identify native trees
• what wild plants can tell us about the soil
• what we can learn from the shapes of trees
• identifying the signs of wild animals
• different kinds of landscape: farmland, woodland, moorland, and urban
• how landscapes change through natural succession
• the history of the landscape

We use the countryside around Ragmans Lane as an outdoor classroom, observing and experiencing the landscape at first hand. In addition there are numerous slide shows illustrating landscapes found in other parts of the country. At the end of the weekend you should be able to start reading the landscape around your home with a new depth of understanding.

Tutor
This course is taught by Patrick Whitefield.

Venue
Ragmans Lane Farm is situated in an area not only of great beauty but of great landscape variety. It lies in the Wye Valley, just on the edge of the Forest of Dean. This is a landscape of hills and valleys, woods and grassland, orchards and hedges, rivers and ponds. It’s an ideal place for landscape reading and was the inspiration for several of the case studies in Patrick’s book, The Living Landscape.

Accommodation

This is in the bunkhouse, a converted stone barn with many ecological features. Accommodation is basic and there are no individual or double rooms, but if you want privacy you are welcome to camp.

The camping site, with beautiful views of the local landscape, is right beside the bunkhouse. Campers have full use of the bunkhouse facilities and there is no reduction in charge for camping.

Full vegetarian board is provided and the great majority of the food is organic.

Fees

The charge, inclusive of tuition, board and lodging is £225.
Please make cheques payable to P&C Whitefield.

We’re able to offer a few concessionary places to people on low incomes. We don't have a regular rate but discuss it with each person as an individual. If you would like to apply for one of these please write to us with an account of your circumstances. We have never yet turned anyone away for lack of money.

An initial payment of £100 is due on booking and the balance of £125 is due six weeks before the course starts. If you book within six weeks of the course starting the full fee is due on booking. Payments are non-returnable unless we're able to fill your place.