Strangford Lough · Co. Down · Northern Ireland
A one-day introduction to traditional dry stone walling, taught on a private island — by a master craftsman with over 30 years building with Irish stone.
What Awaits You
Spend a full day on a private island on the shores of Strangford Lough — one of Ireland's most breathtaking landscapes — learning the ancient art of dry stone walling from a master craftsman with over 30 years of professional experience.
Hands-on skills
Taught in person by an accredited stonemason and heritage contractor — the real thing, not a YouTube tutorial.
Connect with nature
Working outdoors on the water's edge in one of the world's most stunning areas of outstanding natural beauty.
Great company
Share the day with a small group of like-minded people. The conversations are half the experience.
Mind & body reset
There's something about working with your hands outdoors that clears the head and strengthens the body.
Give something back
Repair and restore ancient stone structures, returning something real to this remarkable landscape.
Real satisfaction
The kind you only get from an honest day's work and something solid you built with your own hands.
The Setting
Strangford Lough is one of Ireland's most significant marine landscapes — a tidal sea lough covering 150 square kilometres, bounded by ancient stone walls that have stood for centuries.
You'll spend the day working with real stone, on real walls, in a landscape that shaped the very tradition you're learning. Just you, the stone, the water, and someone who knows how to read both.
Access
Walk-on via private causeway
Stone
Authentic Irish fieldstone
Walls
Acres of heritage walling to restore
Included
Lunch & refreshments all day
The Day
Morning · 9:00
Reading Stone
Learn to see stone the way a mason does — weight, grain, face, and fit. How to select and move material before a single stone is laid.
Late Morning · 10:30
Foundation & Structure
The principles of dry stone construction: hearting, throughstones, batter, and tie. Understand why walls built 200 years ago still stand.
Afternoon · 13:30
Your Own Section
Take ownership of your own stretch of wall. Build from the ground up, guided at every stage.
Close · 16:30
Finishing & Coping
The coping stones that crown the wall — their placement and the details that separate craft from labour.
30+
Years building with stone
HC
Accredited Heritage Contractor
Co. Down
Based locally, works regionally
Your Instructor
A professional stonemason and accredited heritage contractor based in Co. Down, with over thirty years of experience working on traditional and historic structures across Ireland and beyond.
This is not a hobby course run by an enthusiast. The techniques you'll learn are the same ones used on protected heritage buildings — correct, durable, and rooted in a tradition that goes back centuries.
Book Your Place
All bookings include tools, safety equipment, lunch and refreshments, and a certificate of completion.
Prefer to talk? Call 07799 147988 or email ferglr22@gmail.com