40 Recreational courses in Whitstable

An introduction course is a great way to learn about the amazing craft of blacksmithing, the course will teach you the basics of forging and making decorative work for your home and you will have something you have made to take home with you and enjoy.  On the course we will make a twisted and scrolled fire poker and a hook to hang it, if we have time we may also make another small item such as a bottle opener or key ring Courses are £150 Per person per day  I run a strict cancellation policy. If you cannot attend the date you have booked please contact me within three weeks and I will rebook your course for free, If you contact me after this deadline you will lose your place. Refunds are not available. No under 18s  If you have a physical gift voucher it must be presented on the first day of a course. *Gift vouchers are valid for one year from date of purchase

A single day knife making course is a great way to make yourself an item that will last a lifetime, on this one day course we forge a blacksmiths knife (also called a Viking knife) a full metal knife with integral handle. A knife is one of the oldest tools ever made by humanity and it is one that invokes many emotions to people when they see and use it for a productive task. When doing a knife making course here at Bearded Pig Forge we will discuss the fine details of a knife and how they are made as well as the history of forging them.  On the course you will learn the basics of forging a blade and how to effectively heat treat them in order to get the most use out of the blades as well as techniques for sharpening and honing blades. Courses are £150 Per person per day.  I run a strict cancellation policy. If you cannot attend the date you have booked please contact me within three weeks and I will rebook your course for free, If you contact me after this deadline you will lose your place. Refunds are not available. No under 18s  If you have a physical gift voucher it must be presented on the first day of a course.

A two day knife making course is a great way to make yourself an item that will last a lifetime, on this two day course we forge a larger knife with a wooden handle, most students choose to do a kitchen knife but more elaborate bushcraft knives and athames have also been made. A knife is one of the oldest tools ever made by humanity and it is one that invokes many emotions to people when they see and use it for a productive task. When doing a knife making course here at Bearded Pig Forge we will discuss the fine details of a knife and how they are made as well as the history of forging them.  On the course you will learn the basics of forging a blade and how to effectively heat treat them in order to get the most use out of the blades as well as techniques for sharpening and honing blades. Courses are £300 Per person per two days. All courses must be paid for a minimum of 14 days in advance to secure the date.  I run a strict cancellation policy. If you cannot attend the date you have booked please contact me within three weeks and I will rebook your course for free, If you contact me after this deadline you will lose your place. Refunds are not available. No under 18s  If you have a physical gift voucher it must be presented on the first day of a course. *Gift vouchers are valid for one year from date of purchase

An axe making course is a fantastic way to learn about an ancient craft and create a tool that will last a lifetime.  Over this two day course you will learn the basics of forging as well as the more advanced techniques of punching and drifting the axes eye as well as isolating mass and steel movement.  Once the axe is forged as close as possible to shape we will heat treat and talk about the science and workings of why we do this and then its over to the belt grinders to refine a final edge, the last step is to shape the handle and fit it to your axe!  Courses are £320 Per person per two days. All courses must be paid for a minimum of 14 days in advance to secure the date.  I run a strict cancellation policy. If you cannot attend the date you have booked please contact me within three weeks and I will rebook your course for free, If you contact me after this deadline you will lose your place. Refunds are not available. No under 18s  If you have a physical gift voucher it must be presented on the first day of a course. *Gift vouchers are valid for one year from date of purchase

Commission an original, traditional and quirky Portrait in oils, acrylics or digital sketches

Learn the Essentials of Gift Wrapping & have some fun with your team this festive season  What’s included (and how it will help): Step by step tuition covering all the Essential Techniques of gift wrapping so they never need to grab a gift/bottle bag again Practical guidance on tying different styles of Ribbon Bow so they can confidently use them on any gift (and when it’s best to use each one) Learn Pro tips so you feel less overwhelmed & can gift wrap quickly at busy times Plus all materials are provided A class is a great opportunity for team building/bonding so that people get to know each other outside of a work setting and/or meet people in person. It’s an inclusive alternative to a Christmas party (boozy meals/discos aren’t for everyone) and everyone gets to take away a gift at the end of the class. Packages start from £597 for groups of up to 10 people. Dates & times can be booked to suit. Book a call below to discuss your requirements.

A private beginner embroidery workshop from Hoop & Fred tailored just for you!

Fish and small game made up an important part of our hunter gatherer ancestors diet, meaning that hand knitted net making was a crucial skill to master. A net is an openwork fabric in which threads are fused, looped or knotted at their intersections at regular intervals and have long been used for fishing and trapping animals, as hammocks, or simply as a means of carrying things around. So we’ve put together this net making course to show you how to make your own net from entirely natural materials so that you can go away and make your own net for a variety of situations. You’ll start the day by looking at natural cordage as you’ll need cordage to make your net! We’ll discuss various plants and trees that can be used to make cordages, such as nettles, brambles, lime bast and the inner bark of sweet chestnut. With the materials prepared, we’ll show you how to make a simple 2 ply cord and then, How to plait, braid or ply them. From there you’ll move on to net making itself and will cover: The various netting tools available and different materials they can be made from, How to begin a net, How to change the size and shape of your net, How to finish off your net, How to join nets together to make a bigger one. By the end of this net making course you will have the skills and knowledge to make your own nets from scratch, either for fishing or trapping small game, or even to make your very own net bag! Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? We'll supply all tools and materials for the course. We'll make sure the kettle is on the go and supply tea, coffee and biscuits. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Working bone is a skill that was fundamental in our journey towards making evermore effective and reliable tools. Not only that, but making bone tools allowed our hunter gatherer ancestors to share a deeper connection with, and understanding of, the animals that they were so dependent upon. Bone is a versatile material that can be used to make all manner of tools and craft items ranging from simple designs to very intricate. The use of bone allowed us to create more effective clothing utilising tools such as needles and pins. In a recent find, 500,000 year old bone tools were found in Britain, highlighting just how far back in time they stretch. During this one day course you will learn techniques on how to work bone using other natural materials such as flint and abrasive stones, as well as selecting specific bones to create different tools. The day will start by discussing some of the points above and looking at a selection of bone tools such as: Needles, Awls, Harpoons, Spear tips and Arrow heads. After that it will be time for you to warm up those fingers and start shaping some bone! About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? We include all tools, equipment and materials. The kettle is always on for tea and coffee. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

This pole lathing course has been carefully designed for those who would like to develop their craft skills working with traditional, sustainable materials in a stunning ancient woodland location. Don’t worry if you don’t have any previous greenwood working skills, we’ll guide you through the prcocess from start to finish. Whilst we’re certain that you’ll leave us with some great hand crafted items, you’ll also leave us with new found confidence and ability and an appreciation of the wondeful material that wood is. We’ll start the course by showing you how to safely use an axe. We’ll look at selecting your wood, splitting techniques and a variety of methods to cross cut the wood for the raw materials. You will be shown how to cleft greenwood and use an axe, draw knife and a shave horse to shape the wood. You will then get to use a traditional woodland pole lathe where students have turned dibblers, rolling pins, spirtles, honey drizzlers, chair legs and even potato mashers!! All of the materials you use are sustainably sourced from our own woodland in line with our management plan. About us and the venue: Jack Raven Bushcraft was founded in 2011 and we've been delivering bushcraft, craft and foraging courses since then from our 30 acre private ancient woodland on the Kent Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Courses in the summer are held outdoors in our woodland camp complete with covered work areas, an outdoor kitchen and a composting loo. Courses in the winter are held in our workshop in a converted barn. What's included in the price? Turning tools, froes, draw knives, a selection of axes are all provided. Cancellation policy Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts