Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to lay a hedge
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Laying a hedge means cutting part-way through each stem and bending it over so the hedge keeps growing and thickens into a stock-proof barrier, one that holds in cattle and sheep. The National Hedgelaying Society describes 11 regional styles, and beginners' courses run through the winter months.
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Styles, season and tools
The National Hedgelaying Society describes 11 regional styles, from Cheshire and Derbyshire to Devon and the Welsh border. A Midland hedge is a single-brush hedge, with brushy growth cut from one side, built to stand up to cattle and horses and finished at about 135cm (4ft 5in). A South of England hedge keeps brush on both sides, with one line of stakes down the middle and long hazel binders woven along the top.
Peter Gibson, a hedgelaying champion interviewed by Country Life, describes it as an autumn and winter activity. In England, hedgerows covered by the government's hedgerow rules must not be cut or trimmed from 1 March to 31 August, though hedge-laying and coppicing are allowed until 30 April.
The main tool is a billhook, used with a mallet to drive stakes. The Sustainability Centre's course also uses broad axes and hand saws, and Gibson says thorny hedges may call for eye protection.
Where beginners learn
| Where | Course | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| CAFRE, Greenmount Campus, County Antrim | One day; demonstration, then lay your own section; tools and safety kit provided; 2026/27 dates to be arranged | Free |
| The Sustainability Centre, Hampshire | One day, 18 February 2027; South of England style with billhooks, axes and hand saws | £125 |
| Andover College, Hampshire | Two days, 13 to 14 or 27 to 28 February 2027; South of England style with hand tools | £235 |
| Monkton Wyld Court | Weekend residential in the west-country style, Dorset (past listing, 13 to 15 November 2026) | £244 with rooms and meals; £154 without rooms |
We could not find a beginners' course in the US, so this page lists UK courses only.
How to start
- Book a one-day or weekend beginners' course between November and April: an agricultural or further-education college, a wildlife trust or a rural skills centre.
- Or join a conservation volunteer group on a hedgelaying day. Some, such as Wirral Countryside Volunteers, lend tools and protective kit to novices.
- Take thick trousers, work gloves, sturdy boots, a hat and a packed lunch, and ask whether tools and safety goggles are provided.
Where to go
- Andover College: Hedge Laying (two-day course)
- The Sustainability Centre, Hampshire: Hedgelaying Course
- CAFRE, Greenmount Campus, Northern Ireland: Hedge Laying
- National Hedgelaying Society: Introduction to Hedgelaying training course
We opened these links on 14 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
When is the hedge laying season?
Autumn and winter. In England, hedgerows covered by the government's rules can be laid until 30 April; one Yorkshire trainer quoted by Country Life runs training days from November to April.
What tools do you need for hedge laying?
Country Life describes laying with a billhook and a mallet. The Sustainability Centre's course uses billhooks, broad axes and hand saws, and asks you to bring a bowsaw, loppers, billhooks and goggles if you have them.
Is there a hedgelaying qualification?
There is no national qualification, according to Country Life. The National Hedgelaying Society runs an introductory course with an optional assessment and certificate, and a Bronze accreditation after that.
What is the difference between Midland and South of England hedge laying?
A Midland hedge has brush on one side only and stakes set behind the line of stems; a South of England hedge keeps brush on both sides, with one line of stakes down the middle.
Where this comes from: National Hedgelaying Society, Hedgelaying Styles; National Hedgelaying Society, Introduction to Hedgelaying Training Course and Assessment; GOV.UK, Hedgerow management rules: cutting and trimming; Country Life, Hedgelaying: getting started; Countryfile, The ancient art of hedgelaying; Andover College, Hedge Laying; The Sustainability Centre, Hedgelaying Course, 18th February 2027; CAFRE, Hedge Laying; Monkton Wyld Court, Hedge Laying Course; Wirral Countryside Volunteers, Hedgelaying - Hedge 21 at Landican. Opened 14 November 2026.
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