Our Work on Woodland - More Information

Charcoal burning

Zoe Bromley

We went to Lancaster the first thing we did when we got there was learning about the safety rules and then we went putting soil in a wheelbarrow. The soil was used for around the drum used to make charcoal. We put some wood in the oil drum and left it burning for 4 hours and when the fire changed colour we had to put a top over it to keep the air out of it.

On the Sunday I was really happy to come home to go back to my mum, dad and sister. I know it was only two days but it felt like a lifetime, I loved the experience but I wouldn’t do it for a living as it was really hard work. We had a really good time down in the woods.

Natasha Waugh

We went to Lancaster and we needed to learn how to make charcoal so we got two oil drums and filled the gaps in the bottom with soil which we collected from the top of mole hills so that they were air tight. We used this soil because it was loose and soft and easy to gather.

Then we put a big log in the drum because after we removed it there would be space for a chimney, the empty space was filled with tiny pieces of chopped up wood. We carefully removed the big log and we set a tissue on fire using a flint and dropped it in the bottom of the drum. The smoke was thick and grey (and I was choaking!)

If people lived and worked in 7 acres they would have to make their own furniture such as shelters and stools but before they could do that they would have had to chop down the trees and cut them up.

On our trip we made our own stools in the same way woodlanders would of done at Seven Acres using the same sort of hand tools the woodlanders would of used to saw the trees using a two handled saw. Next step we used an axe to chop the log in half, one half for the seat and the other we chopped in four for the legs and shaved the legs using a draw knife.

Then we used a special tool so that the tops of the legs were small enough to fit tightly into the holes we made in the seat with a tool like a giant corkscrew. It took about 5 hours from start to finish so think how long it would take to make the basic items of a home for a woodlander.

We also made a shelter out of trees and thin branches. It had to be strong enough to not blow away or let the rain in and we had to use leaves and plants to cover the gaps in the shelter.

Life at 7 acres must have been hard because you would have to make a fire every night, or any other time you need a fire and for that you would have to find fire wood and saw it and chop it into little pieces.

I was really relieved to get home to my tv and laptop and instead of giving my mum and dad and brother a hug I gave my tv and laptop one instead!