Dry Stone Walling

Dry Stone Wall

Some of the walls in the National Park are more than two hundred years old. They provide shelter for livestock and are a linear nature reserve for many wild creatures and plants.

Nooks and crannies between the stones offer hideaways and homes for insects and small mammals, while birds will nest in them and even bats if they can find a suitable slit in a higher wall. Lichens, mosses, ferns and many attractive plants colonise stone walls.

Many dry stone walls are in urgent need of repair. Skilled dry stone wallers are in short supply and their traditional skills are highly valued. It is hard work - every metre rebuilt involves handling about two tonnes of stone!