The Dry Stone Wall Maze is a partnership project between Mark Ellis, who conceived the idea, Friends of Dalby Forest and the Forestry commission. The Maze sits at the heart of Dalby Forest (North Yorkshire, UK). Built by Mark Ellis and other local dry stone wallers, the maze will measure 80 x 80 metres, with walls 2m high and 1m wide at the base. The maze has been aligned with the sunrise on the Summer Solstice. Special stone features traditionally found in field and garden walls across the North Yorkshire Moors and Dales will be incorporated within the walls of the maze, to help or hinder the visitor on their journey to the goal. These will include features such as stone step stiles, squeeze stiles, smout holes, kissing gates, phantom gates and moon gates: a showcase of the waller’s craft.
The Inner Circle of the maze (the goal) is now complete, and foundations set in place for the second of four circular walls.
You can be part of this enormous and exciting project!
- You can buy a stone with yourinitials carved into it, or those of friends or family: for a birthday, wedding or anniversary gift, or to remember someone special. Your purchase supports the construction of the maze.
- Alternatively, donations of all sizes are welcome.
If you want to become more involved and learn how to carve your own initials into a stone, we are holding workshops in 2018, tutored by sculptor Fiona Bowley. See stone initial carving workshop details below.
Once built, you can take up the challenge of finding the centre. Try and explore the many intriguing paths, features, nooks and crannies and see if you can locate your initials.
Some walls carry the initials of the proud waller who built it. His face may have long since been forgotten but his name lives on, neatly carved in the corner of a weathered stone. Time moves on but the wall stands still. These thoughts inspired the ’carve your own initialled stone’ workshop. The Forestry commission and the Friends of Dalby Forest will be running workshops at the maze site starting in spring 2018.
Led by sculptor Fiona Bowley who is a highly skilled letter cutter and stone carver based in North Yorkshire http://www.fionabowley.com you can learn how to carve your own initials in to a stone, and your stone will then be built into the maze wall, leaving your own mark on the maze. Make a booking.
