Here's a picture of one of them, half-way though the holly clearance: ![]() So, this question: John said that he has been asked to renovate a couple of very old coppiced Hazels, which were choked with holly at the base, and are very congested. You are probably also familiar with pollarded street trees: this is just coppicing at a higher point above the ground. In fact, the very name "copse" means an area of coppiced woodland. You can see them everywhere: next time you are out for a walk, or visiting a stately home, look at any areas of woodland that you pass, and check out the trunks: are they all one-trunk-per-tree? Or do some of the trees appear to have multiple stems, all sprouting from the ground? These are the remains of old coppicing. We don't make our own walking sticks, or fences, or hurdles: we don't make our own charcoal, either! So most of the coppiced woodlands have been left to return to the wild, over the last 50 years or more. This is usually seen on trees such as Hazel, Willow and Sweet Chestnut, but is also used for Oak, Lime, Alder: depending on what the trees were to be used for.Īlas, these days we don't need much coppiced wood: we don't burn faggots (bundles) of thin wood, we buy in seasoned and chopped hardwood. When they are big enough, they are all cut off at the same time, and the cycle repeats. These new shoots will all be pretty much the same size as each other: so instead of one big central trunk with a lot of smaller, wiggly side branches, you get a whole bunch of same-sized shoots, and because they are crowded together, they fight for the light, which means they grow up vertically, nice and straight. It involves repeatedly chopping a young tree down to - usually - ankle height, which prompts it to send up new shoots from the chopped base. Now, before we get on to what to do with it, a quick reminder about coppicing: time out of mind, it was a way of managing woodlands, in order to produce useable materials for fencing, furniture, firewood and fodder - all sorts of things. For information on how to measure your stick, we recommend reading our article on How to Measure Your Walking Stick for a Ferrule.Last week, I received a question: what to do with an enormously overgrown old Hazel coppice. As this is a natural product, we recommend measuring the end of your stick to determine which size is right for your stick. Yes, if your ferrule becomes worn, you can remove the fitted ferrule and replace it with a new one. Please note that due to the natural sourcing and manufacturing process the length of the walking stick may vary slightly from product to product. With its modest design, comfortable handle and metal ferrule that provides a safe grip when you are making your way through mud, stinging nettles and brambles, the Hazel Coppice Knobstick is your perfect country walking stick. In the British countryside, a rustic walking stick is an indispensable accessory, carried by people of all ages. A good knobstick fits comfortably into the palm of the hand. The ‘knob’ handle is formed from the parent tree, so that the walking stick is in effect grown upside down. The original tree is cutback, and the resultant shoots form the raw material for walking sticks. The KnobstickĪ traditional British walking stick, the knobstick is made from coppiced wood, usually ash, hazel or blackthorn. The shaft features the naturally rough hazel bark, while the handle is polished for a more comfortable feel. This wonderfully rustic country walking stick is made using the coppicing method, which means the entire stick is actually just a small tree that is cut to desired length. Extremely practical, durable and uniquely attractive, this country stick makes a great present for birthdays, Christmas and even Father's Day. Natural knobsticks are hard to produce and not easy to come by, which is why this perfectly shaped Hazel Coppice Knobstick Country Walking Stick is quite the find. Hazel Coppice Knobstick Country Walking Stick
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