Episode

Barney Murray on the wibbly tightness, brutal conditions and surprisingly young demographic of drystone walling

Podcast
A Life More Wild
Published
Apr 15, 2026
Duration seconds
1283
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Canonical source
https://www.canopyandstars.co.uk/a-life-more-wild-podcast/series-six/
Audio
https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESL7554598301.mp3
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Markdown
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Summary

Barney Murray was in his late teens, studying art and hating it. He took a casual labouring job with a couple of guys who ran a drystone walling company. He never looked back. Nine years later and now a certified Master Craftsman, he loves working out in the fields, even when the weather is at its most challenging. Join him as he works to patch a gap in the wall of a sheep field, a more technical process than you might think. As he builds “skins”, packs the centre and lays coping stones, he talks about finding himself already a veteran builder as a young wave of wallers emerges, brutal weather, wildlife habitats, and how he can read the walls like handwriting. A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock. Our theme music is by Billie Marten.