During this three-day sheepskin tanning course, you will learn one Scotland’s traditional hide tanning methods to create a wool-on bark-tanned sheepskin. The course is rooted in hands-on craft and takes place within the beautiful mountain landscape of Glen Strathfarrar.
Working slowly and attentively, you will be guided through the core stages of tanning with native tree barks, developing a practical and embodied understanding of this endangered craft. Alongside this, we will offer a simple overview of other tanning methods historically used in Scotland, placing bark tanning within its wider cultural and ancestral context.
Hosted by Bethan Bray and Lisa Krause of Woodland Tannery, in collaboration with The Shieling Collective.
Course Summary
The course will be guided by a deep respect for the animal and the material it provides. With careful guidance from Lisa and Bethan, you will work directly with the hide, developing a relationship with the material and learning to respond to what it needs at each stage.
This slow, tactile process produces a beautiful, practical, and durable material suitable for both indoor and outdoor use - as a rug, a camping mat or for crafting leather garments such as hats or waistcoats.
During the course we provide:
Ethical, locally sourced sheepskins
All tools and materials needed for the process
Practical guidance and shared knowledge
A supportive and inspiring outdoor learning space
Free time in the evenings for rest, exploring the surrounding landscape, or gathering around the fire
What you will learn:
An introduction to traditional Scottish bark tanning methods
How to prepare and flesh a sheepskin for tanning
How tannins work and how to apply them through the ancient ‘rub-on’ method
Oiling and softening techniques
How to read a hide and respond to its changing needs
This course is for you if:
You are drawn to traditional, land-based skills
You want to work slowly, carefully, and respectfully with animal materials
You want to leave with a deeper connection to craft, material, and place.
You enjoy hands-on, physical learning
You’re interested in meeting a community of like-minded folk
You’re looking for a more gentle approach to hide tanning, and one that is less physically intensive than other methods