Tanning & Hidework
Course

Animal Hide Tanning - with Willow Lohr

LOCATION

Aberfeldy

PLACES

12 Total

2026 DATES

26 - 29 November

PRICE

£395 inc. camping

Fully Catered

We have much to thank animals for. They provide us with food for nourishment, bones to make tools with and sinew for thread. But uniquely, animals give us their hides. Animal skins have been used for clothing, shoes, shelter, cordage, containers, boats, backpacks and more.

It is hard to imagine how we could have survived without the gift of animal skins. Everywhere in the world our ancestors developed the skills to turn hides into dresses, trousers, boots, bags, and other essential items. Transforming a hide into strong leather, durable buckskin, or warm fur, has given humans the opportunity to migrate and settle in the most remote places in the world. Being able to make and construct good quality fitted clothing is an ancestral revolution much overlooked. Although we have maintained the skills of tailoring and sewing, we have lost the art of tanning; of preparing and preserving the strongest ‘cloth’ of all.

Preserving and tanning hides is often perceived as a mysterious, difficult, dirty or chemical process. Although there are undeniable stages of hard work and real smells, we will show you that the tanning process itself can be done with natural ingredients and simple tools. You’ll be offered a variety of animal hides to scrape, clean and tan, as well as various tanning methods, so that you can be confident that you can easily continue to tan hides at home.

No previous experience is necessary, but you do need to have a measure of physical fitness to scrape, handle and soften the hides. Please contact us if you are not sure.

This course is led by expert tanner Willow Lohr, one of the UK's most experienced tanners. With years of experience is all aspects of tanning, Willow is the perfect guide to educate you in this ancient skill. Check out Willow's bio here.

Hide Tanning Course Syllabus

The difference between leather, buckskin, fur and rawhide.
Which animals can be tanned successfully.
Storing hides before tanning.
Tools of the trade.
Hygiene, safety and smells.
The difference between oil, brain and bark tanning.
The sequential stages of the tanning process from beginning to end.
How to flesh, scrape, clean, grain and de-hair a hide.
Try out different animals to tan (salmon, deer, fur-bearing animal)
Make your own tanning solution or bark tan baths.
Softening methods and making the skin beautifully pliable.
Where to get/find fresh hides for future home-tanning.
How to skin and butcher a roe deer (the meat will be part of the course catering!)

Hide Tanning Course Information.

This course is run from a spectacular ancient oak wood nestled by the banks of the River Tay close to Aberfeldy in Highland Perthshire, Scotland. The site is quiet and secluded with great camping spots and opportunities to swim in the river. The wood is full of wildlife and we are truly privileged to be able to run our courses from this special site.

Full joining instructions will be sent out in advance of the course.

This site is easily accessible from the A9 and we are only 1.5hrs from both Edinburgh and Glasgow. The closest rail station is at Dunkeld (Birnam). There is a bus service from Dunkeld train station which stops right at the meeting point in Grandtully village or there are several taxi companies in the area who can transfer you from the train station to the course site.

Please contact us if you are unsure about any of the items on the kit list

CLOTHING

Underwear/socks for the duration of the course
2/3 pairs of trousers - ideally robust yet quick drying.
2/3 base layers - t shirts or merino wool
Mid- range layer - light fleece or wool shirt
Warm layer - larger fleece/wool jumper
Waterproof and windproof jacket
Waterproof trousers
Warm hat and gloves
Scarf for colder months
1 pair sturdy waterproof boots
1 pair of camp shoes - old trainers are ideal.

EQUIPMENT

Small day sack (35 litres or so)
Dry bag for waterproofing items for day walks
Tent or Tarp and Hammock
Sleeping pad/mat (closed-cell foam min 15mm, inflatable pads are good but not thick inflatable mattress style beds).
Sleeping bag, 4 season or two lighter bags (People are most often too cold not too hot! Make sure your bag is up to the job!)
Headtorch and spare batteries
Powerbank and phone charging cable
Wash kit, towel and swimming kit for the river (optional!)
Personal medication and small first aid kit
Sun block
Insect repellant - we like Smidge, it works well on our midges
Midge headnet (only in case of infrequent bad evenings) - best are also made by 'Smidge'.
Bowl, plate, mug, knife fork, spoon.
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil

OPTIONAL

Binoculars
camera
Books
Knife - no cutting tools are necessary as we will provide all tools

Travel and arrival - Course meets at 1800 on the first evening and finishes at approx 1600 on the final day. Detailed joining instructions will be sent out to you well in advance of the course commencing. This will include where to meet, parking arrangements and options for public transport. If coming by train, Dunkeld (Birnam) is the closest station. There is a public bus from Dunkeld which stops right at our meeting point or several taxi companies in the area. Due to licensing reasons we are unable to offer a train pick up but we may be able to organise a carpool with another participant if you contact us in advance . ** PLEASE DON'T book public transport or accommodation until 8 weeks before the course start date as this is when we will confirm that the course will go ahead and that we have enough participants (usually minimum of 6)**.
Accommodation - All our courses include an on-site camping option. You will need to provide your own tent/tarp and hammock or other. We may be able to loan you a tent if you are stuck. Camping is wild but there plenty of excellent flat sites at each location. All other facilities are provided including large group areas, a kitchen and a toilet. If you don't want to camp, there is an option at some sites to stay off-site and join the course each day, but you are responsible for travelling in/out of the course site each day. We can suggest off-site options if you contact us well in advance of the course.
Food and Drink - This course is fully catered from the arrival evening (light supper of soup and bread) until lunch the final day. We can cater for most common dietary requirements including vegetarians and pescatarians but we ask people with celiac disease or other dietary requirements to inform us upon booking so we can make sure that we can cater for you. We have an ample drinking water on site. Alcohol is prohibited on all courses except the cooking/food courses.
Weather/conditions. We feel very at home in the outdoors and we will set up a camp that will provide adequate food and shelter to keep you comfortable in all weather. We are in Scotland however and so weather can be changeable and unpredictable! Please make sure you bring suitable clothing as per the kit list and contact us if you are at all unsure about what to bring. Courses will not be cancelled due to bad weather.
Age requirements - 16 - 18 welcome if accompanied by an adult, otherwise 18+.
Fitness/ability - Our courses are not strenuous, but they all require a minimum level of fitness. Aside from some craft courses, most courses involve walks out from camp on woodland paths or over some uneven ground. As a guide, you should therefore be fit and able enough to cope with walks of up to about 3km over this terrain. There will be a walk of around 1.5km from the parking site to base camp, we will however be able to drive your gear in for you so you don't have to carry it. Our courses are also hands-on experiences which are educational and we expect students to get involved and not view the course as a normal holiday or demonstration style event.
Payment - We take a non-refundable deposit upon booking and the full balance is due 8 weeks before the course. If we cancel the course for any reason (unforeseen circumstances or not enough participants) then we will refund 100% back to you. See our full Terms and Conditions.
Insurance - We have comprehensive liability insurance and risk assessments, but we recommend that you have a basic level of insurance which covers yourself and your possessions for adventurous activity - no outdoor activity is free from all risk.
First Aid/Medical - Your course leader will be trained to First Response Emergency Care level 4 (Ambulance ECA) and will carry a comprehensive first aid kit with the group at all times. Please bring with you plenty of any required personal medication.
Toilets/showers - We set up a 'woodland composting toilet' - private tent with toilet seat over a big hole. Its hygienic, pleasant, ecologically sensitive to our special sites and private. We dig a fresh hole for every group. On courses longer than 3 days we also set up an expedition style shower and water can be heated up over the fire.

What happens if I'm late for a course? Please keep us informed on your journey if you are going to be late. We can drive out to meet you at the meeting point later in the evening and bring you into camp but you may have to wait.

Where do I park and is it safe? Parking is safe and private. Full joining instructions will be sent out in advance of the course.

Do you allow dogs? I'm afraid not. In our experience dogs are very hard to manage around food and course activities so unfortunately we have a no dog policy.

Is there phone signal and charging available? There is good signal at most of our locations. We have no onsite power so please bring a powerbank for charging.

Do most people come on their own? Yes they do, and enjoy the welcoming atmosphere and like-minded people. We also have many people that choose to come with a friend or family member who also wants to have an awesome time.

Do I need prior experience? Not at all. Some courses are aimed at a more advanced level but this is made clear in the course description. Most courses cater for all abilities including absolute beginners.

Are there any hazards or risks I should be aware of? There's no such thing as completely risk-free outdoor activities. We have 20 years of experience of bushcraft and running these types of courses so rest assured the risks have been carefully assessed and mitigated as best as is possible. You are in good hands and a full safety brief will be given for all activities. There are ticks present in the woods (like almost all UK woodlands which have a deer population) but you will receive a brief and the risks from Lyme disease are minimal.

Are there midges? Midges are present at our sites but the Aberfeldy area is blessed with a low midge population!! They can be a mild nuisance on still, muggy overcast days from mid-may to late august but are generally not bad and reserved for evenings and mornings.

Can you give advice on accommodation and the local area? Yes of course! We are fortunate to be based in Highland Perthshire, famed for its beauty, history and plethora of outdoor activities to enjoy. We are only happy to advice on other things to do while in the area.

What is your cancellation policy? Full terms and conditions are available here but basically;

You'll get a 100% refund if we cancel the course (almost never for weather, sometimes if there are not enough bookings but 8 weeks in advance of the course)
Your deposit is non-refundable.
If you have to cancel then we will always try to refill the course place, and if we can we will refund you in full.
Full course fee is due 8 weeks before course
- If you cancel more than 4 weeks before the course you are liable for 50% of the course fee.
- If you cancel less than 4 weeks before the course then you are liable for 100% of the course fee
- This is due to the fact that courses involve a large amount of planning and expense in advance.
- Sometimes we can transfer you to another course if there is availability.

Tanning & Hidework Course

Animal Hide Tanning - with Willow Lohr

Hide Tanning Course Syllabus

Hide Tanning Course Information.

Tanning & Hidework
Course