Sylvankin Avis 

Excellent experience on the weekend bow making course.
Alex is a great teacher. Knowledgeable and patient.

I made a significant mistake early in the process and he found a solution to save it. While that did mean I didn't quite end up with the bow I was hoping for, I still left with a working bow that I am very happy with and looking forward to shooting.

The location is perfect for the activity, and I was a big fan of their philosophy and approach. Both Alex and Frank are very passionate about what they do and it shows.

I was solo, but it was a good group of people also on the course so the atmosphere was really nice. Lots of mutual support and encouragement.
Decent stew too!

myself my wife and our boy made bows this weekend. we camped in the woods from friday to monday, it made the experience even better. communication was great and quick right from go. we was met by alex at the gate who showed us through the woods to site. right from the start you could see the passion that alex and frank had for their craft. very basic on site perfect for the craft ,but had everything you need, loved the loo with a view. both very hands on with helping , great explanation of what was needed. lots of help where needed to get you going. the food was something else, didnt need seconds. wont say to much as dont want to spoil the experience, but we both loved making the bows and would highly recommend to others. doing the course and camping made it so much better with a fire pit in the evening. you are by yourself unless others are staying. we loved it and our little boy (sausage dog) was welcomed as part of the group.
its great that young people are keeping the old crafts alive. check there site as they do lots of other skills.

Brilliant weekend of Bow Making. Alex and Frank were great, helpful and easy going. Always ready to give simple to understand guidance when needed. They take you from a bit of wood, to a long stick, to a functional bow with a string you made yourself; or in my case a string made 60% by me since my brain could not follow simple instruction everyone else got 1st time, sorry Alex. The weekend is well paced with a lovely homemade lunch thrown in, so although irs occasionally hard work, it's always enjoyable. Highly recommended 👌🏻

I had a brilliant time, they were extremely good at coaching and did not over control you. They are always their to help and step in onley when you want it, they are not demanding and are understanding.

A great weekend! From a piece of timber, we crafted our own, working, 40 pound draw weight long bow.

My 11 year old son had a fantastic time, and is very proud of his creation, and has been playing with his new bow every opportunity he has.

There is no doubt in my mind that bow making is an art, and Alex, is very much an artist.

If you are considering a weekend here, please don't hesitate, you won't be dissapointed.

I normally don't review courses but I thoroughly enjoyed my time learning flat bow making with Alex and Frank in the woods. They explain the process in simple straightforward steps and have the patience and experience to respond when things don't go as you expect. Even with the rainy weather everyone had fun and took home basic functioning bows. THANK YOU

Very well run long bow course in a great setting, every step of the process was explained in detail with help to keep you on the right track. Very relaxed setup I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in making a longbow.

Attended with my Dad for the 2 day long bow course as a birthday gift for him. The setting is perfect for the tasks; tools and materials all provided and well maintained.
Instructors were skilled and very helpful.
A great group of people and really fun.
Look forward to the knife course I’ve booked into next.

We did the Axe forging course It was a great two days. Well facilitated. Fully hands on. It will be all your own work with as much or as little support as you wish for. I found it rewarding and a ‘different’ weekend to most of the things one can do.

Peaceful off grid surroundings. Very knowledgeable and friendly people.

A group of us from The Historical Living Company have just spent the weekend at Sylvankin's 2-day axe making workshop, and we had a brilliant time! Frank and Alex expertly guided us through the processes of forging and tempering the axe heads and fitting the handles, so that by the end of the two days we each had made our own functional axes. The woodland location was lovely, with lunch being a very tasty chicken stew cooked over an open fire (vegetarian option available). I found the weekend highly enjoyable, the lads were friendly, encouraging and knowledgeable, and I highly recommend the course. Would love to do another one with them!

Where do I start, from the moment I arrived at the site entrance I knew I was going to have a great experience. Alex and Frank were very welcoming and I like their backwoods approach of simplicity. Every thing we were going to do was explained very clearly and most importantly the safety aspects to be observed (I spent 20+ years as a freelance HSE instructor). The guys explained and demonstrated every thing very clearly inspiring confidence in us/me when we did our own stuff. I leaned so much especially the forging with Frank so much so I am now considering buying a new forge. Over the years I have fitted many a shaft to hammers from tiny hammers to sledge hammers and all in between as well as all sizes of axes. The way Alex showed us made me understand why I always struggle getting them tight on the shafts.
To sum up my experience I loved it and well worth the cost, would recommend it to every one if you have the opportunity take it you will not be dissappointed.

Friendly instructors with a wealth of knowledge and a natural ability to pass that on to people of all ages and abilities.
The weekend was hard work but great fun and something i would highly recommend.

There were very helpful staffers that both allowed us to make a bow to the specification that I wanted but also taught around the subject giving a brilliant in depth experience. Will be returning if their arrow crafting course gets put up

I had a great time this weekend forging an axe, from start to finish the Sylvankin team were brilliant, a really friendly relaxed experience, a great change of pace which I needed. They made it easy to follow for anyone from semi competent to the complete beginner, the option to camp out on the Saturday night was also great completing a really enjoyable time despite the weather. I look forward to taking part in future activities, highly recommended.

Had a great time forging an axe head and then carving the handle for it to go on. Was well looked after by the guys running the course and excellent hearty stew for lunch. Highly recommended and came away having learned alot.

January 25 I booked a place on their bow making course and was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately on the day there was heavy snowfall and the police were advising that only essential journeys should be made! Because I live 20 miles away from the site I couldn't risk the journey . Because they said the course had gone ahead they could give no refund. I was offered a rescheduled place at a further cost. After some negotiation I was offered a place on an instructor course which I accepted. I am still waiting to hear back when this will be one year later.

The whole experience from start to finish was great at Sylvankin. Really personable and friendly.
Alex and Frank really looked after everyone and made sure we were all getting what was going on and answered loads of questions to keep us all on track.
the end bow for everyone looked class and everyone got to shoot a few arrows with them... all in all a great two days.
I even got to camp on site as part of it and enjoy the peaceful forest with no ones else around in the evening.
10/10 would do again.

Superb quality course. Incredible depth of knowledge from both Alex and Frank. Not only did I learn how to make an excellent flat bow but these two guys even gave me tips for how to disseminate these skills to a class of year tens. Considering they feed and water you, impart their knowledge and experience, as well as walking away with a decent bow, I’d say it is well worth the money. Hopefully catch you again gents.

I attended the Sylvankin axe-forging workshop last weekend and it was absolutely fantastic. Alex and Frank, who led the session, were incredible — knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely passionate about their craft. They created such a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, making the whole experience both accessible and inspiring.

Their guidance was spot-on throughout, balancing safety with the freedom to really get stuck into the process. I learned so much, had a great laugh, and came away with something I’m genuinely proud of. You can tell they care deeply about what they do, and that energy is infectious.

If you’ve ever been curious about blacksmithing, or just want a memorable day doing something completely different, I can’t recommend this workshop enough. Huge thanks to Alex and Frank for an unforgettable experience. I’ll definitely be back!