Sylvankin Reviews 

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!

I booked this for my partner and was watching, it was an absolute amazing experiance to be apart of and even being a bystander, i learnt so much and enjoyed my time with the team. ❤️ would highly reccomened!

Came to celebrate my nieces graduation Plifford made it memorable & the food was amazing x

I payed for my fiancé to do the 2 day axe forging as a Christmas present and what a fantastic weekend we had, I wasn't part of the course but came along to accompany my partner, he had a blast Frank and Alex we're so friendly, accommodating and really knowledgeable and so easy to talk to, I was sat most of the day enjoying the warm fire, chatting with Frank and Alex and the other members of the group, I was made to feel very welcome by everyone, it was a lovely step back into nature it was so peaceful there, my partner truly enjoyed himself during both days he's had a really sense of achievement and is so proud of his creation, lots of ideas flowing around what he'd like to try next, I now need to buy a fire pit and a cast iron pot because that stew was the best, well definitely be back for another go plus to try some of the other activities to, thank you guys for a great weekend

Excellent weekend in the forest learning how to craft a flat bow, lead by extremely accomodating, paitent and, knowlegable hosts, willing to go above and beyond.

A magical time in the woodlands summoning bows from blocky bits of wood! Alex quietly magicked up a marvellous stew while we were all deeply focused on measuring and shaping our weapons, but was always on hand to guide and direct through the subtleties of his instruction. Good course, great teaching and I really enjoyed two days amongst the trees with an interesting set of people I would be unlikely to run into in any other part of my life. A really fab weekend all round - thank you so much!

Recently went on a 2-day bow making course, whilst choosing to camp on-site for the duration. Alex who ran the course provided well structured instruction of techniques to craft our bows, clearly from experience not textbooks, creating a great atmosphere in the workshop.
Frank led me from the main road to the site late on Friday evening, even though it was raining heavily he still gave a proper walk-around to show me the site. The woodland is perfect for back-to-basics camping, a no frills little patch of the wild close to home.
I’m already hunting down decent timber to craft my next bow, and plan to return to experience some more courses here, thanks guys!

I spent the weekend making a longbow. It’s the first time I’ve done anything like this and with good advice from Alex throughout the weekend I came away with a usable longbow with a respectable 44 pound draw weight.
It’s quite physically demanding but well worth the effort.
I would highly recommend this activity.

Had an amazing weekend bow crafting. Genuinely feel like I've come away with the skills to do it again in my own time, and had enough fun I'm definitely going to try!

Both Alex and Frank were so friendly, taking time to make sure we understand what we were doing and helping when needed.

They also go the extra mile, staying behind on Sunday in pitch black darkness to help jack up our car and fix a problem we had from bumping the woodland trail.

Can't forget the shout out for Alex's Stew, amazing lunch for both days.

Overall had a really enjoyable weekend, would definitely go back for the longbow workshop, or maybe a shield or axe.

What can I say, Alex and Frank were excellent tutors.
From the first minute to the last nothing was to much trouble to them.
Their knowledge was very easily passed on to us students.
We all had a good laugh at the same time as learning a very challenging skill. I personally will be very confident in bow making going forward.
Last but not least, the stew was excellent.

Thank you Alex and Frank 👍

We had such a great weekend at the axe forging workshop. It was hard work, but immensely satisfying to hold this tool we had made from scratch. We learned different techniques and skills throughout the weekend, and Frank was great at giving support when needed without being overbearing. I was worried about safety considering the tools and the forge, but it was so well-managed that there were no issues at all. The best part is that my son and I did it together. It was brilliant working together and trading off jobs and making choices about the shape of the axe head and the wood we wanted to use. It's going to be a very special memory for a long time. The campfire stew was greatly appreciated as well!

Myself and a friend attended the axe making course. It was fantastic. Really enjoyed it. Frank was very welcoming when we got there.
Frank did the demonstration on how to forge the axe head which was very good and his knowledge is very evident. We camped out in the woods on the saturday night and had a blast with a few of the other participants. Ive ended up with an axe i can take home, be proud of learning a new skill and i can use.
Cheers frank

I’ve been a woodworker since secondary school and have maintained an enthusiasm for it all that time. However I have not had the opportunity to create something out of wood by a process close to sculpture before. Here on the brilliant Sylvakin course, led by two excellent teachers, I had the chance to develop new woodcraft skills in the process of ‘carving’ a long bow from a caulk of ash timber. The start of the process was using an axe to remove the excess wood before seeking the defined shape of a longbow using drawknives and spokeshaves. With the help and guidance of the Sylvakin staff, Alex and Frank, I was able to come away with a very reasonable longbow which I am sure will shoot well and true.
Overall the course was a great success, in a beautiful woodland setting and in the company of friendly fellow students. I enjoyed the experience immensely and learned much. Well done Sylvakin.

Had an absolute fantastic weekend and came away with a cracking long bow which is really nice and smooth to shoot.
Big shout out to Alex and Frank who where brilliant. They both gave very good guidance and help in making the longbow which has given me lots of confidence in making my own bows in the future.
Met some really nice folks doing the
course.
I've been an archer for about 15 years and wanted to do a course like this for a long time. So glad I finally did it.
The whole experience was well above what I expected.

Well done lads and big thank-you for the experience.
Not forgetting the chicken stew cooked on the camp fire. It was lovely.

And what a fantastic setting.