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Since I moved up to the Yorkshire Dales, the drystone walls that crisscross the valley pastures and fell tops have become an ever-present feature of my new northern life. Many of these beautiful walls are hundreds of years old and have borne the brunt of the worst the northern weather can throw at them. They are thus often in need of repair. This is no simple task. It calls for a certain kind of laborer: one who is well-versed in age-old practical knowledge and whose tactile instincts have become so well trained that he knows exactly what shape and size of rock is required to complete the three-dimensional puzzle confronting him.

Many traditional crafts have been lost and more are threatened, but we can learn to value them again.