Oak to Burn

The old mill just down the hill is only just useable as an occasional classroom for children visiting the local caves. The insides have the original dirt floors, and although the roof is in good shape, it was noticed recently that some internal beams were hanging by a thread, and had to be taken out before they fell on someone.





Back view of the mill










Now these are 200-year-old oak. OK, a bit rotten, some woodworm, but dry as a bone, so i asked if I could have them for my wood-burning stove, rather than let them be burned on a bonfire and waste all that heat. So Jean-Claude came round with a load of them on his trailer, and left them in my courtyard.







A trailer-load of oak to cut, chop and burn









An afternoon with an electric saw and log-splitter later, and I have a small pile of wonderful, solid oak, firewood. It burns a treat, and is keeping my house lovely and warm!





A view of the mill weir, taken last summer, just because it's pretty!