WHERE others dream of building their own home, forestry contractor Mr Jonathan Walker dreamed of building a log cabin - so he travelled to Norway to learn how to build one.

Now Mr Walker, of Kirkby Malzeard, knows how it's done he hopes to continue his newly learned skills and also to pass his knowledge on to others locally.

He went on a basic two-week course at a log building school in Gaudsal, eastern Norway run by an English owner/instructor, Mr George Fuller, a master builder who has lived in Norway for 35 years. Mr Fuller has accepted Mr Walker's invitation to travel to England to run a similar course.

Mr Walker qualified as a forester at Newton Rigg college in 1980 and was lecturing before starting up his own small business as a contractor, trainer and timber processor.

"I am working towards a BSc in forestry by distance learning and plan to study an aspect of log building for my dissertation this next academic year," said Mr Walker.

He worked on the course with four other students from Germany and Southern Norway. On a visit to a log museum he saw buildings, built in untreated timber 500 years ago, which were still in good order.

He hopes the course will go ahead in February at Laverton, seven miles west of Ripon. It will be run with the support of the Yorwoods upland Yorkshire woodland project, based at Aske, near Richmond, which can offer advice on grants and planning permission.

For details, contact Mr Walker on 01765 658258.

Pictured, above, are Mr Walker, second right, and instructor, Mr George Fuller, third right, with other students on the Norwegian course.