Jane and Andy Morton An epic see voyage in kayaks helped raise £8000 for the RNLI and the Merlin MS Centre

This article could be entitled the Adventures of Jane and Andy Morton for they are both modern day adventurers with ecology, sustainability and a lust for life at the heart of everything they do. They have found in each other a kindred spirit, equally at home, on the water or in a beautiful Devon wood.

Jane and Andy were both born and raised in Berkshire. They fittingly met through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme as teenagers and remained close despite Jane embarking on a Modern Foreign Languages degree in Wales followed by a PGCE in Portsmouth, whilst Andy went to College in Falmouth to study Yacht and Boat Building. Andy’s grandfather was a cabinet maker and has been a great inspiration, sharing his tools, knowledge and love of working with wood.

In 2007, having pursued various careers they embarked on their first adventure and got married. They then spent 6 months in New Zealand kayaking, trekking and learning to fly paragliders and hang gliders.  Andy then secured a job with the Tamar Joinery Company in Bere Alston so they moved to Devon and Jane resumed her teaching career.

Adventure called again in 2013 when they spent 5 months together in a double sea kayak paddling around the UK and Ireland covering a distance of 2500 miles.  Paddling an average of 30 miles a day (when the weather allowed), sleeping under canvas or on RNLI station floors. It took a year to plan and they raised over £8000 for the RNLI and the Merlin MS Centre in memory of Jane’s father.

In the summer of 2014 Andy’s dream of owning woodland became reality when they bought Sallerton Wood, near Milton Abbott. With 10 acres of unspoilt but overgrown and unmanaged mixed deciduous wood, it was the perfect site from which to run “green woodwork” courses. They began by clearing and widening the paths and have since added a composting toilet, a large workshop and utility shelter, fitted with a home crafted clay oven and wood-burning rocket stoves. They have also unearthed a natural spring so have fresh running tap water there too.

Jane and Andy, with the help of friends, family and a grant from the Belinda O'Flynn’s Trust are using traditional sustainable methods: coppicing, pollarding and thinning; replanting with native species to allow light to the undergrowth to sensitively manage the wood.  The wood has a mix of habitats with a stream running through and is home to a wealth of flora and fauna. Utilising the woodland timber to make green wood craft products such as spoons, stools and chairs, they now offer a range of courses in traditional woodland craft using hand tools and techniques. They also hope to appeal to youth, school and community groups and have already run woodland conservation workshops for Bere Peninsula residents.

Baby Thomas was born in 2014 and is obviously adventure number four. He is a bonny son who loves the water and the woodland as much as his parents. More adventures will follow I am sure, but for now they are working hard in all of their spare time to make a fantastic, magical place for you to have your own wood crafting adventure!

To contact Jane and Andy you can follow them on Facebook “friends of Sallerton Wood” or visit the website www.sallertonwood.org.uk