Woodturning Courses Near Berkshire

As a professional turner, I travel a lot for demonstrations so I get to know all the best routes to and from the workshop. If you're based in Berkshire, around Newbury, Basingstoke, or anywhere along the A34 corridor, and you've been looking for somewhere to learn woodturning, you may have assumed there's nothing much within easy reach. The good news is that The Woodturning School is considerably closer than most people expect.

We're based at Garthowen Garden Centre in Four Marks, Hampshire, just south of Alton. It's a straightforward drive down the A34 and A31, about 35 to 40 minutes from Newbury, and under 30 minutes from Basingstoke along the A339. If you'd rather let the train do the work, Basingstoke to Winchester takes around 15 minutes on South Western Railway, and we can point you to local taxi options from there.

We offer experience days, two-day beginners courses, and a range of intermediate workshops. Groups are small — usually just two or three people — so you get proper time at the lathe rather than watching someone else turn. Everything is included: tools, materials, protective gear, and lunch. You just turn up.

Four Marks itself sits right on the edge of the South Downs National Park, so if you're making a day of it (or a weekend), there's no shortage of things to do before or after. We can also point you towards local places to stay if you're coming from further afield and want to make more of it.

If you're ready to book, or just want to talk through which course might suit you, head over to the courses page or drop us a message.