About Me

We are a small family run business located on the Powis Shropshire border. We have been building 'stuff' for over 20 years. Builds range from narrow boats to our family home. We can build great garden structures, including Shepherds huts, Showmans wagons and Caravans, that make great alternatives to the traditional shed. They can be an alternative office, a spare bedroom, an adult wendy house, a potting shed, a bird hide, an attractive addition to a campsite for the new glamping craze, an alternative workshop a home cinema, or even a roadside tea wagon. Will consider building anything really, so ask away! Email davestilthouse@googlemail.com Phone: 01588 620132

Tuesday, 16 August 2011

How to build a bird hide half way up a mountain (in the shadow of scafell pike)




This is the story of an unusual project we were asked to do in May this year. It was the first of two bird hides in the style of a shepherds hut.
Access to the site was limited so the whole thing had to be built in situ. It was a bit of a challenge but we managed to complete it, despite the weather, in a day and a half.



5:20am; 21.05.11.
All the stuff for the building loaded the night before.
Only 199 miles away from the site...

We arrived at the place between 9:30 and 10. It was then several trips later using the guy's quad and trailer to cart all the material and tools up the side of a hill. I was running behind the trailer making sure things stayed on, it felt like miles. After the first load got stuck, we halved the load and it went swimmingly, then once everything was up, we attempted to level up the base the guy had put down. This was four bits of wood kind of dug into the ground a little. We then put down the actual base of the birdhide on top. By this point it was 12:44.
(Regret not taking a pic of the trailer and quad, but camera was somewhere safe at that point.)


By 1:49pm we had the frame up.

 General bits and pieces
Mostly this was the view, either the rain was a bit away or it was on us, and then there was the wind as well.

It was wet and windy, not really the best build conditions...
When we got to the site we could see the top of that mountain; at this point it was 7:20pm, but it was mostly like that through out the day.



 By 7:25pm the roof was on and the shutters were in. The roof was difficult on the side of a hill with the wind blowing a hooley. curved corrugated sheets trying to lift every now and then while trying to fasten them down a fun time does not make.

We left the site at 8.30pm, the door was on and we were mostly finished but a few little twiddly bits left to do.
The Next Day

The next day, the weather was windy and wet, but less wet and more windy. We got up to the site at about 8am. Then it was putting the shelves up, the chains for the shutters and kick boards and the like.



By 10:20 the hide was ready for painting



 The sun came out at this point, still a bit windy but that wasn't a problem. We could even see the tops of the mountains.







And  by 12.30pm the whole build was done.
 .

  This was the view from one side of the bird hide







And this was the view from the other side,

Proper sunshine... Why wasn't it like this the day before?







All we had to take back. After everything was taken down the hill by the guy in the quad trailer thing.
We left the place at about 3pm.


199 miles to go to get home.
4:20pm, at side of the road cooking lunch.
We had about 150 miles to go with the worst twirly and awful road bit of the trip done.


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Prices and info

Shepherds Huts

There is a 6 to 8 week turnaround on the huts. Each Hut is individual to you, built to your requirements using locally sourced timber. They are fully insulated with recycled glass rock wool with a breathable membrane on the outside. As standard in all huts are the following:
  • Small wood stove 4kw fitted
  • Double bed
  • Electrics, 240v. 12v alternative available
  • 2 double sockets
  • 4 Recessed Low energy LED lights
  • Consumer unit
  • External hook up point
  • Table: free standing or fold down
  • Shelves
  • Fully painted, choice of colours
  • Double Glazing
  • Fully insulated all round with 100mm glass wool (made from recycled glass bottles)
  • Stable door
  • Solid steel 40 mil axle
  • Painted Steel rim wheels made locally by Cambrian Foundry
  • Turning axle
  • Draw bar
  • Steps
  • Solid treated timber chassis
  • Clad in Western Red Cedar
  • Up to five opening windows
  • Solid Oak Floor
  • Exterior Carriage style outside light
  • New galvanised corrugated iron roof, plastic coated
  • Traditional forged window and door furniture.


From £12,450 for 12ft Huts.

Prices start from £8,250 for standard unpainted huts,

Delivery is now charged at £1.50 per mile.

Internal furnishings can be altered to suit, beds replaced with a desk for an office space, less windows to create a unique home cinema.

If required hut can be built on a steel road going chassis, with pneumatic tyres, brakes etc, price on application.

You can even hire a hut for your event!

Coming soon:
Half sized huts for the smaller garden!


Can Export to Europe, and will consider further afield!