How timber in an ancient Derbyshire woodland is being used to make charcoal for barbecues

Halfway along its route it winds through an ancient Derbyshire woodland.

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Planted with pine trees in the 1960s it was left unmanaged until three years ago when Matthew Robinson, 39, and two friends bought a 30-acre plot known as Longway Bank.

They began to manage the woodland, located on a steep valley between Crich and Wirksworth, thinning-out the pines and planting a mix of broadleaf trees including hazel, sweet chestnut, small leaf lime, oak and hornbeam.

Matthew works part time for the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and also sells traditional wood craft tools.

As part of the woodland management plan and with the aim of zero waste and full sustainability, Matthew, along with his partner, Kate Bradshaw, and her mother, Stephanie Bradshaw, began using traditional techniques to turn the thinned hardwood timber into charcoal.

The fledgling business made 100 bags last year but is set to make 300 or 400 this summer.

Each bag contains enough charcoal for about two barbecues.

Matthew explained: “The weather’s been great and people stuck at home are probably taking the opportunity to enjoy a change from normal dinners to have a lovely barbecue in the garden.

“Through our local shops, we’ve already sold more this season than in the whole of last year.

“We are proud to offer a more sustainable alternative to imported charcoal, much of which comes from sensitive habitats, such as mangrove and rainforest.”

Once the wood in the kiln has been lit, it takes roughly 24 hours to turn to charcoal.

Each burn will make about 60 bags of charcoal.

Matthew added: “We’ve just started experimenting with a second kiln.

“It’s a more modern design.

“We gauge how often we need to make the charcoal primarily by the weather.

“The hotter it is, the more we make.”

The Longway Bank charcoal is graded by size. The largest are bagged for barbeques, then the smaller pieces are sold as blacksmiths charcoal with the tiniest pieces being used for biochar, a soil improver.

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