“Building by hand and foot, using a mix of clay, sand, straw and water, must be as old as human civilization itself,” says Ross Dwyer, as he adds another chunk of wood to the fire crackling inside the curvaceous cob oven he built 14 years ago.
“I had to replace the plaster layer about four years ago. That’s the layer you paint with about seven layers of boiled linseed oil and beeswax to protect it against moisture. Small cracks also form over time as the clay expands and contracts. But look at it… not bad for a clay oven that has been going for so long – and it’s exposed to the elements 24/7.”
On an even more impressive scale, just a stone’s throw away,the compact but comfortable home they built for themselves. immediately fell in love with this building with its unique floor of loose shale when we first visited Numbi Valley in September 2022.
