Buying peat

[DizzyKipper]

Hi, we're looking for peat to be delivered as we don't have transport. As we are south end we were advised to ask John Halcrow in Cunningsburgh. This we did and were told that 1 ton of peat loose, is £93 with £50 delivery Or we could have bags £3.60 each with 65p delivery on each bag.

 

We thought the loose delivery would be cheaper as it's in bulk rather than bagged, although it would mean more work to get it up the drive and stacked. We hadn't banked on the delivery charge though!

 

Does anyone have any other suugestions for suppliers?

 

Or would it make more sense to use coal or wood? They burn at different rates don't they, so which is the best 'burn per pound'?

 

Thanks

[crofter-amy]

Peat really only makes sence if you have your own bank, time to work it and the means to get it home. You'll be warmer burning coal that's for sure.

 

hope this helps

[DizzyKipper]

Well we have found out we do have peat rights, but no transport It's also too late for this year.

 

Where would be the best place for coal?

[Ghostrider]

^^ As far as I'm aware there are only two coal places, Hay's and LBC. LBC were the cheapest and it was okay quality last I had any, but that's a bit back now.

 

Some of the country shops used to hold a small stock of coal as agents (Mainland's did at one time anyway, and I'm sure there were others at the same time), it probably was a bit more expensive, I don't know, I never bought from them, but handy for anyone without much transport choices or if you ran out.

 

In partial answer to your original question, coal is probably the best value for money if you're talking about buying coal, peat or wood. When P.E.A.T. was operating from Cunningsburgh buying a year's fuel peat in a bulk load could compete VFM with coal if you got Cunningsburgh moor, but not quite if you got Scatsta moor. They're long since closed down though, as best as I know, so irrelevant, and I have no experience of the other suppliers.

 

It depends too on what you're burning it in and what for, if just in a grate to heat a single room, any of the three would probably work out much as such (would depend on the type of wood though, different species burns differently), and peat or wood would probably be preferable for cleanliness, no coal dust and less soot. If for burning in a Aga/Rayburn needing a high output for cooking/water heating etc, there's little doubt coal is the best VFM.

[DizzyKipper]

Thanks for that. It's for a single room. The Rayburn is oil, but struggles with all the radiators. The single room, the lounge in in the south east corner and is a bit chilly, and the radiator never really gets that hot tbh.

 

We'll look into coal then, although I love the smell of peat.

 

Thanks!

[stephen]

If you have peat rights, why not offer someone a few £ to dig it and transport it for you? Im sure that you would be able to find someone on the classifieds or by advertising.

[momo]

You cant beat the smell of peat, surprised knowone has made 'Peat' incense sticks yet. But if you really want to kick out heat then coal is best. Personaly I burn all three, depends on the weather & my mood which. You have to have atleast on bag of peat to burn over the festive.

[zebbidy]

You cant beat the smell of peat, surprised knowone has made 'Peat' incense sticks yet.

 

you used to be able to buy peat incense sticks at that shop "crystal clear holistic"

[DizzyKipper]

If you have peat rights, why not offer someone a few £ to dig it and transport it for you? Im sure that you would be able to find someone on the classifieds or by advertising.

 

I wouldn't mind having a go at doing it... need to buy a pair of wellies and some skin so soft. As i understand it, you dig it, stack it with gaps, and then go back and restack it... before collecting it and stacking it at home. No transport rules it out. Anyway it's too late for this year isn't it, May is the time to start i believe... Might have think about it for next year. no idea how much to offer, surely it depends on how much they dig? how would I know what they have done?

[Ghostrider]

^^ If you don't mind me asking, where is your peat right situated?

[Girzie]

Believe me, the transport is the easy bit! Casting is not as simple as it sounds. You need to flaa the bank, use a tushkar to cast, make a guid daek, raise them, turn them, bag them and then hire somebody to cart them home. My granny always said all the heat was in the making of them!!

[DizzyKipper]

^^ If you don't mind me asking, where is your peat right situated?

 

Well the gentleman at Quendale mill made a few enquiries for us. It's apparently the hill at Levenwick. I think we are Sumburgh estate? If we wanted to use it, we would be met there and be given a bank.

[Ghostrider]

^^ Sounds like it could be Virdifield (down from the east side of the main road between the Clumlie and South Levenwick junctions). If you can get a good quality plot its fine enough, but its of very mixed quality down there, Anyone you hire to cut there that knows the place is unlikely to do it very cheap, as they'll not know until they start how good or bad it is to work with on that particular spot. I've cut in places there that was like cutting a haystack (tough, slow and very time consuming), and cut some entirely submerged in water in places.

 

Transporting it home is easy enough, there are plenty of tracks all through that will take any vehicle, but you'll have to either carry or wheel in a barrow all of it out from the plot to the nearest track as whatever vehicle can take it home for you won't be able to get closer than that. The alternative is to hire someone with a quad and trailer to ferry it out to the track.

[crofter-amy]

It's not so hard work once you have the nack but you do need the tools. A good tushka is essential. The flaying can be done with a spade but I find a ripping knife makes it half the work. When choosing a bank don't just go for what is handy to the track. You wont need that much if it's not going to be your main heating. The extra effort of getting it to the track will seem as nothing if you get good black peats and you wont need so many of them.

 

When going to look take a spade and someone who can tell the good from the bad

[DizzyKipper]

Not as simple as I thought. I was thinking it might be the bit between Channerwick and Bigton, on the south side of the road. Maybe not then. I don't know what the cost would be hiring someone to do all this and just buying it in (or coal)