Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
"PK" writes:

Yes and no! Sand alone will not make a secure long term base - it
will wash out and ants will move it.

Er, no. See Cormaic's pages. When done right, it will last for
decades and often centuries. For millennia, you need a better
construction.

Cormaic:
The flagstones can be bedded directly onto a coarse, grit sand bed, approx
40mm thick.
DO NOT USE BUILDING SAND - it is to soft and can become 'fluid' when
waterlogged, consequently moving beneath the flags, causing settlement.
The bedding material can be stiffened by the addition of a small quantity of
cement, around a 10:1 mix is adequate. This is useful when working in wet
areas, or where the movement of ground water could lead to bed migration,
and we find it useful beneath the thinner patio flags as it gives the
finished pavement a bit more solidity. Refer to Mortars & Concretes Page for
details on a cementitious bedding mix.

I'd agree a professional paver using sand alone will do a robust job, a
first time amateur i'd alaway recommend a lean mix mortar to avond needing
to bed each slap to a firm level.

pk