Families ‘go wild’ at pond dip

Six-year-old Andre Hopcroft having fun at the pond dip

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Youngsters armed with nets and wellington boots took part in a ‘pond dip’ at Hollingworth Lake Visitor Centre on Saturday (20 August).

The event, which was tied in with the Rochdale Canal Festival, saw a group of 15 children and parents take part in a two hour pond dip, where they discovered what wildlife lives in the pond.

The children – with the help of mums, dads, grandmas and granddads – dipped their nets into the pond looking for creatures both large and small; they then emptied the net into a water filled tub before sitting round and learning about what they had found.

The day was also part of the ‘Go Wild’ series of events hosted by the Visitor Centre.

Ranger Jude Murray explained that the day was for families to learn more and to celebrate the Rochdale Canal, because without it Hollingworth Lake wouldn’t exist.

She said: “The canal is useful for everyone to enjoy, but it is also useful for wildlife. The wildlife in our pond is like what can be found in the canal.”

She added: “It has been a lovely afternoon; people have been enjoying themselves and learning at the same time.”