Hollingworth Lake Water Festival launches summer of Big Games events

Olympic Silver Medallist Stuart Bithell sailing on Hollingworth Lake

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The BIG Water Festival is taking place at Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough this weekend. It is the first in a series of Big Games family fun days that will take place in the Rochdale Borough over the summer.

The BIG Water Festival takes place at Hollingworth Lake on Sunday, 28 April.

Launched last year as part of the 2012 celebrations it builds on the success of sports such as sailing, kayaking and rowing at the London Olympic Games and is a joint event between Link4Life and the Lake’s Rowing and Sailing Clubs.

Billed as a family day out with lots to see and do for all ages, there will be water sport tasters on the lake every hour on the hour from 10am to 4pm at Hollingworth Lake Water Activity Centre on Lakebank with kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and canoeing for just £2 a session and activities for 4 years and upwards. A climbing tower and mountain bike track challenge are just two of the free activities on offer.

“All people need to do is turn up. We’ll book people in on the day and we have all the equipment they will need. Just bring a towel and shoes you don’t mind getting a bit wet”, manager of the Water Activity Centre, Gary Butler explained. “The emphasis is on fun and first timers are safely out on the water before they know it. It is a great chance to try out these adventure sports.”

Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club and Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club will both be open to visitors on the day with tours of the club houses and facilities. The rowing club has beginners sessions on the water and indoor rowing races. Refreshments are also available. Low cost sailing sessions will feature at the Sailing Club which also invites visitors to take to the water to watch its racing dinghies in operation and enjoy panoramic lake views.

Hollingworth Lake is one of the leading centres for adventure and outdoor pursuits in the region and recently featured in the BBC Countryfile programme. The Big Games programme of activities is organised by Link4Life and includes events boroughwide in a series of summer family fun days. Around 50 clubs and groups are expected to take part providing a varied programme of activities and taster sessions that encourages local people to participate in arts, heritage and sport.

For more details visit www.link4life.org/biggames