Building ancient skills at Watergrove

Rochdale residents will get the chance to try their hand at traditional dry stone walling this weekend.

United Utilities and the Dry Stone Walling Association are running a training course on the traditional craft at Watergrove Reservoir on 17 and 18 August. Aimed at beginners and those with some limited experience it will help teach the basics of wall building and repair.

Tia Dawson, United Utilities ranger, explained: “Watergrove is a really popular destination for visitors and we have lots of dry stone walls to maintain. By running these courses we can help encourage people to learn this ancient skill while helping preserve the walls at the reservoir.”

Course tutor and Master Craftsman Peter Walker of the Dry Stone Walling Association explained the popularity of the course: “I think there’s a genuine interest in learning a traditional skill and helping to preserve this typical Pennine landscape feature.

“Added to that, it’s a really hands-on course. When you live in an area like Rochdale it’s a very useful skill to have in order to repair and maintain walls on your own property.”

The Dry Stone Walling Association once held annual competitions at Watergrove, and still uses the site to hold practice meets for their students and professionals taking their walling qualification tests. All in all, over the last 25 years, nearly a mile of dry stone wall has been built at Watergrove by the residents of Rochdale and neighbouring areas.

The two-day course costs £40 and anyone wishing to book a place should contact Peter Walker on 01706 818353.