Over the past few months Volunteer Rangers from Lancashire and Wyre Countryside Services and local contractors have been building up their skills in drystone walling with guidance provided by master craftsman Mike Rushton from Tamarack Outdoors Ltd. 

The training is funded by the Forest of Bowland with grant aid from Natural England.  During the 2 day walling competition each participant rebuilt a 2 metre section of wall to the standards set by the Drystone Walling Association for their Craftsman Certification Scheme.

Tamarack Outdoors Ltd presented the prize for the best overall waller to Mr Mick Procter, with the Bowland AONB prize for most improved waller going to Mr Rob Ashton.  The overall standard from all participants was excellent which reflects the quality of the training support provided by Mike Rushton.

Traditional boundaries within the Forest of Bowland AONB are a critical component that makes the landscape of the Forest of Bowland special and ‘outstanding’. Boundaries such as dry stone walls, hedges, boundary trees, ditches, metal railings, and earth banks all form an integral part of the historic landscape of the area.

Due in part to changes in agricultural practice, costs of labour and availability of alternative materials for boundary construction, there has been steady erosion and degradation of these traditional landscape features over the latter part of the last century.

The Forest of Bowland AONB has for over 10 years been carrying out a programme to restore in particular hedgerows and drystone walls in conjunction with the landowners, farmers and members of the local community.  Key to this is the training and up-skilling local people in particular in drystone walling and hedgelaying. 

For further information contact tarja [dot] wilson [at] lancashire [dot] gov [dot] uk