Rossendale Tourism

Young volunteers from Holcombe Pony Club have been putting the finishing touches to a brand new outdoor classroom, which features a 4.4m high rearing stone carved horse, at Croft Top Equestrian Centre in Stonefold Village, Rising Bridge.

Led by Lancashire County Council's Ranger Service the volunteers carried out planting and grass seeding at the new facility which overlooks the A56 bypass.  A dry stone walling and fencing workshop will be carried out over the next few weeks to complete the project.

The project was developed by Holcombe Pony Club and Croft Top Equestrian Centre in partnership with Mid Pennine Arts and Lancashire County Council's Environmental Projects Team; Groundwork Pennine Lancashire and Lancashire Environmental Fund and will be formally opened for use at the end of summer 2009 

The stunning stone horse sculpture, commissioned by Mid Pennine Arts and carved by Graeme Mitcheson , is at the heart of the outdoor classroom, which will become a useful resource for young people from the Pony Club train ing for achievement badges such as bird watching, wildlife and map reading.  It is hoped the classroom will also be available by arrangement to local schools for field study workshops.

For more information about Croft Top-   visit http://www.crofttop.co.uk/