News-Hedgelaying competition returns for 25th year

The 25^th Durham Hedgelaying Competition will take place at Woodland Hall Farm, Knitsley, on Friday 11 October.

As a member of the Durham Hedgerow Partnership, we organise the competition to promote a greater understanding and knowledge of the traditional craft and to help bring new and young people into the profession.

Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate the craft, which has been used for hundreds of years to maintain healthy hedgerows.

Cllr Mark Wilkes, our Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: "Hedgerows are nature's multitaskers. Not only do they provide shelter and nesting habitats for wildlife, but they also play an important role in carbon capture, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change. And, by slowing down the water run-off into rivers, they also help prevent flooding.

"We would encourage people to come along to this fantastic competition and take a look at the ancient tradition. It's a great opportunity to watch the competitors hone their skills, get advice about field boundary management and available grants, and also meet local hedgelayers."

Wildlife habitat

Hedgelaying is a traditional country skill and art form which involves partially cutting down young trees so they can lie at an angle while still growing from the base. This allows the hedges to become thicker and healthier than a standard trimmed hedge, making better livestock barriers and creating habitat for wildlife.

The contest, which runs from 9:00am until 2.30pm, will see competitors pit their skills against each other to lay around seven metres of hedge, depending on the class entered, in five hours. Points are awarded for neatness, quality of cuts, the use of stakes and binders, straightness of the hedge and adherence to the style of cutting.

Entrants can cut whatever style they choose as long as the finished hedge is at least 3 foot 6 inches high.