YOUNGSTERS tried their hand at dry stone-walling and landscaping as part of a week of conservation work in the Yorkshire Dales.

The group of eight teenagers spent a week in north Ribblesdale working towards their Duke of Edinburgh gold award.

They joined the Yorkshire Dales Conservation residential scheme, organised by volunteers and staff from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA), and spent four days doing practical conservation tasks and one day walking in the area.

Activities carried out by the group included constructing ‘leaking dams’ across Crook Beck, Otterburn, landscaping a stone-pitched path on the Pennine Way on the upper slopes of Fountains Fell, and dry-stone walling with experienced YDNPA volunteers at High Brae, Horton in Ribblesdale, for Natural England.

They also went caving with leaders from the Yorkshire Dales Guides outdoor activity company.

The YDNPA’s education and events manager, Catherine Kemp, said: “I spent a fantastic day with the group.

"They worked hard and all said they had chosen this experience because they wanted to make a difference to the natural world and that it was great to be able to work for a different organisation on each day.

"I can’t thank our team of volunteers enough for all their hard work planning and running this amazing week.

"All the young people have gone home in love with the Yorkshire Dales National Park.”