A group in Kendal are trying to prove that ice curling is not 'just for the Scots'.

The South Lakes Curling League got underway for the winter season at the start of month at the Lockerbie Ice Rink in Scotland.

For over 20 years, six teams of four players from Westmorland have driven north to Lockerbie on a regular basis to compete for the season’s league trophy.  

The current trophy is named in memory of Anne Muir, a keen curler and active member of the West Callies Team who died in 2022.

Roy Watkinson, captain of the side explained: "When Anne died, we wanted her to be remembered and so a new trophy was obtained bearing her name which is competed for each winter season."

Roy, like many of the other participants, is a member of Kentside Probus Club which has regularly fielded at least one team in the league as well as providing members for other teams.

Currently, eight of the 24 regular curlers are Kentside Probus club members, a proud legacy that the group is hoping to keep alive going forward.

The first get-together in October was a social practice session, allowing everyone to 'resume friendships and get back into the swing of things' after the summer break before serious league competition starts next month. 

Lockerbie Ice Rink is a registered charity and the curling club regularly runs taster sessions, plus beginners courses, for anyone interested in looking to get involved in the sport.

Anyone interested should call 01576 202197 or email office@lockerbieicerink.com.

Kentside Probus Club also advised that tuition is available at Barton Grange Flower Bowl, just north of Preston, where curling can be played during the summer months on the only dedicated curling facility in England. 

They are now hoping that people intrigued by ice curling will give it a go, furthering the county's place as a hidden treasure trove for the sport