What started with one student asking another, “wanted to go stone skimming?” has turned into one of Liverpool’s more unexpected social groups.
When Joel Lewis, 22, asked his physics classmate Luca Killick, 19, to go stone skimming, “neither of them knew it would spark something bigger”. Their sessions in parks across the city now draw crowds and have gone viral online.
“We filmed ourselves skimming and put it on social media, and it ended up getting around half a million views,” Joel said.
“After that, people started messaging asking when and where we meet. That’s when we realised there was something in it.”
In response, the pair formed the Liverpool Stone Skimming Society, which has become a chance for members to do something simple, social and completely offline.
For Joel, who has skimmed competitively for several years, there is a distinction in the sport.
“Skimming itself means getting it far; skipping is how many times it can bounce,” he said.
“Skipping is more the American style, where you’re aiming for as many bounces as possible.
“The European way is about distance that’s what we focus on.”
Patrick Downey, a regular participant in the group, said the appeal comes from its simplicity.
“The thing about stone skimming is it’s not complicated,” he said.
“There’s no way to be pretentious about it, you’re just throwing stones into water and seeing how far they go.”
The group regularly travels to beaches, from Crosby to as far as Scotland, collecting stones for each session.
“A perfectly smooth stone is awful, there’s nowhere to grip,” Joel said.
“You need a good point on the stone, that’s where I generate the skim.”
Meet-ups in Sefton Park have turned the hobby into a growing community, with people of all ages turning up to take part, watch or socialise outdoors.
“Skimming is about having fun,” Joel said.
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