Canadian Canoeing sessions in the Lake District. August 24th 2010

Iain was back out the next day organising another Lake District based introductory Canadian canoeing session - once again on Windermere, but this time with Andy Sinclair & his son Chris who were on holiday from North Wales.

The family were staying near Kendal so Iain opted to meet them at Waterhead again, but this time there was plenty of free parking - its knowing where to look!

Andy had booked a full day's outing so Iain decided to look at a flat water skills session on the lake with the option of moving water stuff in the afternoon and this first shot shows the pair shortly after starting the session on Windermere.

At first, the weather was showery and blustery in showers, but between them Andy & Chris managed to handle their Canadian canoe very well (well - Andy was doing most of the work most of the time!) and, as the morning went on, the weather improved and the sun came out - warming things up nicely.

After lunch we headed up the River Brathay to Brathay Bridge & the nice easy rapid beyond to look at an intro to moving water skills session. Chris particularly enjoyed this and so after a while there we headed down the Brathay & up the Rothay to what is commonly known as the "Rothay play wave" - a place where a low sloping wear produces a fine surfing wave in the right conditions.

Iain reckoned conditions were about right and they were - in shot 2 Chris & Andy can be seen enjoying a spot of surfing on the wave. With the right skill set people can have as much fun in a Canadian canoe as you can have in a much smaller kayak!






In shot 3 Andy & Chris run the "play wave" from above as they had done several times on the rapid above Brathay Bridge. There is less "setting up" involved to run the Rothay play wave - you just run down the middle of it without too much difficulty but the Brathay Bridge rapid is different
as you have to keep "river right" as you descend around the right hand bend - otherwise you finish up amongst rocks on the outside of the bend as Andy & Chris did on their very first descent.

However, by run three, the pair managed a clear line straight down the middle of the rapid without hitting anything - well done!


The final shot of the day on a sunny River Rothay just to show the more pleasant side of Canadian canoeing in the Lake District!

Andy & Chris are in front - heading for the junction with the River Brathay as we finish our day with a short river journey before a final blast back across the head of Windermere to Waterhead.

Canadian canoes are fantastic craft for canoe expeditions. Probably the best expedition in the UK is the descent of the River Spey in Scotland - 88 miles done over 3 or 4 days with overnight tented camps inbetween each day. Kendal Mountaineering services can organise such trips for you if required - contact us for details.

Iain has since been out on yet another Church Beck Ghyll Scrambling session yesterday, but it was too wet to take a digital camera - must get a waterproof camera soon!

We have plenty of availability for all manner of activity sessions - wet or dry over the coming months - so get in touch and let us arrange your adventure experience for you by visiting our website where you can browse the many options that we offer.

See you soon.

Iain & the Kendal Mountaineering Services team.