Canyoning sessions in The Lake District. April 18th 2012

After last weekends stag event - canyoning & ghyll scrambling on Saturday, Iain from Kendal Mountaineering Services was back in Church Beck again a few days later doing exactly the same thing again - not with five but with two people this time.

Niamh Carey & her partner Neil had planned a four day break in the Lake District and had gone online to find something different to do whilst on their visit. Niamh liked the sound of Canyoning with Kendal Mountaineering services and gave us a call.

Photo one shows Neil & Niamh getting warmed up in Church Beck. We did the usual upward gorge walking ascent followed by the canyoning descent and the pair loved it.

Many people come on half & full day outdoor activity sessions in The Lake District asking if they can join a bigger group. There is the notion that if you join a bigger group that you will pay less - often true, but there the emphasis on value for money can often end.

Being part of a bigger group means less attention for you from the instructor and more waiting around at bottlenecks such as abseils, jumps or climbs. This will result in your feeling uncomfortable as when you are not moving - you will start to chill. The smaller your group, the less hanging around and the less time to get cold - an important consideration when undertaking a wet session!

Niamh & Neil paid £45 each for their ghyll scrambling & canyoning session with us. This might sound like a lot but you get a session which can last up to four hours and they got one qualified & experienced instructor to the two of them. Also, with us you always get all of the equipment you see both people wearing here - walking boots wetsuits, a cagoule each, bouyancy aid, helmet and harness - for your comfort & safety.

So really, we don't think this is bad value - particularly when we will work with a minimum of two of you - or even one person (but at the price of two). We want you to enjoy the outdoors as much as we do and hope that you will come back & do something else with us again.

In photo two Niamh enjoys the first lower on the canyoning descent of Church Beck. Having done the upward ghyll scrambling part of the session, it was time to get out the rope & harnesses and head down the upper part of the ghyll.


After the first lower we eventually arrive at the Miners Bridge fall and then shortly after that a section known as the "top jumps". This is a narrowing of the gorge where Church Beck plunges over a series of chockstones into deep pools.

In photo three Neil is being lowered another six foot to a ledge from where he can jump safely into the pool below. At Kendal Mountaineering Services we take your safety very seriously and always use this procedure at the top jump. Many people are asked to jump from the boulder beyond Neils head into the narrow slot & pool below. In the past this has resulted in people bashing elbows etc off the right wall and in times of drought there has been incidences of broken ankles as people can hit a rock in the bottom of the pool.

The other thing is that many people find that to do this challenge that way too much and simply refuse to jump; and if you can't do the top jump you will miss out on the rest of this - the most exhilarating part of the whole ghyll scrambling & canyoning experience!

Iain is pleased to say we have never had one refusal yet!

The final photo from todays ghyll scrambling & canyoning session shows Niamh & Neil at the foot of the final jump and basically, the end of their session.

So had they enjoyed their session? Iain thinks the answer was yes. Had they received value for money - undoubtedly. You can also have a fantastic experience with us and feel challenged but be safe so contact us at Kendal Mountaineering services to book your outdoor adventure here.

You won't be disappointed!

There are only four photographs on this blog post but you can view all of the photographs Iain took during Niamh & Neils ghyll scrambling & canyoning session here. To find out more about what we get up to at Kendal Mountaineering Services you can read further blog posts dating back to 2009 here.

We look forward to working with you.