Kayak Journey on Windermere. Kayaking session in The Lake District. May 1st 2014

Last Thursday, Iain spent a day Kayaking on Windermere with returning client Colin Brook.

Colin first contacted Iain way back in February wanting to relearn kayaking skills due to his impending participation in an adventure race across Ireland. On that occasion Iain took Colin for a Kayaking Skills Training Session on Rydal Water - a picturesque lake between Ambleside & Grasmere.

Colin then returned a fortnight later wanting to get some mileage under his belt - again in a Kayak. This time, we went to Waterhead near Ambleside and paddled down Windermere almost reaching Belle Island before crossing the lake and heading back north covering about four miles in four hours which Iain didn't think was bad.

Photo one from this post sees Iain (left) & Colin on Thursday morning about to get in at Fell Foot at the south end of Windermere. The plan on this occasion was to paddle the whole length of the Lake - some 11.23 miles to Waterhead at the north end!

We set off at about 09:50 from Fell foot. Fortunately for us Iain's partner Kirstin was off work that day so dropped us off with the proviso that Iain would give her a call when we reached Bowness on Windermere - a little more than halfway along our Kayak journey. We would then be collected by Kirstin, later on, at Waterhead.

Conditions for kayaking were good for the first half of the journey with our being sheltered from any easterly breeze by the high ground running north from Gummers How. In only  about an hour & a half we were already approaching our midway point. Photo two sees Colin just south of the Temple of the Heroes next to Storrs Hall - just south of Bowness on Windermere.

At about mid-day, we pulled up outside of the National Parks Lake Wardens HQ at Ferry Nab where Steve Phelps - a mate of Iain's greeted us with a hot brew and spent some time with us whilst we had lunch. Just before 12:30, we were off again - noticing that the easterly wind had now picked up considerably!

This wind was to make life quite a bit harder for us during the remainder of our Kayak Journey on Windermere - trying to paddle north up the lake in what was now, at times, quite a strong cross-wind. However, we soldiered on and still made good time arriving only about 40 minutes later at Waterhead than Iain said we would - but that was definitely only because of the wind! Photo three sees Colin & Iain both a bit pooped after our harder second half of our Lake District Kayak Journey on Windermere but very satisfied indeed with our time of only around four hours of journeying.

Colin should go on to manage that 16 miles on his Irish Adventure Race with ease we think and we certainly wish him all the very best. We may see him again as his next challenge is to go journeying on rivers in New Zealand so he may be back to learn some moving water skills with Iain soon.

Kendal Mountaineering Services offer half day and full day Kayaking Sessions in The lake District and prices start from £45 per person. You can enjoy a fun filled activity session with us on any of The Lake Districts Lakes, learn kayaking skills to be able to go off and kayak on your own or if you wish - join us on a journey either on a lake - as Colin did; or on one of the areas rivers instead. So, there are many possibilities for kayaking for you, you family or friends. Give us a call to arrange your Lake District Kayaking activity session. We look forward to working with you.