Stag Events in The Lake District. Saturday 7th June 2014.

Chris Hacket booked a Stag Event in The Lake District with us a number of months back for stag James (centre front photo one) and a bunch of his mates.

Usually, Ghyll Scrambling or Canyoning is likely to be one of the options a stag group selects as these two activities are amongst our most popular options. However, it's not often that a stag group out for a whole day wants both one after the other - it does make for a very wet day out!

Just as well then that we provide the equipment that we do for these wet activities. Everyone gets provided with a wetsuit, a cagoule (a type of waterpsorts jacket), a bouyancy aid where required to keep you afloat, walking boots to give you good grip, ankle support and protection. We also provide helmets & harnesses - helmets are a must in this demanding environment; and harnesses are required when people have to be roped up a climb to prevent a slip turning into something more serious. You might be surprised to hear that to equip everyone in the manner described costs approximately £170 each!!

We consider all of this equipment is necessary for your comfort and protection and it was certainly necessary for Chris & his mates during their all day wet session. We had rain all day as well!

All of these photos were taken in Stickle Ghyll in Langdale where we run a lot of our Lake District Ghyll Scrambling sessions. Stickle Ghyll is a great venue with lots of waterfalls & pools to clamber up and swim through. Some of the climbs are rather big and ropes must be used - the fall seen behind the guys in photo three is one such place.

Photo four sees the proprietor of Kendal Mountaineering Services - Iain Gallagher, as he belays (protects) one of Chris's party as he climbs the waterfall  seen in photo three. It's not often Iain appears in any photos as he's usually the one taking them; and that's another thing - we try to take lots of photos of you enjoying your activity session which are then passed on to you, free of charge as part of your fee!

Having also recently acquired a Go Pro camera, we are now also providing high definition video footage of your most memorable and exciting moments - once again, free of charge.

We spent the morning Ghyll Scrambling at Stickle Ghyll; and then the stag group went for lunch & a beer in the conveniently sited Sticklebarn Tavern.

We then drove to Coniston to start the afternoons Canyoning Session in Church Beck. Church beck is a great venue in a ravine just above Coniston Village and during a Canyoning Session we do a descent of the whole ravine.

Ghyll Scrambling is generally regarded as going upstream, whilst Canyoning is descending - just like the chap in photo five who is being lowered down the second big fall on Church Beck - the Miner's Bridge waterfall.

Below Miners Bridge, the ravine becomes a narrow slot with three waterfalls to be descended. The first one is part roped down to a 2 metre jump into the pool below the fall. The second jump is potentially dangerous so we often scramble down the side and swim the pool below to arrive  at the top of the final 6 metre slide down the Chockstone fall.

However, these days there is a grand finale - another 6 metre jump from the side high above one of the pools - straight down. Doing it means you then have to go on and do the Chockstone fall again.

The group enjoyed a great progressive day with us during their Stag Event in The Lake District with challenge and exhilaration increased throughout the day through a Ghyll Scrambling Session that got progressively harder towards the top followed by a Canyoning Session that was even more challenging and got more so towards the end.

As well as providing these guys with a Stag Event that they'll never forget, they also have the photographs and video footage to remind them of what they did. Did they have a great time and were their expectations exceeded? undoubtedly!

And this is why you should book your Outdoor Activity Sessions or Stag & Hen events with Kendal Mountaineering Services.

Chris's Stag group paid just £60 each for their Ghyll Scrambling & Canyoning day with us having saved £10 each through coming as a group of 12. You can do either activity for just £45 each for a half day (four hour) session - the bigger your group size, the more you'll save; and we are one of the few Lake District Outdoor Activity Specialists to provide such sessions for as few as two of you! Contact us here to book your session over the Summer, we'll be happy to help.