Canyoning in The Lake District. August 21st 2014.

Last Thursday, Iain ran one of our popular Canyoning Sessions in The Lake District at Church Beck near Coniston. Frank Donoghue, together with his son Harry & daughter Tess had made the journey down from Keswick, where they were staying on holiday to join Iain at this venue.

Canyoning is all about descending a mountain stream, abseiling; or as in photo one - being lowered down waterfalls; and in this photo Frank goes first. The drop behind him is not very high - only about 10 feet into the pool below, but the act of passing through a waterfall is a truly exhilarating experience!

Photo two was taken a little further downstream after we had abseiled the waterfall at the head of the gorge; and then jumped into a deep pool at the fall below. We were the only party in Church Beck on this Thursday afternoon which we thought a little odd; although the weather was pretty rubbish with a strong wind blowing and the rain lashing down.

What better thing to do on your visit to The Lake District if the weather is poor - come Canyoning or Ghyll Scrambling with us! Both are ideal & fun ways to occupy a miserable day and you can't get any wetter!

A little further beyond where photo two was taken one arrives at Miner's Bridge spanning the gorge. Immediately below here is the Miners Bridge Waterfall and in photo three - Tess scrambles backwards towards the top of the fall to be lowered down by Iain.

Below the Miners Bridge Waterfall, the gorge narrows in to section known as The Top Jumps - three waterfalls and deep pools in quick succession. To keep you safe, we belay you (protect you with a rope) as you climb out to us to avoid the narrow slot of the first fall and then lower you to a point where you can jump, without fear of hitting the rock sides, in to the pool below. We climb down the next waterfall and swim the pool below to then slide down the final fall using a big sloping rock slab as the launching point.

That big slab can be seen in photo four behind Frank with the water falling down either side of it.

On your Canyoning Descent of Church Beck we can continue downstream from this point for a further 300 metres and then turn around to do a roped climb up a waterfall passed in descent and also a "tricky traverse" across a rock wall at the back of the pool above, penalty for falling off - a thorough ducking!.

We finish off by climbing out of the left bank of the gorge (behind the trio in photo four) and ascending then descending to a point some 20 feet above the pool that is above the chockstone fall seen here. We do the jump into that pool before doing the slide behind Harry Tess and Frank one last time. We find this is a great finale to the Canyoning Session and it is the biggest jump in the gorge.

Canyoning is great exhilarating and challenging fun and our prices start at just £45 per person for a four hour session. All of the equipment you see Frank, Harry & Tess wearing is provided as part of your fee. All you need to bring is swimwear, towels, a long sleeved fleece type top and a pair of thick socks to wear in the walking boots we provide. Oh! - and don't forget plenty of enthusiasm! We can guarantee you'll love Canyoning. Contact us here to book your session. We look forward to working with you.