Gorge Walking in The Lake District. Wren Gill, Longsleddale. 13th May 2017.

A few weekends ago, we got a phone-call out of the blue - could we provide a ghyll Scrambling Session that day? Iain was doing nothing and so scrambled into action to provide this session for Paul Watts and his daughter Lucy who were up in The Lake District for the weekend camping at Windermere.

After getting sizings for wetsuits and boots and then dashing off to the kit-store to get equipment, Iain was ready with the Land Rover to meet the pair at Morrisons, Kendal at 2pm that afternoon.

Photo one sees the pair kitted up and ready to go. We had driven the length of the tarmac road up Longsleddale and then driven the additional mile & a half up the Gatesgarth Pass Road to the start point for the pair's Ghyll Scrambling Session in The Lake District. We'd already had an adventure of sorts but now it was time for the main event!

Photo two sees Paul hanging on to little Lucy as we made our way upstream from the get-in point. The lower part of the ghyll is fairly steep and there are a number of entertaining little climbs and waterfalls; and also some fairly deep pools too.

Ghyll Scrambling is all about having fun whilst climbing up waterfalls and swimming through pools. It is also good to work together to help each other as you make your way upstream. Lucy was keen and enthusiastic despite the fact that things were a tad chilly due to the strong southerly breeze blowing up the valley, so we worked hard to keep moving and that did the trick.

Thank goodness we had all that equipment on to keep us warm - but that's what you can expect to get if you come on a Ghyll Scrambling/Gorge Walking experience in The Lake District with us - every time!

After the first 500 metres or so, the angle of the stream eases back and it becomes more of a pleasant walk upstream although there are plenty of things to enjoy such as a waterfall you can sit behind and a pool where the flow of the stream comes in at such an angle that it creates a nice friendly whirlpool that kids love.

A little further on, one is confronted by a long, narrow; and very deep pool - its a swimmer for everyone, but it also allows the opportunity for one to jump off the low cliff (on the right when looking upstream) Paul swam through the pool closely followed by Lucy; and then Lucy had a go at jumping into the pool - not once but twice!

Above this point is another short gorge; and then another deep pool formed where a huge boulder dams the stream bed. Just above is another low cliff, so this pool can be jumped into too. Photo three sees Paul & Lucy ready to jump, which they did one after the other. Great stuff!

Our final photo from this post about a family Ghyll Scrambling Session in The Lake District sees Paul & Lucy as they climb up a low waterfall leading into the ravine of Cleft Ghyll. We' been going for a couple of hours now and that chilly wind was starting to have an effect on all three of us.

We climbed up and around the corner into the narrow rocky cleft (hence the name) to view the deep pool with Wren Gill crashing in through a narrow gap at the back. One can swim the pool and climb up a fixed rope at the back left hand side of the pool and then jump back in from 12 feet above, but we'd all had enough of a soaking now and little Lucy had done really well!

It was time to get out and go and get warmed up. Even after two hours in the ghyll, we were only 10 minutes walk from the Land Rover and Iain got the pair in shelter in the back and then got the engine running and the heater going. Next, it was cups of Hot Chocolate; and smiles all round!

Paul & Lucy thoroughly enjoyed their Ghyll Scrambling (also known as Gorge Walking) Session in The Lake District with us. If you want a real exhilarating wet adventure - then this is the sport to do; and this is the time of year to be doing it! Prices start at £45 per person for a minimum of two persons for four hours. The more people you bring, the less you'll pay and family groups will get a discount for under 16's anyway.

Contact us at Kendal Mountaineering Services to make your Ghyll Scrambling booking. You definitely won't be disappointed!