Ghyll Scrambling & Canyoning courses in The Lake District, half day session. 17th September 2011.

Iain from Kendal Mountaineering Services was at work yesterday with returning clients Chris Senior and Oliver Bush who had used us last year for a ghyll scrambling & canyoning half day session at Church Beck, near Coniston, in The Lake District.

The lads had enjoyed the session they had done with us during April 2010 so much that they booked another one and brought along four other mates. They had travelled over from Leeds for a weekend of fun but with low pressure swirling across the country bringing with it almost continuous rain, it wasn't great weather - unless of course you like getting wet!

Photo one shows the lads at the get in at the start of the Church Beck ghyll scramble (also known as gorge walking) trip and by this time (10:30am) it was massive! Overnight in the Lake District, we had a fair amount of rain, but on Iain's drive to the ghyll scrambling & canyoning venue, all indications were that whilst the beck would be "up", it would still be ok to use. Iain has arrived here in the past at this time of year and had to use an alternative venue because the ghyll has been too full to run a safe session.


Straightaway, we realised that it was going to be a full on session but it was still fun.

We had to skirt around certain sections of the ghyll such as the bit just upstream of photo two. It would have been impossible for anyone to keep their footing with the sheer volume of water now surging down Church Beck.

Many of the pools were so aerated that it was just like being in a giant jacuzzi!

The only problem with very aerated water is that is does not support much as weight as non aerated water - ie things will sink further into it.

This can pose a problem when ghyll scrambling in high water levels and because of this; and the volume of water now surging down the ghyll, Iain decided it would be totally unsafe to do the lower 3 jumps that generally make up a great finale to the canyoning descent of Church Beck as well as the upper section that we generally descend above Miner's Bridge.

Photo three shows the lads at the waterfall just below where we normally get out to commence the canyoning descent. They each had two jumps in to the pool from the ledge just above pool level at the lower l/h side of the fall and they loved it!


Doing the top lower was out of the question but we had fun heading upstream from Miner's Bridge until the falls ahead barred our way.

Back at the Miners Bridge Fall (normally the scene of our second lower on the canyoning descent) Iain rigged a lower down the r/h side of the fall and here, Oli gets lowered.

Despite the high water levels and the fact that there was much in Church Beck that we were unable to attempt safely on this occasion, the lads thoroughly enjoyed themselves and are, apparently, still talking about it! Other photos taken during this ghyll scrambling & canyoning session in The Lake District can be viewed here.

September, here in the region, has not got off to a good start weather-wise with it being more like the end of October and not the end of Summer.

However, there are still a lot of options for booking outdoor activity full & half day sessions in The Lake District with Kendal Mountaineering Services. What do we do? Just wrap up more warmly. The weather is still fine for wet stuff such as ghyll scrambling or canyoning sessions and don't forget canoeing & kayaking both of which can be a little more exciting if you fancy booking a river trip with us. Caving also deserves a mention as this is great fun and Iain can provide you with an appropriate or advanced level caving session in The Yorkshire Dales National Park - again, with all necessary personal protective equipment included in the price. All our half day sessions start at £45 per person and full outdoor activity days from £60 each. Contact us to book your session.

Also, check out our upcoming courses page to find details of our fantastic navigation skills training weekends based here in The Lake District. These start at £80 per person for a two day navigation skills training course and there are four separate weekend courses advertised for October and November 2011. We look forward to hearing from you.

Ghyll Scrambling & Canyoning courses in The Lake District. Church Beck, Coniston. September 5th 2011

Laura Fogarty booked a half day of ghyll scrambling & canyoning with Iain from Kendal Mountaineering services for herself and her friend Isabelle whilst on a short break to The Lake District.

The pair had travelled some distance to visit the Lake District in what was unfortunately rather inclement weather conditions. Indeed the conditions here in the Lakes have been constantly wet for some weeks now!

Autumn is definitely well and truly upon us now or so it seems. There is still plenty of outdoor activity sessions that we can still do however. Rock Climbing & scrambling courses are out of the picture until things dry up a bit but ghyll scrambling & canyoning sessions can still be done or howabout going underground for a caving trip with us?

Anyway, the first photo of this post shows Isabelle (front) and Laura as we entered Church beck last Monday afternoon. The building behind houses the hydro-electric turbine which was working and indeed - had the hydro plant not been drawing a third of the flow from the Church Beck gorge then things might have been borderline!


So, there was more than enough water for the pairs Ghyll Scrambling & canyoning session and in photo two the pair enjoyed a natural jacuzzi in the second deep pool to be encountered on our upward ghyll scrambling ascent of Church Beck.

The volume of water coming down the ghyll posed quite a challenge for the pair and progress up the stream was quite slow but what could one expect in anything up to 15 inches of fast flowing water!







Eventually, we reached the get out just below the bottom jump and made our way up to Miners Bridge. Iains decision was to avoid the upper section of the ghyll as the volume of water would have made the top waterfall a trickly proposition for a lower. So we got in below the bridge and did the lower down the right hand side of the big waterfall.

Wherever possible we use the left hand part of the fall which takes most of the flow but today there was too much water. The right hand side of the fall was just right for the pair and in photo three Laura is lowered whilst Isabelle looks on from below.









The final shot was taken by Iain looking down on Isabelle and Laura from the top of the final jump just before he slid down the rock in the foreground in to the pool below to join them.

As can be seen, there was a lot of water about and really, the ghyll was at the limit of what should be attempted with novice ghyll scramblers.

You will note the colour of the water - ie white! This is due to the air bubbles in the water and the more water going down an waterfall - the higher the air content of the water in the pool below. What this means for us non aquatic humans is that the water will support less wieght ie you will sink further in to it and take longer to come up! Challenging stuff indeed!

However, we all survived the final drop unscathed and Iain had to admit that both Laura and Isabelle did extremely well today. As they are both nurses - had Iain injured himself, he would have been in good hands. Well done both!

To see further photos from this session click here. To book your autumn outdoor activity session with kendal Mountaineering services contact us here. We'll make sure you are wrapped up warmly so you can still enjoy yourselves. Check out our up and coming Autumn outdoor activity and skills training courses courses here. We look forward to working with you.

Caving in The Yorkshire Dales National Park with Kendal Mountaineering Services. August 23rd & 24th 2011.

After a weekend with http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/ members at the North York Moors Meet, Iain found himself underground in Yorkshire with Andy Bushell, Bob & Richard Wilden.

Andy stays regularly in Ingleton and had been caving a number of times before. He had decided to introduce Bob and Richard to the sport, but had been unable to find an available cave leader or Instructor.

However, the guys at Inglesport had recommended Kendal Mountaineering Services to them as a business who regularly organises caving courses in The Yorkshire Dales National Park for members of the general Public.

At Kendal Mountaineering Services we are well placed to provide underground caving sessions for anyone interested - whether you be novice or experienced. Iain is a qualified BCA Level 2 Cave Leader with a wealth of experience working in the caves of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and we are happy to organise caving trips at any time - regardless of the weather or your ability - there will be somewhere we can take you for a great caving experience.

Photo one shows left to right, Andy, Richard & Bob kitted up ready to go underground with Iain. The caving suits, wellingtons, belts and helmets/lights are all always provided by Kendal Mountaineering Services as part of the fee per person - currently £45 per person for a half day or £70 for a full eight hour caving experience. Contact us to book your caving trip!


As this was a first trip for Bob & Richard, Iain chose to take the trio to Long Churns near Ribblehead in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

There are roughly four kilometres of underground passageway that can be explored here with large, small, wet and dry passageways to be experienced. There are some fantastic speleothems (limestone formations) to be seen and an active streamway to splash about in where you may even see the occasional trout - washed in from upstream in Alum Pot Beck.

Photo two shows Richard, Bob & Andy in the active streamway as we made our way deep underground in the direction of Lower Long Churns and the famous "Cheese Press".





And photo three shows Bob emerging from the Cheese Press after a slow & rather tight crawl.

The Cheese Press is a ten inch high crawl through a widened bedding plane (a horizontal layer of softer material between two layers of limestone rock) over a distance of about 12 feet.

The cheese press crawl is a real challenge for many people who may be slightly claustrophobic (a fear of small spaces or being enclosed). Of course, as with all other activities offered by Kendal Mountaineering Services, it is a case of challenge by choice and there is an easier way around this part of the system. However, all three were happy to give it a go
- good effort!

After everyone had tackled the Cheese Press Iain took them all to the head of the Dolly Tubs Pitch - a 15m drop in to the Alum Pot chamber. Here, we all switched off our caving lamps to that we could see daylight entering from the surface above.

However, as this was a level one caving trip we did not do the descent in to Alum Pot as this is classed as a level two caving trip. However, this level two trip in to Alum Pot is something that can be organised by Iain from Kendal Mountaineering Services. If you fancy a level two caving trip in the Yorkshire Dales to get you deeper & further underground again, get in touch with us.

Photo three shows Richard climbing a typical pitch to be found in a level one caving trip. Pitches/climbs should not exceed 2m in height whereas on a level two trip - you may be lowered or have to ascend pitches up to 18m/60 feet in height on a ladder. Our instructors will, at all times, have a safety rope on you to protect you against a slip; and on this pitch, Iain employed an assisted hoist on Richard and hauled him up with ease.



Having entered Long Churns via Middle Entrance, Iain took the party to the Cheese Press and Dolly Tubs and then back out to Daylight at Diccan Entrance.

To get here, you leave the main Lower Long Churns passageway and, by way of a link passage, crawl through another bedding plane crawl (photo four) to emerge in the active streamway just downstream of Diccan Entrance.




Once at Diccan entrance, we followed the streamway upstream back in to Middle Long Churns and then took the fossil passageway of Babtistry Crawl to emerge once again in the active streamway upstream of Middle Entrance.

After a quick trip down to Middle Entrance, we retraced our steps, collected the caving bag and headed up to Doctor Bannister's Washbasin (photo five).

Here, Alum Pot Beck enters the long Churns system by plunging 2m down a waterslide in to a 10m diameter pool (the washbasin) and in this photo Andy is the last to climb the waterslide before we all exited the cave system.






Finally, we all emerged in to bright Sunshine and a fab view across to Penyghent - one of the Yorkshire Dales 3 peaks (photo six).

All three had thoroughly enjoyed their caving trip in the Yorkshire Dales National Park with Iain and have said they will be back again!

The rest of the photos taken during Andy, Bob & Richards underground session with Iain can be viewed here.

Iain was back again at Long Churns the following morning with a family of three who moved so fast that in the half day caving session, we not only covered all of Long Churns but most of the Borrin's Moor Cave System too and again, they loved it!

Caving has gained something of an unsavoury reputation in recent years as being dangerous. Indeed, only two weeks beforehand, the local Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO) had to extract a party of cavers from Long Churns who had been trapped by floodwater. Long Churns can, after a period of wet weather, followed by torrential rain, fill to within a few feet of the roof in places.

However, it is not that the cave is dangerous, it is due to inexperienced cavers going underground when qualified cave leaders with extensive local knowledge
would be saying "stay out of that cave system in these conditions!" The best advice Iain can give is that if you want to have a good, safe and positive experience underground - then go with a local cave leader with good local knowledge and an understanding of the hydrology of the cave system you are contemplating entering.

Even in wet conditions, we at Kendal Mountaineering Services can still find appropriate caves down which to take you.

For most of our caving trips, we will meet you in the village of Ingleton at the Inglesport Outdoor Shop & cafe - undoubtedly the best place to start and end your underground caving experience with us.

A half day caving trip in the Yorkshire Dales National Park can also be combined with an introductory half day rock climbing course if you want to combine two activities into a full day out. We ran such a day for two people recently - read about it here.

Mountain scrambling skills training course in The Lake District. Langdale, August 15th & 19th 2011.

Next on the list of August work for Iain after his Open Canoe Foundation Course was a scrambling skills training course in The lake District for deputy headmaster Chris Owen who lives near Manchester.

Chris has been getting out on a number of grade one scrambles recently with a couple of mates. However, he felt that things were getting to the point where to progress; and keep each other safe, it was time to get some proper tuition in the techniques of scrambling ropework.

Chris found our website when browsing scrambling courses in The Lake District and liked what he saw. He contacted Iain expressing an interest in booking on to a scrambling skills training course with us.

Unfortunately, Chris could only attend the course on his own as non of his scrambling mates were able to join him, so Iain arranged a bespoke one on one scrambling skills training course for Chris which was just what he wanted.

During day one, we started off looking at the technique of "spotting" ie helping each other up & down easy scrambling ground by the means of holding feet in place on insecure foot placements or just by giving each other a push up or holding on to folks as they climb down a steep bit. Basic stuff - but new to Chris. We then followed this by getting the rope out and tying on/taking chest coils (photo one) and the technique of short roping ie moving together on easy scrambling ground.


The easy scrambling ground we used was the lower left hand rib of Tarn Crag in Langdale - just above stickle (Mill) Gill. This is a great place to learn scrambling techniques on what is only a bit of grade one scrambling ground.

If it all goes wrong, you won't slip far on here, but there are enough rocky bits to look at all aspsects of basic scrambling including spotting, short roping and basic anchors and belays.

In photo two Chris heads up an easy rock step before looking for; and finding a place to securely belay Iain up to him. The ground was such that Iain could follow Chris without concern and then evaluate which ever method Chris had chosen to belay him with. It was a good way for Chris to learn what belay techniques were appropriate and what were inappropriate for the various situations we found ourselves in.



Iain showed Chris the three main methods of belaying ie protecting your second with a tight rope whilst they climb something where it would be deemed that " the consequences of a slip could turn into something more serious".

In photo three Chris employs a direct belay - using the rope around a solid rock spike in such a way that the friction of the rope on rock provides the protection. The twist in the rope in Chris's hand also provides improved grip on the "dead rope" side of the belay. This method can be used either for belaying a scrambler up or lowering back down; and whilst on the lower part of Tarn Crag, we looked at methods for both ascent and descent.

We also looked at indirect or body belays - where you bring a person up (or down) a slope merely by wrapping the rope around your body and bracing with your feet. This technique must only be used for belaying people on easy parts of a scramble! Later, whilst on some grade two ground, we would look at the technique of semi-direct belays ie tying in to the anchor and belaying from the rope tie in loop on your harness with a belay plate. Does this all sound complicated? The pictures from this day are annotated with explanations as to what can be seen and why the particular technique is being used - have a look!

Anyway, after our morning learning techniques on easy ground, Iain took Chris up The Spur (grade two) on Tarn Crag to demonstrate how one would look after seconds on this sort of ground. He then allowed Chris lead the same route and gave Chris feedback on the techniques he used during his ascent of the route as the leader.

We were meant to use the next day (Tuesday) as a consolidation day with an intention to move across the valley to Piked Howe - a fine little grade two scramble. However, heavy rain the next morning made scrambling anywhere an unsavoury and unsafe proposition, so we rearranged the day for later in the week when the weather was better.

In photo four, Chris gets to grips with anchor placements on the first buttress of Piked Howe. Iain allowed Chris to lead the entire route and during this time Chris's confidence on rock improved greatly as did his belaying skills and his selection of appropriate belays for the scrambling ground we were on

On Friday, we put a scrambling ascent of Piked Howe behind us by 1pm so we had time to nip back over to Tarn Crag to have a go at East Rib - another fine grade two scramble; and photo five shows Chris leading off up the first pitch.

Chris led the three harder pitches of The East Rib with confidence and efficiency - placing running belays where appropriate and using good belaying techniques to look after his second.

Iain feels that Chris now has the skills to progress on to grade two scrambling terrain with confidence and hopes that he doesn't hang around doing so. Our scrambling skills training courses in the Lake District make for great and safe learning experiences and you'll get a lot from a course with us - however, with regards to what you learn on the course, if you don't get out and practise soon after - you'll quickly lose those skills!



To discuss your requirements for a scrambling skills training course contact Iain at Kendal Mountaineering Services here. We are one of the Lake Districts premier providers of Scrambling Skills Training courses, Rock Climbing Skills Training courses and Navigation Skills training courses and we also offer winter skills and winter climbing courses too. We pride ourselves on teaching you the right techniques to go off in to the mountains and do things for yourselves, or if you fancy being guided up that classic Lake District scramble or rock route or even up a winter climb, give us a call!

We also run two annual guided trips to the Isle of Skye to do the Cuillin Ridge traverse. One in May and one in September each year. These include seven nights self catering accommodation and four days of guided scrambling on the famous Cuillin Ridge. These packages represent fantastic value for money and are a must for competent scramblers. The next one is May 2012 and will be running between the 19th & 26th. Cost £425 for the week.

5 day Open Canoe skills training course in The Lake District August 8th - 12th 2011.

During August 8th - 12th, Iain from Kendal Mountaineering Services worked for the Cadet Centre for adventurous training (CCAT) running an Open Canoe Foundation course in The Lake District.

The CCAT Open Canoe Foundation Course (OFC) is designed to give young people the basic skills required to handle these craft on open water ie lakes. Depending on how well people progress during one of these OFC courses, they may well be entitled to gain their BCU 1 or 2 star awards.

The first photo shows Iain's team of four on day two on Coniston Water - looking somewhat wet, but rightly pleased with themselves as having capsized both craft in the picture and all gone in themselves they had just successfully completed an "all in rescue". In this, they had to empty out first one canoe and get two people back in - and then empty out the other canoe and get its paddlers back in. This was done fairly rapidly - well done team!

We had a total of five days together during our Canadian Canoeing course in The Lake District. We spent Monday at Waterhead on Windermere looking firstly at flat and then moving water skills.

Tuesday was on Coniston Water looking at more advanced skills and Wednesday (photo two) we headed to Derwentwater to join up with the three star group intending a paddle down Derwentwater followed by a descent of the middle Derwent.

The plan on day three would have been fine had we chosen not to paddle Derwentwater first. As we got to our access point, a strong wind started to blow NE. The weather was already poor with low cloud and sheets of rain drifting across the lake and having set off for the north end of Derwentwater. We soon found ourselves being blown before a strong wind. Canadian canoes have a great deal of their surface area above water and so are badly affected by wind. It was difficult, if not virtually impossible to paddle on Derwentwater, so we had to leave the lake and portage the canoes to a suitable place where they could be collected with a canoe trailer - did we get to the river? Not on this day!

On Thursday, the winds had dropped. We still had low cloud and a chance of rain, but it was looking more settled, so Iain chose to return to Derwentwater once again - this time to look at moving water skills on the upper Derwent which flows from Borrowdale in to Derwentwater.

This was possible because three of Iain's party were already very competent paddlers - having already undertaken their Kayak Foundation Course (KFC) with CCAT some time previously and they had, on Monday, spent some time solo paddling their canadian canoes.

So, on the Thursday, we looked again at solo and tandem paddling in Canadian canoes and also moving water techniques such as breaking in to and out of eddies, ferry gliding, poling, reading the river and arranging ourselves to take the best line down easy rapids. The upper Derwent was a safe and friendly place to do this.

Photo three was taken on the upper Derwent and shows Alex getting the hang of forward ferry gliding - leaning the boat slightly downstream, having the correct angle of boat across the current and paddling on the downstream side using as few strokes as possible - great job!

The final photo is a view along the upper Derwent looking south in to Borrowdale as we returned downriver to Derwentwater. Adam, nearest in his canadian canoe, is paddling solo and was busy practising the Indian Stroke which is an advanced technique.

All of the cadets on this OFC thoroughly enjoyed themselves and learnt a great deal from Iain during the week.

Whilst the Open Canoe Foundation Course is a fairly advanced level course, you too can arrange your own open canoe skills training courses with Iain from Kendal Mountaineering Services. Open Canoeing is a great session for families, groups or individuals and can be either a half day taster session or a full day or multi-day activity here on the Lake Districts many lakes & rivers. It is also great as part of a teambuilding course and is popular with stag & hen parties visiting the area and looking for something different to do.

To book your open canoeing course with Kendal Mountaineering services contact us here. To see the rest of the pictures from this five day Open Canoe Foundation Course click here.

Double Ghyll Scrambling & Canyoning session. Church Beck, Coniston. Saturday 6th July 2011.

Kendal Mountaineering Services has had a busy day in Church Beck at Coniston today.

Two separate groups joined Iain & Scott in the ghyll today. Firstly, GEN II - one of our new corporate clients, brought ten delegates to the ghyll this morning. (Photos 1 & 2)

The ghyll scrambling & canyoning sessions we organise for GEN II are part of an induction weekend where successful applicants to the Nucleargraduates Programme come together for the first time to learn about the two year apprenticeship programme they will be joining.

Our ghyll scrambling & canyoning sessions are seen as being fun and a challenge for these people, however, the session is designed as an icebreaker and an opportunity for the group members to get to know each other.

It is also designed as a whole team activity in so much that all members are expected to work together and help and support each other throughout the session. This will help to set the scene for the next two years where these people will be expected to get along with, work and support each other as they progress through their two year apprenticeship before leaving to join positions in the nuclear industry.

The apprentices enjoyed their ghyll scrambling & canyoning session with us and we wish them well with their apprenticeships. Thank you GEN II coming back to us once more and we look forward to working with you again soon. Further photographs from GEN II's morning session with us can be viewed here.

By contrast, the afternoon ghyll scrambling & canyoning session in Church Beck (photos 3 & 4) were a bunch of mates out for a jolly! Michelle Howarth from South Lakes, booked the session for herself and 14 of her friends from the gym.

The group were staying in Coniston for the weekend, so didn't have far to come to meet us for the one oclock start. They were a real bunch of characters who were looking forward to a fun wet session in the ghyll and Iain & Scott made sure that they got exactly that.

Conditions in the ghyll in the afternoon were busy, with a number of competitors also working with groups. Also, the weather finally broke although it had been overcast all day and considerably cooler than the previous day.

Photography in the ghyll was difficult due to the dark & wet conditions leading to a lack of good shots during the canyoning descent parts of todays sessions in Church Beck, but the wetness was all part of the fun for the group who, of course, got absolutely soaked and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The rest of the photos from their session can be viewed here.

We were only one of a number of local adventure pursuits company that Michelle contacted with her enquiry and we got the business - thank you Michelle, not only for that, but also for being a great group to work with and we hope to see you all again. To book your ghyll scrambling or canyoning session with Kendal Mountaineering services contact us here. We enjoy providing your sessions and skills training courses as much as we hope you enjoy yourselves doing them and we never disappoint.

Ghyll scrambling half day session. Wren Gill, Longsleddale, The Lake District. Saturday July 30th 2011.

It has been a busy week here at Kendal Mountaineering services. Firstly with regards to running the Giggleswick Summer School outdoor activity programme followed by a multi-pitch climbing teaching day.

Iain rounded off the week with a stag party who had booked a half day ghyll scrambling session as part of their stag event here in The Lake district.

The lads were up for their stag weekend all the way from Birmingham and were staying in the Kendal area. Richard Davies, who had booked the ghyll scrambling session with Iain had been on the ball by booking with us several months ago, so, things were well organised.




Rather than taking the lads all the way over to Church Beck, Iain met the party in Kendal and took them up Longsleddale to go to Wren Gill - as it was more convenient and just as good a time can be had there as at any other ghyll scrambling venue here in the Lake District national park.

The weather all last week was hot and sunny, so hot in fact that after the walk up to the venue from the parking area, we were all very glad to get in to the water and cool off. The first photo shows the group having just gotten in to Wren Gill and the second shows the stag - Fraser, cooling off in a waterfall - respendent in pink bathing cap under his helmet, pink goggles and armbands - the things mates do to each other on a stag event!!





We made our way up the gill to the amusement of other onlookers - who probably wondered what it was all about as an army of wetsuit clad blokes made their way upstream wearing bouyancy aids and helmets - all standard issue kit on a ghyll scrambling session with Kendal Mountaineering services.

Photo three shows the team entering the first really deep pool in Wren Gill. Having swum it, many people went back in a second & third time - having jumped in from the rocks on the left of the pool.

Continuing on from here, eventually, the gorge deepens & narrows before we reach a deep pool with an unclimbable waterfall beyond. Here, we had to exit the gorge and continue several hundred metres up the bank before we could climb down and continue up the bed of the gill to the final waterfall.





The final photo shows the whole group having a power shower under the top fall in Wren Gill.

The Stag party throughly enjoyed their ghyll scrambling session in The Lake District National Park with Iain from Kendal Mountaineering services. We would like to wish Fraser all the best for his wedding and in the future also.

Other photographs taken during this session can be viewed here. To book your ghyll scrambling session in The Lake District National Park with Kendal Mountaineering services contact us here and remember -wherever you are staying, we will have a venue for this fab activity near to you!