Category: Canyoning - Mountain Journeys - Guided Walks

Exploring the canyons of Costa Blanca

9/12/2020

#canyons-of-costa-blanca-cucales

Exploring the Cucales barranco

For a while I'd been put off visiting the Barranco Cucales due to the need of a car shuttle to make it viable. Well, after some further research, I realised that this was simply not necessary. In fact, it would be more awkward with a car shuttle between start and finishing points.

So today, along with Steve and Rob, we set off in search of the entrance. Thanks to a handy gadget Rob had we were on the scent straightaway. Then it was just a case of follow the cairns towards the riverbed.

A number of straightforward abseils took us through increasingly impressive terrain. Almost all the abseil stations have been recently re-bolted with 2 bolts, this was very reassuring. The main event was a 23m abseil through a slot with staggering rock formations.

The canyon began to open out and soon we located a tiny path leading up to the access track, only about 5 minutes walk back to the parking area.
All we saw all day were birds of prey out looking for food and a solitary farmer tending to an Olive grove (well, we didn't actually see the farmer, but could hear the chainsaw)!

Around 11 abseils in a tranquil environment with quaint villages nearby and Benicadell ridge as backdrop. This is definitely a place we'll visit again.

For more information or if looking for a guided day in Spain or the Lakes District please do get in touch.

Thanks for reading

Mark

#barranco-cucales-costa-blanca

Steve marvelling at the scenery

#benicadell-from-catamarruch

Benicadell ridge looms large behind the mountain top village of Catamarruch

Fun filled weekend of adventures

5/10/2020

#adventurous-activities-lake-district

All smiles on Jack's Rake

This weekend I've been out with Julia, Barbara, Vicky, and Ruth. It's now around 10 years since I first met Julia, and since then we've met up each year for big mountain days and challenge events in the Lakes and Snowdonia. This weekend was due to be something similar, but with a poor weather forecast for Saturday I decided to suggest some alternatives to mountain walking. The idea of canyoning went down rather well, and the plan amended so that Saturday would see us heading into the wild waters of Church Beck in Coniston. Abseils, pool jumps, climbs, swims, and scrambling make up this fun filled descent. An amazing amount of fun was had by all.
Jack's Rake was the plan for Sunday and the weather came good for it. A rapid walk up to Stickle tarn gave all a good look at what lay in store on the big cliffs of Pavey Ark. All gave the thumbs up so we blasted over to the base of Jack's Rake, here we donned helmets and set off up the narrow channel. Fun scrambling that is at all times engaging and with exposure building all the while. We made swift progress, but did occasionally stop to admire the views.
Once at the top we clambered over rocky outcrops to reach the summit of Pavey Ark. Then it was on to Harrison Stickle and Pike O'Stickle before returning to the valley via Martcrag moor.

Such a great weekend, see you all next year :-)

Mark

#jacks-rake-pavey-ark

Top of Jack's Rake

#outdoor-activities-near-ambleside

Waterslide in Church Beck

#fun-days-in-the-lake-district

Big fun on a wet day

Autumn arrives

27/9/2020

#lake-district-canyoning

Enjoying the crystal clear waters of the canyon

Wow, what a year it’s been so far. Some quite unbelievable happenings all over the world with a virus taking control of us all. Very uncertain times during spring and early summer and plenty of time to reflect. Much good has come out of it despite all feeling unsettled.

Once lockdown restrictions eased the Lake District has seen a staggering number of visitors, whilst I don’t know the figures, I’m sure visitor numbers are considerably more than during a normal summer. This seems to have been mirrored throughout the National Parks, with the populous needing an escape but most unable to venture abroad.
So for many, it has been a first time visit to the wonderful Lake District, and thankfully most (maybe even all) have loved it here.

We have enjoyed welcoming lots of people and introducing them to fun activities such as Rock climbing; Abseiling; Guided walking; Scrambling; Gorge scrambling; and Canyoning.
All have proved popular, but the stand out activities of this year are Canyoning and Gorge scrambling, with the majority of people wanting to try out these fun and adventurous activities.
For this season we have introduced two additional canyon venues to the line up. Both are pretty extreme trips, with one being possible during a morning or afternoon session, whilst the other is a full day out.

As September rolls on by and October now knocks on the door, we begin to have a little more downtime again, time to take stock of a slightly bizarre summer. It is chilly here now, so the canyon kit is being put away, but climbing and walking days are aplenty, oh and some mountain running this week!!
The autumnal colours are on show and the mountains are now at their best, so if you haven’t made a visit to the Lakes yet, now could be the perfect time.

Below follows a number of snapshots of canyon trips this summer. If you didn’t join us for one of these this year, why not make a note to give it a go next year, it’s so much fun.

Thanks to all who joined us and all who tried to.

Mark

#outdoor-activities-lake-district

40 metre waterfall abseil

#lake-district-canyons

Now that's a shower!

#lake-district-adventure-activities

Happy faces all the way

#stoneycroft-ghyll-keswick

High water in Stoneycroft ghyll

#canyoning-church-beck-coniston

The first waterfall abseil in Church beck

#esk-gorge-canyoning-lake-district

Fun times in the Esk gorge

#stag-group-activities-lake-district

Tandem abseiling

#extreme-canyons-lake-district

Our extreme canyon trip. This is a full-on adventure day

Summer craziness arrives

25/7/2020

#fun-things-to-do-in-the-lake-district

Church beck canyon trip

It's been a month since my last blog post, pretty unusual as I do try to keep things up to date. We have just be so incredibly busy there has been no time to write. I'm very happy about this as the very slow start to the year did not bode well.
Now that we have all been allowed out again it seems most are taking advantage of it and getting out into the hills.

We have been busy with guided walks, rock climbing, scrambling, technical skills courses for climbers, abseiling. But mostly we have been in gorges and canyons. If I'm honest it took me a few years to appreciate the joys of canyoning, I used to think it was all just cold and wet and lots of faff. There can be an element of cold, there's certainly lots of wet, and for us there is some faff, but we take care of all that for you.
But, these are all massively outweighed by the sheer fun to be had in these magical places. Waterslides, pool jumps, abseiling through waterfalls, swimming in crystal clear waters, and splashing around with friends and family.

There are venues suitable for all from around age 5 upwards. Some venues are adult only and can be quite extreme. Just let us know what you're looking for and we'll come up with a plan.

Summer is the best time to be in these watery places as the weather here tends to be damp during July and August. Then September arrives and we hope for drier times and to be back on the rock, enjoying the rough volcanic rock that abounds here in the Lakes. We find September and October to be optimum times for climbing and other rock based activities.

Although we are now pretty booked up for the coming weeks, there is still some availability for later in August and good availability during September and October. If you're thinking of visiting and want to experience the best the Lakes can offer, please do get in touch.

Signing off now to prep for an afternoon of abseiling in the big slate quarries :-)

Thanks for reading

Mark

#guided-rock-climbing-ambleside

Original Route, Raven crag, Langdale

#family-activities-lake-district

Family fun in Stickle ghyll, Langdale

#group-outdoor-activities-ambleside

Whenever in a canyon or gorge with us, you will receive a briefing prior to getting started and at other relevant times

#rock-climbing-guide-langdale

Enjoying a blue sky day in Langdale

#lake-district-activities-stoneycroft-ghyll

Canyon descent of Stoneycroft ghyll

#climbing-skills-course-ambleside

Technical skills course with Patchwork

#where-to-canyon-lake-district

More Church beck fun

#traffic-in-the-lake-district

Traffic jam in Coniston

Cooling down in the canyon

25/6/2020

#things-to-do-in-ambleside

Time to get in that waterfall

Whilst we know lots of the Lake District, including many gorges and canyons. We can't claim to know them all. This allows us to keep on having adventures to new places, which is so much fun. And that's what it is all about, having fun adventures in amazing places. When we find those really super cool spots we know it's time to share them with our customers. Well, after waiting far too long to check this place out, last week we finally got around to doing the full canyon descent of this amazing Gill that is on the Helvellyn range.

Having managed an initial descent and loving it, today we returned to spend more time researching the venue and how best to plan for sessions there. The planning is now all done, so time to start showing our wonderful customers the delights of canyoning, Lakeland style. So that means epic waterfalls, stunning scenery, deep plunge pools, crystal clear water and so much more.

Due to the involved and technical nature of this canyon, if necessary we will show you how to abseil in a controlled and safe manor, how to set up various types of abseil, and how to deal with very slippery rocks. This trip will be best enjoyed by those with some previous experience in a gorge or canyon, or with a climbing background.

So if you're planning a visit to the Lakes and looking for something a bit different, something on the extreme side of outdoor activities, this could be just the thing.

With easy access from the towns of Ambleside, Windermere, or Keswick, it's nice and central.

Give us a call and let's make a plan.

Mark

#outdoor-activities-near-windermere

About to get airborne on the big abseil

#adventure-days-lake-district

Entering the depths of the canyon

#extreme-canyoning-lake-district

Emerging on the other side!

Summer time is Gorge Scrambling time in the Lake District

24/7/2019

#canyoning-lake-district

Enjoying the recent high water levels

It's been full steam ahead here and the rest of summer is looking really busy with lots of fun activities too.
With the recent warm weather, we have seen an increase in bookings for Gorge Scrambling. And right now really is the perfect time to take the the waters of the Lake District.
We've been lucky enough to have enjoyed multiple trips into Church Beck, Stickle Ghyll, the Esk Gorge, and have had a sneaky look at yet another 'new' venue. This one still needs a little more research before we can offer it as an activity, but it does promise to be fantastic, with the added bonus of easy access

We still have some availability for August and good availability for September, so why not get in touch and let's make a plan.

Happy holidays everyone

Mark

#esk-gorge-lake-district

A glorious day in the Esk Gorge

#group-activities-lake-district

Fun times in Stickle Ghyll

#gorge-scrambling-ambleside

More action in Stickle Ghyll

#church-beck-gorge

Jumping into a plunge pool in Church Beck

Short stay multi-activity - Costa Blanca

15/2/2019

#rock-climbing-course-costa-blanca

Andi making light work of a 6a route at Toix near Calpe

We've had the pleasure of welcoming back the Patchwork team this week. Looking for a break from the grey skies of Northern England but wanting so much more than relaxing by a pool, we had the perfect solution.

Multi-activity Costa Blanca style - this of course involves plenty of blue sky and sunshine, but also plenty of time out in the mountains, on the crags, and exploring new places.

Over the 3 days we enjoyed a walk to the dramatic 'Cova del Dalt' a beautiful cave with very easy access. This was part of a walk to the summit of El Crestall which lies just under the 1000m marker. For the afternoon we descended a nearby canyon, the Barranco del Pas de Calvo, so a rather full day. Plenty of happy faces at the end of that one.

Day 2 was a little more chilled out. We visited the seaside, well sort of! A day of rock climbing on the Toix crags near Calpe. These offer splendid views along the coastline. Most enjoyed 7 climbs before finger strength final got the better of us. A lovely warm day at the crag.

Day 3 was a bigger, more intense day. The dramatic Barranco del Pas de Tancat near the little village of Bolulla. This is an amazing trip with beautiful scenery to start and this gets better and better with every abseil. The biggest abseil in here is almost 40 metres and whilst everyone did really well, it's a real hats off to those with a fear of heights. That's cured now I think!

6 refreshed and happy people winged their way back to Newcastle this morning. It's been an absolute pleasure, hope to see you all again before too long.

Mark

#guided-walking-costa-blanca

Lunch stop during one of our mountain walks this week

#canyoning-costa-blanca

The team in the dramatic 'Barranco del Pas de Tancat'

Canyoning in the Lake District

10/10/2018

#canyoninglakedistrict

45m of full on waterfall abseiling

Earlier this year whilst leading a guided walk I came across a Ghyll I'd not seen before. It took my breath away and I knew I would have to return with a wetsuit and get in it.
Today that's exactly what happened. Along with my good friend Anna, we donned wetsuits, had lots of rope with us and went in search of adventure......we found it!

After a mostly level and easy approach walk, we rested a while in a beautiful spot with stunning views. Then it was time to gear up and get to work setting the ropes up. The top waterfall (not pictured) being about 15m high made for a perfect introduction and got us nicely wet, adjusted for the main event that lay below!!

I'd estimated the main waterfall to be over 50m, possibly 55m so we had a 60m rope for this one. I whizzed down this absolutely loving the excitement of being in a waterfall for so long. The big pool at the bottom is deep enough to swim in but being October we didn't go for that, and an easy scramble out on either side avoids the deep water. Anna was soon cruising down too, clearly loving it, even stopping to take photos en-route.

Below this pool lies many more waterfalls, slides, and pools, all in an incredibly beautiful setting.

We will be offering canyon descents of this Ghyll from May 2019 - it's absolutely amazing and anyone who likes Ghyll scrambling / canyoning will totally love this place. Get in touch soon to find out more.

All the best

Mark

#thingstodonearambleside

Proper, full fat and added cream canyoning here in the Lake District

#walksnearambleside

Even the approach walk is magnificent

Canyoning - Church Beck

19/5/2018

#gorgescramblingambleside

The big slide in Church beck

Such a fun afternoon enjoying the clear mountain waters of Church Beck with Brian and his friends from London town.

We split the session into 2 sections, starting with an ascent from mid-way up as far as the big chockstone slide. This got everyone into the groove before heading into the upper canyon for the big jumps!
A few jitters as the first big jump was tackled, but such an amazing effort from all. We finished with the big slide, speeding into the deep pool below and a cool swim out.

Despite other teams being in the gorge, we had a clear run at everything and most of the time we were the only people in there, good timing.

My bag is already packed in readiness for a day on Helvellyn tomorrow, see you all again then.

Mark

#gorgescramblinglakedistrict

Fun times in the Gorge

More canyon discoveries, Costa Blanca

19/11/2017

#canyoningalicante

Abseiling through the narrows!

Barranco del Pas de Calvo

Whilst enjoying a walk along the beautiful Malafi gorge last year, I spotted an area of interest, maybe for climbing, maybe scrambling, or maybe canyoning. Wasn't really sure which, but for sure the area would provide adventurous fun. Soon after this discovery I returned with a friend and together we climbed a ridge high above the gorge. This was fun, quite loose, and had a very adventurous feel to it. We later descended via a small canyon that was mostly very straightforward.

The bigger canyon still awaited our attention and by chance I came across an article in the FEMECV mountaineering magazine that described this very canyon. It is fully equipped with bolts and ventures through some fine rock scenery.

Earlier this week, me & Kim set off to check it out. Only 25 minutes from Llosa de Camacho and with a short approach walk, this was too good to be true. Even the walk-in was fun, and in no time we arrived in the canyon, such a beautiful place. The initial abseil set up didn't make sense to us, but we made the best of what we had (a longer rope of 50m is the solution). Once beyond this section we were deep in the canyon and enjoying amazing scenery. Quite a few short abseils followed and some easy scrambling, so all in all a fun and enjoyable descent.

We had been advised that the return walk would be through dense vegetation, so had come prepared with saw, cutters, and gardening gloves. It was actually not so bad, and we have now cleared the route even more.

The longest abseil is under 20m but we would recommend combining the first 2 abseils to make about 24m, this would be far easier. So take a 50m rope.

For a short canyon this place certainly packs a punch, we'll definitely be back and hope some of you will join us too :-)

Mark

#canyoningcostablanca

The first abseil

#canyoningcostablancaspain

Looking back into the Barranco del Pas de Calvo