Gorge walking is outdoor play time in wetsuits! With a variety of locations in the Lake District, half days and full days, and brilliant staff, there's a reason people come back to us again and again. Gorge Walking takes you up a steep sided beck (Lakeland river), walking in the path of the water, scrambling over rocks, traversing above pools and climbing up waterfalls. Generally with gorge walking there are some ‘Jacuzzis’ and not-so hot tubs en route, we swim across pools, jump in them and slide off rocks and waterfalls.
- Locations: Church Beck, Esk Gorge, Tilberthwaite Beck, Stickle Ghyll, Tarn Beck, Duddon Tour and Black Hole, all in South West Lakes
- Progess to: Adventure days and premium days
- Duration: ½ day activity other than adventure days and premium days which are full days
- Minimum Age: 10 (6-9 year olds can do Stickle Ghyll and Lower Tilberthwaite)
- Premium/Adventure Days available: Esk Gorge Walk (wet gorge), Stickle Ghyll and Jacks Rake (drier scramble), Tarn Beck mountain day
- Per person prices: Offers and Prices
- How to book: Booking Information
You can now Book and Pay Online
Gorge Walking happily runs from Easter until just before the October half term and the Esk Gorge is available from the 21st April till the 21st Sept. Half day Gorge Walks can still be done outside of these periods for groups on the understanding that the water will be very cold!
Open Gorge Walking Sessions
Please see dates below for activity sessions that are running and have spaces available for others to join.
FOR ANY OTHER DATES OR ACTIVITIES PLEASE SEND US AN ENQUIRY.
Last Updated: 21 May 2013, 13:31
From Mon, 20 May 2013
Wednesday, 22 May pm
Gorge Walk
Church Beck,
Min. Age: 10,
Spaces: 6
Book
From Mon, 27 May 2013
Monday, 27 May pm
Gorge Walk
Church Beck,
Min. Age: 10,
Spaces: 3
Book
Tuesday, 28 May pm
Gorge Walk
Tilberthwaite,
Min. Age: 6,
Spaces: 8
Book
Friday, 31 May pm
Gorge Walk
Church Beck,
Min. Age: 10,
Spaces: 2
Book
Friday, 31 May pm
Gorge Walk
Stickle Ghyll,
Min. Age: 6,
Spaces: 0
Book
From Mon, 3 Jun 2013
Saturday, 8 Jun Full Day
Full Day Esk Gorge Walk
Esk Gorge,
Min. Age: 14,
Spaces: 6
Book
From Mon, 17 Jun 2013
Sunday, 16 Jun Full Day
Full Day Esk Gorge Walk
Esk Gorge,
Min. Age: 14,
Spaces: 6
Book
From Mon, 1 Jul 2013
Sunday, 30 Jun am
Gorge Walk
Church Beck,
Min. Age: 10,
Spaces: 4
Book
Saturday, 6 Jul Full Day
Full Day Esk Gorge Walk
Esk Gorge,
Min. Age: 14,
Spaces: 6
Book
From Mon, 29 Jul 2013
Saturday, 3 Aug Full Day
Full Day Esk Gorge Walk
Esk Gorge,
Min. Age: 14,
Spaces: 6
Book
From Mon, 12 Aug 2013
Monday, 12 Aug pm
Gorge Walk
Church Beck,
Min. Age: 10,
Spaces: 5
Book
From Mon, 19 Aug 2013
Tuesday, 20 Aug pm
Gorge Walk
Church Beck,
Min. Age: 10,
Spaces: 8
Book
Gorge Walking Details
You may know that sometimes it rains in the Lake District, and if it is going to rain, then you will get wet and if you're going to get wet, you might as well have lots of fun at the same time! This is basically what gorge walking is - getting thoroughly soaked with a big smile on your face! Don’t worry about the water though because for gorge walking we provide a wetsuit, cag and buoyancy aid and other safety gear, so you won’t be too cold or uncomfortable.
Our range of gorge walking venues include some which are wetter, some which are wilder and some dryer with more scrambling. We also do a full day wet gorge walk and 3 full day drier gorge scrambling adventure days.
What do we do in a typical Gorge Walking session
We have a variety of terrain in the different venues used for Gorge Walking, but our regular sessions are usually in Church Beck, Coniston, take half a day with one or two roped climbs one or two deep pools and element of swimming and of course walking over rocky uneven terrain (the river bed), with some scrambling and traversing along the gorge sides. The overall distance covered in Gorge Walking is only around 600m but because of all the activity involved, it takes around 2 hours to cover this distance.
Full day Gorge Walking trips usually involve more swimming and climbing with a greater distance travelled.
All our outdoor activity sessions include elements of fun, learning new skills, going on a journey, adventure and coaching. Each session will have one of these elements as its main focus, either because the activity naturally offers it, (eg. journeying up the gorge), or to tailor the session to the groups aims. Be sure to let our office/your instructor know if there is something you would like to learn, do or have concerns about. We will always remember that you are doing the activity as part of your time off and so your enjoyment will always be our priority.
Through years of experience providing quality outdoor activities we include all those small things that make your holiday so unique and memorable. Such as average instructor to customer ratios of 1:5 (so you have more time and are not rushed) complimentary hot drinks, and much more.
Why go Gorge Walking in the Lake District?
There are so many different Gorge Walking venues that offer you a totally different experience each time. Lake District Gorge Walking can be Climbing-based, Scrambling-based or Water-based, and many gorges have a variety of these different challenges. There are gorge walks that are great for the whole family and other more extreme venues that work best with adult groups - on a Corporate Away Day or Hen and Stag day. Gorge Walking is such an accessible activity that allows you to experience the true lake district from within the gorges and rivers surrounded by the beautiful mountains.
Gorge Walking Activity Days
"Give it a go" Days
Half Day Church Beck Gorge Walking
Church Beck Gorge is a really fun half day session, with 2 jumps in to deep pools, a trust fall, 2 rigged climbs through waterfalls, and finished off with climbing through a 10 meter long waterfall! We fully recommend this as a fun Gorge Walk with loads of challenges throughout.
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
Rydal Beck Gorge Walking
Rydal Beck is known for its high water levels resulting in many waterfalls and pools to have an excellent swim in. This gorge walk involves canyonning down a natural rock flume in to a pool and scrambling through the beautiful landscape. There aren't any rigged climbs in this gorge which means that you are constantly on the move with no waiting around. A great opportunity to spend a full day with a large group!
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
Adventure Days
Stickle Ghyll and Jack's Rake Adventure Day
This is a fantastic scrambling day for people who like rock and a challenge. We start in Stickle Ghyll which is often used for half day gorge walking but continue up higher than usual, all the way to Stickle tarn for a spot of lunch. The challenge then is to conquer Jack's Rake - a grade 1 scramble, cutting diagonally across a slab of rock, high up on the Langdale fells. Great views to reward the challenge.
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
"Give it a go" Days
Stickle Ghyll Gorge Walk
The Stickle Ghyll Gorge Walk begins at the Stickle Barn Tavern, located in and amongst the stunning Langdale Pikes. This Gorge Walk is known for being quite wide, which makes it great for the younger children to take advantage of walking around the waterfalls rather than climbing through them. The largest climb available in Stickle Ghyll is 15 meters high. If you would like to make the day a little more challenging, Stickle Ghyll can be taken as a full day Gorge Walk, where you explore further up through the Gorge to reach Stickle Tarn. The tarn can be enjoyed with a relaxing swim at the end as a reward. The fresh mountain water on this Gorge Walk can be fully appreciated when coupled with an exciting climb around Lower Scout, for the other half of the day.
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
Stickle Ghyll Gorge Walk
The Stickle Ghyll Gorge Walk begins at the Stickle Barn Tavern, located in and amongst the stunning Langdale Pikes. This Gorge Walk is known for being quite wide, which makes it great for the younger children to take advantage of walking around the waterfalls rather than climbing through them. The largest climb available in Stickle Ghyll is 15 meters high. If you would like to make the day a little more challenging, Stickle Ghyll can be taken as a full day Gorge Walk, where you explore further up through the Gorge to reach Stickle Tarn. The tarn can be enjoyed with a relaxing swim at the end as a reward. The fresh mountain water on this Gorge Walk can be fully appreciated when coupled with an exciting climb around Lower Scout, for the other half of the day.
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
Adventure Days
Tarn Beck Adventure Day
Our adventure day starts very gently in the beck right next to the road, but before you know it there's a little waterfall to clamber up and then pools and rocks and a proper narrow rocky gorge to go through. We then wind our way up Seathwaite Tarn, including a grade 1 scramble and the discovery of a hidden tarn. Tarn Beck and Seathwaite Beck can each be done as 1/2 days. Tarn Beck may involve travelling a short distance in vehicles mid session whilst wearing wetsuits.
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
Premium Days
The Esk Gorge Walking Premium Day
The full day gorge walk in the Esk valley provides a fabulous playground of rocks, waterfalls and pools that can simply be enjoyed for hours. The start point is at the bottom of hardknott pass at around 10am, and the day begins with an hour’s walk up the valley to get to the main gorge section of the river for serious playtime and a spot of lunch in a very beautiful location, before the walk back to the cars for around 4.30pm. This day is one of our favourites – stunning scenery, remote location, fantastic jumps that reach upto 8 meters high, pools and there’s even a hidden lagoon. It is a more strenuous day than our other gorge walks and this is reflected in a minimum age of 14 years old.
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
"Give it a go" Days
Tilberthwaite Half Day Gorge Walking
This gorge has a unique and brilliant character. As you journey around the fallen trees and over the huge boulders, you’re faced with brilliant challenges such as a trust fall, climbing through waterfalls and an awesome jump in to a deep pool. The unique element of Tilberthwaite is that, due to the lower water levels, the gorge walk offers an opportunity for some great climbing. To finish, the walk back to the starting point has stunning Lake District views.
This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:
