What is Canyoning?

Canyoning is a one of the best extreme Sports out there! It is an activity that engages every part of your body, takes you to places of stunning natural beauty where you can disconnect 100% and it gets your adrenaline flowing.
Canyoning is an extreme outdoor adventure that doesn´t lack in adrenaline or adventure! This outdoor expedition consists in walking, scrambling and hiking through ravines and gorges, descending down waterfalls and rock, cliff jumping and very often swimming in rivers and pools in the fresh water. 

The expeditions take place in gorges and ravines which are usually bedrock stone where rivers have carved their way through the rock creating stunning gorges, cliffs and landscapes perfect for a wet and wild adventure.

This adventure activity may be also known as Gorge Walking or Canyoneering (although it usually refers to a more technical form of canyoning involving more abseiling) and as it involves a range of different activities and different intensities, making it a brilliant multi-adventure experience for all abilities!

Skills necessary:

In order be a competent ¨canyoner¨ one must be in fairly good physical shape, be able to swim and be fairly comfortable in an outdoor settings. Although it doesn´t always involve abseiling, it may in some cases in which canyoners should be familiar with this sport.

• Swimming
• Basic rope work
• Abseiling
• Sldiing (down waterfalls)
• Navigation skills (if you are going without a guide)

  

Equipment:

Neoprene wet suits or dry suits depending on the time of year and water temperature. You will wear a swimsuit underneath, saving dry clothes for afterwards.

• Rope (if your adventure is going to involve abseiling)
• Harness (for abseiling)
• Helmet (mandatory)
• Water shoes or boots as sometimes the terrain can be hazardous for ankles.
• A waterproof backpack

  

Canyoning Destinations

Canyoning is popular the world over and there are exceptional canyoning ravines and gorges scattered all over the world.  There developed canyoning routes in the following countries:  Slovenia, Spain, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Portugal, Greece, India, Italy, Turkey, Bosnia & Herzegovina, UK and many more.  For canyoning or gorge walking in the UK. Wales and Scotland especially, offer brilliant locations such as Aberdyfi, Dinorwig, the Lake District and Harlech.

Risks

Canyoning can become dangerous in certain situations and usually when it is a more extreme adventure. There is a possibility of flash floods, torrential and powerful waters, hypothermia and getting lost. Due to the remoteness of some of the routes, getting lost can be a dangerous and life threatening event. Make sure to take a mobile with battery in a waterproof bag and let people know where you will be venturing.

Training

Although there is no national regulatory body for canyoning in the UK, it falls under the British Mountaineering Council. Courses are offered and many organizations which feature this activity offer courses to learn the necessary skills and most times the programs are divided into 3 or 4 levels of difficulty, however if you are going to embark on a canyoning adventure with an outdoor activity provider, you will usually only have to worrying about having a ball!

This is a fabulous activity for those with a thirst for outdoor adventure and exhilaration. For those new to the sport it is advisable to go with an outdoor activity provider that provides this activity. This is also a brilliant idea for a special occasion like a Hen or Stag dos! Have a look at our list of canyoning providers to find one best suited to you!

Thrill rating 9/10

Danger rating 9/10

Fitness rating 7/10

In a nutshell ...

So you're a dab hand at gorge scrambling and fancy something more extreme? Welcome to canyoning - gorge scrambling's bigger, wilder and more dangerous brother (although it must be said, the pair do get easily confused sometimes). Hard-core canyoning involves some serious jumping down into deep plunge pools, and whooshing down a raging river's naturally occurring flumes. Intense, adrenaline-packed and just a little bit scary.

What's the buzz?

"It's like the Center Parcs of the outdoors here," says Andy Burton, from the Tulloch Outdoor Activity Centre in the Scottish Highlands. This centre takes groups to a local canyon called the River of the Caves, where adventurers get to explore previously inaccessible canyons. "It's a beautiful sight: the scenery of the natural terrain, the granite rock smoothed by the river - and the views are phenomenal, with the glens descending dramatically," Andy enthuses. The jaw-dropping surroundings really add to the appeal of this adventure.

Thrill a minute?

Definitely - and bear in mind it can be dangerous, too, as escaping out of the sides of a canyon part-way down can be problematic. A half-day session should be more than enough to give you an adrenaline overload, so many providers combine it with other activities; in the Lake District, for instance, Adventure21 combines canyoning and gorge scrambling with aquaseiling (that's abseiling down waterfalls, apparently one of the fastest growing adventure activities in Britain).

Adrenaline peak

Heck, nothing beats lobbing yourself off a 10-metre-high rock into an ice-cold pool of crystal clear water. It says here.

Where to do it

Adventure provider Call of the Wild is based in the Brecon Beacons national park, a magnificent natural setting with stunning views. Nae Limits, based just south of Pitlochry, has developed a two-day "Canyon Tour" covering three of the most challenging canyons in Scotland, or check out the Tulloch Outdoor Centre's "Awesome Foursome" and "Triple Tastic" multi-day packages near Fort William in the Highlands.

Who can do it

Unlike gorge scrambling, there is a minimum age requirement of 16 for canyoning. It's a serious physical test and should only be attempted by adventurers in decent physical shape (having a screw loose is an optional extra).

Impress your pals

Canyoning is popular throughout the world (it's even done on little Reunion Island east of Madagascar) - but the sport goes by many different aliases. In Japan it's known as "river tracing", in the United States it's canyoneering, but best of all, in South Africa they call it kloofing.

YouTube searchwords 'canyoning, call of the wild'

Why a Canyoning Adventure Makes a Perfect Gift

What does a hiker, computer programmer, rock climber, swimmer, CEO and a mother of three have in common? The thirst for something new, that ultimate adventure that will awaken that sleeping adrenalin. And if you find yourself having the dilemma of finding a gift for anyone of your friends, colleagues or loved ones, try to base it on a common need. Adventure. Think about the gift of canyoning, a gift for somebody that does it all or somebody that wants to try it all.

The most amazing gifts can be a joy to everyone. Have you ever given some thought to the fact that the gift you received took a lot of time and thinking on the giver's part before it was even gift wrapped? Surely you have been in this situation when you just run out of ideas. Well, canyoning has put an end to a gift giver's dilemma and here's why it is a perfect gift.

A canyoning adventure takes place in outdoor settings not commonly seen in daily living. This activity will whisk you away into a surreal world with locations you may have just seen in travel magazines. Sandstone and lime sculptures formed over time and breathtaking views that will captivate your senses. Refreshing waterfalls and rivers alongside lush rainforests and mysterious caves. No other adventure can take you to locations that have such a diversity of nature's wonderful creations.

Canyoning is a challenging physical sport. However, there are certain levels of difficulty that will suit all levels of skill and lower levels of fitness. It's a perfect gift for someone who has done it all as well as a new adventure seekers. Get the chance to hone and develop new outdoor skills such as abseiling, rock climbing, caving and scrambling. For the average weekend warrior, canyoning can be a new adventure, and for that extreme sportsman, it can be one of the best outdoor challenges they will ever embark on.

It is a convenient gift for both the giver and the recipient. All you need to do is find a credible and professional company that provides canyoning tours, choose a location and purchase a voucher online! Now that's gift giving at its best, no crowds at the mall, haggling for a parking space, and best of all, it didn't take half your day! Gift vouchers for canyoning tours usually last for 6 months, giving your recipient ample time to plan a weekend vacation and go canyoning. Most companies provide added guest services such as transfers, secures parking areas, lockers and shower areas. Which all the more makes canyoning a perfect hassle free gift?

Canyoning is a fuss free adventure and safe endeavour. There is no need to purchase any equipment, all necessary gear is provided. The most you might have to bring on this adventure is some personal essentials, a sound mind and body, and a bucketful of excitement. Well equipped and fully trained instructors accompany you on fully guided canyoning tours, where safety measures are non-negotiable and group welfare is always a priority.

Finally, canyoning is a group activity which makes it a perfect gift for family and friends. What better way than to share a gift of adventure by sharing it with the ones you love, and create full and lasting memories together.

Cameron Bruce is an experienced writer that is also a massive fan of caving. He has enjoyed the sport from the moment he learned canyoning through to his many canyoning adventures across Australia. Cameron Bruce thinks everyone can participate in canyoning or caving and hopes that more people participate in the sport. If you are interested in canyoning you should find out more today and before you know it you'll be enjoying your very own canyoning Blue Mountains adventure.

By Cameron Bruce

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