Exploration

11 UK canyoning adventures you need to try

Get your kicks from rock jumps, river swims and epic mountain scenery? These high-octane canyoning adventures will have all your boxes ticked.

Written by Lucy Grewcock

5 min readUpdated on 28.07.2021 · 23:00 UTC

Huge jumps. Fast slides. Big adrenaline. Canyoning is one of the most exhilarating outdoor activities in the UK. You and your friends will be swimming through remote gorges, abseiling down waterfalls, and zip-lining into icy pools.

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Anyone can get involved, so long as you go with an experienced guide who has all the gear and lots of local knowledge.

We spoke to experts, enthusiasts and instructors up and down the UK to unearth their favourites spots and guided trips. From knee-shaking Scottish abseils, to Yorkshire’s best ravines, and extreme scrambling in South Wales, here’s what they shared with us:

Word of caution: In light of the coronavirus pandemic, you should follow physical distancing guidelines and take appropriate safety precautions while attempting these routes. For more information, check out Visit England's, Visit Scotland's, Visit Wales' guidelines and latest advice.

1. Grey Mares Tail Canyon, Kinlochleven, Lochaber

“Scotland has the best canyon locations by far,” boasts George Yates of The Canyoning Company – the UK’s only ICOpro centre. “Grey Mares Tail has big jumps, fast slides, zip-lines and a breathtaking 90m multi-pitch abseil. From our experience, it’s the best and most technical commercial canyon in the UK. It delivers on adventure and commitment, and gives you a high dose of adrenaline."

2. Bruar Falls, Perthshire

“Scotland is littered with cracks, crystal clear waters and lost world features,” says Dale Strang of Naelimits.co.uk. “One of the most accessible and beautiful canyoning spots imaginable, the twisted rocks at Bruar Falls form natural flumes, hidden sumps, natural arches, 9m jumps, and major falls. The gorge reaches 30m deep and gets as narrow as 6m." George Yates agrees: “This canyon has everything!"

3. Dollar Canyon, Clackmannanshire

Another must-visit, says Yates, is Dollar Canyon. “It's great for beginners or intermediates and is just 40 minutes from Edinburgh. It’s very accessible, with awesome features: 5m jumps, epic natural flumes, and a jaw-dropping two-tier waterfall that’s over 25m high. This lush green canyon is in the stunning Clackmannanshire countryside, overlooked by Dollar Castle. A true Scottish canyoning experience."

4. Acharn Falls, Perthshire

“Hidden in the hills above Loch Tay is a natural water park,” says Strang. The canyon is full of flumes, including a steep narrow slide that fires you from the exit point. The final obstacle is a huge two-tier falls, around 30m above the canyon’s base. Once at the bottom, our trips finish with a visit to the largest hot box sauna in Scotland, overlooking Loch Tay."

5. Dundonnell Canyon, Ross-shire

For more seasoned canyoning fans, Yates recommends Dundonnell Canyon. “This name gets even the most experienced canyoners buzzing. Dundonnell cuts its way down a deep glen, creating some of the most stunning canyon features we've seen in Scotland. It requires full-on commitment; with technical rope work, sumps and sheer-sided slot drops; plus huge jumps, long abseils and narrow swims. It’s as pure and thrilling as canyoning gets."

6. Esk Ghyll, Eskdale, Lake District

Thankfully, Esk Ghyll is easier to navigate than it is to pronounce. “This gorge has amazing jumps for adrenaline junkies,” says Vickie McMahon, co-owner of Lake District-based Crags Adventures. “High jumps are the big attraction, but there’s swimming, scrambling and climbing too. All this in crystal clear water surrounded by lush countryside and mountainous terrain. With a 1:3 gradient, the drive-in along the Hardknott Pass has your heart pumping before you even get to the gorge!"

7. Stoneycroft Ghyll, Keswick, Lake District

Seasoned canyoner Lee Simpson at Keswick Adventures gave Stoneycroft in the Newlands Valley as a top recommendation. Expect deep blue pools, rocky scrambles and water slides, plus jumps and plunge pools for shallow dives or belly flops. “I’ve been delivering ghyll scrambling here for over 15 years now and it never fails to excite even the most adrenaline-fuelled adventurer, while still catering for the cautious,” says Lee.

8. Afon Dwyryd, Snowdonia

Snowdonia is packed with excellent canyoning spots. None more so than Afon Dwyryd near Blaenau Ffestiniog. With Snowdonia Adventure Activities taking groups regularly, the 3-4 hour route follows a line of natural features, the river drops 250ft, and there's a 40ft waterfall with zip-line descent. "The scenery is akin to Jurassic Park," one staffer told us.

9. Prysor Canyon, Snowdonia

With 9m jumps, zip-lining, a 30ft abseil, Prysor Canyon is a favourite of Jamie Williams, a canyoning instructor with more than 15 years’ experience and Managing Director at North Wales Active. Afon Ddu and Dolgarrog Gorge are two more that Jamie says should make the list.

10. Mellte and Sychryd rivers, Brecon Beacons

Rivers Melte and Sychryd
© Blueocean-adventure.co.uk

The Brecon Beacons has some great gorge scrambling routes, and Neil McMullen from Blue Ocean Activities says the most popular and established follows the Mellte and Sychryd rivers. "From jumps and scrambles, to traverses and crawls in confined spaces, this fast-paced route has it all. It's great fun, with challenges for all abilities." The highest jump – Loonies Leap – is almost seven metres high.

11. Beezley Falls, Yorkshire

Ingleton Beezley Falls
© Lostearthadventures.co.uk

"Without a doubt, this is the most exhilarating canyoning experience in the country!” says Yorkshire-based company Lost Earth Adventures. “With big jumps, big rapids, big chutes and huge adrenaline, it’s the most extreme canyoning experience we offer and the best in England. Jump into the ravine and experience 12m cliff jumps, smooth rock chutes and an epic zip-line that sends you across a waterfall to the plunge pool below."

And once you've got your canyoning fix, check out the best places to scuba dive in the UK