Mountain Course & Activity Locations

Derwentwater, The Lake District. Keswick, North Lakes.

Derwentwater in the northern Lake District is undoubtedly one of the area's prettiest lakes and just one of a number of venues we use for our introductory Kayaking Courses.

The Lake nestles between the foot of Borrowdale and the popular town of Keswick. There are a couple of car parks and access points to the lake from the B5289 east of shore road running from Keswick to Borrowdale. These are literally just a five minute drive south of Keswick Town.

Derwentwater is an interesting lake with a number of bays and three islands to explore. One can also journey in to the mouth of the River Derwent flowing in from Borrowdale or undertake our Middle Derwent River Journey from the northern end of Derwentwater almost to Bassenthwaite Lake - a grade 2 moving water expedition: 3 miles in length, that takes up to four hours to complete; and an excellent introduction to moving water skills.

Where do we meet you?  For your Introductory Kayaking Session on Derwentwater, we prefer to meet at Kettlewell Car Park (CA12 5UU for Satnav Purposes) where there is good access directly to the shore of the lake. However, this car park fills up quickly so we often have to park at Great Wood Car Park (CA12 5UP for Satnav purposes) from where we have a short distance to carry our equipment to the lakeshore (250 metres). Please DO NOT pay to park in either car park until we have confirmed with you which location we will be working from! Once at the location from where we will get on to the lake, we will get changed into wetsuits et cetera, get you fitted into your kayak; and then set off to explore this beautiful lake with it's stunning surroundings.

An introductory Kayaking Session will typically give us enough time to explore a good part of Derwentwater with it's contrasting shorelines, bays and islands. If you are interested in a full day of Kayaking here then we will have time to explore the whole of Derwentwater and take in the stunning views of the surrounding mountains - Scafell Pike to the south and Skiddaw to the north. For a full day of Kayaking - don't forget to bring your lunch which we most likely enjoy on one of the lake's large wooded islands!

 Frequently asked questions.

• What equipment is provided as part of an Introductory Kayaking session? Answer - as part of your fee per person, you get a neoprene wetsuit, a pullover cagoule, and bouyancy aid. Basically, so that you can get kitted up like the people in these photos! Of course you also get a Kayak, paddle and spraydeck to keep the water out of your craft. We "can" provide some fleece tops if you do not have your own.

• What do I need to bring? Answer - you each need to bring swimwear, a long sleeved fleece type top if you have one, a pair of old training shoes that you don't mind getting wet and a towel/change of dry clothing.

• How long does a half day session last? Answer - up to four hours on Derwentwater. You can also have a full day of Kayaking at this venue - in which case, don't forget to bring your lunch.

• Are there any discounts on your price? Answer - yes. For a half day of Kayaking on Derwentwater, our price per person for a minimum group size of two is £70.00 each, for four or more persons, the price falls to £55 each, for eight or more persons, the price falls to £40 each. If your group size is 12 persons or more then you each qualify for our minimum price of £35.00 per person. Children under 16 also receive a discount. Please contact us to enquire. If you are looking to do a full day of Kayaking, then our price for two people starts at £180.00 for the day and discounts apply for bigger groups - please do ask!

• We've booked & paid, but the weather's too cold or wet for our session to run. What happens to our payment? Answer - If we are unable to run your session due to the conditions, then you can either reschedule to another time; or, receive a full refund of your payment.

• I've never been Kayaking before. I'm excited but scared at the same time. Will I be able to do it? Answer - don't worry, you'll be well looked after in expert hands and you don't have to do anything you don't want to!

To book your Kayaking Session on Derwentwater contact us here, now.

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