Learn how canoes can be utilised to create magical wilderness journeys (from £195)

Adventuring by canoe opens up whole new worlds of possibility. This two day skills course is ideal for those wanting to plan their own canoe camping trips. With a focus on paddling on open water and bushcraft, this offers an exciting blend of learning and awesome unforgettable experiences.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

One night wild-camping

All food included

Two days of expert tuition from highly qualified coaches and bushcraft instructors

Canoes, personal paddling equipment and tents

JOINING INSTRUCTIONS

Meet/Depart Fell Foot National Trust car park, Newby Bridge, Cumbria (nearest train station Oxenholme Lake District)

Itinerary (please note this is highly flexible and may change to take account of local conditions)

Day 1

We meet at our lakeside base for our 9.30am briefing of the next two days. After an introduction to canoeing including outfitting of boats and how to effectively pack for touring on open water, we will take to the water and learn and develop paddle strokes to manoeuvre our canoes on open water. We will discuss trim and edge and everyone will have the opportunity to paddle tandem and solo style to become more confident paddlers. We will stop for lunch and receive tuition on fire-lighting using primitive methods to make ourselves a hot brew. We will continue our journey, whilst receiving coaching tips and advice from our canoe coaches until we arrive at our wild-camp location. The rest of the afternoon will be spent looking at how to set up an organised wild-camp and cooking over a camp-fire. In the evening, we will gather around the fire to eat and swap stories and plans for future adventures.

Day 2

After breakfast, we strike camp and load our canoes. We will then look at coping with different weather conditions to include how to raft canoes together to create a more stable craft and how to improvise sails for harnesses a favourable wind. After stopping for lunch, we will look at rescue techniques and the fundamentals of capsize drills. These are wet exercises and are entirely optional but we strongly recommend your participation. Not only are they fun (yes, really!) but they will give you the confidence to paddle across open water knowing you are better equipped to handle a capsize amongst your party. This will be the last activity of the workshop enabling you to dry off and warm back up right at the end.