Abseiling in the Lake District
More Details...
- Hodge Close Quarry
- 2 - 3 Hours (from meeting to leaving)
- From £50 (per person)
What’s Involved?
You will lower yourself down a big cliff face on a rope in a disused slate quarry. You will also be attached to a “back-up rope” at all times – so please don’t worry about messing up or doing it wrong.
Who is it for?
This is for adults and families with children of 9 years and above.
The venue:
The abseil sessions take place in a massive disused quarry in Little Langdale called Hodge Close. The abseil is in the region of 100-120 ft. Stunning scenic views will surround you but they can only be enjoyed if you dare open your eyes.
The parking is limited and there are no facilities or phone reception at the venue. The abseiling takes place right next to the parking.
what's Involved in our lake district abseiling experience?
Abseiling is a simple but adrenaline filled way to spend your time in the Lake District. It involves lowering yourself down a massive cliff face on a rope and harness. Depending on where you come from in the world you may know abseiling as “rappelling”. In England we use the German word “abseil” which when translated means “to rope down”.
During these sessions you will learn the technique of abseiling and lower yourself down into a huge disused slate quarry.
Abseiling is a great activity that will get your pulse racing. Moreover, it’s a great activity to book if you are worried about the weather forecast as it can be done in almost all weather conditions at all times of year. In fact I have never had to cancel an abseil yet.
who does it suit?
Lake District Abseiling isn’t a strenuous activity by nature, however, it can be strenuous walking back out of the quarry, therefore a reasonable level of fitness is required.
It is suitable for both adults and children as long as the individual is okay with heights. The minimum age is 9 years of age. However, all persons under age 18 must be accompanied by their own parent or legal guardian.
Looking for prices, booking or more info?
Abseiling Safety info:
Abseiling is an “all weather” option, so the activity is safe to do in most conditions due to its nature. Although, the location can be hard to exit in wetter weather as there is a short scramble out that turns into a waterfall when we have had heavy prolonged rain.
Snow and ice can also affect the exit point but most of the time these things are not an issue. This is one of the more accessible locations in the Lake District for abseiling and we rarely encounter any issues.
What's Provided:
When you attend our Lake District abseiling experiences you can expect the following equipment to be provided:
- A harness
- A helmet
- All abseiling hardwear
- All ghyll equipment
- Medical kit
- Photo’s and videos– taken by the instructor and shared at the end of the session. All photo’s on this page were taken during a session on our phone camera.
What to Bring:
When preparing for your abseiling experience, be sure to bring the following:
- Sensible, warm and waterproof clothing
- Trainers, wellies or hiking boots
- Gloves (optional to protect hands)
- Personal medication – i.e inhaler, insulin etc
HOW LONG WILL Lake District Abseiling last?
The activity will last no more than 3 hours from the point we meet to the point we say goodbye.
The exact time can vary and will depend on a few factors including group size, weather, confidence, fitness and ability levels.
what time of year?
We run this all year with adults – even through the winter. Please be aware that the sessions go ahead even if it is cold, windy, raining and even snowing to a point. Please have this in mind if you book your abseiling experience Lake District for the colder months as there is more chance of poor weather and you need to be up for it.
The only time we cancel this activity is if the conditions make the activity unsafe – and this decision is made by the instructor.
meeting location:
The meeting point is near Hodge Close Quarry, Little Langdale. However, the exact meeting location will be given at the time of booking.
The parking is free but limited so please turn up on time for the activity to ensure a space.
pro's & cons of abseiling in the Lake District:
If you’re still weighing up if this is the best lake district outdoor activity for you, then our unbiased list of pros and cons might help you decide:
Pro’s
- Big abseils
- Great setting with great views
- Hodge Close Quarry has no walk-in
- Free parking
- Suits most fitness levels
- All weather activity
Cons:
- Can be a bit of waiting around for your turn with big groups
- Early session is almost essential to ensure we get a spot on the cliff
- Steep walk out of quarry once we have abseiled into it
- Limited parking and can get busy
- Exiting the quarry can be wet.
Our Latest FAQ
All of the activities we offer are physical and involve a degree of fitness (some more than others). We recommend you look at each individual activity page to see if it is suitable for you. All of our activities involve wearing a harness, so your waist cannot exceed 46 inches or the safety equipment will not fit.
This is impossible to answer without knowing you or your group personally. If you read each activity page it will hopefully help, we can also give general guidance.
A deposit is required to secure your chosen date, time and activity if you are booking more than 14 days in advance. Your deposit is non refundable or transferable. Full payment is required within 14 days.
No, sorry. Our activities are not suitable for a dog to join in with.
There are no refunds/rescheduling if you miss the meet time and the session may start without you. You may be joining others, we may have a group after you etc so can’t always delay the start time. Allow plenty of time to travel around the Lake District. The traffic from Windermere especially from mid morning can be very slow with jams. Mobile reception is limited but we will have your mobile number and you will have ours on the PDF Info sheet you receive when you book.
You will lose the deposit payment if you cancel with more than 14 days notice. If you cancel within 14 days you will lose the full balance.
You will receive a full refund- or you can opt to rebook. There is no pressure to do this option. If we cancel because of dangerous water conditions at a location (ghyll/canyoning) then we will try to offer an alternative if possible, which you are under no obligation to do.
We run our activities in all weather conditions if it’s safe to do so. If it’s raining and/or cold the activity will go ahead. Wrap up warm with waterproof clothing if you’re abseiling. For ghyll scrambling/canyoning we have high quality, thick canyoning specific wetsuits especially imported from Spain. We wear the same wetsuits as you – so you know you are getting excellent quality. If the rain has been heavy and persistent we may have to cancel/ swap locations if the water levels are dangerous (see question above)