Coasteering & Gorge Walking

Gorge walking is moving up, through and across natural valleys (you might also call them chines or cloughs) with water running through them. Canyoning is a more extreme sport that involves abseils and jumps to go through deepest gorges. The main thing to note is that in canyoning you're always heading down and the steeper it is, the more extreme it is!

Coasteering takes place (unsurprisingly!) on the coast and can be a hike or a traverse across the rocky cliffs and may include some swimming and diving into the deep blue sea.

Canyoning is the scariest by far. It's much steeper and deeper than gorge walking. Coasteering is on a par with gorge walking, but with the added twist of being next to the big open seas.

Oh yes! There is no avoiding getting wet on these experiences.

You will need to feel physically fit and ready for climbing, scrambling, jumping, crawling and more when you go coasteering, gorge walking or canyoning.

You'll need a suitable wetsuit, a helmet and a buoyancy aid, but don't worry all this gear is provided for you by the centre.

Make sure you are wearing swim gear under the wetsuit and maybe a rash vest too (that's a top that's not made from cotton to go over swimwear and under wetsuit). You also need a change of clothes and a towel to dry yourself off.

Yes. These sessions are all about the fun fear factor with no pressure. Everything will be explained to you in advance and the instructors will be right by your side to encourage but not push you out of your comfort zone too much. On gorge walking in particular, if there are modules you don't fancy doing, you can miss them out. It's not so often the case with canyoning, as you are heading down the fast flowing water all the time and there may not be a place to get out.

You'll need to be confident in the water. You will be wearing a buoyancy aid as well. If you have any doubts, please don't hesitate to contact the Into The Blue customer service team by 'phone, email or using the on-line chat for help and advice.

Boots or trainers that you don't mind getting wet. You'll need to make sure they're not completely worn out and that they have some grip left on the soles.

There's no doubting canyoning is the most extreme amongst these rock sports we're offering. All the usual precautions are taken in terms of it being an outdoor activity undertaken under the supervision of qualified and experienced guides.

If you're pregnant or think you might be pregnant, you will not be able to go canyoning, gorge walking or coasteering.

This all depends on the location, what gorge sport you'll be doing and water levels on the day too. Jumps can vary between 5f and 30ft. Read each description on each product page for the full details on the route and sort of natural obstacles you'll be tackling.

The minimum age for these outdoor sports varies from venue to venue, but in general gorge walking is around 8 years old, with canyoning and coasteering from 16 years old. All requirements in terms of age, height and weight are listed under each experience.

Yes. Water levels may vary, but most operators offer experiences all year round. In autumn and winter you might be kitted out with a thicker wetsuit and bootees to keep your feet warm, but let's face it you're going to get wet anyway, so rain certainly won't stop play!

The best places for canyoning and gorge walking in the UK are undoubtedly the wilder parts of Wales and Scotland. With so much coastline, there are some superb coasteering locations around the Jurassic coast of England too. We currently offer experiences in the likes of:

• Scotland:
• Fort William
• Oban
• Aberfeldy
• Edinburgh
• Wales
• Llangollen
• Brecon Beacons
• Dorset
• Cornwall