Offers of Canyoning Devon

Climbing over rocks, jumping over waterfalls and sliding down chutes - this is the sport of canyoning. Large canyons, such as the enormous Grand Canyon in Arizona or high altitude ravines in the Alps, aren’t found in the southwest of England, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy this adventure here. Instead of huge geological fault lines, Devon boasts a landscape that’s riddled with gorges that are smaller in size but no less interesting. For this reason, the activity is usually known as gorge walking or gorge scrambling in this part of the world.

But that’s not to suggest that this is a low quality imitation of canyoning. Quite the opposite, the landscape of this region is just as exciting as any other part of the world. Unique among English counties, it has two separate coastlines, the Jurassic coast on the English Channel and the Bristol Channel to the north, while inland there are two areas of high altitude moorland, Dartmoor National Park and Exmoor. It’s on Dartmoor that you find some fantastic gorges to explore, where the water has carved out natural playgrounds over centuries of erosion. There are obstacles of all kinds - strong currents, high drops, boulders that block the path and even tree roots and vegetation - which you have to navigate on a journey that proves the maxim “it’s better to travel than to arrive.” When you get to the end of the gorge, you’ll want to go back and start all over again! With the locations for this activity on open access land, and a minimal amount of equipment required, it’s also a budget busting way to have a great day out.

Where are the best places to go canyoning in Devon?

• Okehampton: Okehampton is the starting point for many adventures into the wilds of Dartmoor. It sits just outside the limits of the national park, and a short walk is all that’s necessary to get to Adventure Gorge. But getting into the water is your first challenge - you have to abseil directly down the canyon walls to reach the river below. Once you’re there, you follow the water downstream by whatever means necessary. Expect to swim, scramble, slide and shimmy along rock faces in this adventure.

• Chagford: Chagford is also in the north of Dartmoor and sits on the route of the River Teign, which flows all the way to the English Channel at Teignmouth. To get to the best spot, you have to hike from the village across the moors, until you reach a secret adventure playground of water and rock, fringed with green vegetation.

• Mission Gorge: What this gorge lacks in huge jumps and dramatic waterfalls, it makes up for with its stunning remote location in the heart of Dartmoor. You have to trek through the wilds for a couple of miles to get there, and your reward is a journey down a steep gorge with breathtaking views glimpsed between the walls. And, just to keep you entertained, there are some great wet and wild rock slides as well.

• Dewerstone: If you’re heading to the South, don’t worry, there are opportunities here to practise this water sport too. The best place is Dewerstone gorge in a beautiful area of woodland in the south Dartmoor National Park, easily reachable from Plymouth and the Torquay on the so-called English Riviera. The magical forest setting makes a canyoning descent here extra special, and the boulders and slides just add to the fun. There are even some natural arches that you can crawl through.

What are the options for organising an experience?

Canyoning or gorge walking is a great way to make your visit to Devon extra special. Some people just come to this county to enjoy the beaches of the English Riviera or on the north coast around Woolacombe Bay. Others make excursions onto Dartmoor but stick to the well-trodden paths. Not many people have the initiative - or the guts - to get stuck into a gorge and start exploring! You can arrange a trip on its own, which will take up around half a day, or combine with other outdoor activities like rock climbing, caving or mountain biking to make it a full day of adventures - or a multiple day expedition.

Requirements to do this activity

When it comes to picking your way down, or up, a river, the difficulty of the route is really up to you. You can choose which boulders to climb over, which chutes to slide down and how much climbing you want to do, because there are always multiple ways to make progress. This makes it an accessible activity that all kinds of people can enjoy. It’s a great way to spice up a family holiday here, where you can bring the kids so long as they’re at least 8 years of age. It’s also fantastic for school or youth groups, as well as adult groups like stag and hen dos. Or why not bring the team from work for a bonding session in the wilds of Dartmoor?

What do you need to bring the day of the descent?

The most important thing - bring the right attitude! Normally, we choose to avoid getting our feet, and the rest of us, wet in rivers, but this is your opportunity to get stuck in and enjoy it like you never have before with the supervision of experienced guides. On top of that, you’ll be given the equipment to keep you safe and warm for the duration of the activity. On arrival your guides will provide you with a wetsuit which will stop the water from giving you a chill, a life jacket to keep your head above the water in the deeper sections, and a helmet for if you get too close to a boulder. You need to bring a swimsuit and a pair of old trainers which you don’t mind getting wet. Wellington boots aren’t a good idea because they’ll fill up with water, lace up shoes are best because you can tie them firmly to your feet. The final things are a towel and some warm clothes to put on once you’re out of the gorge so that you can warm up and get ready for the next adventure!

Gorgeous gorges are waiting for you in this county, don’t make them wait too long!