An old trick to get you to safety if you’re ever lost in the mountains is to follow the water. Streams and rivers take the path of least resistance from mountain peaks to valleys where you’re likely to find help so if you can keep pace with the water, this is your best option. The problem is that the rocks, drops and gorges that make up the water’s journey can pose a serious challenge for humans to navigate. Like many other outdoor challenges, scrambling, sliding and jumping down mountain rivers has become an adventure sport, known as canyoning. And if you want to get involved in this hairraising pursuit, you need a canyon. The mountainous region of Gwynedd in North Wales boasts the highest peaks in the UK outside Scotland, and sunken into the folds of these mountains you’ll find some of the best - and longest - canyoning routes in the country.

Gwynedd is home to Snowdonia National Park, a popular destination for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding. While these activities are confined to the paths and trails of the park, canyoning will take you on an adventure that you’d never normally experience. You’ll use special equipment to protect you from the rocks and keep you warm in the water and make your way along a tricky trail, consisting of natural obstacles and manmade installations like ropes, zip wires and vias ferrata. For the unique perspective that an excursion gives you on this beautiful part of the country, it’s worth getting your feet wet!

Where are the best places to go Canyoning in Gwynedd?

All the canyons that this region has to offer are found in Snowdonia National Park. Your trip might start from one of the towns within the park like Aberdyfi, Llanbedr, or Blaenau Ffestiniog, or in nearby towns such as Caernarfon or Groeslon but the activity takes place on the slopes of Snowdonia’s peaks. We’ve broken it up into three sections.

• North Snowdonia: as the northern hills descend to the coastal plain, the Afon Ddu River cuts a ravine into the landscape. This is a good river for first time canyoneers, providing waterfalls and plunge pools without any technically difficult sections. To the East, the Dolgarrog Gorge is another popular location for this sport.

• Mid Snowdonia: the towns of Maentwrog and Ffestiniog are nestled in the heart of the National Park and there are many steep sided gulleys and rushing streams that are perfect for descents. Some of the routes are available for climbing up as well as descending, which means you’ll be fighting against gravity and the force of the water dragging you down.

• South Snowdonia: running South from Ffestiniog the Afon Prysor River is popular for fishing as it approaches the sea, but up stream in the hills you won’t find any fish. This is because fish can’t swim up the waterfalls that you’ll come down - either by jumping or, in the case of the biggest drops, abseiling.

How long does one of these experiences last?

Canyoning is a location specific sport, and the places you can do it are usually pretty far off the beaten track, which means that your experience will include transport to and from the site, as well as the excursion itself. A 2 hour route is at the shorter end of the scale, but you should allow at least 3 hours in your day for the activity. Some experiences, especially those that involve more rope work or going against the flow up the river, can mean that you’re in the canyon for 4 or 5 hours. Make sure you have a good breakfast before descending into the canyon!

Requirements to do this activity

Spending extended periods in and out of running water, scrambling over rocks and jumping down waterfalls is an intense experience and you need to be pretty tough to take part. First of all, there are minimum ages in place depending on the difficulty of the route, ranging from 10 to 14 years old. Some providers in Gwynedd can take kids under 10 years old gorge scrambling, a similar activity which is safer than its harder, wetter cousin. To take on the rugged landscape of the region you also need to be in fairly good shape. You need strength to climb over rocks, endurance to keep pushing over a long period of time and courage to jump down into plunge pools with drops of up to 10 metres. It’s also necessary that you can swim at least 15 metres whilst wearing the equipment or 50 metres on more difficult routes.

This sport is best completed in a group and we recommend that you bring your friends or family for this extreme experience. Your group will be accompanied by guides who’ll be in the water with every step of the way, and explain how to complete each stage of the route. It’s becoming a popular activity for stag and hen parties, but birthday parties or even corporate team building groups will get a lot out of it too.

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

Canyoning is a year round activity, and involves getting wet. In the wilds of Gwynedd, cold weather and wet clothes are a bad combination, so you’ll be pleased to know that you’ll wear a special wetsuit to keep you warm, supplied by the provider. They’ll also give you footwear that can gain traction on wet rocks and a helmet when these are necessary. On some routes, specialist footwear isn't necessary but you’ll need to bring a good pair of trainers or walking boots, and be prepared for them to get wet.

You need to make sure that you have a spare pair of shoes, and some warm, dry clothes to put on when you get out of the water, as well as a towel to dry off. Some operators ask that you bring a pair of old, baggy shorts to put over the wetsuit to protect the material from scratches. Don’t wear a watch or jewellery on the trip unless you want to lose it!

This sport isn’t for the faint hearted, but if you’re up for it you won’t find many better locations than this county. And if you’d like to have a go, make a reservation before you change your mind!