The Adventure Photographers

[ ] 🎬 This one was far away (part 2)

In winter, we attempted to recce this distant canyon tucked away in the highlands.

The plan was to skitour up and over to get eyes on it but due to worsening weather, a downed drone and an impending sunset we ended up with an unplanned diversion via the valley floor.

Returning in Spring, we took advantage of the lighter evenings. This time following the valley on foot, we broke up the 12km approach with a whisky-fuelled pit-stop in a bothy

Arriving at the remote gorge the following morning, the snow-melt combined with multi pitch abseils quickly negated any aftereffects from the night before!

Was it all worth it?

Yes. Not necessarily for the canyon itself, but for the adventure.

Supported by:

Petzl
CE4Y
Seland

[ ] 🎬 The story continues...

We've been in Spain this week filming for SPLIT - a film originally just about three people splitboarding 220kms in remote Greenland 🇬🇱 However as good stories do, it has evolved as we learn more and more about these intriguing characters…

From the frozen arctic to the hot sun in the sight of Africa, this tale of contrasts and conundrums continues

Supported by:

Petzl
River Rock Single Malt Whisky
Salomon
The Arctic Club

[ ] 🎬 Community is everything

Naturally we all seek, in one way or another, to find our people, our tribe.

Canyoning is pretty niche (to say the least) which inevitably brings together an eclectic mix of characters to share in these experiences!

Earlier in May, after filming a few of the ‘classics’ in NW Scotland, we used the opportunity to dive a little deeper in interviews.

We wanted to understand the unique paths that led them here and, importantly, what sustains this odd passion.

The answers, all beautifully varied and honest, followed a distinct theme with most seeking some sort of challenge or escapism, but instead finding community and friendship

For a sport driven by exploration, I can’t think of a better discovery

Supported by:

Petzl
Seland
CE4Y_canyoning

[ ] 🎬 This one was far away (part 1)

Easy access roadside canyon exploration is largely a thing of the past in Scotland. You have to go further into the backcountry to explore the far flung nooks and crannies.

With a 12km approach, this one definitely needed a recce to decide if it was worth lugging canyon gear all that way.

There were two options - hike up the curving valley or ski tour over the top.

A surprise dump of snow to ground level in January made the decision for us - we'd skin up to the plateau, clack-clack across, then ski / snowboard to the canyon. Easy.

With the short winter days, we knew we had a chance of being benighted if things didn't go to plan. We slogged away on snow-covered heather in the ever changing light for many hours, hoping to reach the canyon before turnaround time.

With the final stretch in sight, the weather took a turn for the worse. One wind-floored drone later, we rerouted to avoid the now socked-in plateau. A painfully beautiful sunset began as we trudged out the seemingly never-ending valley.

Finally, after 24kms of touring (and about 4 turns) we dumped our bags down at the truck with only a tantalising glimpse of a canyon in our minds. We journeyed home, nursed our blisters and vowed to return in spring…

Supported by:

Petzl
CE4Y
Seland

[ ] Gloomy 🌊 Stage 4 of 4

We awoke on the wild hillside just metres from the tributary we were descending - Son of Gloomy. Except for the two with dry suits, the team squeezed into wet wetsuits and layered up with shield jackets as it was an order of aquatic abseils for breakfast.

Early in the morning the glacier melt was at its lowest but it didn't feel that way as we immediately descended through powerful falls.

Spirits were good today.

The effort and disappointment of yesterday - having not been able to enter Gloomy gorge and to find bolts in this hard won canyon - had softened with our dehydrated meals, hot chocolates and camp camaraderie.

This canyon, too, was becoming more encased, with more interesting rigging and bigger, narrower pitches. The biggest of which was a plummeting 60m which saw us slide down between the accelerating jet of water and a smooth curve of rock. If we had carried on yesterday, this would have been a fully aquatic and intense abseil by headtorch. As it was, it was only at the bottom of the falls we felt the full force of the water on our heads.

A few interesting drops later - one in particular taking Andrew Humphreys by surprise - we finally emerge into a blazing confluence of sun and spray.

Once again we faced Gloomy gorge, this time from the bottom as its huge volume roared into the light. Our trib looked tiny in comparison. We gazed up into the powerful and magnetic chasm, vowing that one day we will emerge from there instead.

The 17km tramp back (with heavier packs this time thanks to wet gear) gave us time to reflect. Nothing worth doing comes easy. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. Sometimes, sh*t happens.

But what we were sure of was that we were going to drink beer and eat pizza that night and cheers over a shared epic experience in the land of the long white cloud.

We will come back to Aotearoa. Not only for a reattempt at the elusive Gloomy, but for a bigger project that encompasses it. Mystery still remains, pouring out of cliffs and into other deep arteries of the mountains, and it pulls us in like never before.

Supported by:
Petzl
CE4Y
Seland

[ ] Gloomy 🌊 Stage 3 of 4

Usually, water sounds louder in the dark. But at 5am the flow we slept next to had dropped by 10cms. Serious conversations began. Was it low enough?

Our original plan to descend in two full days was out - could we do it in three? If we only descended in the morning hours, we could hold up somewhere as high as possible in the gorge as the afternoon glacier meltwater pumped through. It was risky, theoretically possible, but left us with no redundancy day. There would be no room for error, the rain was coming. Was it worth the risk?

As we contemplated this heavy decision, we scrambled down from camp to check out the entrance rappel again by torchlight. Water was still pumping over our indicator rock. Still too high.

Gutted. We packed camp away and lifted our chins up and to a new objective. A tributary of the gorge - Son of Gloomy.

It was another 5 hours away of backcountry travel, 3 of which were the most hellacious bushwhack any of us had experienced. We ascended 400m vert to reach the alpine and eventually begin this long 800m descent, consoling that we had at least a first descent on our hands...

The views of the mountains and glaciers were incredible. Not long after we started the descent, news from Andrew leading the way came back - there are bolts. Very old, very French bolts. There is no beta of this canyon, but from the age and style of the bolting it appears the team that had opened Gloomy 11 years ago had also visited this trib. The pure exploration and problem solving of a first descent was stripped away from our objective. Our packs felt heavier than ever.

As light faded, the canyon started to narrow up and drop more adamantly. We were still 400m from the valley floor. Fortunately we found the only place to climb out and set up a bivouac in the woods. Exhausted, sleep came easy as we all slipped slowly downhill off our thermarests.

Supported by:

Petzl
CE4Y
Seland

[ ] Gloomy 🌊 Stage 2 of 4

Weather window - Go time!

This season, rain has fallen over Gloomy every 4 or so days keeping levels dangerously high. We needed at least 3 after a rain for the level to drop and then 4 of stable weather to make the descent. Preferably with redundancy days in case we ran into trouble.

A bridge of high pressure built over the area Gloomy resides - Mt Aspiring National Park. It was a weak bridge with rain on the long range charts, but it was the best we had so far. We loaded 23kg packs on our back - the equivalent of a fully laden suitcase - and tramped 17kms down the Matukituki valley under a blazing sun.
Sweating, the first sight of the deep dark gorge in the mountain side was a welcome but formidable one. The Maud Francis glacier shone above, looking just as sweaty as us.

Studying the levels of the river in the valley, exped leader Andrew Humphreys gave us a 50% chance that we might be on for the descent.

We preferred (and perhaps needed) the optimistic view as we climbed steeply on the final approach up the French Ridge; the last hour was a dense, scratchy bushwhack.

Emerging from the vegetation, we set a line from a tree and landed on the river bed. The canyon rumbled below. The plan was to suit up and descend the entrance rappel this evening. We would camp on a final small beach before dropping into the chasm proper by head torch the following morning.

We clambered down through house size boulders to see the first rappel. What greeted us was a scene of white fury. Pulling up reference photos we saw our intended line down was getting smashed with white water. It was too high.

The heat of the day meant the glacier melt was thundering into the gorge at a high rate. Our hearts fell. We set up camp where we landed and talked through our options.

The glacier would freeze overnight, we would rise at 5am and look again. In our bivvies, we closed our eyes and wished for a cold night.

Supported by:
Petzl
CE4Y
Seland

[ ] Gloomy 🌊 Stage 1 of 4 🇳🇿

Arguably one of the hardest canyons in the world, Gloomy Gorge (V6A6VI) is a mythical beast that roars deep in the Aotearoa bedrock.

Opened by a French team, it has only been descended top to bottom twice before: 11 years ago by a Kiwi team and 6 years ago by a Japanese/Taiwanese team. It is fed by the Maud Francis glacier that clings to Mount Avalanche, releasing huge amounts of meltwater and occasionally seracs into the basin below and Gloomy Gorge.

The canyon requires full commitment - there are no escapes and there is no chance of rescue. Once you’re in, you’re in.

Multiple overnight bivvies next to the raging torrent, “must-make” swims, technical rigging and ropework is what's needed to make it through.

Our team of six is led by Andrew Humphreys. Years of meticulous planning, he brought together this crew - three from Scotland, three from the USA. Finally together, we had a lot to prepare.

Training with big overnight packs in NZ’s classic aquatic canyons, dialling in our ropework in the trees, studying canyon beta, refining our strategy and debating the best snacks were all crucial preparation. Now all we had to wait for was our weather window… 🌦️👀

Supported by:
Petzl
CE4Y
Seland

[ ] New Zealand 🇳🇿

A playful day out in Robinsons with a couple of the canyoning locals! Dan Clearwater is creator of kiwicanyons.org - a great resource for canyoners exploring NZ 🤟💦 Robinsons is one of the classics, and we were treated with some magical light in there ✨

www.theadventurephotographers.com

[ ] New Zealand, new project 🇳🇿

This first week in NZ has been pretty epic. We’re here filming for a new project with large and challenging objectives (if the weather plays ball!) So a warm up was definitely needed.

Arriving straight into a drier period, we started with a morning blast through aquatic Ore Stream (v4a5IV) then made our way up to camp at the top of The General (v5a3VI) for an early start the next day.

Not a bad way to start the trip👌🏼 more to come!

Supported by:

Petzl
CE4Y
Seland

[ ] 🎬 Find Mòr: Canyoning in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Frozen pools make long swims even longer!

It's all good training as we also prepare to start a new project in the glacier-fed canyons of NZ next month 🎥 🇳🇿

Very glad to have the support of CE4Y 🙏🏼

The shield jackets are a game changer!



theadventurephotographers.com

[ ] RIC Mexico 2024 🇲🇽

We travelled a lot last year, and one of the highlights has to be the international canyoning meet in Cataluña.

This year, in November, we'll be heading out to Mexico to experience a new culture, meet new friends, explore new canyons and hopefully have some new films to share by then🤞🏼

Registration opens today 🙌🏼 check out for all the info

Hasta pronto! 🇲🇽

[ ] Find Mòr 🎞️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Short days, early starts, big hikes, long cycles, heavy packs, wet camps, frozen kit, numb fingers and all the brain freeze!

But the past few months filming far flung recces and distant descents for have been a (type 2) blast 🤙🏼

And the temps continue to drop... 👀

Supported by Seland and CE4Y

[ ] 🎬Split: Adventure in a time of crisis

“How do we navigate our minds, our fears and our passions in a time of crisis?

A six week splitboard expedition in Arctic Greenland

Self-supported, self-inflicted, selfish…?”

Supported by:

Petzl
Salomon
The Arctic Club
River Rock Single Malt Whisky

theadventurephotographers.com

[ ] 🎬 Find Mòr: Canyoning in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

“Scotland still has its mysteries roaring in remote glens and sometimes hidden in plain sight.

Concealed deep in the Highlands, there remain hard-to-reach canyons unmapped and unexplored.

This is a story of these wild places and those trying to find them.”

Supported by:

CE4Y
Seland

theadventurephotographers.com

[ ] 💦 Finding a new place to explore in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

It looked like nothing on a map! But after some research and a very soggy overnight reccy, this week we descended another committing and technical canyon for the 🎥

With 11 pitches, this is just the lower section. In a few weeks we'll return to open the upper, making it potentially one of Scotland's longest descents🤞🏻

[ ] 🔥 A Scottish Canyoning Film 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Years of dreaming & planning have finally turned into reality. We are stoked to announce we are rolling on a film dedicated to canyoning in Scotland 🙌

Exploration. Community. Discovery.

Having first descended in the high flows of Autumn last year, this weekend we wrapped up filming 'The Trib' in the far NW, emerging from the deep, dark descent well after sunset 💦

www.theadventurephotographers.com

Excited for this 🔥 Come say hi! 📸

Hi everyone, this is now the dedicated page for the UK Canyoning Association Canyon Symposium 2023. This is a non-profit event for Canyoneers from all over the UK and abroad 🌍

Stay connected to find out all the information you’ll need for this event. Remember, we have a great venue at The Falls, Bar & Kitchen in Ingleton, the ticket price includes evening dinner on Friday/Saturday, workshops, talks, t-shirt and cap, lectures, networking, evening entertainment bands and meeting suppliers and partners directly.

If you haven’t bought you ticket you can by following this link 👇🏼

https://ukcanyoning.org/canyoning-symposium/

TICKETS ARE LIMITED 🎫 we have sold over 1/3 of the tickets available.

Vertical Skills Petzl Palm Equipment Vertical Descents The Canyoning Company The Adventure Photographers Nae Limits Adventure Yorkshire Adventure Company CanyonZone CanyonZone.com Canyon Log V7 Academy

[ ] RIC Cataluña 2023 🇪🇸

What a week! ~300 canyoners from all over the world came together to enjoy some of the best canyons in the eastern Pyrenees

The Adventure Photographers and V7 Academy joined forces to explore the Catalan canyons of Nuria, Fontalba, Pas de l’Escalell, Salt de Sallent and La Corva with a bonus trip to Llech in France 🇫🇷

As a sponsor of the RIC, the guys from V7 hosted workshops and presentations throughout the week while Gus Schiavon Photographer filmed modules in the canyons for their upcoming Level 3 course 📽

To round off an amazing week, Charlotte and Steve from TAP took home the top prizes in the photo comp for Best Action/Sports Shot and Best Overall Photo 📷🤙🏼

Nos vemos a RIC Mexico 2024! 🇲🇽

We're hiring! 🔥 Perthshire area (Scotland), commission based role this summer with training. Hit the link for more info:

www.theadventurephotographers.com/live-learn-earn

[ ] This weekend our lead photographer Charlotte joined her teammates Tom & James to speak at The Arctic Club's 90th celebration in Cambridge about their Greenland expedition this year. Check out the link below for more photos & a video from the grand event 💫

https://www.theadventurephotographers.com/behindthelens/presenting-at-the-arctic-club/

🌊 What a weekend!👌

We are full of the feel goods after getting involved with OceanVertical's Blue Friday. We connected with so many good, inspirational people over fire, wine, litter picks & marshmallows.

Check out what went down below 👇

https://www.theadventurephotographers.com/behindthelens/blue-friday/

Blue Friday - The Adventure Photographers The Adventure Photographers teamed up with ethical adventure centre Ocean Vertical to take part in their annual day of environmental action focusing on our oceans.

Near East Lothian? Come down to OceanVertical tomorrow night for some drinks, fire and good chat for Blue Friday! 💙🔥

We'll be there and photographer Charlotte Workman will be chatting on stage with Alan Nash about TAP's ethos and the exciting projects in our timeline.... including the Greenland expedition & film.

Just a couple tickets still available! All profits go to charity 🌍

Join us this Friday for Ocean Vertical's Blue Friday!

We have an incredible lineup of speakers for the evening! Alan Nash will be joined on stage by five different guests to discuss their work and how they create positive environmental change in the world.

Our line up for 2022 is as follows:
📸 The Adventure Photographers
🦭 British Divers Marine Life Rescue
🏝 Fidra Charity
🐧 Scottish Seabird Centre
🐋 The Scottish Coastal Clean Up

Get your tickets here 👇

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ocean-verticals-blue-friday-creating-positive-environmental-change-tickets-467226566237

[ ] What a cracking day! With real life sunshine! ☀️

Inbetween storms we were stoked to capture SeatrekScotland's salty adventures this month on the stunning west coast 🌊🤿

www.theadventurephotographers.com

Another fun (and at times wild 💨) couple of days upping moutain skills with OceanVertical ❄⛏

www.theadventurephotographers.com

[ ] Cracking day with mountaineer Mollie Hughes & OceanVertical this week 🤙

The light was spectacular and the group fantastic. It's always great to work with eco minded companies 🌍

And what a location to listen & learn of Mollie's Polar & Himalayan expeditons ⛏❄️

From the promise of precipitation, photographer Charlotte carried two cameras and no sunglasses... and so, it remained sunny all day! 😊 That's the secret!

www.theadventurephotographers.com

Exciting work available on a new project with locations all over the UK! 🔥
Interested? Email us with your experience / website links 📸🤙

[email protected]

[ ] 🔥 Dropped this year! 🤙💦

We are stoked to have worked with Danny Peter Watts in providing some of the photography for his long awaited guidebook

It's filled with detailed descents and maps of canyons all over Scotland 🎄 AND you can still pick up a copy in time for an adventurous pal this Christmas! 🎁

Available from Jeff Besoz's little online shoppe (...but support local where you can!)

More info behind the images on our website 👇

www.theadventurephotographers.com/behindthelens/scottish-canyons-new-guidebook-released/

Scottish Canyons | First Canyoning Guidebook for Scotland Released! - The Adventure Photographers Canyoning is a fast growing exploration sport and finally Scotland's first guidebook is here!