We returned here firstly, as it is quite simply one of our favourite. Very close to the road, ten quality falls and lots to do in all levels.
1. Mill falls
2. Duncans cave
3. Jacuzzi
4. Strike
5. The well
6. Tom Dick + Harry
7. Fanghorn / Triangle pool
8. Hannah wired
9. Three trees
10. Unconquerable
The pool at the base of the mill [entering river left] is the best place to flood up. Exiting the pool is difficult but we adjusted kit and proceeded upstream.
Bypassing Duncan’s cave we followed the staircase up before soaking in the Jacuzzi.
We looked forwards to ‘Bens boot’ but realised as we approached the Strike pool that the levels were a little gnarly. The ferry glide [angled swim] from river left to the base of the Strike climb was difficult and I had a couple of goes at it.
Beyond this Well was slippery and full of water, we exited to the tanks, climbed back over at the weir and entered to dark dank pool of T,D & H. The exit climb is awkward, but doable.
Fanghorn was always difficult. You can creep gingerly up river right but at the last moment need to accelerate towards the fall. We helped ourselves by adding a tail line [short rope] to the tree so that you could grab this once in place. Now, the tree had gone such that a shute of water greets you head on.
Harry went first and was quickly spat out. I took a gentler approach, finding footing beneath the water. Balancing carefully across the crest I surmounted the top but on the other side a sucking strainer was taking most of the river. Not a nice place. I worked carefully up around the right side of Triangle pool extracting my toss line. [short safety handhold for your second].
Harry came up, we switched leads and as he could not cross triangle pool proceeded up to a nasty slippery rocky ledge. No footholds, strength waning, confidence disappearing; we retreated.
Beside Fanghorn [tree location] a narrow slot descends and I knew it would go as this was how I attached the rope initially. Tight, inflexible and with my toss line around a chock stone I edged out. Harry had better ideas; just back down the fall and swim out.
Hannah wired has disappointingly gone a similar way and without the perched tree is now bypassed – although we did climb it once. Three trees lay ahead. Bum on ledge, creaking trunks and another strainer.
Into green pool and just unconquerable lay ahead.
The three ledges, river left [in the image above] give an ideal opportunity to practise your jumps, ensure the pool is deep enough and also escalate to the maximum level platform – topping out. H jumped well whilst I explored to rope leading up to Thorin Oakenfold – the largest oak tree in the valley.
The moss had grown down towards the ledges so that the knotted section was green. The end, hanging in the water had been bashed, a mid section stripped of its outer sheath and a log has a semi-circular grove cut in it by the ropes see-sawing.
We climbed, topped out and lay in the bracken exhausted.
This trip had awakened me. Canyoning is inspirational but with poorer eyesight and damaged hip I found the pace difficult. Harry was tired too, fighting water drains you and our slickness has wained, I hope not permanently.
FOOTNOTE – River left and river right.
These terms refer to the banks as it sitting in a canoe. So coming downstrean river left is on your left side.
Conversely when canyoning upstream river right is on your left side.
Cave, Canyon, Canoe ... 
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