With its mountains, lakes, rivers and coast, Cumbria is full of outdoor adventures for anyone looking for a bit of adrenaline and excitement. Keswick is our nearest and best location for most activities - just half an hour away in the car. Take a look at some of the best outdoor adventure activities nearby.

Remember, if you’re staying at The Melbreak, either as a private visitor or a corporate group, feel free to get in touch with us before or during your stay if you need more information. Our team is always happy to help.

One of the most popular adventure activities in the Lake District, ghyll scrambling is a fun, family-friendly activity. You’ll start part-way up a mountain in a river that runs down the slopes, over rocky outcrops and through hidden spaces. There are lots of water slides to slip down, rocky beds to scramble over, and deep river pools to jump into.

Canyoning is ghyll scrambling’s bigger brother because everything is a bit larger and more challenging. The river runs down deeper canyons, bigger ledges and seemingly bottomless pools. You’ll be able to jump and slide still, but you’ll also use ropes to cross cliff faces and zip wire as you make your way down the gorge. Not only is this exciting, you’ll get to see secret parts of the Lake District that many others will never set their eyes on.

A slightly more relaxing adventure activity now - paddleboarding is a lovely way to spend a day on the water. Some outdoor centres will take you out on guided tours of a local lake or river, or you can hire your own paddleboards at locations like Derwentwater Marina.

An easy-to-learn adventure activity, there’s a reason why this sport is so popular. Like paddleboarding, you can opt for a guided kayaking trip where you’ll explore Derwentwater or its surrounding rivers, play some fun kayak-based games and even jump off a local bridge into the lake. Or, if you’re confident going out on your own, hire a kayak from Nichol End Marina, which has different sizes and types available.

Canoeing is a good way to explore the water without getting too wet because they’re larger and steadier than kayaks. They also take two people or more, so you can share the effort and enjoy more time taking in the sites around you. Again, both guided canoe adventures and canoe hire are available around Derwentwater.

The Lake District is the home of British rock climbing, so taking part in this activity locally is not only fun, but you also get to take part in a bit of adventure history. If you’re already an experienced climber with all your own kit, you’ll be able to head out on your own - Borrowdale is a particularly enjoyable area for it.

If you’re brand new, have minimal experience, or are travelling solo, you can still experience this adventure through guided outdoor climbing and abseiling trips. When the weather’s poor, try indoor climbing at Kong Adventure in Keswick.

Spend a half day (suitable for beginners) or full day (minimum fitness levels required) exploring the lakes on land and on water. Using lightweight inflatable boats that can be carried in a rucksack on your back, you’ll hop between rivers, mountains and lakes as you explore areas of the Lake District. Packrafting is a great way of getting to know the area while enjoying the scenery at its best.

A great group activity for retreats or corporate getaways, raft building forces you to work together as a team to build a raft from basic materials, then ensure it floats. Larger groups can compete against each other to see whose raft is most successful. The losers are liable to get wet as their raft sinks!

A gentle way to get into the water and relax amongst beautiful scenery, a guided wild swim could take you into lakes, rivers or even tarns (depending on experience). Book a private session at your choice of location, join a group outing, or get a taste of it with a beginner’s session.

High up in the mountain forest of Whinlatter is a Go Ape course of rope nets, zipwires, and rope bridges. Climb up to explore the canopy on exciting and challenging tree-to-tree crossings. Even though you’re safely clipped in, you’ll still feel a rush of adrenaline as you step over the empty space below you.

Take things inside for a unique experience where you explore the old mines of Honister by climbing the cave walls, crossing rickety bridges and zip-lining across the cavern. No climbing experience is necessary for Climb the Mine.

There are lots of adventure companies and guides in this part of the Lake District. Here’s a little more about those that we have recommended here.

The leading adventurers in Keswick, Keswick Adventures has been running activities in the area for over a decade. We’ve picked them because of their experience, great reputation and reviews, and dedication to safety and quality kit. They also have a base in Keswick where you can get changed inside in comfort instead of by the roadside.

Author of the popular guidebook Swimming Wild in the Lake District, Suzanna also runs gentle swimming activities in the North West Lake District. We recommend her because she’s incredibly knowledgeable about wild swimming and puts safety and sense first.

Kong’s climbing centre in the middle of Keswick is well-known by local climbers for when they want to practice or when the weather’s no good for outdoor climbing. We’ve chosen them because of their convenient location and range of walls, which are suitable for all experiences and include children’s clip-and-climb, bouldering, lead climbing, top-roping and auto belays.

With centres across the UK, Go Ape is a well-established organisation that provides exciting, fun and safe rope climbing activities that everyone can enjoy.

We’ve chosen Honister Slate Mine for this guide because they offer some activities that are a little different from the norm. You can see the working history of the Lake District for yourself while indulging in a bit of adventure.

All these outdoor adventure activities are within easy reach of the Melbreak Hotel, sitting as it does on the edge of the Lake District. If you haven’t yet booked a stay, browse our rooms and book direct for the best available rates and offers.