THIS week we’re featuring a business that’s as exhilaratingly fun as it is important in instilling life lessons – Keswick Canoe and Bushcraft.
The learning experience, which is based on the idyllic shores in Keswick, offers outdoor lessons and experiences in the way of Ghyll scrambling, paddleboard tasting sessions, canoeing, camping and raft building exercises to children, families, couples and corporate clients alike.
Pete Price, who started off as an instructor, took over the business four years ago after a career in computing, teaching, and also running his own paragliding school.
Tasting sessions for paddleboard beginners
“I started working as a full-time outdoor instructor when my daughter was born but I’ve always been a bit of an outdoorsman,” he said.
Pete said he gets great joy from seeing happy faces out enjoying the wonderful nature the Lake District has to offer.
“I don’t get to do the outdoor activities as much as I’d like these days as I’m often dealing with the logistics of it all. But when I get to see school groups, happy faces doing enjoyable things, it’s a real feel good feeling when kids are introduced to the outdoors,” he said.
It’s not just for new mountaineers that have found themselves in the capable hands of Pete’s skilled team, having attracted the likes of ITV’s Rory Bremners great British views and SAS TV personality Ant Middleton calling on their expertise.
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“We’ll show you how to do it and do it well, so you get the most out of it,” he said.
Smiles all round
Taking great pride in the environment in which they operate is something the team hold dear to them – twice a year, the group also offer Clean The View, a free expedition in which all the ask for in return is you fill a bin bag with rubbish to help clear the sites surrounding Derwentwater.
Looking ahead, Pete has some ideas of giving back.
“I currently rent a boathouse off the national trust and the property above it was run by Young Cumbria – which is a 20 bed property.
“I’d love to take that on and run that the same way Young Cumbria did for the youths in the area. So youngsters can stay for a reasonable rate – so I’m looking into setting up at community interest company to run that place,” he said.
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