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NAME OF RIVER: Brathay.

WHERE IS IT?: It flows out of Langdale in the central Lake District.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Do Great Langdale Beck first if it's been raining hard and you wanta longer trip, otherwise you are best off starting at Skelwith Force. Starting at Skelwith Bridge makes a great novice trip. Take-out either at Brathay Pool on river right or near the pier on Lake Windermere about a mile south of Ambleside.

APPROX LENGTH: 4 miles.

Putting on below the fall (Skelwith Force, a very dangerous small waterfall Grade 5), the compensation is the looping hole, where the river leaves the pool below the fall (I've tried playing in the hole below Skelwith Force itself in stupider, younger times....I had the unique pleasure of trying to swim upwards whilst being pushed downwards, don't try it!). Below this spot the river braids through trees and bushes and flows over some rocky rapids (Grade 2-3) before reaching Skelwith Bridge (the shop/ cafe on river left does great cakes).