APL Media took a team of 25 on a company weekend of hiking, swimming and canyoning in the Lake District. 

The adventure weekend (16 to 18 June) saw the team tackle the vertigo-inducing Striding Edge route up Hellvellyn, leap from cliffs in a canyon near Coniston and paddleboard their way around Ullswater. Jack Oliver of Lake District Adventuring took the team through their paces in a trip organised by APL Media’s managing director — and hiking enthusiast — Matthew Jackson.  

Patterdale, near Ullswater, was the base for the trip, with the team enjoying the opportunity to explore the nearby rivers and lakes — as well as a local pub or two.  

After arriving at lunchtime on Friday, the group set off in sweltering conditions to hike up nearby Birks Fell (610 metres), enjoying sweeping views across the Lakeland peaks before descending for an evening of games and drinks.  

Coniston was the destination for Saturday, with half of the group donning their wetsuits to experience the thrills of canyoning in Church Beck. Cliff jumps, scrambling and swimming awaited during an action-packed day.  

Back at Ullswater, the rest of the team enjoyed a day of swimming, walking and exploring before the whole group reconvened in the village of Glenridding to try their hands at paddleboarding. 

On Sunday, the APL team took to the hills once more and successfully summited Helvellyn (950 metres) — England’s third-highest mountain. The classic ridge walk of Striding Edge offered a challenging ascent before the obligatory summit photos. After enjoying a post-hike dip in Red Tarn, the group returned to Glenridding before heading back to London in the evening after an unforgettable weekend. 

This marks the second year that APL Media has run a summer trip to the hills, following a hiking weekend in Snowdonia in 2022.