Everything Awesome

A morning exploring Giants Hole.

I just completed a 3 day DofE session working with a fantastic group.
We did an accelerated bronze.

Day 1 – We where based in classroom for morning, basic navigation principles. then an afternoon of building tents.
Day 2 – Following a pre determined route around Derbyshire countryside, we shadowed and coached the groups for the morning, then gave them some freedom for the afternoon.
Day 3 – Expedition day, they navigated themselves for an 11k hike.

All the teams did fantastic, with some strong learning experiences on the way.

We here at everything awesome can provide staff for your DofE activities. from bronze to gold.

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A great evening had by all.
With a group of 6 folk all on the verge if RCI assessment we had a peer evening of ropework.

Everyone paired up and built anchors for belay’s, built releasable abseils, and got to see how other people build the same.

It was a fantastic learning opportunity, 6 people, all enthusiastic, all bursting with interest and new found knowledge.

so a couple of acronyms we talked about 

IDEAS  – Independent – each leg

Direction (see ABC below), 

Equalised., sharing the load,

Angle, keep angle between legs < 90

Secure – rock quality.

ABC is Anchor Belayer Climber – for top roping (i guess for bottom roping as well)  Keep all three in a straight line  as thats what will happen under load.

Americans like ERNESTA

Equalised, Redundant, Non-Extending, Secure, Timely, Angles

there are some others (eg REST – redundant, equal, shockload, tight!) but notice no D in the americans, some ERNEST no A but IDEAS missses NE, but that can be ‘combined’ in I+E or swap secure (take that as given) for shockload.

We run these sessions every few months, and i am already looking forward to the next

If your new to climbing outdoors, but competent indoors, we run a great Gym to crag session.

The Peak District has over the past decade become a huge success, if you gauge success by enabling more access to the countryside, or by the increased income levels tourism brings to the area.

Unfortunately this has created some issues that could have been avoided. Much more traffic use and roadside parking.
Rather than create additional car parks, give farmers planning permission to allow parking on their land, or developing a working park and ride system, the answer has been to restrict parking.

The latest being the Fox House pub in Hathersage. Now this is a location i use frequently, i start and stop MTB courses here, and my clients often park in the large carpark.
I encourage this, insisting that at the end of the course, or the end of the day we put around £50 over the bar for food and drinks, We often excede this.
Now there are to be ANPR cameras on that carpark, i fear my clients will park elsewhere, the pub will ultimately lose out and we all lose a facility.

I don’t have answers but prohibition rarely succeeds long term.

Aphantasia is a neurological condition where a person cannot voluntarily form mental images. If you ask someone with aphantasia to imagine a red apple, they understand the concept, know it is red and round, and can describe its texture, but they cannot picture it in their “mind’s eye.”

Visual vividness exists on a wide spectrum, ranging from complete visual blindness to movie like mental clarity.

Key Characteristics

• Conceptual Thinking: Instead of picture-based memories, individuals rely on facts, words, spatial maps, or abstract logic.
• Not a Mental Illness: It is classified as a neurological variation, not a disorder or disability. Most people with aphantasia live completely normal, creative, and successful lives, many without realising they experience the world differently until adulthood.
• Variability: Some people have total aphantasia (affecting all internal senses, including the ability to replay sounds, smells, or physical touch in their head), while others only lack visual imagery.
• Dreaming: Many people with aphantasia still experience visual dreams while sleeping, as involuntary imagery operates on a different neural pathway than intentional visualisation.

Origins & Spectrum

The term was coined in 2015 by cognitive neurologist Dr. Adam Zeman, though the phenomenon was first described by Francis Galton in 1880.

Condition	Experience
Hyperphantasia	Exceptionally vivid mental imagery, nearly identical to real sight.
Phantasia (Typical)	Moderate ability to form internal visual pictures.
Hypophantasia	Dim, vague, or highly fleeting mental imagery.
Aphantasia	Complete absence of voluntary mental imagery.

Most cases are congenital (present from birth), but aphantasia can occasionally be acquired later in life due to brain injury, stroke, or psychological trauma.

Every outdoor athlete falls into one of two mindset categories when assessing risk:

• The Vague Awareness: “If I fall, I’ll get hurt.”
• The Concrete Reality: “If I fall, I’ll break my collarbone.”

The second athlete visualises specific consequences. They weigh the cost, feel the hesitation, and often back off, choosing a lower climb or grabbing the brakes on a steep trail. The first athlete can’t fully picture the severity, so they ride faster and push harder.

The difference? When a crash happens, the cautious athlete expected it. The fearless one is completely blindsided.

We here at Everything Awesome can help with these concerns, after decades of coaching adventure sports, and decades of working with people who have suffered life changing injuries we have techniques and systems that may help

A small crag, above a farm, looking down over the village of Lower Bradfield, some bouldering, and a dozen or so trad routes in the easy grades.

A bit of a gem.

Unfortunately, their has been an influx of groups, leaving behind litter, knocking down walls, lighting BBQ.

The result, a pleasant, but firm conversation with the land owner, a sheep farmer, rightly so he has lost patience with the constant hassle of rebuilding his walls, clearing rubbish etc.

Yesterday, 9th August 2026, access for climbing (and anyone else) has been withdrawn.

Its horrid that the actions of the thoughtless can have such a negative effect on the sensible.

The graphics on the side of my van was starting to look aged, it was tatty and beginning to fade.
With the aid of IPA, I spent a couple of hours removing vinyl. I then installed a new, more colourful sticker. I feel the changes have given a fresher look.

Sheffield is surprisingly well-served for paddleboarding (SUP), offering a mix of grit-stone urban canals, managed country parks, and scenic Peak District reservoirs.

However, a crucial rule applies here: most reservoirs in the Peak District strictly prohibit swimming and paddleboarding due to cold water shock and hidden machinery. You should stick to approved locations but many local groups take precautions, and use these reservoirs despite the warnings.

Here are the best 6 spots to paddleboard in and around Sheffield.

1. Sheffield & Tinsley Canal (Victoria Quays)

Best For: Urban exploring and an easy, sheltered paddle. The historic Victoria Quays basin in the city centre is the perfect launch point for a unique urban ride.

• The Vibe: Industrial heritage meets street art. You paddle past old warehouses and under bridges, eventually reaching the spot made famous by The Full Monty.
• Logistics: You need a Paddle UK (formerly British Canoeing) license to paddle on the canal. Launching is usually easiest from the Quays.
• Note: This is an “out and back” route. The water is calm, making it great for beginners, though you should be mindful of barges and debris in the water.

2. Ladybower Reservoir

Best For: Iconic Peak District scenery and big water feels. Historically off-limits, Ladybower now allows paddleboarding, but strict rules apply to protect the water and users.

LadyBower no longer allows Paddlesports

This may change but as of July 2026 its not permitted

• The Vibe: High-moorland views and pine forests. It is one of the most scenic places to paddle in the UK.
• Access Rules: You cannot just turn up and launch. You must book a slot through Ladybower Paddlesports, launch only from their designated pontoon, and wear a mandatory buoyancy aid.
• Cost: There is a launch fee (approx. £10–£15), and sessions are often limited to weekends or specific times.

3. Rother Valley Country Park

Best For: Beginners, families, and equipment hire. Located just southeast of the city, this is a dedicated watersports centre with a large, clean lake.

• The Vibe: Safe, supervised, and social. It’s a great place to learn the basics without worrying about river currents or canal boat traffic.
• Logistics: You can launch your own board for a fee (check their “launch and recover” prices) or hire equipment directly from the centre.
• Bonus: There is a cafe right on the water’s edge for a post-paddle coffee.

4. Manvers Lake (Wath-upon-Dearne)

Best For: A community club atmosphere and clean water. A reclaimed industrial site turned into a beautiful lake, home to a very active boat club.

• The Vibe: Sporty and friendly. It is popular for triathlon training and open-water swimming, so the water quality is generally excellent.
• Access: It is run as a club (Manvers Waterfront Boat Club). You typically need to join as a member or book a specific session/course. It is less of a “turn up and dip” spot and more of a community hub.

5. River Don (Kelham Island Loop)

Best For: Experienced paddlers seeking a challenge. The River Don runs through the heart of industrial Sheffield.

• The Vibe: Gritty and adventurous. Paddling through Kelham Island offers a view of the city’s breweries and museums from the waterline.
• Warning: Rivers are dynamic environments with weirs and currents. This is not for total beginners.
• Access: The most popular launch is near Ball Street Bridge (Kelham Island). Ensure you check water levels—too high is dangerous, too low is a scrape.

6. Underbank Reservoir.

Best For: Casual confident paddlers.

• Underbank is owned by Yorkshire water.
• Paddlesports are not allowed to use that area.
  This does not seem to deter the hundreds of weekly users
• Beware, there are no facilities, no safety boats, no help if anything goes wrong.

⚠️ Where NOT to Paddle

Avoid Rivelin Valley and Damflask Reservoir (unless you are part of the specific sailing/rowing club there).

We can provide beginners instruction sessions, getting you up and standing and we can provide coaching for the more confident paddler to improve your skills.



Drop a message to our PaddleUk Coach qualified staff

Weaseling is an outdoor activity that blends rock scrambling, above-ground caving, and parkour. Participants navigate through mazes of gritstone boulders, squeeze through narrow tunnels, and leap across rocky gaps without the need for ropes or harnesses. It is a highly popular and accessible adventure for all ages and fitness levels in the Peak District. 

Top Weaseling Locations

The dramatic, weathered gritstone edges of the Peak District offer the perfect natural playgrounds for weaseling.

• Higger Tor: Located just outside Hathersage (a short 15-minute drive from Sheffield), this is the most famous weaseling spot in the region. It features massive jumbles of boulders and tight squeeze-throughs like the “womb”.
• The Roaches: Situated near Leek in the southwestern Peak District, this dramatic ridge offers incredible rocky mazes and tunnel networks ideal for scrambling.
• Burbage Valley: Just south of Higger Tor, the valley is scattered with perfect natural rock features, making it a safe, scenic location favored by guided groups.

Tips for Your Trip

• What to wear: Wear sturdy trainers or walking shoes with good grip and older layers you won’t mind getting dirty or scraped on the rock.
• Safety & Routes: All obstacles are strictly optional; if a tunnel looks too small, there is almost always an easy way to scramble around it.
• Self-guided vs. Guided: While popular routes at Higger Tor are easy to explore on your own, Everything AWesome offer half-day and full-day courses to help you find the best hidden tunnels. You can book introductory scrambling and weaseling experiences directly through us here at Everything Awesome

Described as bouldering, in wellies, in the rain.

Caving (also known as spelunking in the US or potholing in the UK) is the recreational pastime of exploring wild, non-commercial cave systems. Unlike a casual tour of a well-lit show cave with concrete pathways, true caving takes you into a raw, pitch-black subterranean environment where you rely entirely on your own gear, skill, and nerve.

It is part exploration, part athletic challenge, and part science.

What the Experience is Actually Like

• Absolute Darkness and Silence: Once you move past the “twilight zone” (the cave entrance), the darkness is absolute. If you turn off your headlamp, you cannot see your hand an inch from your face. Sound behaves strangely—sometimes muffled by mud, other times amplified by echoing rock walls.
• Physical Variety: A single cave system can require a massive mix of physical movements. You might find yourself walking through a chamber the size of a cathedral, crawling on your stomach through a muddy tube, squeezing sideways through a narrow fissure, or wading through an icy underground river.
• Constant Environment: Deep caves stay the same temperature year-round, typically reflecting the average annual temperature of the region above (often around 10°C to 13°C / 50°F to 55°F in temperate zones). They are highly humid, damp, and frequently muddy.

The Different Types of Caving

Depending on the cave’s structure, the activity generally splits into two main styles:

1. Horizontal Caving

This involves navigating caves that mostly develop horizontally. While it still includes climbing over boulders, scrambling up mud banks, or squeezing through tight slots, it does not require specialized rope work.

2. Vertical Caving

When caves descend straight down through shafts and pits (sometimes hundreds of feet deep), cavers use a discipline called Single Rope Technique (SRT). Using specialized mechanical ascenders and descenders, cavers safely rappel down into the deep and climb back up a single hanging rope.

Core Gear and Safety Rules

Because caves are unforgiving environments where rescue is incredibly difficult, cavers adhere to a strict ethos:

The Golden Rule: Always carry three independent sources of light per person (usually a primary helmet-mounted LED headlamp and two backups).

Conservation: Caves form over hundreds of thousands of years. Cavers follow a strict code: “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.” Touching delicate crystal formations can permanently ruin them due to the oils on human skin.

The Uniform: A rugged helmet, durable coveralls (often Cordura or PVC to handle abrasion), sturdy boots, and knee/elbow pads.

The Team: True cavers never go alone. A standard group size is at least four people—if someone is injured, one can stay with the victim while the other two head out to get help.

Everything Awesome can provide experiences that will change your life. Contact us to book.