Last summer we had an action-packed day in the Peak District: abseiling, tree climbing and trying something called weaselling. None of us had heard of it before; it’s a local activity that involves squeezing and scrambling through the gaps between the huge rocks. The kids and my husband loved it — a brilliant, slightly scary day out if you’re up for clambering between the boulders.
From a distance the crags look like sheer cliffs and steep edges, but up close you notice how many gaps and passages there are. The route we followed started at the top and wound down through the rocks, with sideways and vertical squeezes. One gap was so small only our son Noah could get through (there was an easier alternative route for others). The children were nervous at first but quickly got the hang of it and had a blast. Think rock-hopping and scrambling.
If you’re going without a guide, helmets are essential — some gaps are tight and need specific moves to pass safely. There are guided tours in the Peak District; we booked through Glenbrook Activity Centre, who worked with a local instructor.
You can easily spend hours exploring the crag and you’ll probably get wet and muddy — all part of the fun. We’d recommend waterproofs, sturdy hiking boots and, of course, a helmet. I didn’t take part because I had our two dogs to look after, but it was great to watch everyone having fun.
We did weaselling at Higger Tor in Hope Valley, Peak District. For precise navigation the what3words location is pulled.wins.class.
A fantastic day out for the whole family.
