Keswick Mountain Festival Launches

Mountain festivals seem to be the coming thing at the moment and the good news is that northern Lakes outdoor metropolis Keswick has joined the party with the first Keswick Mountain Festival scheduled for 16-20 May 2007.

We're liking the timing already - May is a great time to head for the Lakes with good weather likely but before the annual summer invasion gets into full swing - and the format of the festival looks great as well.

It's taken ideas from other events and mixed them up, so you get a combination of guided walks, lecture and films, seminars and demonstrations and a great opportunity to get hands-on experience of a wide spread of outdoor activities ranging from climbing, mountain biking and nordic walking right through to dry stone walling, yes, really.

There's support from a hard core of local outdoor retailers plus top brands like Berghaus, Lowe Alpine, Paramo, Craghoppers and Sheewee.

There will also be a unique opportunity to go for a walk with Challenge 8000 legend Alan Hinkes - right, but we'd expect less insulation for the Lakes - in conjunction with Berghaus. Not only will Al guide you across spectacular mountain scenery but you'll have the chance to chat with him. The bad news is that places are very limited and effectively unobtainable.

The good news is that five lucky OUTDOORSmagic members will be joining Alan on this unique walk, just watch this space for full details of how you could win the chance to go walking with Hinkesey.

The Keswick Mountain Festival web site is up and running at www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk.