UKC

Kendal Mountain Festival - Last Few Tickets!

© Al Lee

Everything is getting into swing for the Kendal Mountain Festival which starts this Thursday in Kendal. The event promises a packed schedule once again with lectures, films and events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After two years of weather extremes - glorious sun in 2010 and torrential rain in 2009 - it looks like this year will be the more-predictable November fair of showers with some sunshine.

James Pearson is speaking in the North Face Night - Part 1 on Saturday at KMF  © The North Face®/ Richard Felderer
James Pearson is speaking in the North Face Night - Part 1 on Saturday at KMF

We have contacted the organisers to see what tickets are still available. They replied with news that the main events are close to selling out but a few of the other shows still have space. The list below are some of the highlights of what is still available:

Friday 19 November

ENDURANCE SPORTS NIGHT - Friday 18 November 17:30 to 19:30 - buy tickets
Our first Endurance Night kicks off with The Epic Tri:
In April 2011, Ant Emmet and Bruce Duncan set out to complete a huge challenge - The Bob Graham Round: 65 miles, 42 Lakeland summits, 27,000ft climb within 24hrs. The John O'Groats to Lands End cycle ride: 874 miles, 60hrs. The Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race: 125 miles, 77 portages within 24hrs. All of this non-stop. Hear their story, with planetFear's Dave MacFarlane showing clips and out-takes from his film of their attempt.
Also on the agenda for this event is Ben Bardsley, a schoolboy international cross country runner with an unhealthy appetite for BMX biking. Join Ben as he enthuses about two of his favourite adventure racing experiences - the Raid Gauloises, Kyrgyzstan and the Arctic Team Challenge, Greenland.

PRELUDE TO EVEREST - Friday 18th November 19:00 to 20:15 - Buy Tickets
Most people have heard of Ed Hillary or Tenzing Norgay, but few recognise the name of Alexander Kellas or realise the significance of his contribution to the exploration of the Himalaya and the ascent of Everest. With readings from, and in discussion with Julie Summers about his new book, Ian Mitchell aims to shed a light on the first 'martyr' to Everest.

MOONFLOWER PREMIERE - Friday 18th November 19:00 to 20:30 - Buy tickets
Ace British filmmaker Alastair Lee premieres the new Posing Productions film of Matt Helliker and Jon Bracey's epic adventure in Alaska. Alastair, Matt and Jon will be on hand to relive the full experience and take questions.

photo
Jon Bracey leading Matt Helliker on Moonflower Buttress
© Al Lee

MARMOT NIGHT - A QUESTION OF CLIMBING - Friday 18 November 20:30 to 22:00 - buy tickets
OK, it's not Sue Barker - and he certainly didn't go out with Cliff Richard - but with John Horscroft asking the questions, Kendal's A Question of Climbing really is about one of only two sports that matter (according to Ernest Hemingway, the other one being Bull Fighting). And it's bound to be hilarious. So join John and our teams of celebrity adventurers for an evening of knowledge testing and downright buffoonery.
See UKC scoop on betting irregularities.

Saturday 20 November

MOONFLOWER BUTTRESS - Saturday 19 November 9:30 to 10:30 - buy tickets
Earlier this year top British alpinists Matt Helliker and Jon Bracey headed for Alaska to try a new line on the stupendous Moonflower Buttress of Mt Hunter. It's a huge face in a very remote, committing location. Matt and Jon will pick up the story but you can be sure it wasn't a straightforward objective!
In association with Patagonia

DELVING INTO THE ALPINE CLUB LIBRARY - Saturday 19 November 10:00 to 11:15 - buy tickets
Earlier this year top British alpinists Matt Helliker and Jon Bracey headed for Alaska to try a new line on the stupendous Moonflower Buttress of Mt Hunter. It's a huge face in a very remote, committing location. Matt and Jon will pick up the story but you can be sure it wasn't a straightforward objective!
In association with Patagonia

ED DRUMMOND - THE LONG HOPE - Saturday 19 November 11:00 to 12:30 - buy tickets
Ed Drummond is one of the undoubted 'Greats' from that halcyon time in British climbing in the 1960s and 1970s. Always doing things in his own particular way as the 'Poet Climber', his routes are both some of the most stretching, but also the most stylish that British climbing has ever produced – his Dream of White Horses has to be on of the most poetic climbs ever. Ed's climbing also saw him make outstanding and horrendously committing first ascents in Yosemite and on Norway's immense Troll Wall. However, it was The Long Hope, first climbed by Ed and Oliver Hill in 1970 – and only all-free climbed, by Dave Macleod this year – that was Ed's masterpiece and will be the subject of this lecture.

Ed Drummond, back on Hoy several decades after making the epic first ascent of The Long Hope Route  © Paul Diffley / Hotaches Productions
Ed Drummond, back on Hoy several decades after making the epic first ascent of The Long Hope Route
© Paul Diffley / Hotaches Productions

THE NORTH FACE NIGHT Part 1 - Saturday 19 November 18:00 to 19:30 - buy tickets
After bursting onto the UK climbing scene with impressive technical and bold ascents of several 'last great problems', James Pearson hit the headlines with the first ascent of The Walk Of Life in North Devon, immortalised in the film Committed. James then quit the UK and moved to Austria to concentrate on sport climbing and training, but has recently returned to the UK and applied himself once again to trad climbing with spectacular results such as the first ground-up ascent of Pembroke super-route Muy Caliente (E10). Let one of Britain's most talented and colourful rock climbers give you the inside story about his career, plus his recent trip with Alex Honnold to Chad.
Sponsored by The North Face

TNF Speaker Series

THE NORTH FACE NIGHT Part 2 - Saturday 19 November 20:30 to 22:00 - buy tickets
Last winter three alpinists headed to Pakistan with the intention of being the first to climb Gasherbrum II in winter. Simone Moro, Denis Urubko and Cory Richards anticipated that climbing an 8,035 metre giant in the depths of the Himalayan winter might be a tad challenging, but even they had no real conception of how deep they would have to dig into their reserves of strength and motivation to keep moving upwards day after day in freezing temperatures, high winds and dangerous snow conditions. Simone, Denis and Cory are in Kendal to recount this story of total commitment.
Sponsored by The North Face


Kendal Mountain Festival - Films

There are also all the films to see in addition to the lectures and these run throughout the weekend in the various

The full film programme can be seen here. This gives you an idea of times so that you can plan lectures, lunch, a beer or a browse in the Marquee.

The films are put into groups:

  • Mountaineering 1 and 2
  • Climbing 1 and 2
  • Adrenaline
  • Ski & Board
  • Culture & Environment
  • Bike
  • Wild Water
  • Free Flight
  • Adventure and Exploration
  • Family Friendly
  • We even have one called 'Lucky Dip'!

All film sessions are fairly easy going, in that you can come and go at leisure, so if you are at a lecture, and you have a film pass for that day, you can whizz into the films mid way through a session.

You can request a repeat of a film to be shown on Sunday evening, just fill in a form available at any of the venues and return to the info desk at the Brewery Arts Centre. And you can even vote for your best film! You can vote for The People's Choice, sponsored by Patagonia, by filling in a short form and dropping it off in one of the special People's Choice boxes any of the film venues.

Below is a trailer for one of the films showing in 'Climbing 1' - A Life of Climbs :Little Chamonix

The Kendal Mountain Festival 2011

Kendal Mountain Festival - Ticket Information, Lectures, market research, commercial notices Premier Post, 8 weeks @ GBP 25pw

HOW TO BOOK TICKETS

The dates are 17 to 20 November and tickets are available now. Book online - www.mountainfest.co.uk - or by phone 01539 725133 - news as it happens at www.mountainfest.co.uk

ACCOMMODATION

Easily accessible from the M6 and by train and there are plenty of accommodation options in and around the town but you need to be on your toes as they fill up very quickly over the Mountain Festival weekend.

For all your questions, accommodation and travel needs go to www.golakes.co.uk here you will find all the information you should need for your visit to Cumbria, alternatively call the accommodation booking line on 0845 450 1199.

More news about Kendal Mountain Festival

Kendal Mountain Festival Sponsors 2011  © KMF
Kendal Mountain Festival Sponsors 2011



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