This weekend saw the 3rd ever Women's Trad Festival take place in the Peak District.
With nearly 200 climbers in attendance, fantastic weather and a prime view of Stanage, the festival was an overwhelming success. With more climbers than ever before, it had a tangible buzz surrounding it right from the moment the date was announced. Tickets sold out in 180 seconds – faster than Glastonbury! Less than a week later, there was a waiting list of over 250 hopeful individuals.
Fast-forward to the present, social media is now awash with enthusiastic, heartfelt and touching testimonials to an incredible weekend had by all. Read them.
As well as coming from all over the UK, this year Women's Trad Festival expanded internationally. Climbers from the Netherlands joined, as well as four lucky German climbers who won tickets in a Rab competition.
Women's Trad Festival aims to facilitate learning and confidence building. The weekend allows the weaving of a web of connections that is fast becoming a thriving community of female trad climbers. It inspires and empowers women of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. All this takes place on a level playing field of climbing, camping and just being outside.
Women's Trad Festival is an inclusive event. Aiming to achieve an equal and empowered society, they believe it is important to welcome men to be part of and support the festival. Welcoming participants from as young as 8 to over 60 years old allows inter-generational connections, role models and mentorship possibilities, something perhaps less easily experienced in this day and age.
All abilities are welcomed, from those who had never climbed before, to MIC qualified guides and world class climbers.
A full report will follow. In the meantime follow the hashtag #womenstrad to share in just a little of the enthusiasm and love for what each individual learnt or took from Women's Trad Festival 2018.
WTF is sponsored by: Rab, DMM, Tenaya, Climb On!, Outside, BMC, and Mountain Training
© Jessie Leong
Comments
Looks blinkin' brilliant!
Good effort to the organisers for pulling this all together, because it can't be easy.
The atmosphere throughout the BBQ on Saturday night really was something special, with 200 climbers sitting around chatting, eating, laughing, and re-living the days antics. It kind of reminded me of all the best parts of the BMC International Meets, as there was a sense of camaraderie that is - in my opinion - unique to climbing.
Looking forward to the full report + video.
Looks like a fantastic event. Well done all!