After welcoming over 14,500 visitors, hosting 100+ filmmakers and media and enjoying the company of a truly remarkable collection of guest speakers, the main social event for outdoor enthusiasts in the UK is back for 2016.
Offering by far the largest and most varied programme in its 30+ year history, the 2016 Kendal Mountain Festival will feature hundreds of film screenings, celebrating both the well documented and lesser-known feats of adventure, endurance and exploration. The Kendal team have also worked hard to curate the very best and most entertaining schedule of speakers to accompany the films at this years’ event.
Here’s what not be missed at this year’s event:
DMM Pub Quiz / Friday 18th November – 20.00 -22.00 /Burgundy’s Wine Bar & Brewhouse
The format is simple. Teams of four battle it out in a white-hot competition of mountain, outdoor and general knowledge for the honour of winning this prestigious prize. Hosted by Big George’ Smith and his able assistant ‘Little Ben’ Bransby there’ll be fun, spot prizes and the team with the highest score will win a £400 DMM kit voucher. Enter as a team of four (£20.00 total, so that’s £5.00 a head).
World Film Première – Blocheads (£15)
Friday 18th November – 20.00 – 22.00 / Brewery Arts Centre – Theatre. An all-action cinematic spectacular, revelling in the UK’s golden age of bouldering, presented by ace filmmaker Alastair Lee and friends.
Never before has there been so many indoor walls; so many climbers obsessed with training; so many beasts of superhuman strength. That talent is not going to waste. Alastair Lee’s latest film follows the fearsomely strong Blocheads as they quest for new lines and push the limits of human ability. It’s a story of adventure, rocky passions and mutant fingers. It’s the story of a search for bouldering gold. Check out the awesome trailer here.
Sunday 20th November – 12.00 – 14.30 / Kendal Town Hall
Hosted by Rob Greenwood from UKClimbing and featuring Jorg Verhoeven, Katha Saurwein, Robbie Phillips and a virtual Andy PollittIt’s all about the rock. Limestone, grit, granite, gneiss, sandstone, gabbro and – yes – even vertical chose. The Rock Session aims to inspire with an exciting mix of people and films concentrating on rock climbing. Hosted by Rob Greenwood from UKClimbing, this is a session that celebrates the athletic and mental challenges of moving over the stone.
Behind the Scenes – BBC Planet Earth II (£7.50)
Friday 18th November – 11.00 – 12.30 / Brewery Arts Centre
Join BBC Natural History Producer / Director Justin Anderson and Assistant Producer Emma Brennand for an exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ of the ‘Mountains’ episode of David Attenborough’s Planet Earth II.4 years in the making with 25 expedition shoots to the world’s greatest mountain ranges, they have plenty of stories to share; from how you track a snow leopard in Ladakh, to revealing the secret life of pole dancing grizzly bears in the Canadian Rockies.
Saturday 19th November – 09.00 – 10:30 / Kendal Town Hall
Adventurer Heather Geluk interviews Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita, who were both in Nepal for the April 2015 earthquake and spent the months following the disaster aiding the relief effort in the country. Join Heather and Pasang for a conversation about their adventures. Hear about Pasang’s journey to becoming National Geographic Adventurer of the year as they discuss their experiences in nature’s most challenging and beautiful landscapes.
