[D]etails of the speaker programme for the 2018 Keswick Mountain Festival (KMF) have been revealed. Running, cycling and international films will all star in a schedule that brings two of the UK’s biggest names in outdoor sport to the Theatre by the Lake on 8 and 9 June.
The line-up will be headlined by talks from two inspirational individuals – multiple World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington and round the world cycling phenomenon Mark Beaumont. Each night will also feature a selection of films as part of the 2018 Ledlenser Trails In Motion Film Festival world tour, including world premieres.
Keswick Mountain Festival will return from 8-10 June 2018, based on the shore of Derwentwater in Keswick, Cumbria. Since its launch in 2007, KMF has grown into one of the biggest and best loved outdoor events in the UK calendar and now attracts around 20,000 visits each year to a unique mix of live music, sporting events, outdoor adventures, high profile speakers, taster activities, exhibitor stands and camping.
The heart of the event is the Festival Village on Crow Park, on the doorstep of the Theatre by the Lake, where the festival speaker programme regularly attracts full houses.
Taking centre-stage during the Sports Evening on Friday 8 June will be legendary ultra-endurance athlete, Mark Beaumont. In 2008, Beaumont smashed the circumnavigation world record after cycling around the world in 194 days.
Last year, inspired by the classic Jules Verne adventure novel, he set out to complete the challenge again, this time in less than 80 days. After pushing himself to the limit to cover an average of 240 miles per day, he completed his challenge last September in under 79 days.
Beaumont will share anecdotes from his latest record-breaking ride as well as revealing the inside story of some of the epic documentaries he has made, which have seen him visit over 100 countries, the Arctic, the high mountains and tour the Commonwealth, as well as surviving a capsize in the mid-Atlantic.
The Friday night session will open with the first part of the 2018 Ledlenser Trails In Motion Film Festival world tour programme, which in total features eight of the best new trail and ultra-running films from around the globe, including three world premieres.
Audiences can look forward to more inspirational stories on Saturday 9 June, when celebrated triathlete and four-time World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington OBE takes to the stage.
Wellington will regale audiences with a mind-blowing account of the many firsts in her sporting career, including her iconic journey to becoming a world champion. She holds, or has held, all three world records relating to ironman-distance triathlon races and has set a standard that other ultra-distance triathletes around the globe aspire to.
Wellington will also give an insight into her work since retiring from competition, as she has continued to play a big role in the running community, particularly through parkrun, where she has a global remit to promote the participation phenomenon. Saturday’s Theatre at the Lake programme will begin with the second part of the 2018 Ledlenser Trails In Motion Film Festival world tour.
Nicola Meadley, Keswick Mountain Festival director, comments: “Once again, visitors to Keswick Mountain Festival will have the opportunity to hear from inspirational figures from the world of sport and the outdoors, who will no doubt leave audiences motivated to embark on their own adventures.
“Chrissie and Mark both have a wealth of amazing stories that demonstrate what can be achieved with the right combination of talent and drive. Add in some amazing films courtesy of the Ledlenser Trails in Motion Film Festival and I am sure that folk will leave the Theatre by the Lake raring to have a go at some of the activities on offer in the Festival Village, or to explore the amazing landscape that surrounds our festival.”
Tickets for the speaker sessions start at £10 per person and film festival tickets are £6 per person, or are included in the price of a festival weekend ticket. Tickets for all KMF events can be purchased at www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk. To find out more, visit the website or Facebook, email info@keswickmountainfestival.co.uk, or follow @keswickfestival on Twitter and Instagram.
