Alan Hinkes, the only Briton to have climbed the world's 14 highest peaks, will speak at the festival
An upcoming festival will celebrate its tenth year of armchair adventuring.
The Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival hopes to attract more than 3,000 outdoor enthusiasts this year.
The event has grown from humble beginnings to be one of the most popular in Scotland’s outdoor calendar.
Climber and adventurer Leo Houlding, Britain’s only man to have summited all the world’s 8,000m mountains Alan Hinkes and Norwegian polar explorer Børge Ousland will all be making an appearance at the festival next month.
Ardnamurchan-based Simon Willis will share tales of his sea kayaking adventures in his lecture and self-styled Alpine Princess Zoe Hart will be there to inspire climbers.
Leo Houlding said: “I’ve been hoping to come to the EMFF since it started back in 2003. Time flies but I’m delighted to be speaking at the 10th anniversary festival. I’ve got some great stories to share with everyone. It’s going to be an awesome weekend.’
As well as the speakers, films screenings include the first public showing in Edinburgh of renowned Scottish climber Dave MacLeod in The Long Hope; the gritty high altitude epic Cold with its frightening footage of the aftermath of a major avalanche; and the hilarious don’t-try-these-at-home antics of Sketchy Andy, a slackliner.
Smitten is an extraordinary film about an Australian Base-jumper known as Lucky Chance. The film features some crazy Base jumps and includes footage of the daredevil Down Under carrying out his 100th jump during which he gets into trouble when his parachute doesn’t open and he is sent plummeting to the ground completely out of control.
Stevie Christie, festival director, said: “It’s been a thrilling 10 years since the EMFF came into being. We’ve had some great speakers such as Sir Chris Bonington, Mark Beaumont and Doug Scott, and lots of special moments at the event.
“I remember people shouting support as they watched the movie of Dave MacLeod attempting the world’s first E11 climb; and then cheering loudly when he made it, even though they were just watching a film.
“There were lots of tears in the audience when we screened Solo, a tragic tale of a sea kayaker who went missing. And of course, there are always lots of laughs, oohs and aahs, as the stars of our movies don’t quite get the moves right and encounter painful endings.
“I’ve been delighted at the positivity shown towards the festival by attendees, sponsors and film-makers alike and I’m really looking forward to getting our 10th festival up and running in a few weeks’ time.”
The festival, being staged in association with Tiso, Mountain Equipment, Gore, the EICA at Ratho, Visit Norway and Wilderness Scotland, runs from 26 to 28 October. Tickets start at £5 and are on sale now. More details are on the festival’s website.
