Keswick, where the mountain festival gets underway tomorrow

Keswick, where the mountain festival gets underway tomorrow

Keswick Mountain Festival kicks off tomorrow, with an eclectic mix of events for lovers of the Lakeland hills.

Six months ago the Cumbrian town was under water as the worst floods on record swept the Lake District. Now, the settlement of about 5,000 souls, which was home to one of the original fell wanderers Samuel Taylor Coleridge, is hoping to bounce back with a programme of outdoor activities and family events.

Lakeland climbing star Leo Houlding will hold a Saturday scrambling masterclass on Cam Crag in Langstrath suitable for beginners and offering the chance of practising scrambling at grades one, two or three.

For those with deeper pockets, there’s a chance to plumb the depths of Honister Slate Mine with walking superstar Julia Bradbury. The Friday evening champagne Dine in a Mine event comes with a price tag of £125, for which participants will get a slap-up meal in the company of the television presenter, plus a tour of the mine, owned by controversial entrepreneur Mark Weir, whose latest plan for a zip-wire from Fleetwith Pike has been greeted with alarm by traditionalists.

For climbers, there will be a dry-tooling competition – using ice axes on set routes on the Keswick Climbing Wall. There are also gill-scrambling outings, navigation training days, and guided walks.

Full details are on the Keswick Mountain Festival website.

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