The Best Outdoor Mountain Festivals in the UK
In the UK, we’re lucky to have tons of options for outdoor
mountain adventure festivals. While many of these festivals take place in
scenic locations including the Lake District and Peak District National Parks,
many are hosted in the country’s largest cities, making them easily accessible
for most people. So, wherever you’re based, you’re never far from one of these epic
adventure festivals.
As they get bigger and better year-on-year, attending an adventure
festival is quickly becoming a must-do experience for any lover of the
outdoors. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast seeking inspiration for your
next adventure or looking to attend live sessions from passionate speakers,
these adventure festivals and outdoor film festivals have something for
everyone.
Get your calendars at the ready. Here is our pick of the
best adventure festivals and events across the UK that are guaranteed to leave
you feeling inspired and ready to get outside and exploring.
8 Best Outdoor Adventure Festivals in the UK
- Kendal
Mountain Film Festival | Kendal | 21st– 24th November
2024
- Keswick Mountain Festival | Keswick | 16th – 18th May 2025
- Dundee Mountain Film Festival | Dundee | 5th
– 7th December 2024
- Fort William Mountain Festival | Fort William | 13th
– 16th February 2025
- Adventure Travel Show | London | 11th
– 12th January 2025
- Alpkit Big Shakeout Festival | Peak District |
27th – 29th September 2024
- Armchair Adventure Festival | Cornwall | 25th
– 28th July 2024
Kendal Mountain Film Festival
Location: Kendal
Find Out More: https://www.kendalmountainfestival.com/
Founded in 1980, Kendal Mountain Festival is the biggest and
most well-known outdoor film festival and get together of outdoor enthusiasts
in the UK. This year’s festival programme is the largest ever, offering a
wonderful amalgamation of content, with a third wave being announced in
September. During the four-day festival, over 200 live sessions including 300+
speakers, 180+ films, and 80+ activities will be programmed engaging over
30,000 expected visitors.
Keswick Mountain Festival
Location: Keswick
Find Out More: https://keswickmountainfestival.co.uk/
Keswick Mountain Festival is another popular mountain fest
that takes place every May. The event includes a fantastic mix of outdoor
sports, activities, live music, inspirational speakers, and outdoor brands. There
is a varied choice of sports events (trail runs, triathlon, swimming, cycling,
hiking, and adventure), activities, and entertainment aimed to inspire all ages
and abilities. Set in one of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District,
it’s a family friendly outdoors festival for everyone to enjoy.
Dundee Mountain Film Festival
Location: Dundee
Find Out More: http://dmff.co.uk/
The Dundee Mountain Film Festival is Scotland’s pioneering
mountain film festival, and it is returning for its 41st event in
2025. It showcases an international programme of speakers, as well as award
winning films and exhibitions. They also have a full supporting exhibition of
art, photography, trade and voluntary organisations stands and displays. The festival
is non-competitive, and all films and presenters appear by invitation,
recognising the quality and the content of their work.
Fort William Mountain Festival
Location: Fort William
Find Out More: https://mountainfestival.co.uk/
The Fort William Mountain Festival is a good chance to get
away for a few days, sample the outdoors and enjoy the festival’s mountain-related
events. It is a huge success every year and a must on every outdoor enthusiast’s
calendar. The annual festival programme is jam-packed with outdoor guided
events, inspiring speaks and engaging films. They also have a fabulous line-up
of adventure inspired workshops every year, so there is something for everyone
at Fort William Mountain Festival.
Adventure Travel Show
Location: London
Find Out More: https://www.adventureshow.com/
With over 100 exhibitors under one roof, the Adventure
Travel Show is the place to research your upcoming trips or to discover
somewhere completely new. Encompassing everything from UK-based adventures,
through to exploring jungles, mountains, rivers and deserts across every
continent. Visitors to the Adventure Travel Show will enjoy an unrivalled
content programme. With three free-to-visit theatres featuring some of the UK’s
most celebrated travellers sharing their incredible experiences, alongside
leading experts giving advice on journeys to every corner of the world.
Alpkit Big Shakeout Festival
Location: Peak District
Find Out More: https://alpkit.com/pages/bigshakeout
The Alpkit Big Shakeout is a fantastic non-profit outdoor
festival designed to make the outdoors accessible to everyone. The Big Shakeout
is located in the Peak District, known for its world class rock climbing,
mountain biking and endless walking trails all within a 20-minute radius. All
the proceeds from the Alpkit Big Shakeout go directly to the Alpkit Foundation,
which helps to remove barriers for getting outdoors and into wild places. The
event is packed with on and off-site activities including live sessions from
inspiring speakers and adventure films.
Armchair Adventure Festival
Location: Cornwall
Find Out More: https://www.armchairadventurefestival.com/
Taking place on a beautiful Cornish hilltop at the
incredible Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, the Armchair Adventure festival is an
outdoor festival that originally started as a virtual adventure travel agent
during lockdown. Today, it is an in-person festival covering a range of
activities from kayaking and paddleboarding, through to yoga, foraging and
cooking demonstrations. There’s also a line up of inspiring adventure speakers,
along with live music.
