Cumbria will again play host to the country’s biggest outdoors festival this year, taking place on 14 -17 May. Keswick Mountain Festival will offer an exciting smorgasbord of adventure-themed activities, live performances and high-profile speakers, including Alistair Brownlee.
Advertisement
Brownlee, arguably Britain’s top triathlete and certainly one of the world’s best, will be giving a 90-minute talk (in conversation with the BBC’s Tom Fordyce) on Friday, 15 May. This is one of the festival’s main highlights and all you triathletes can bet tickets will sell out.
Brownlee’s talk will surely inspire you and get you pumped for the next day’s two noob-friendly triathlons – Short (400m swim/20km bike/5km trail run) and Long (800m swim/35km bike/10km trail run). Both options make KMF a great opportunity to add to your race list, whether you’re looking for a fun first-ever triathlon, easing back into the sport or wanting to complete one as part of your training for a longer, more competitive event. Swim socks, gloves and neoprene hats are allowed in the swim leg in Derwentwater, though do note the weather is predicted to be 14 degrees!
Short triathlon entrants will cycle around Derwentwater and run on lakeside roads and forest trails. In the Long event, part of the bike leg weaves through the scenic Borrowdale Valley, while the trail run will take runners up to the popular Latrigg, which offers incredible views over the town.
You can also join individual competitions in swimming, biking and running, including a 70km sportive cycling event and a 50km trail ultramarathon for those looking for a challenge. And if you want to dip your hands into alternative outdoor activities, there are loads on offer, such as navigation training and catamaran sailing.
A new addition to the festival village on Crow Park is an ‘adventure hub’ where you will meet your group and leader if your activity starts and ends in the village. The festival village will also be the site of ‘taster activities’, food stands, exhibitor booths and in the evenings, live music headlined by the Peatbog Faeries and Seth Lakeman.
For full event details, visit www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk.