Go climbing with an Everest conqueror
Last updated 14:36, Tuesday, 13 May 2008
ALAN Hinkes, the first British mountaineer to climb the world’s 14 8,000m peaks, will be setting his sights a bit lower at Keswick Cumberland Ale Mountain Festival which starts tomorrow.
Alan is leading a walk to the 2,949ft summit of Great Gable on the Friday of the festival – a chance for fell walkers to enjoy an ascent from Honister in the company of one of the world’s best known climbers.
He is also taking part in tomorrow’s opening ceremony when he plans to race adventure filmmaker Justine Curgenven for the honour of declaring the festival underway.
They will go up and down a climbing wall in the town centre before running to Crow Park and taking part in a raft race and sliding down a zip wire.
Some of the leading celebrities of the outdoor world will be present at next week’s five day festival including Sir Chris Bonington and Doug Scott.
Julia Bradbury, presenter of the BBC’s Wainwright Walks series, will be giving a talk at the Theatre by the Lake.
In addition to a series of talks by some of the most famous personalities from the outdoor world, there are plenty of practical activities for visitors to try.
These include dry stone walling, Nordic walking, archery, kayaking and orienteering. A new feature this year is a Bike Village where stunt riding experts will show off their skills and the latest bikes will be on show.
The winners of a photographic competition, for the image which best represents guide book author Alfred Wainwright’s love of the fells, will also be announced.
