The Keswick Mountain Festival (KMF) 2024 has unveiled an impressive line-up of speakers.

The line-up includes outdoor adventurers, acclaimed athletes, celebrities and charity campaigners for its return this year between May 17 and 19.

Founded in 2007 and taking a break last year, KMF is set to return in full force with an emphasis on outdoor sports and activities, a vibrant programme of speakers, live music, and plenty of food and drink options.

The festival is known for a full and varied speaker programme.

This year this includes figures such as:

  • mountaineer Alan Hinkes;
  • ultra-running icon Nicky Spinks;
  • adventurer and author Alastair Humphreys who cycled around the world in an epic journey;
  • world-renowned ironman triathlete Chrissie Wellington;
  • outdoor broadcaster Cameron McNeish;
  • Munro-round record holder Jamie Aarons;
  • 'Mountain Man' author James Forrest;
  • endurance challenge record holder Sean Conway;
  • ultra-running coach Allie Bailey;
  • and Black Trail Runners, the charity aiming to increase participation of Black individuals in the sport.

The line-up also features Louise Minchin, a former BBC Breakfast presenter who is an accomplished triathlete and qualified for the Great Britain Age-Group Triathlon Team.

Other speakers include Timmy Mallett, known as a vibrant television presenter, artist and cyclist, who completed a solo circumnavigation of the Britain coast in 2022; and wheelchair athlete Mel Nicholls, a 2012 London Paralympic Games competitor who set a handcycling record from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2019.

A number of the speaker sessions will be available for free on a first-come-first served basis for attendees who have booked sports or other festival tickets.

In addition, a special evening of speakers will be held at the Theatre by the Lake on Saturday, May 18.

At 5.30pm, Louise Minchin will be hosting a session with Chrissie Wellington and Mel Nicholls.

They will be discussing their sports careers and outdoor passions.

At 8.30pm, charity campaigners from 3 Dads Walking – Tim, Mike and Andy - who are fathers bereaved by suicide, will take the stage.

The trio have been walking and campaigning since 2021 in memroy of their daughters, Emily, Beth and Sophie. Their objective is to promote awareness about suicide prevention so other families don't undergo the same tragedy as theirs.

They will discuss their work and walks at the festival and raise funds for charity Papyrus, which works to prevent young suicides.

The session at KMF will be a fundraiser and £5 for every adult ticket sold for the session (and £2.50 for every child’s ticket) will be donated to Papyrus.

Tickets are now available for KMF speaker sessions at the KMF website.