This year’s Keswick Mountain Festival (KMF) ‘Hike’ programme offers walking experiences at all levels and throughout the day and night. During the four-day event, visitors can choose from over 30 different guided walks, from gentle strolls along the lakeside, to a challenging hike up Helvellyn during the early hours of the morning. Sponsored by Hi-Tec and HF Holidays, the 2015 KMF walking activities will take place throughout the festival, between 14 and 17 May.
As always, outdoor activities will be at the heart of Keswick Mountain Festival, and this year’s Hike programme is extensive. For experienced and ambitious walkers, there will be three special walks that will provide perspectives of the Lakes at different times of the day and night. Helvellyn by Sunrise will see walkers set off with a professional guide at midnight and reach the summit of the mountain as the sun rises over the Lakeland fells. Meanwhile, Blencathra by the Stars will offer an opportunity to reach the top of the classic fell as darkness falls. Finally, walkers on the Catbells Evening Wander will set off early in the evening, with the aim of admiring the views of the sunset over Keswick as they reach the summit of the famous fell. Other festival visitors with lofty ambitions can tick off 60 of the Wainwright tops in a series of four guided hikes over consecutive days.
There will also be opportunities to tackle classic Lakeland routes during the day, thanks to HF Holidays, with professionally guided walks up Scafell Pike, Skiddaw and Blencathra, along with other much loved locations such as Bowder Stone and Catbells. In addition, HF Holidays will host a series of lower level walks for families. Part of the KMF ‘Family Fun’ schedule, these walks will give family groups the chance to explore locations like Bowder Stone and Catbells. Many of the HF Holidays walks will start from the new Berghaus Adventure Hub in the Festival Village on Crow Park.
Meanwhile, Hi-Tec, headline sponsor of the festival, is inviting all visitors to join its BIG WALK. The company has printed thousands of route maps for three classic Keswick walks, starting and finishing in the Festival Village on Crow Park. At different lengths and levels, the routes are very accessible for all walkers. Hikers who complete any of the three BIG WALKS will have the chance of winning a seven-night adventure walking holiday for a family of four, courtesy of HF Holidays, plus Hi-Tec kit. Find out more about the Hi-Tec BIG WALK at hi-tec.com/uk .
Keswick Mountain Festival is also sponsored by Garmin and Ordnance Survey and both organisations will have teams in the Festival Village to meet and advise walkers. The full Hike programme can be viewed on the KMF website, where places on individual walks can be booked. Tickets for all 2015 Keswick Mountain Festival events are also available by calling 08712 305537 (calls cost 10p per minute plus standard network charges). To find out more, visit the website, email
