Friday, 22 April 2016 08:18

Berghaus to celebrate 50 years of adventure at Keswick Mountain Festival

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Berghaus has revealed plans to celebrate its 50th birthday with the public during this year’s 10thKeswick Mountain Festival (KMF).

Based at the Berghaus Adventure Hub in the Festival Village, the brand will showcase landmark products from its archives, introduce some of its sponsored athletes to visitors, and host a special birthday party on Saturday 21 May.

Keswick Mountain Festival has grown into one of the UK’s best loved and most popular outdoor events, with over 17,000 visitors last year. Running from 19-22 May, the 10th anniversary festival will present a mix of live music, sporting events, outdoor adventures, high profile speakers, camping and family friendly activities. The heart of the event will be the Festival Village (open from 20-22 May) in Keswick’s Crow Park, on the shore of Derwentwater, with the Lakeland fells in the background.

Keswick Festival Village

Throughout the festival, the Berghaus Adventure Hub will be home to a display of classic products from the archives. Members of the Berghaus team will be on hand to meet the public and chat about some of the pioneering kit that has been launched over the last 50 years. Visitors to the Adventure Hub are being invited to share their festival snaps on social media using #Berghaus50 for the chance to win a Berghaus goody bag. In addition, if they take along their own pieces of favourite Berghaus kit from over the decades, they could win one of 50 Berghaus vouchers for £50 that will be handed out during the festival.

Keswick 2014 crowds

On Friday 20 May, Berghaus has lined up two ultra-runners to speak in the Adventure Talks Tipi in the Festival Village. Local fell running legend Steve Birkinshaw will appear at 1:00pm. Birkinshaw holds the record for running to the top of all 214 Wainwright peaks and is a former winner of the Dragon’s Back Race. At 3:45pm, Dave Troman will share his experiences of completing the iconic Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc race and offer some tips on the basics of ultra-running.

The running theme will continue on Saturday 21 May, when festival goers can sign up for one of three 5km runs with Steve Birkinshaw. Back in the Adventure Talks Tipi at 2:15pm, brothers Ed and Sam Hamer will talk about their ‘Great British Climb Off’ adventure during the summer of 2015.

Steve Birkinshaw on Carrock Fell during his record breaking Wainwrights run

Berghaus athlete Mick Fowler will headline the ‘Mountain Evening’ in the Theatre by the Lake on the Saturday. Last year, Fowler and climbing partner Paul Ramsden made a spectacular first ascent of remote Himalayan peak Gave Ding, which has earned them Piolets d’Or awards for an unprecedented third time. Fowler will tell the story of the Gave Ding expedition, which took him and Ramsden to a valley that had never before been visited by westerners.

Mick Fowler on day three of his climb of Gave Ding

The Saturday evening will conclude with Berghaus’ 50th birthday party in the Adventure Hub. Festival ticket holders who stay on site for the live music will be able to meet athletes, enjoy a drink on the company and celebrate five decades of Berghaus adventures surrounded by the landscape where many of those have taken place.

Tickets for all 2016 Keswick Mountain Festival events are available at www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk or bycalling See Tickets on 0871 2305537 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras). Keep an eye on Berghaus’ Facebook page for updates on plans for the Berghaus Adventure Hub.