Since the 2009 Festival Keswick Tourism Association have sold the Festival to Bluestones Events. However their plans are well on for 2010 for a very similar Festival to 2009. Ordnance Survey are the main Sponsor and there will be an Adventure and Bike Base on Crow Park, provided courtesy of the National Trust.

Click here to go to the Keswick Mountain Festival Site for full information about the event

I shall be leading the following walks during the Festival this year as part of Keswick Rambles and look forward to your company

Date	walk planned	description	details
Wednesday 19th May	High Seat and Bleabury Fell	Lake shore; climb beside a tumbling gill and alomg a broad ridge above Derwentwater	Grade Hard; Meet outside Theatre by the Lake at 9.30. Cost is £12.50 ; back about 4pm
Thursday 20th May	Newlands Round; Hindscarth, Dale Head and High Spy	Climb Scope End to reach this high level circuit above Newlands Valley	Grade Hard Meet outside Theatre by the Lake at 9.30. Cost is £12.50 plus launch & bus fare; back about 5pm
Friday 21st May	Tops and Tarns of Glaramara	Rocky knolls and hidden tarns by unfrequented paths	Grade Hard Meet at Keswick Bus Station at 9.10am. Cost is £12.50 plus bus fare; back about 5.30pm

Here is some more detail of each walk. Remember these may be modified on the day depending on the weather and the abilities of the group

High Seat and Bleabury Fell .

After a warm up along the lake shore our route will take us up past Ashness Bridge. A small path then climbs steeply above Ashness Gill to a broad peaty plateau. Picking our way through the heather and between the peaty hollows we reach the summit of High Seat the highest point of the day and can enjoy lunch with superb views all around. Now follow the broad ridge north to Bleabury Fell. From here we can take the stone laid path down to Walla Crag or a direct route through the heather depending on conditions. Then a gentle descent back to Keswick. 9miles with 2500feet of ascent.

Newlands Round; Hindscarth, Dale Head and High Spy

We will take the launch across to Hawes End and enjoy a good warm up walk below Catbells into the heart of the Newlands Valley. With Goldscope Mine beneath our feet we climb the scrambly path up Scope End and eventually onto the summit of Hindscarth. Here we join the ridge from Robinson to Dale Head with views down into Buttermere and across to Great Gable and Scafells. After lunch on Dale Head there is a steep descent to Dale Head Tarn and a short climb to the top of High Spy with its impressive cairn. How far we go along the ridge from here depends on conditions. We may descend to Grange for the bus back to Keswick. Alternatively we may continue over Maiden Moor and even Catbells before catching the bus or the launch. About 9 miles with up to 3500ft ascent

Tops and Tarns of Glaramara

We shall start with a bus ride down Borrowdale to the Stonethwaite junction. From here we shall walk along the lane through Stonethwaite and then climb a steep stonelaid path alongside Stanger Gill. Glorious views back down Borrowdale as you gain height provide plenty of excuses to stop for a rest! After the climb enjoy an undulating grassy path between rocky knolls to the top of Bessyboot. Illdefined mainly grassy paths wend from here over Rosthwaite Cam (voluntary scamble to the summit!) round the Great Hollow over Combe Head and at last to Glaramara (you can all manage the scramble here!) From here we will take the more frequented path down Thornthwaite Fell to catch the bus back to Keswick. 8 miles and about 2700ft ascent.

The Cumberland Ale 2008 Keswick Mountain Festival took placefrom 14th to 18th May

The sun shone and everyone had a good time

Visitors had the opportunity to try a wide range of outdoor activities from walking to climbing;scrambling to photography; kayaking to gill scrambling. You could learn more about the history of the area with mine walks and stone wall building or practice with map and compass or go Geocaching. There was the chance to compete in the first Keswick Triathlon, cycle Trail Quest or the Lattrigg fell race. In addition there were plenty of talks and films about mountaineers and other adventurers in this country and abroad. We all enjoyed hearing from Julia Bradbury about producing the Wainright TV series on the Lakeland Fells. In fact there was something for everyone!

Reminders of Cathy's 2008 Mountain Festival Walks

I took groups out most days. On Wednesday we took the bus to Seatoller and then had a glorious walk in perfect weather along the Borrowdale valley above Johny's Wood, up through the old Rigghead Quarries to High Spy. After Maiden Moor we dropped down to the Newlands Valley and round to Hawes End to catch the launch back to Keswick. Lots of sunshine but not too hot - a super day

striding along Borrowdale	on top of High Spy

waiting for the chatterers?

On Friday Alan Hinkes joined a group climbing Great Gable from Honister Pass. In 2007 we had to abort this walk due to high winds but today was ideal walking weather and everyone enjoyed the scrambly outing over Great Gable followed by a grassy stroll over Brandreth and Grey Knotts

enjoying alan hinkes company above Honister Pass	alan enjoying a break at the end of Moses Trod before climbing the North West ridge of Great Gable
all of us on the summit of Great Gable.	descending from Great Gable to Windy Gap

On Saturday I led a Ladies only walk sponsored by Asolo up Skiddaw with a free pair of boots for one lucky participant. We took the bus round to Mirehouse and after walking through Dodd Wood we climbed to Carlside Tarn by way of Ullock Pike and Longside Edge - one of my favourite ways to climb Skiddaw. By now it was cool, breezy and misty with no shelter for lunch! By the time we reached the summit there was a strong wind and thick cloud. We descended rapidly back to Carlside and down to Mikllbeck. A pleasant ramble through the fields back to Keswick concluded the day.

looking west down the Ullock pike ridge	windy and misty on the top of Skiddaw

down out of the cloud on Carlside

On Sunday I took a group up Blencathra. Some were keen to climb Sharp Edge, others wanted to avoid it! So, together we climbed to Scales Tarn and then split into two groups with most coming with me up Sharp Edge while the others climbed Scales Fell and met us at the top. As it was a clear day the groups were in sight of one another as they climbed and everyone enjoyed their own challenge! After lunch at the summit we walked along the main ridge and descended Blease Fell

beginning the traverse of Sharp Edge	Sharp Edge - carefully does it!
striding along the top of the Edge!	all together again after the climb

Strolling along Blencathra's summit ridge

For 2007 Keswick Mountain Festival photos click here

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Design by Cathy Colam