KENDAL MOUNTAIN BOOK FESTIVAL SHARING THE ADVENTURE THROUGH WORDS, WANDERINGS AND WONDER PRESENTED BY
PRESENTED AS PART OF KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL
16 -19 NOVEMBER 2023 KENDALMOUNTAINFESTIVAL.COM
WELCOME TO KENDAL MOUNTAIN BOOK FESTIVAL 2023 Welcome to our 2023 Book Festival where authors, poets and musicians join us to share their stories, ideas and perspectives. Topical and relevant, we hope to create a space where people can connect with each other; experience events that entertain, surprise and move them. Our Book Festival Director, Paul Scully says, “Our Festival is a place where we can reflect on our relationships with nature, landscape, society and to each other. A space where people are challenged to be receptive to different ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. We hope you are able to join us, no matter who you are, in this wonderful community of words, wanderings and wonder.” This years theme is Joy and with over 30 events of discussions, talks and performances we hope to immerse our audiences in adventure, overflowing with uplifting optimism and full of wonder for the world. Our hosts will be in conversation with some of the biggest and emerging names in outdoor writing. All of our live events will be in lovely venues around Kendal. Journey with us as we take you from the streets of Kabul to the mighty river Tigris; from the breath and cinders of volcanoes to the flat lands of England; and from a medieval pilgrim path in Norway to the luminous beauty of moss on the wetlands of Somerset. We look forward to seeing you there! We are delighted to once again host the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature, in this 40th anniversary year – it promises to be a very special evening. A massive thanks to our presenting partner Costwold Outdoor and to our support partners Gestalten, Mountain Equipment, Timber Festival, the University of Cumbria, Abbot Hall/ Lakeland Arts and the Armitt Museum.
FOLLOW US! @kendalbookfest @kendalmountainbookfest 2
This year’s Book Festival icon features the cover artwork by Jesse Stone for the book Stone Will Answer by Beatrice Searle.
Thanks to our patron, Robert Macfarlane for his support of Kendal Mountain Book Festival
A WORD FROM OUR PATRON ROBERT MACFARLANE “Joy” is the theme of this year’s Kendal Mountain Festival. This little, common word carries so much power. It comes to English from the Latin “gaudere”, meaning “to rejoice”. To rejoice is to re-juice, to be refreshed and inspired, to fill the battery back up, to have your eyes widened by wonder once again. Joy is also born of companionship and community –– and here at Kendal, where stories are told by many voices and to many ears, community is at the festival’s heart. Joy can also be the fuel of change. “Joy is my resistance”, says community leader Cherelle in the film We Are Nature, which won last year’s Rab Film Grant Award, “there is a fight happening out there, and we can’t fight it if we’re not recuperating and resting and just having joy.” Amen to that. Hope can be hard to find in the world right now, so may your experience here in Kendal be joyful, immersing you in worlds, lives and perspectives, and in stories, films and songs which will leave you awestruck, enthused and energised. Welcome to the Kendal Mountain Book Festival—and rejoice!’
OUR PRESENTING PARTNER
OUR SUPPORTERS
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Town Hall Council Chamber Brewery Arts Studio The Box
Brewery Arts Malt Room
Brewery Arts Theatre Kendal Town Hall
19:00 - 20:00
17:30 - 18:30
Jasmine Donahaye Birdsplaining
12:15 - 13:15
Marchelle Farrell Uprooting
10:15 - 11:15
13:00 - 14:30
Graham Zimmerman A Fine Line
TOWN HALL
15:00 - 16:00
13:00 - 14:00
Twelve Words For Moss 14:15 - 15:15
ElizabethJane Burnett
TOWN HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
Robert Macfarlane Mountains Of The Mind
15:00
Leon McCarron The Wounded Tigris
TOWN HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
11:00 - 12:00
09:00 10:00
12:00
TOWN HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
Gloria Dickie Eight Bears
Lee Craigie Other Ways To Win
11:00
14:00
17:00
18:45 - 19:45
The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession
Ned Boulting 1923:
19:00
20:00
21:00
15:15 - 16:15
Sara Wheeler Glowing Still
BREWERY ARTS MALT ROOM
16:00
11:45 - 12:45 20:30 - 22:30 16:00 - 18:00
THE VENUE @ THE BARREL HOUSE
11:30 - 13:00
In the Footsteps Of Romantic Explorers
THE BOX
11:00 - 12:00
Beatrice Searle Stone Will Answer
11:00
12:00
17:30 - 19:00
Julie Brook What Is It That Will Last?
Helen Mort Wilderness Tracks
Music On Nature
BREWERY ARTS THEATRE
21:00 - 22:00
John Porter A Path Of Shadows
BREWERY ARTS STUDIO
09:15 - 10:15
Noreen Masud A Flat Place
10:00
18:00
ABBOT HALL
17:00 - 18:00
Louise Minchin Fearless
BREWERY ARTS THEATRE
17:00
(Part of the adidas TERREX Running Session)
18:15 - 19:15
Polly Atkin Some Of Us Just Fall
TOWN HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
18:00
13:15 - 14:15
Taran Khan Shadow City
BREWERY ARTS MALT ROOM
14:00 - 15:00
15:00
Sam Lee, Robert Macfarlane, Simon Armitage, Elizabeth-Jane Burnett & Hayden Thorpe
Danielle Ledbury WHY WE RUN Book Launch
KENDAL LEISURE CENTRE
16:15 - 17:15
Penn Allen The Lost Garden Of Loughrigg
17:00 - 18:00
Clive Oppenheimer Mountains Of Fire
TOWN HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
16:00
11:15 - 12:15
Stephen Venables Everest East Side Story
MALT ROOM
11:00 - 12:00
Ben Goldsmith Rewilding The World
14:00 TOWN HALL
13:00
Tristan Gooley How To Read A Tree
12:00
TOWN HALL
11:00
09:00
10:00
13:00
09:15 - 10:15
Christian Lewis Finding Hildasay
MALT ROOM
10:00
09:00
20:30 - 22:00
Jenny Sturgeon The Living Mountain Trio
MALT ROOM
21:00
SUNDAY 19TH NOVEMBER
My Life of Adventure
John
Blashford-Snell
BREWERY ARTS SCREEN 1
Richard Askwith The Race Against Time
MALT ROOM
18:00 - 19:00
Helen Skelton In My Stride
BREWERY ARTS THEATRE
20:00 09:00
19:00
17:00
18:00
FRIDAY 17TH NOVEMBER
THURSDAY 16TH NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 18TH NOVEMBER
Brewery Arts Malt Room Brewery Arts Screen 1 Abbot Hall
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Town Hall, Brewery Arts Theatre Kendal Leisure Centre The Venue @ The Barrel House
BREWERY ARTS MALT ROOM
20:00
13:00 - 14:00
13:00 14:00 Majka Burhardt & Maria Coffey Motherhood & Child-free Adventures
19:00 - 21:00
15:00 - 16:00
Katie Carr Sea Kayaking The Shipping Forecast
15:00
Boardman Tasker Award For Mountain Literature
19:00
16:00
17:00 - 18:00
Kate Rawles The Life Cycle
17:00
OVERVIEW PROGRAMME
BEATRICE SEARLE
BEN GOLDSMITH
CHRISTIAN LEWIS
CLIVE DANIELLE OPPENHEIMER LEDBURY Mountains Of Fire p14
Why We Run p13
ELIZABETHJANE BURNETT
GLORIA DICKIE
GRAHAM ZIMMERMAN
HAYDEN THORPE
HELEN MORT
HELEN SKELTON
JASMINE DONAHAYE
JENNY STURGEON
JOHN BLASHFORDSNELL My Life
JOHN PORTER
KATE RAWLES
KATIE CARR
LEE CRAIGIE
Of Adventure p6
A Path Of Shadows p15
LEON MCCARRON
LOUISE MINCHIN
MAJKA BURHARDT
MARCHELLE FARRELL
MARIA COFFEY
NED BOULTING
NOREEN MASUD
PENN ALLEN
POLLY ATKIN
RICHARD ASKWITH
ROBERT MACFARLANE
SAM LEE
A Flat Place p16
The Lost Garden Of Loughrigg p13
SARA WHEELER
SARAH SMOUT
STEPHEN VENABLES
TARAN KHAN
TRISTAN GOOLEY
Stone Will Answer p16
Eight Bears p11
The Living Mountain Trio p7
Wounded Tigris p12
Glowing Still p9
Rewilding The World p8
A Fine Line p6
Fearless p9
Music On Nature p15
Finding Hildasay p7
Music On Nature p15
More p17
Some Of Us Just Fall p14
SIMON ARMITAGE
Music On Nature p15
Wilderness Tracks p16
The Life Cycle p18
Uprooting p11
The Race Against Time p6
Everest East Side Story p8
In My Stride p6
Moderate Becoming Good Later p18
Instead p17
Mountains Of The Mind p13
Shadow City p8
Twelve Words For Moss p12
Birdsplaining p12
Other Ways To Win p11
1923 p14
Music On Nature p15
How To Read A Tree p7
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PROGRAMME THURSDAY
RICHARD ASKWITH THE RACE AGAINST TIME 5.30 – 6.30pm Thursday 16 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 What do you do when the sport that has been your lifeline starts to slip away from you? Richard Askwith, a life-long running enthusiast, was at the point of giving up running for good. Then he came across the remarkable world of late-life athletics. Join us for an exhilarating story of one man’s journey from despair to hope, explaining how timely adjustments to lifestyle can keep you running happily and healthily, all the way into old age. Richard will be in conversation with Dan Duxbury.
HELEN SKELTON IN MY STRIDE: LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH LIFE AND ADVENTURE
JOHN BLASHFORD-SNELL MY LIFE OF EXPLORATION & ADVENTURE
6 – 7pm Thursday 16 Nov Brewery Arts Theatre Tickets £15 / u18s £12
7 – 8pm Thursday 16 Nov Brewery Arts Screen 1 Tickets £13.50 / u18s £9
Helen Skelton is no stranger to doing hard things, from kayaking the entire length of the Amazon to competing in a boxing match for Sports Relief. Her ability to dig deep and find the inner strength to carry on no matter the challenge, is nothing short of remarkable. Helen grew up on a farm in Cumbria and credits her deep connection with nature and family for grounding her throughout the experiences in her life.
For over 60 years John Blashford-Snell CBE has conducted more than 100 expeditions for the purpose of scientific research and community aid.
Newly back from his latest expedition in Bolivia, John will be bringing us remarkable tales from a life spent exploring some of the planet’s most remote and dangerous places.
Helen shows us how putting one foot in front of the other – whether that’s on the Strictly dance floor or in the John will be in conversation with great outdoors – can help us to journey Kate Rawles. back to ourselves.
“A hymn to the benefits of running, “In My Stride tells the muchof being active, of the resilience loved presenter’s story with of the human spirit, no matter characteristic warmth and your age. Inspirational.” humility.” Observer Waterstones
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From exploring the Blue Nile in Ethiopia for Emperor Hailie Selassie; to delivering a grand piano to the Wai Wai in Guyana; to discovering mammoth-like elephants in Nepal.
“These fabulous stories, gathered from a lifetime of intrepid journeys, will thrill, educate and delight.” Stephen Fry
FRIDAY PROGRAMME
JENNY STURGEON THE LIVING MOUNTAIN TRIO 8.30 – 10pm Thursday 16 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £13.50 / u18s £9 Touring for the first time as a trio of musicians, The Living Mountain features music performed by Jenny Sturgeon, Alice Allan and Grant Anderson. Join us for a gig like no other, exploring Nan Shepherd’s writing, human connections with the wild through music, and what it means to find a sense of place. This audiovisual performance is accompanied by film curated by Shona Thomson. Jenny’s album ‘The Living Mountain’ was nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year awards in 2021, and in 2020 won Best Acoustic at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards.
An “outstanding piece of multimedia art... [where] inspired literature, gorgeously curated music and innovative filmmaking collide in a mosaic of integrated art.” Three Chords and The Truth
CHRISTIAN LEWIS FINDING HILDASAY
TRISTAN GOOLEY HOW TO READ A TREE
9.15 – 10.15am Friday 17 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50
11am – 12pm Friday 17 Nov Kendal Town Hall Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50
Join Christian Lewis on stage to hear his beautiful true story of survival, of how he walked 19,000 miles along the coast of Britain – his dog Jet in tow – and found a different way to live. From raising over a quarter of a million pounds for the veterans charity SSAFA to finding love with fellow adventurer, Kate, he had no idea that when he started this oncein-a-life-time experience he would be crossing the finish line (some five-and-a-half years later) with a fiancee, a baby and renewed sense of purpose. His story is one of survival and hope, but it’s also proof that anything is possible.
Do two trees ever appear identical? No, but why? Every small difference is a clue. Each tree we meet is filled with signs that reveal secrets about the life of that tree and the landscape we stand in. The clues are easy to spot when you know what to look for, but remain invisible to most people. Nicknamed ‘the Sherlock Holmes of nature’, Tristan Gooley has been instructing people in the art of reading trees for two decades. Discover the principles that explain the shapes and patterns you can see in trees and what they mean, and prepare to never look at a tree in the same way again.
Christian will be in conversation with Immy Sykes.
Tristan will be in conversation with Festival Director Steve Scott.
“The word ‘inspiration’ is often overused; Chris really is an inspiration. I urge you to read his tale.” Sir Andrew Gregory CEO of SSAFA The Armed Forces charity
“You will never look at a tree in the same way again after reading this mesmerising book. Gooley drops learning as lightly as blossom falls in spring.” John Lewis-Stempel
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PROGRAMME FRIDAY
STEPHEN VENABLES EVEREST EAST SIDE STORY 11.15am – 12.15pm Friday 17 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 35 years on from his climb, 70 years on from the first ascent, and a century on from the very first attempts, Stephen Venables discusses his new route up the Kangshung Face and its place in the Everest story. Four men, no high altitude porters and no oxygen, on Everest’s biggest face, and Stephen reached the summit alone – in the words of Reinhold Messner, ’the most adventurous ascent in Everest’s history’.
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TARAN KHAN SHADOW CITY: A WOMAN WALKS KABUL 13.15 – 2.15pm Friday 17 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 When journalist Taran Khan arrives in Kabul, she uncovers a place that defies her expectations. Her wanderings with other Kabulis reveal a fragile city in a state of flux: stricken by near-constant war, but flickering with the promise of peace; governed by age-old codes but experimenting with new modes of living.
Painted Mountains, Stephen’s first book, won the 1986 Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature.
Her walks take her to the unvisited tombs of the dead, and to the land of the living - like the booksellers, archaeologists, film-makers and entrepreneurs who are remaking this 3,000-year-old city.
Stephen will be in conversation with John Porter.
Taran will be in conversation with Dina Mufti.
“Venables is one of the best climbers in the world, and one of the best writers about climbing.” Julian Champkin
“Discover a Kabul so unlike what the media portrays” Raja Shehedah Author of Palestinian Walks
BEN GOLDSMITH REWILDING THE WORLD 2pm – 3pm Friday 17 Nov Kendal Town Hall Tickets £12.50 / u18s £9 The enormity of climate change and biodiversity loss can leave us feeling overwhelmed. Struggling to comprehend the shocking death of his daughter, Ben Goldsmith found solace in immersing himself in plans to rewild his Somerset farm. In this event Lee Schofield talks to Ben Goldsmith, as he seeks to undo the damage inflicted by humans on the landscape, restoring complex ecosystems, such as the delicate balance between vegetation, herbivore and predator. Ben will be in conversation with Lee Schofield.
“Stunningly beautiful, immensely sad, immensely uplifting.” George Monbiot
FRIDAY PROGRAMME
SARA WHEELER GLOWING STILL: A WOMAN’S LIFE ON THE ROAD 3.15pm – 4.15pm Friday 17 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 Sara Wheeler is one of Britain’s foremost travel writers. Join her on stage as she recounts a lifetime of epic travels; happy days on India’s Puri Express; an Antarctic lavatory through which a seal popped up; living the louche life of a Parisian shopgirl; corralling reindeer with the Sámi in Arctic Sweden; and towing her baby on a sledge where a helpful herdsman advised her to put foil down her bra to facilitate nursing. Sara will be in conversation with Kate Rawles.
“Funny, furious writing from the queen of intrepid travel.” Daily Telegraph
LOUISE MINCHIN FEARLESS 5 – 6pm Friday 17 Nov Brewery Arts Theatre Tickets £15 / u18s £10 Having worked on BBC Breakfast for over 20 years, Louise Minchin noticed something…all the adventurers she interviewed were men. Driven to bring more attention to female stories of courage and endeavour, Louise embarks on thrilling endurance adventures around the globe with trailblazing women. Louise meets Cath, the first woman to swim a mile in the Antarctic Circle; she cycles across Argentina with Mimi, one of the world’s most famous endurance runners; and swims from Alcatraz with Anaya and Mitali, two young sisters who have braved the waters over 70 times.
JULIE BROOK IN CONVERSATION WITH ROBERT MACFARLANE WHAT IS IT THAT WILL LAST? 5.30 – 7pm Friday 17 Nov Abbot Hall Tickets £15 Artist Julie Brook journeys to the wildest and most remote landscapes on earth, creating work that is not only inspired by the land but cut from it. Hear Julie in conversation with author Robert Macfarlane, and find out more about how her work relates to the work of Halima Cassell and Jocelyn McGregor as part of the Women, Land and Art talk series. Included in this exclusive event is the admission ticket to access the exhibition.
Louise will be in conversation with Immy Sykes.
This event is supported by Abbot Hall & Lakeland Arts.
“Louise is such a positive and uplifting presence. Her fearlessness should inspire us all.” Susanna Reid
“Hypnotic, exciting, lulling. The videos of how she made her art were very informative and thought provoking.” Wendy Lyn
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PROGRAMME FRIDAY
BOARDMAN TASKER AWARD FOR MOUNTAIN LITERATURE SHORTLISTED AUTHORS EVENT 7 – 9pm Friday 17 Nov | Brewery Arts Malt Room | Tickets £12.50 On 17 May 1982 Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker were last seen on Mount Everest attempting to traverse The Pinnacles on the unclimbed North East Ridge. Their deaths marked the end of their contribution to a remarkable era in British mountaineering. The Boardman Tasker Award highlights afresh the memory of Pete and Joe, but it also seeks to do more than just that. The Award recognises and rewards outstanding literature concerned with the mountain environment: books which will in turn challenge and inspire their readers, perhaps to climb or explore the world of mountains, perhaps to write or perhaps to look at the world in a different way. Perpetuating and refreshing the challenge and inspiration of mountains through literature is one way in which we seek to remember them. The winner of the Boardman Tasker Award is a book that Pete and Joe would be proud to be associated with. In this, our Fortieth Anniversary Year, there were 21 entries, with authors from Great Britain, Bulgaria, the USA and Nepal.
Sherpa by Pradeep Bashyal & Ankit Babu Adhikari With a narrative that focuses on an oftenoverlooked aspect of climbing literature, Sherpa takes us on a beguiling journey into the culture, folklore and of survival of the native people that live in the high Himalayas.
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SUPPORTED BY
The award ceremony will contain readings from the authors and they will be in conversation with presenter and legendary mountaineer Stephen Venables. The judges for 2023 are Matt Fry (Chair), Joanna Croston and Paul Pritchard. They have selected the following five books for this year’s shortlist:
Unraveled by Katie Brown
The Hidden Fires by Merryn Glover
Closer To The Edge by Leo Houlding
British Mountaineers by Faye Latham
A compelling, raw and honest memoir... Brown gives us a no-holds barred insight into her life, her struggles with mental health and eating disorders, all against the backdrop of her meteoric rise to climbing fame as a teenager in the mid-90s.
Drawing on the work of Nan Shepherd and her classic, The Living Mountain, is not an undertaking to be taken lightly and Glover doesn’t disappoint in this beautifully written and well-researched journey through the Cairngorms.
This dynamic, honest and, at times, harrowing book goes the extra mile – teaching us all about the pressures of balancing a life lived in pursuit of exhilaration but also one’s own adventure, whatever that may be.
In this truly unique and thoroughly engaging short book, we are taken on a dream-like and wintry tour of F.S. Smythe’s original 1942 work, British Mountaineers. This is a thoughtful artwork as much as it is a meditation on climbing history.
SATURDAY PROGRAMME
LEE CRAIGIE OTHER WAYS TO WIN 9 – 10am Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 Lee Craigie is one of Scotland’s great bike racers, yet she has accomplished much more since retiring.
MARCHELLE FARRELL UPROOTING: FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO THE COUNTRYSIDE 10.15 – 11.15am Saturday 18 Nov Kendal Town Hall Chambers Tickets £8.50
Join Lee as she tells her story of growing up near Glasgow and discovering the freedom of cycling – how she raced into a new life of two-wheeled adventure to have a positive impact on the lives of others, particularly encouraging other women through her work with the Adventure Syndicate. Join her as she recounts epic adventures along the Tour Divide, Silk Road and the Highland Trail 550, and examines themes of friendship, loss, identity and the power of the outdoors – and, of course, cycling.
What is home? A question that has troubled Marchelle for her entire life. A career in psychiatry saw her leave the island of Trinidad, then, disillusioned, uproot again for the English countryside. The only Black woman in her village, Marchelle hopes for a new life. But when a pandemic and global racial reckoning collide, the upheaval of colonialism that has led her to this place begins to be unearthed. This talk is about finding home where we least expect it, and how we can reconnect to the land; and ourselves.
Lee will be in conversation with Jenny Graham.
Marchelle is in conversation with Polly Atkin.
“Lee Craigie is an elegant wordsmith, a different type of athlete and an avid observer of life. But what brings it together is her ability to tell a story.” Chris Boardman
“A potent hymn to the importance of home and a deeply thoughtful offering on what our gardens can be.” Alice Vincent
GLORIA DICKIE EIGHT BEARS 11am – 12pm Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 Bears have long held a central place in our collective memory, from Indigenous folklore and Greek mythology to medieval fairytales and the modern toy shop. But as humans and bears come into evercloser contact, our relationship nears a tipping point. Today, only eight bear species remain. Join author Gloria Dickie as she reveals our volatile relationship with these magnificent mammals, meeting figures on the front lines of conservation efforts - and what we risk losing if we don’t learn to live alongside them. Gloria will be in conversation with Kate Rawles.
“Science journalism at its best: thoroughly researched, carefully conceived, and vividly written.” Nate Blakeslee Author of American Wolf
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PROGRAMME SATURDAY
JASMINE DONAHAYE BIRDSPLAINING 12.15 – 1.15pm Saturday 18 Nov Kendal Town Hall Chambers Tickets £8.50 What is the difference between a birder, a bird watcher and a twitcher? Why do male birds always appear above female birds in classification guides? And what about the colonial origins of ornithology? Roaming across Wales, Scotland and California, Jasmine is in pursuit of knowledge, focused on the uniqueness of women’s experiences of birdwatching and the constraints placed upon them. Join Jasmine to explore birds, the history and politics of field guides, women’s particular experience of the natural world, and the meanings we borrow from animals. Jasmine will be in conversation with Karen Lloyd.
LEON MCCARRON THE WOUNDED TIGRIS: A RIVER JOURNEY THROUGH THE CRADLE OF CIVILISATION 1 – 2pm Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 The river Tigris is in danger. It has been the lifeblood of ancient Mesopotamia and modern Iraq, but geopolitics and climate change have left the birthplace of civilisation at risk of becoming uninhabitable. In 2021, adventurer Leon McCarron travelled by boat along the full length of the river, in search of hope.
1 – 2.30pm Saturday 18 Nov Kendal Town Hall Tickets £9.50 / u18s £7 We’re delighted to welcome one of America’s greatest alpinists, Graham Zimmerman, onto our stage!
Join Leon on stage to hear his incredible story - a story of what humanity stands to lose with the death of a great river, and what can be done to try to save it.
Still in his thirties, Zimmerman has made first ascents from Alaska to Pakistan, and in 2020 he received the Piolet d’Or for his climb on Pakistan’s Link Sar with Steve Swenson. Join us as we delve into the exhilarating world of daring expeditions and high mountain sports - this evening promises to be an unforgettable journey into the world of high-risk sports and the profound lessons we can draw from them.
Leon will be in conversation with Scotty Johnson.
Graham will be in conversation with Rachael Crewesmith.
“Jasmine Donahaye is the thinking “Leon makes the perfect companion for the dusty road.” person’s birder. She forensically Benedict Allen dismantles romantic cliches in nature writing and produces a fresh, modern account of her life in and out of nature.” Gwyneth Lewis 12
GRAHAM ZIMMERMAN A FINE LINE: SEARCHING FOR BALANCE AMONG MOUNTAINS
“A Fine Line reveals the realities of climbing and highlights an intentional approach to reaching the tallest pinnacles and living a balanced, meaningful life.” Wendy Hinman
SATURDAY PROGRAMME
ELIZABETH-JANE BURNETT TWELVE WORDS FOR MOSS 2.15 – 3.15pm Saturday 18 Nov Kendal Town Hall Chambers Tickets £8.50
ROBERT MACFARLANE MOUNTAINS OF THE MIND 20TH ANNIVERSARY
DANIELLE LEDBURY WHY WE RUN OFFICIAL BOOK LAUNCH
3 – 4pm Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50
Part of the adidas TERREX Running Session
In this ground-breaking work, Robert Macfarlane takes us up into the Glowflake, Rocket, Small Skies, Kind mountains: to experience their Spears, Marilyn... Moss is known as shattering beauty, the fear and the living carpet but if you look really closely, it contains an irrepressible light. risk of adventure, and to explore the strange impulses that have Elizabeth-Jane Burnett celebrates for centuries lead us to the world’s the unsung hero of the plant world. highest places. Making her way through wetlands Join us for a unique and exclusive from Somerset to Country Tyrone, event where we welcome Book Burnett discovers the hidden vibrancy Festival Patron Robert Macfarlane of these overlooked spaces, renaming to the stage to celebrate the 20th her favourite species of moss as she anniversary of his classic work, recovers from her grief at her father’s Mountains of the Mind, a book which death and draws inspiration from the changed the world of mountain resilience and tenacity of her plant literature as we know it. and human - friends. Robert will be in conversation Elizabeth-Jane will be in conversation with Helen Mort. with Immy Sykes.
“Exquisite, luminous and quietly radical ... so electric and so alive. It makes the world more beautiful and dimensional and vibrant.” Lucy Jones This event is supported by
“A marvellous, distinguished book that jolted my heart... It simply fizzes with insights into the sublime madness of mountaineering.” Roger Deakin
2 – 4pm Saturday 18 Nov Kendal Leisure Centre Tickets £16.50 / u18s £10 The Running Session is a celebration of running with speakers and films from the worlds of fell, mountain, trail and road running. We’re delighted to host the book launch of Why We Run by photographer Danielle Ledbury as part of this event. Danielle will be joining us, along with several contributors from the book, including; 74 year old fell runner Lesley Malarkey, Team GB ultra runner Katie Kaars Sijpesteijn, ultra runner Zukie Tandathu, and members of Queer Runners Charlotte Lee & Marie Koehl.
“Stories from a wide range of runners and amazing pictures make this an excellent read and a book you should have in your collection.” Peter Todhunter, Running Int’ Fells project 13
PROGRAMME SATURDAY
PENN ALLEN THE LOST GARDENS OF LOUGHRIGG 4.15 – 5.15pm Saturday 18 Nov Kendal Town Hall Chambers Tickets £8.50 In 1904, Harry and Alice Hough built an Arts and Crafts home in Cumbria’s Clappersgate, crafting a garden with botanist Will Purdom on Loughrigg Fell’s rugged slopes. Over 100 years later, Penn Allen uncovers her great-grandmother’s diaries and letters from plant hunters Purdom and Farrer, along with her great-grandfather, Charles Hough. Amidst these treasures, Penn unravels a forgotten adventure, revealing the untold history of their unique house and garden. Penn will be in conversation with Dr. Penny Bradshaw.
“A wonderful tale of creating a garden and building a home.” Stephen Shelley This event is presented by
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CLIVE OPPENHEIMER MOUNTAINS OF FIRE
POLLY ATKIN SOME OF US JUST FALL
5 – 6pm Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50
6.15 – 7.15pm Saturday 18 Nov Kendal Town Hall Chambers Tickets £8.50
Volcanoes have long shaped the path of humanity, provoked pioneering explorations and fired up our imaginations.
“Long before I knew I was sick, I knew I was breakable . . .” After years of unexplained health problems, Polly Atkin’s perception of her body was rendered fluid and disjointed. When she was finally diagnosed with two chronic conditions in her thirties, she began to piece together what had been happening to her.
Join world-renowned volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer on stage as he shares his life’s work at the crater’s edge in the wildest places on Earth. Hear tales from his adventures with scientists in North Korea to study Mount Paektu; adventures crossing the Sahara to reach the fabled Tiéroko volcano in the Tibesti Mountains of Chad; and a story of months spent camped atop Antarctica’s most active volcano, Mount Erebus, to record the pulse of its lava lake.
Join Polly as she traces a fascinating journey through illness, a path which led Polly to her current home in the Lake District where outdoor swimming is purported to cure all, and where every day she turns to the natural world for help.
Clive will be in conversation with Simon Carr.
Polly will be in conversation with Beth Pipe.
“Beautiful. Mountains of Fire is bursting with poetry, with storytelling. Clive is one of the rarest of men driven by nomadism, courage, and curiosity.” Werner Herzog
“It raises the standard of nature writing. This is both radical manifesto and activism in book form.” Sally Huband
SATURDAY PROGRAMME
NED BOULTING 1923: THE MYSTERY OF LOT 212 AND A TOUR DE FRANCE OBSESSION 6.45 – 7.45pm Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 The story of an obsession. When cycling commentator Ned Boulting bought a length of Pathé news film featuring a stage of the Tour de France from 1923 he set about learning everything he could about it - taking him on an intriguing journey that encompasses travelogue, history and detective story. Join Ned as he explores the history of cycling and France just five years after WWI. Ned will be in conversation with Ben Dowman.
“Witty, discursive, and tons of fun, Ned Boulting has the Tour de France under his skin, and you will too by the time you’ve read this.” Al Murray
MUSIC ON NATURE 8.30 – 10.30pm Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Theatre Tickets £25 / u18s £16 Tracing the connections between nature and sound, we explore the landscapes around us through music, prose and poetry. Join us for an enchanting evening featuring Festival patron Robert Macfarlane, national Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, and poet Elizabeth Jane Burnett. Alongside them, we are thrilled to welcome award-winning singer-songwriter Sam Lee; singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Hayden Thorpe; cellist singer Sarah Smout; and trumpeteer Aaron Diaz. Prepare to journey through mountain passes, meandering rivers, and uncharted territories where the soundscape transcends the noise of our modern world.
“A very special evening and I have never heard anything like it before. I didn’t know what to expect but I am so glad I went.” Matthew Scott
JOHN PORTER A PATH OF SHADOWS 9 – 10pm Saturday 18 Nov Brewery Arts Studio Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 John Porter is a renowned mountaineer with many bold ascents to his name in the Alps and greater ranges. He is the author of Alex MacIntryre’s biography One Day As A Tiger, has served as president of The Alpine Club, and is currently secretary of the Mount Everest Foundation. Less well known is the fact that John has also been writing poetry for many years. A Path of Shadows is John’s first published collection of poetry, and is a culmination of his experiences and thinking through his varied life, exploring the natural world, physics, family ties and a life led in mountain ranges around the world. John will be in conversation with Rebecca Stephens.
“An evocative exploration of landscape and memory, observed from both the rational and romantic sides of the brain. Porter’s poetry is at once lyrical and searingly sharp.” Bernadette McDonald 15
PROGRAMME SUNDAY
NOREEN MASUD A FLAT PLACE 9.15 – 10.15am Sunday 19 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 Noreen Masud has always loved flatlands. Her earliest memory is of a wide, flat field glimpsed from the back seat of her father’s car in Lahore. As an adult in Britain she has discovered many more flat landscapes to love: Orford Ness, the Cambridgeshire Fens, Morecambe Bay, Orkney.
HELEN MORT WILDERNESS TRACKS PRESENTED BY TIMBER FESTIVAL 10 – 11am Sunday 19 Nov The Venue @ The Barrel House Tickets £7 / u18s £5 In a special collaboration with our friends at Timber Festival we are delighted to host their wonderful Wilderness Tracks event.
Presented by BBC Radio 4’s Geoff Bird, we are over the moon to have In the flatlands of Britain, Noreen is award winning author Helen Mort reminded of the flat places of Pakistan, on stage to share six pieces of music and her own heritage. Undertaking a that connects her closely with the pilgrimage around Britain’s flatlands, natural world around her, and most seeking solace and belonging, she particularly the landscape. weaves her impressions of the natural ‘Helen is among the brightest stars world with recollections of her own in the sparkling new constellation early life, to explore the depths of the of British poets’. histories hidden there. Carol Ann Duffy Noreen will be in conversation with Jamie Normington.
“Noreen Masud fathoms the depths of flat landscapes sharp, subtle and very moving.” Robert Macfarlane
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This event is presented by
BEATRICE SEARLE STONE WILL ANSWER 11am – 12pm Sunday 19 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 At the age of twenty-six, stonemason and artist Beatrice Searle embarked on an expedition like no other. Pulling along a 40kilo stone from the West coast of Orkney, she crossed the North sea and walked 500-miles on a medieval pilgrim path to Nidaros Cathedral in Norway. Fascinated with the mysterious footprint stones of the ancient world, Beatrice follows pathways forged by travellers, saints and kings in an astonishing feat of human endurance. Beatrice will be in conversation with Mary-Ann Ochota.
“Written with the eye of a poet and the heart of an artist... a moving account of an unconventional journey.” Alex Woodcock
SUNDAY PROGRAMME
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ROMANTIC EXPLORERS: RECREATING THE CLIMBS OF THREE EARLY LAKE DISTRICT ADVENTURERS 11.30am – 1pm Sunday 19 Nov The Box Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 Many of the earliest recreational Lake District ascents were made in the 1790s and 1800s. This autumn, Wordsworth Grasmere is leading the re-creation of three of these pioneering climbs: the soldier and ‘rambler’ Joseph Budworth’s first ascent ‘by a stranger’ of Helm Crag, Grasmere (1792); the Gothic novelist Ann Radcliffe’s influential horseback ride up Skiddaw (1794); and the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s moonlight traverse of Helvellyn and the Dodds (1800). This session will present the original exploratory climbs and their re-walkings and show the three short films that were made to celebrate the pioneering adventurers. Speakers: Professor Simon Bainbridge (Lancaster University); Dr Penny Bradshaw (Cumbria University); Jeff Cowton MBE (Wordsworth Grasmere); Dr Paul Davies (Wordsworth Grasmere).
“Ann Radcliffe’s ride up Skiddaw in 1794 became one of the best known ascent accounts of 19th Century.”
MAJKA BURHARDT & MARIA COFFEY MOTHERHOOD & CHILD-FREE ADVENTURES 1 – 2pm Sunday 19 Nov Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50 Majka Burhardt is of the world’s leading professional rock and ice climbers. When she learns that she’s pregnant— with twins—Burhardt at first tries to justify her insistence on pursuing extreme risk in the face of responsibility. But she is ultimately forced to face the emotions that accompany any major life transitions along with the physical changes in her own body. Maria Coffey has courted danger in the world’s highest places. After traumatic experiences during her twenties – a near-drowning in Morocco and her boyfriend’s death on Mount Everest – Maria determines to seize every day and explore the world. Mixed with her desire for freedom is a new fear of loss, which convinces her against parenthood. Majka and Maria join us to share their decisions, the lifelong outcomes of that choice, what ‘freedom’ means to them and their personal experiences on the risks and rewards of choosing unconventional paths. Majka and Maria will be in conversation with Emily Ankers.
“A heartfelt and honest account of the questions and inner dialogue so many people face with motherhood and what comes next.” Beth Rodden
“A stunning memoir that redefines notions of womanhood, motherhood and, most crucially, selfhood.” Natalie Berry 17
PROGRAMME SUNDAY
KATIE CARR MODERATE BECOMING GOOD LATER: SEA KAYAKING THE SHIPPING FORECAST
KATE RAWLES THE LIFE CYCLE: 8,000 MILES IN THE ANDES BY BAMBOO BIKE
3 – 4pm Sunday 19 Nov | Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50
5 – 6pm Sunday 19 Nov | Brewery Arts Malt Room Tickets £8.50 / u18s £6.50
An exhilarating and deeply moving story of Toby Carr’s attempt to sea kayak the Shipping Forecast. When Toby sadly passed away his sister Katie wrote his book and is attempting to finish his journey.
Pedalling hard for thirteen months, eco-adventurer Kate Rawles cycled the length of the Andes on an eccentric bicycle she built herself. The Life Cycle charts her mission to find out why biodiversity is so important, what’s happening to it, and what can be done to protect it.
On a journey that took him to the harshest and most tranquil stretches of our sea, Toby found the real people, places and stories behind the familiar names and imagined environments of the well-loved BBC broadcast. From the wildness and peace of the sea, looking back at the land, Toby hoped to gain the strength and balance he knew nature could provide and to discover what anchors us to each other. Toby’s sister Katie joins us to share the book she wrote from his extensive notes and recordings after his untimely death, Moderate Becoming Good Later is both an epic adventure – sometimes choppy, constantly moving – and a personal voyage of discovery that includes old friends and new, plenty of wildlife, and the ever-present sea.
From the Pacific Ocean to rainforests and salt flats, Kate learns that armadillos can cross rivers by holding their breath, that Colombia has more species of birds than North America and Europe combined, and that in threatening species and ecosystems, we’re tearing down our own life support system. En route, she witnesses the devastation of gold mining and oil drilling but finds hope in the incredible people working to regenerate habitats and communities. As Kate reaches the ‘end of the world’, she realises that to tackle biodiversity loss we all have a role to play. Kate will be in conversation with Maria Coffey.
Katie will be in conversation with Emily Lyons.
“The sort of adventure I’ve often dreamed of late at night, with additional layers of poignancy and love.” Alastair Humphreys
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“Searing observations focused on our need to protect biodiversity – A tour de force.” Sir Tim Smit OBE
Travelling to all corners of the globe, gestalten titles take you beyond the horizon into a great outdoors of opportunity and adventure.
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VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITIONS
ART AT KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL Art remains an integral part of Kendal Mountain Festival and we have worked closely with Brewery Arts to curate a diverse range of artwork from talented local and national artists. Dive in and enjoy each artist’s contribution to the ‘Outdoor’ genre and their personal celebration of landscape, nature and place.
BREWERY ARTS
TOM MCNALLY WHAT LIES BENEATH: LOST MINES OF THE LAKE DISTRICT Sugar Store Gallery Few people know that beneath the Lakeland Fells lies a vast network of passages and caverns, hewn over hundreds of years by miners exploiting Cumbria’s rich mineral and metal deposits. In this spectacular exhibition, acclaimed adventure photographer Tom McNally takes us on a stunning visual journey through these spaces, exposing an industry at the very heart of the The Lake District. This exhibition is located at Brewery Arts, 122a Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4HE. The exhibition runs from 15 November to 3 December Presented by Petzl Free Entry
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VICTORIA HODGSON BEYOND THE SUMMITS: A VISUAL EXPEDITION INTO THE HEART OF THE LAKE DISTRICT The Foyer Embark on a breathtaking visual perspective, exploring the Lake District’s majestic mountains through the lens of art. Each artwork is a window to the soul of the Lake District, capturing the essence of its mountains in hues and textures that evoke emotion and awe. “Beyond the Summits” transcends traditional views, offering a fresh visual perspective that goes beyond the mere portrayal of nature. Immerse yourself in the interplay of light and shadow, and the silent grandeur of the mountains as seen through the eyes of Victoria, inviting you to experience the profound beauty that lies beyond the summits. Free Entry
EXHIBITIONS VISUAL ARTS
ABBOT HALL
JULIE BROOK WHAT IS IT THAT WILL LAST? This contemporary exhibition offers an insight into an extraordinary and ongoing body of work that has been developed by Julie Brook over the past decade. Incorporating film, sound, photography and drawing, you are invited to explore the artist’s deep and immersive relationship with the landscapes she inhabits. The exhibition runs until 30 December 2023 Open daily 10am – 4pm Abbot Hall, Kendal, LA9 5AL Tickets £9 Adult, £4.50 child (5-15yrs). Annual Pass. Free for Lakeland Arts Members
CROSS LANE PROJECTS GALLERY JULIA KLOTTRUP LIGHT AND LAND
The interplay of ‘Light and Land’ come to life through the captivating new photographic and painting exhibition of local Artist Juliet Klottrup. Juliet records her time immersed in the region, capturing its essence through a blend of landscapes, portraiture, and abstract compositions. Cross Lane Projects Gallery, Kendal, LA9 5LB 10 November to 9 December 2023 Open Wednesday to Saturday 12 – 5pm Free Entry
HEATON COOPER STUDIO TOR FALCON CUMBERLAND DRAWINGS
The visual language of Tor Falcon’s quiet and subtle pastels could be seen as archaic, reminiscent of the Nash brothers, Eric Ravilious, but she attends so closely to what’s in front of her that doesn’t seem second hand at all. The places she depicts in her new work are all found within a mile of the house in Loweswater, and the inventive pictorial devices she uses show how the most ordinary and the familiar can be seen afresh, only made possible because of her deep knowledge of the place and of her ability to inhabit it in her own way. Heaton Cooper Studio, Grasmere, LA22 9SX 27 September to 30 November 2023 Free Entry
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PROGRAMME OTHER EVENTS
CHILDREN’S BOOK EVENTS Abbot Hall Social Centre Saturday and Sunday Tickets - FREE From picture books to novels, stories can help build empathy and understanding of the world around us. We are proud to introduce a literature programme for young people to Kendal, featuring inspiring authors suitable for ages six to fifteen. The full programme is available on the website.
WILD DRAWING WORKSHOPS WITH JESSICA EMSLEY 9am & 11.30am Sunday 19 November Join artist, Jessica Emsley, in this outdoor art workshop focusing on multisensory observation, and how we might engage with the act of walking through creativity. Explore the area of Serpentine Woods as we look closer at this local landscape. Participants will be led through a series of experimental drawing exercises, exploring different senses and means of recording or documenting our observations through mark making. This event is presented by Passenger
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BOOKING INFORMATION & VENUES ABOUT
FESTIVAL BOOKSHOP
Bookshop Marquee Outside Brewery Arts
Looking for your next read? We’ve got all your reading needs covered at our Festival bookshop. We will stock all the books from our current programme. Come in for a browse, be inspired and take away a cracking read. It’s the perfect place for buying your Christmas presents. The Festival Bookshop is located in a marquee on the lawn in front of the Brewery Arts building. The bookshop stocks titles by all our visiting authors plus an array of related literature and books. Opening Times Thursday 5pm – 8pm Friday 9am – 8pm Saturday 9am – 8pm Sunday 10am – 4pm
BOOKING INFORMATION
VENUES 3
You can book tickets online at kendalmountainfestival.com
REFUNDS
Tickets cannot be exchanged nor money refunded unless an event is cancelled or substantially changed. Where demand is high for sold-out events, we may take tickets back for resale at our discretion. Please email with your request to info@mountainfest.co.uk If resold refunds will be made to the original payment method.
EVENT WAITING LISTS
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Brewery Arts
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Kendal Town Hall
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The Box
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Abbot Hall
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The Venue at The Barrel House
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Kendal Leisure Centre
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Abbot Hall Social Centre
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If an event has sold out, please contact the Box Office to be added to the waiting list.
PLEASE NOTE:
All details are correct at time of print. Please check the website for the most up to date information. 6
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Cheryl and Conor
KIT SPECIALISTS
As a proud partner of Kendal Mountain Festival, we’re working together to help you get the most from our great outdoors. From walking and camping to hiking and climbing, find the right kit for your next adventure by booking an in-store appointment with our specialists: · Expert boot fitting · Custom rucksack fitting · Electronics advice · Bespoke camping kit list
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
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