Kendal Mountain Festival 2021 is focused on the climate
- Text by Huck
As COP26 reaches its conclusion, the eyes of the world are on global leaders as we seek transformational action in response to the existential threat of the climate emergency.
For many of us, this very threat has changed how we consider our relationship with the natural world. When we step outside, the landscape around us, with all of its various beauty, feels somewhat finite.
All of this and more will be explored at this year’s Kendal Mountain Festival. The 2021 edition will bring together international athletes, filmmakers, conservationists and authors to share their thoughts and experiences as part of the UK’s largest annual gathering of the outdoor community.
“Understanding our impact on the mountains has always been a part of the Festival, but over the years our audiences have demanded more from us,” said Kendal Mountain Festival Director Steve Scott.
“They expect us to talk about climate change, about closed loop manufacturing and what our brand partners are doing. We have moved from a passive role to being more proactive by challenging what our responsibilities are as active users of the outdoors.”
Now in its 41st year, Kendal Mountain Festival – which takes place in the eponymous Lake District town – will run from November 18 – 21. Events include film screenings, panel discussions and presentations to explore the impact of human life on the natural world, and the steps we as a population can take to reduce it.
The festival will also feature a series of esteemed guest speakers – including trail-running superstar Kilian Jornet, who will host his new ‘Athlete Climate Academy’.
“In the past years I’ve seen how extreme weather patterns are changing, routes that only a few years ago were possible to climb in summer are now spring or winter routes,” says Jornet.
“I’ve seen how ecosystems are now disappearing or going higher in altitude to survive, how pollution is on top of Everest or in the depth of the ocean. And it’s on us, we’re responsible but also we are the ones who can fix it, together, with knowledge and will of action.”
For tickets and further information, visit the Kendal Mountain Festival website.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Inside Parkuir: the art project queering sport, space and our bodies
Lie and play — Founded by Maria Laudes and Guiu Gimeno, it provides a framework for engaging, subverting, and celebrating the small details that make people unique – and queer.
Written by: Molly Lipson
London’s largest indoor skatepark to be demolished for padel courts
Better Extreme — The Barking skatepark’s fate follows that of similar indoor spaces in recent years, with operators GLL citing falling visitor numbers as the reason behind the decision.
Written by: Isaac Muk
In the pit at one of the UK’s last stock car & banger speedways
Stock Car Racing Isn’t Dead — Photographer Liam McCarthy spent time in and around the Arlington Raceway’s circuit, capturing the diehard community that keeps the sport alive.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Burning rubber with the Middle East’s women rally racers
Ripping dirt — Across the Middle East and North Africa, women are increasingly chasing the thrill of speed, competition and freedom that comes with driving on gruelling terrain, as well as podium positions. Roxana Diba speaks to trailblazers of the scene, who are reshaping ideas of what women are capable of behind the wheel.
Written by: Roxana Diba
The London sword fighters reviving medieval combat
Schola Gladitoria — Studying ancient textbooks and techniques, the historical European martial arts community duel with centuries old systems of engagement. Mads Jensen swings a blade in an Ealing church to find out more.
Written by: Mads Jensen
A decade of Palestinian skatepark graffiti gets turned into a clothing capsule
Concrete canvas — SkatePal’s new collection draws on artwork left by local skaters and visiting volunteers at the Asira Ash-Shamaliya concrete skatepark – the largest of its kind in Palestine.
Written by: Ella Glossop
