The Summer is almost here! Forecast bigger, better and brighter than the last two years this summer looks set to be a good one. In honour of what’s to come we thought we’d give you our ‘top tips’ for spring and summer climbing events fun. There’s loads to see and take part in at a host of events across the UK in the next four months. Don’t miss out!
THE BIG CLIMB WEEKEND 14TH - 15TH MAY 2011
Following the collaboration with UKClimbing that brought you last year’s Alpine Festival, Plas Y Brenin have teamed up with UKClimbing once again to bring you The Big Climb.
The Big Climb weekend is made up of a series of opt-in workshops covering a diverse range of climbing skills and techniques, with something to suit absolutely everyone. It’s a great way to consolidate your existing skills, develop your experience and boost your confidence for the coming rock climbing season.
The ‘experts’ sharing their knowledge and experience are all hand picked top UK climbers. But they won’t be the only ones to learn from. Every minute is an opportunity for discussion and sharing of ideas with other ‘Big Climbers’. This is a unique opportunity not only to be inspired but also to have the chance to question, learn from, drink with and chat to people who have been there and done that. Wherever you plan to climb, you’re sure to find someone who’s been there and who is more than willing to share experiences and lessons learnt.
A programme of interactive workshops and inspirational lectures spans the entire weekend, allowing you to select what topics suit you best from a ‘workshop menu’, ensuring an individually tailored experience.
Supporting the workshops will be the ‘Expert’s Corner’, where you will be able to quiz some of the countries most experienced climbers to make sure you get as much as you possibly can from the weekend.
All of this for just £160, including two nights accommodation, all your food, world class coaching and tuition and guest speakers on Friday and Saturday night. Perfect timing in the run up to what is surely going to be the best summer ever, it’s just too good to miss!
The weekend takes place on the 14th - 15th May 2011 at Plas Y Brenin in North Wales.
For more information visit http://www.pyb.co.uk/courses-big-climb.php
KESWICK MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL WEDNESDAY 18TH - 22ND MAY
Keswick Mountain Fesitval is dedicated to bringing you a packed programme of activities, challenges and inspirational speakers. This years is gearing up to be the best yet with new sporting events, more activities and a bigger Adventure Base packed with activities, live music and a great atmosphere.
Prepare to be inspired, enthused and thoroughly entertained by this year’s line up of speakers. The theatre programme kicks off on Wednesday with Geoff Somers, one of the world’s most accomplished Polar travellers followed by Alistair Lee, an international award winning film maker and photographer. Thursday night is Bike Night with ‘The man who cycled the world’ – Mark Beaumont, with Friday night bringing you some world class inspirational climbers in the shape of Neil Gresham & Tim Emmett. Saturday nights headliners include Britain’s best known climber Sir Chris Bonington and the authority on Bushcraft and Survival - Ray Mears.
On top of all these great lectures all five days of the Mountain Festival are jam packed full of activities and sporting challenges to get you out and about in Keswick’s iconic landscape.
For more information visit http://www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk/
HARD ROCK FESTIVAL 10TH - 12TH JUNE
Hard Rock Fest 4! Once again another weekend of action packed climbing and adventure, live bands, food, drink and much more are in order to help raise money to support Exmoor Search & Rescue Team, hosted and organized by the Rock and Rapid Adventure Centre, South Molton.
When you come up the drive ‘World Inspired Tents' 40ft Teepee stands as centre piece for the festival, housing all the bands and lectures for the weekend.
Competition wise we have everything to offer the climber, boulderer, mountaineer or general power guru within you! DMM are heading up the lead comp, La Sportiva bouldering, Alpkit the Fig4 comp and Petzl dry tooling - the latter two making for excellent spectator sports as the climbs set involve sleepers hanging from the ceiling and full safety kit worn - do we need say more!? And yet there's more! A dyno comp sponsored by Enterprise, world leaders in climbing wall manufacture, and a speed climb with donations from Redbull - to help give you wings. With such a diverse range of climbing were sure there's something to suit everyone so come down, give it a go and enjoy the atmosphere.
But it's not all about the competitions. Neil Gresham and Ben Bransby will be running master classes helping to push your grade to the next level as well as lectures from both of an evening. All masterclass fees will go to mountain rescue.
That's the climbing competitions but what about non-competitors? Live music and DJ in the evenings, Slacklining with 'Maverick Slacklines', trade stands from DMM and La Sportiva to peruse, hundreds of people to chat to, fresh air and a great atmosphere.
Food and drink - the next most important things! What would you like? Pizza, Panini's, Hog Roast, BBQ, Snackets - the choice is yours. Our Beer Tent with local real ale and ciders will keep you in the mood for party time as well as locally roasted coffee, ow yes and our ‘way over the top' hot chocolate!
For those staying the whole weekend rather than just a day there is over night accommodation available. With your weekend ticket camping is free for those wanting to fully embrace the festival spirit, bunkhouse accommodations is available from £5 per night or why not hire one of our teepees' for that true nomadic style on our VIP festival side site.
A massive focal point for the weekend will be Saturdays' raffle and auction in Aid of Mountain Rescue. Already prize donations for both have been generous with donations from Rab, Merrell, The North Face, Moon, Scarpa and other notorious brands but that's not to say if you're a business or individual with something to give please get in touch to donate to this great cause.
For more information visit http://www.rockandrapid.co.uk/index.php?cPath=95_104
CLIFFHANGER 2ND - 3RD JULY
Cliffhanger is the UK’s largest outdoor outdoor-pursuits festival, based in one of Sheffield’s biggest green spaces.
The aim of the event is to Inspire & Involve. Featuring competitions (including a round of the IFSC Bouldering World Cup) or demonstrations in rock climbing, orienteering, kayaking, mountain biking, skateboarding, free running, adventure racing and more. Visitors will be able to watch elite sports-people of all ages competing or demonstrating, and then often take part in the sports they have just been inspired by.
Already confrimed to be at this year's Cliffhanger:
Assault Course
Bowling
Bushcraft
Climbing - Come-And-Try-It Climbing Walls
Climbing - IFSC Bouldering World Cup
Climblox - Hang The Sloper Competition
Cycling - Rollapaluza
Disc Golf
Dry Stone Walling
Giant Map
Kite Flying
Market Place
Mountain Biking - Stunt Demonstrations & Coaching
Mountain Biking - Timber Trail
Orienteering Ultra Sprint
Water-Play
The event takes place at Millhouses Park, Sheffield on the 2nd and 3rd July 2011 from 10.30 – 6.30.
For more information visit http://www.cliff-hanger.co.uk/
