UK Mountain Adventure Festivals in 2025
Last updated: January 2025
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Looking for outdoor inspiration?
Here’s my top pick of mountain adventure festivals across the UK in 2025.
Whether you’re after a big international event to enjoy with friends, a small local gathering, or virtual streaming, you’ll find something here to spark your next adventure.
Organised in date order👇
BANFF Mountain Film Festival UK Tour
Held at the start of November each year since 1975, the Banff mountain film festival is one of the best known in the world. Following the festival, the best films head off on the Banff Mountain Festival World Tour. Dates are available across the UK throughout 2025. Head to the link and you can search via region.
Dates: Various throughout 2025 - see link for full details
The Adventure Travel Show (London)
Research new places to visit, plan your next adventure, and listen to stories about amazing adventures. Includes a bikepacking hub with bikes, kit, and experts on hand to share their advice.
Dates: 11th to 12th January 2025
The National Running Show (Birmingham)
Aimed at runners of all distance, type, and ability, this annual show at Birmingham’s NEC includes inspirational speakers, brands, new technologies, and nutrition. It’s timed right after the end of the Montane Spine Race and, last year included speakers who’d just completed “Britain’s Most Brutal” ultra race.
Dates: 25th to 26th January 2025
Fort William Mountain Festival (Scotland)
At the time of writing, the programme for the Fort William Mountain Festival hadn’t been launched. But the dates have 👇 in case you want to plan a weekend away.
Dates: 13th to 16th February 2025
London Mountain Film Festival
This film festival screens films in London and online. It encourages community organisations to curate their own events too, and raise funds for their projects or charities. You can buy a household pass which gives you access to the films online during the festival dates.
Dates: 28th February to 16th March 2025
Braemar Mountain Festival (Scotland)
At the time of writing, the programme for the Braemar Mountain Festival hadn’t been launched. But the dates have 👇 in case you want to get planning.
Dates: 6th to 9th March 2025
Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF)
Sheffield, the Outdoor City, tends to have a festival for the outdoors throughout the whole of March. But they also have a separate film festival - the dates have been released for 2025 but the programme hasn’t been launched yet.
Dates: 21st to 23rd March 2025
The National Outdoor Expo (Birmingham)
Held annually at the NEC in Birmingham, this is one of the biggest outdoor community meet-ups of the year. It includes inspirational speakers, the latest tech, outdoor brand exhibitors, and the chance to take part in performance workshops. The National Cycling Show is also here on the same weekend.
Dates: 22nd to 23rd March 2025
Keswick Mountain Festival (Lake District)
Keswick Mountain Festival includes outdoor sports, activities, live music, inspirational speakers, and outdoor brands. They’re also planning sporting events and outdoor activities including hikes, runs, cycling, and open water swimming.
Dates: 16th to 18th May 2025
Elements - a Sidetracked festival (Scotland)
Held in Perthshire, Scotland, this is a “weekend of expert-led outdoor activities, workshops, storytelling, dancing, and loads of fun”. The days will include creative masterclasses and active outdoor workshops. Then, the evenings will be films, talks, live music, and dancing.
Dates: 24th to 26th May 2025
The OMM Festival (Lake District)
This is being billed by the organisers as “the weekend for those who love the outdoors”. You can enter one of the trail races around Grasmere. But there are also also Nordic walking skills and navigation workshops, inspiring guest speakers, running advice, a kit shop, and camping onsite.
Dates: 31st May to 1st June 2025
Base Camp Festival (Lake District)
An action-packed weekend in the Lake District with free outdoor activities, skills sessions, inspirational speakers, and live music.
Dates: 4th to 7th July 2025
The Armchair Adventure Festival (Cornwall)
Originally a virtual adventure travel event during lockdown, it’s now an in-person festival with inspiring speakers, adventurous activities, and live music.
Dates: 24th to 27th July 2025
Alpkit Big Shakeout (Peak District)
The Alpkit Big Shakeout is packed with on and off-site activities. All the proceeds from the Alpkit Big Shakeout go directly to the Alpkit Foundation, which helps to remove barriers for getting outdoors and into wild places. It’s usually held at the end of September.
Dates: 2025 dates TBC
Kendal Mountain Festival (Lake District)
Founded in 1980, Kendal Mountain Festival is probably the UK’s biggest and most well known get together of outdoor enthusiasts. The main festival date is in November, but you can also stream the Kendal Mountain Festival Films online.
Dates: 20th to 23rd November 2025
Dundee Mountain Film Festival (Scotland)
Full of inspiring speakers, the Dundee Mountain Film Festival is held at Dundee University. They don’t have a film competition but film makers can use the festival as a showcase for their film.
Dates: 2025 dates TBC
If you’re looking for walking festivals taking place throughout the year, take a peek at TGO Magazine’s pick of outdoor events and walking festivals in the UK
I plan to keep this post updated regularly, so I can continue supporting our mountain adventure festival organisers - many of whom are volunteers.
If you know of any great outdoor adventure festivals not listed, please get in touch or comment below with details.
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