After an online only year in 2021, Fort William Mountain Festival is scheduled to return as a live event in 2022, with speakers, films, competitions and exhibitions to be held in the Highland town from the 16th to the 20th of February.

The first night will start with filmmakers Keith Partridge, Paul Diffley and Dave Macleod exploring some of the key moments in the History of British Mountaineering film-making. The following night will play host to a selection of the finest mountain/outdoor/adventure films as part of the popular Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour.

Famous runner Charlie Ramsay, creator of the Ramsay Round, will be talking on the Friday night as part of the Running Night. So too will Nicky Spinks, who recently broke the Ladies Lake District 24-hour record climbing 65 peaks in 23.45 hours. Other speakers that night will include members from the Black Trail Runners group as well as Fort William’s very own Es Tressider and his son Aaron.

The Climbing night will feature James Mchaffie, Malcolm Bass, Simon Yearsley, Adele Pennington, Keri Wallace and Ali Rose as they share their stories celebrating the legacy, impact and inspiration of Ken Wilson, author of The Games Climbers Play, Cold Climbs, and notably Classic Rock.

The festival will also see sessions devoted to mountain biking, wild swimming, climate change and more.

The winners of the 2022 film competition will be announced on the Saturday night. Categories include People’s Choice, Best Short Film, Best Mountain Sports Film, Best Exploration and Adventure Film and the John Muir Trust Wild Places Film Prize. The 2022 Photographer of the Year Award will also be presented.

The festival, in previous years, has tended to attract over 1,500 people, with events scattered throughout the town and late night entertainment, including a non-ticketed Ceilidh on the Saturday.

For more information visit: mountainfestival.co.uk