Discover the mental and physical benefits of adventure festivals

There's a lot more to these high-octane events than merely a fun day out
Travel the world from one location through one of Britain's many adventure festivals
Annie Ross25 January 2018

With limited holiday allowance and finances, it’s unlikely we’ll get to all the awesome places in the world we hope to go. But there is another way.

The adventure festivals popping up all over the UK mean that you can travel the world. You can experience wild nature, daredevil feats and emotional rollercoasters from the comfort of your seat or in one of the many adventurous activities offered at the festivals.

There are certainly benefits, both mental and physical, to attending adventure festivals, as Annie Ross, our health & fitness columnist, found out at Kendal Mountain Festival. The adventure festival season is kicking off, so read on to find out more and see which one suits you best.

1. Travel the world on a shoestring

In one evening, you can travel all over the world, from Greenland’s glacier rivers in the film, Into Twin Galaxies, to the Isle of Skye with broadcaster, Mary-Ann Ochota, or all the way to Albania’s waterfalls to fight dam construction with Rok Rozman. The films, talks and discussions take you out of your everyday routine to remind you that the tube being held at a red light is not something to get irritated about.

The Adventure Travel Film Festival, August 10-12 2018, London

2. Share in emotional exposure

Sharing stories is an integral part of these events

One of the greatest features of adventure festivals is that the people who complete and document these life-changing trips congregate and join in, sharing their stories on talk panels and over a drink at the bar. As runners in the Berghaus Dragon’s Back Race pointed out, in extreme situations, you don’t have the energy to hide from emotions, and shield them. They sit on the surface. For that reason, adventure festivals tend to be a safe place to give fears and vulnerabilities the space to be aired and can make for interesting Q&A sessions.

The Adventure Travel Show, January 20-12 2018, London

3. Get active and adventurous

It’s not all voyeurism. At the Kendal Mountain Festival, an Adidas Terrex 10km Trail Race, night navigation, virtual reality experiences and ice climbing were on offer. The Útilív Adventure Festival in September 2018 will play host to four trail races, with distances of 13km, 21km, 42km, and the Faroe Islands first ever ultra-marathon, a whooping 65km. As well as runs, the festival is packed with adventure activities including hiking, wild swimming, surfing, kayaking, and rock climbing!

Utiliv Adventure Festival, September 7-9 2018, Faroe Islands

4. Laugh at the ridiculous

Lose yourself in the tales of adventures past

From its thousands of applications, the festivals select the best adventure movies so you get the most incredible landscapes, charismatic of stories and impressive feats of training, organisation and persistence. You also get to share in the ridiculous. From on-the-ground commentary filmed as Andy Kirkpactrick swung across a rockface hundreds of metres above ground in Psycho Vertical to the British Mountaineering Council’s Kendal Mountain Festival breakfast sessions, there is a lot of fun to be had.

Kendal Mountain Tour, February – May 2018, Nationwide

5. Be part of an intrepid and inclusive community

Get involved with all-manner of outdoor activities
David Altabev 2017

Spending an evening or weekend amongst outdoor aficionados may mean being surrounded by checked shirts, down jackets and geeky footwear, the adventure community remains inclusive. The majority of festival goers are ‘mere mortals,’ like you and me. You can join in, with bars being a key feature of most, and who knows, you may meet someone inspires you to get up and go. At Love Trails Festival the guided coastal trail runs, wild swims, surfing and secret adventures are complemented by the evening parties, spanning music including hip hop, electro, reggae, folk and jazz. Last year the festival saw acts including Rex Domino and Backbeat Soundsystem take to the main stage and the July event this year is set up to bring together people to celebrate trail running and music.

Love Trails Festival, July 13-15 2018, South Wales

6. Retail therapy

Depending on which adventure festival you go to, you’ll likely have the option to pick up some great discounts, or even completely free gear! There tend to be audience giveaways, as well as stalls hosted by various brands with special festival bargains. At Banff Mountain Film Festival, I’ve seen skis being given out in a raffle, at Kendal I received a Lowe Alpine backpack simply for asking a question and at The Adventure Travel Show at Kensington Olympia there is a huge amount of window-shopping you can do for upcoming holidays.

Banff Mountain Film Festival, January – May 2018, Nationwide

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