My old mate Chris Townsend will feature in this year’s Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival, talking about his recent ski touring adventures in Yosemite, staying in self-constructed igloos along the way!

Britain’s best known mountaineer, Chris Bonington will deliver the keynote speech, focusing on some of his great climbs away from Everest, including his infamous escape from The Ogre with Doug Scott and first ascents in both the Arctic and Antarctic.

I had the pleasure of speaking in Edinburgh last year and it was a fantastic event with a very enthusiastic audience. This year, the three-day festival will attract more than 2500 outdoor enthusiasts from across Scotland and the North of England keen to enjoy awe-inspiring lectures and a showcase of 22 action-packed films from Scotland and around the world. The festival aims to promote mountain culture by providing a platform for adventure film-makers to showcase their work.

Stevie Christie, Director of Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival, said: “This year’s Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival is set to be the best yet aiming to entertain, enlighten and inspire. We have created a diverse programme of films from Scotland and around the world that show the highs and lows as well as the thrills and spills of mountain adventures. From extreme sports such as BASE Jumping to more traditional sports such as climbing, kayaking and skiing, all are included ensuring there is something for every outdoor enthusiast. Magnificent scenery has a starring role in all the films whether it’s the wilds of Alaska, waterfalls in Mexico, Icelandic glaciers or the mountain peaks of Scotland.”

Other speakers include Mark Beaumont, the Scot who shot to fame earlier this year having cycled around the world in a world breaking time – 18000 miles in 194 days; Justine Curgenven – one of the world’s top sea-kayakers who will recount her recent circumnavigation of New Zealand and other adventures, and Niall McNair, the Edinburgh-based climber who has charted his own route to becoming one of the UK’s top traditional climbers, his deafness proving no obstacle to his achievements

The sixth Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival takes place over the weekend of October 17-19. See for full details. Tickets and programmes are now available from Tiso stores and from Alien Rock 1 climbing centre or call Tiso on: 0141 552 6642

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