KESWICK Mountain Festival is set to return for 2012, with its biggest ever programme of outdoor activities, celebrity speakers and sporting events.

Based in and around Keswick, the festival will run from May 16 to 20 and organisers have created a packed Festival Village in Crow Park on the shores of Derwentwater. Highlights of this year’s Keswick Mountain Festival will include: over 30 guided Lakeland walks for visitors of all ages and abilities; an extended running programme incorporating the Borrowdale Trail Run and the renowned Latrigg Fell Race; and hugely popular long and short course triathlons.

Meanwhile, the Keswick Mountain Theatre (based in the Rawnsley Centre) will host: a speaker programme that includes appearances by big names such as Helen Skelton, Sir Chris Bonington, Monty Halls and Cameron McNeish. There will be an evening with the world’s longest established mountaineering club - the Alpine Club - and its president Mick Fowler; and a special Trail Runners Inspired by Adventure night with Salomon.

Other festival activities include features like ‘have a go at kayaking’, rock climbing taster sessions and the Keswick Sportive, which offers routes of varying degrees of difficulty to cyclists.

In addition to securing headline sponsorship, Dare 2b will showcase its mountain biking prowess at the festival. The Dare 2b MAD Bike Demo Team, one of the UK’s leading mountain bike stunt display outfits, is scheduled to perform its hair-raising routines throughout the event. More talks, workshops and activities will also be run at the Berghaus Live for Adventure Theatre; all located in the festival village which will be open from May 18 to 20.

Keswick Mountain Festival continues to support Lake District conservation charity Nurture Lakeland (www.nurturelakeland.org) helping to raise funds for the charity and awareness of its various projects.

Andrea Runkee, Cumbria Tourism’s Adventure Capital Project Manager, said: ‘’The Keswick Mountain Festival is a great way of starting to explore the great outdoors and discover some of the UK's most beautiful scenery, whether a seasoned adventurer or wanting to learn the ropes from a qualified guide, there are activities to suit everyone.

“Pedal, paddle, hike or climb, conquer your competitive spirit or just get out there and enjoy. Whatever floats your boat or gets your pulse racing get on the right track in the Adventure Capital of the UK, the Lake District, Cumbria.

To find out more about The Lake District, Cumbria, England’s Adventure Capital visit www.golakes.co.uk/adventure-capital and for more information about the Keswick Mountain Festival events, and to book tickets, visit www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk.