I bet that caught your attention! I wonder if you will be surprised by my answer…
Kendal Mountain Festival is over for another year, and it has been a real treat to hear stories of adventures big and small from a whole host of people who are lucky enough to be able to enjoy the freedom of the outdoors (and indoors!).
The festival has grown and evolved over the years. Fifteen years ago it was all about the superstars of the day, the hardest routes and the tallest tales. Fast forward to today and the breadth of voices heard at the festival has expanded beyond recognition – the superstars are still here, but for every person attending the festival, there is a story being told that hopefully they can relate to. Maybe it has inspired them to take the next step in their outdoor journey, or maybe it has shown them that it might just be possible to take the first step.
Which brings me back to my question: who is the best climber – well, the one having the most fun of course!
We all have a different motivation for heading into the hills or to the crag. For some, it is a chance to challenge yourself, to try something new, something outside your comfort zone. For others it is your comfort zone – a safe space away from the stresses of ‘real life’, where you can press pause and reset.
There is a third group: for many people, being in the outdoors is their job. Perhaps they are professional athletes, perhaps they are instructors, or perhaps they are one of the many people (volunteers?) who work to preserve our wild places, maintain access, and keep us safe.
Many of the headline voices at the festival were from this third group. People for whom their relationship with the outdoors is a complex one – is it work or is it play?
I am lucky enough to have experienced the mountains as my playground for nearly 30 years. In other parts of my life I have tested myself, putting myself under pressure in competitive sport. The mountains have never been part of a competition for me. The only rules are that I should stay alive and I should have fun*. There is no list of things to achieve, no judgement of success or failure. Sometimes I get up routes, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I get up the mountain with no mishaps, but sometimes I get lost, or cold, or tired.
Having the experience and skill to head out on adventures, and to extract myself safely, is a real privilege. One that I love sharing with others, so that they too can expand their playground, and be the best climbers…
*extended rules for personal climbing: we are not leaving the crag unless it is dark, raining, or we are the last people there. Or I’ve had to resort to aiding…
