Keswick Mountain Festival | adidas TERREX 50K Trail Ultra Marathon

Outdoor sports

16 sports events to choose from!

• Trail runs
• Hikes
• Open water swims
• Cycle rides
• Triathlon
• Adventure Races
• Junior sports events (age 10+)

Live music experience

The live music experience will have two live music stages for you to enjoy – as well as a DJ Bar.

Enjoy live music across three vibrant venues — lakeside stage, DJ Bar and Campervan Live Lounge — with headline acts, acoustic sets and festival energy to the last chord.

Inspirational speakers

Keswick Mountain Festival 2026 features a stellar line-up of speakers — from ultra-running greats like Jasmin Paris, Kim Collison, Allie Bailey to mountaineer Alan Hinkes, journalist David Walsh, wild swimmer Sara Barnes, adventurer Mitch Hutchcraft, the MacLean brothers, and performance scientist Renee McGregor. 

Festival village

Loads to enjoy in the Festival Village!

Some activities will be free at the point of access; others will be pay-as-you-go.

Brand expo

Once again there will be a superb brand expo with outdoor and travel brands who will be offering unique festival activities, as well as showcasing their marvellous merch.

Race location

The Festival Village is located adjacent to The Theatre By The Lake close to Derwentwater. Find the start line in the heart of the village.

Route description

The KMF 50km ultra marathon is fast becoming a classic in the calendar of ultra running enthusiasts, this fantastic course takes in some of the best trails and views that the Watendlath, Borrowdale, Butteremere and Newlands valleys have to offer. You don’t need to be an elite runner to complete the course, but make sure you have done the training required, as it can be a tough day out!

The route is a mixture of wide open trails, single track (fast and technical), big long ascents and fast technical descents, open valley running and very remote trails around the back of the Buttermere, Crummock Water and Newlands Valleys. It takes in remote locations that you will not have run in before. Expect to be blown away by the views of the 4 valleys we take you through and overwhelmed by the quality of running you will be immersed in. This race is not only tough, but is also one of the most scenic races of its type in the Lake District, taking mountains and lowlands in its stride offering you one of the best trail running experiences in the country!

A map and GPX file will be available ahead of the event.

Cut offs

There are 5 checkpoints (CP’s) around the course, for timing/safety purposes, which all competitors must visit and dib in at with their ‘timing card’, failure to do this will mean disqualification from the race and putting the whole event at risk. Please don’t forget, this is for your safety. At these CP’s there will be feed stations where you can fuel up with water, juice and some food. 2 marshals will be present at each CP.

There are cut off’s at the following CP’s:

• Honister Slate Mines CP (09:45 – 3 hours and 45 minutes after the start and 18km in distance)
• Crummock Water CP (12:00 – 6 hours after the start and 28km in distance)

This gives you ample time to get to each of these CP’s. In order to make the cut offs you need to move at an average of 5.5km per hour over the varied terrain of the race. This is a fast walk!

If you are outside the generous cut off you will be pulled from the race, so please make sure you are ready for this distance and ascent.

If you are timed out, we can’t lay on the provision of transport to take you back to the race HQ, you must make your own way back to the events centre and hand in your ‘Timing Card’. Failure to do this could result in the Mountain Rescue Teams being called out to search for you, so please make sure you do this.

There is a bus service running at regular intervals from both the Honister Slate Mines and Crummock Water, should you not make the cut offs.

Kit list

You must comply with the kit list below and carry this with you on the day of the race.

• Waterproof whole body cover (i.e. covering the torso from head to ankles)
• Other body cover appropriate for the weather conditions including, as a minimum, hat and gloves but also e.g. a light long sleeved base layer
• Map and compass and/or GPS type equipment is perfectly acceptable
• Whistle
• Emergency food (minimum of a bar/gel, must be still in your possession at the finish, if you have needed to eat it then you will be disqualified)
• Mobile phone fully charged (If this is your GPS device we advise you turn it to Airplane Mode, so to save the battery)
• First aid kit to include: blister plasters/1 large sterile wound dressing and tape to secure dressing
• 0.5L fluid
• £10 (emergency bus fare if needed)

The race director and KMF reserve the right to ask you to carry more clothing on the day of the race, depending on the weather conditions. This will be detailed to you via email in the run up to the race.

Kit checks

There may be a kit check on the day and if you are then found to not have the minimum kit requirements, we reserve the right to pull you from the race. Please understand this is from a safety point of view only.

Bad weather course

Should we have serious weather conditions on the day we will be opting for a bad weather course, this will be advised upon on the day of the event. We do not take this decision lightly!

UTMB Index Races and Points

The adidas Terrex KMF 50Km Trail Run is UTMB index race

Finishing a UTMB Index race will contribute towards your UTMB Index. However, it will not provide Running Stones which are mandatory to enter the UTMB Mont-Blanc lottery for the World Series Finals.

Further detail is available if required.

Event HQ

Lakeside
Lake Road
Keswick
Cumbria
CA12 5DJ
UK

Keswick is located in the heart of the Lake District and is the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the UK. Keswick is very accessible by all means of transport, meaning that you can consider the environment when planning your route to Keswick Mountain Festival.

Festival campsite

The KMF campsite is located at Springs Farm, Springs Road, Keswick CA12 4AN, only a 15 minute walk away from the Festival Village on Crow Park.

Camping is the best way to enjoy the festival, getting back to nature and sleeping in the fields, wake up to the view of Skiddaw – it doesn’t get much better. Facilities include showers, toilets, cafe serving hot food/drinks every day. Tents only, no campervans/motorhomes.

A weekend camping ticket includes 3 nights camping from 10am Thursday to 5pm Sunday and a car parking space.

By car

From the M6 (traveling both North or South) take Junction 40 at Penrith for the North Lakes. From J40, follow the A66 West for approximately 17 miles to Keswick.

By bus

With a timetable, and a little planning, you can reach Keswick Mountain Festival and many other beautiful Lake District places by bus. If you are a walker, you can use the bus to complete a linear walk without the necessity of having to return to where you left the car.

These are the services to consider:

• Penrith to Workington – Service X4, X5
• Lakeslink – Service 554, 555
• The Honister Rambler – Service 77, 77A
• The Caldbeck Rambler – Service 73, 73A
• The Borrowdale Rambler – Service 78
• Keswick to Patterdale Ullswater Connexion – Service 208

By rail

Penrith, Carlisle and Kendal (via Oxenholme) are served by the West Coast Main Line – a fast, frequent and easily accessible service from all over the country. The nearest railway station to Keswick is Penrith, a distance of 17 miles. A bus service (journey of approx 40 minutes) connects Penrith railway station with Keswick Bus Station. Alternatively you can pre-book a taxi from Penrith train station to Keswick.

The historic Settle to Carlisle line brings passengers from Yorkshire via the Eden Valley.

The West Coast line is operated by Virgin Trains.

By plane

Manchester Airport and Newcastle Airport both offer convenient access to the North of the UK. Manchester serves more domestic destinations than any UK airport which, together with its first class road and rail link make it an ideal gateway to Cumbria.

Manchester Airport has its own railway station, with direct links to Oxenholme – the Lake District, Kendal, Windermere and the West Coast Main Line. Newcastle Airport also has good road links to Cumbria and the Lake District.

Included

• Free photograph
• Electronic chip timing
• Event t-shirt (unless you choose to donate cost of T Shirt to our Catbells Conservation project with Fix the Fells)
• 5 feed stations on the route
• Torq hydration drinks will be available at the feed station and finish line – you must have your own cup or bottle
• Evening live music and daytime Tent Talks ALL WEEKEND (Friday to Sunday). Note: Festival Village general access is free for all to roam before 5pm. After 5pm requires a sports ticket or festival ticket – all non ticket holders will then be required to vacate the festival village.

Had a ball. Thank you all. Be there next year. Yipeeeee. Jenny

We had an absolute blast this weekend. So well organised, friendly people, amazing setting, just perfect thank you. Yoga

Such a great festival, superbly organised - wonderful atmosphere. Joanne

Had an awesome weekend - already looking forward to the next. Thanks to all involved. James

Awesome event! Will definitely be back. Joanne

We met lots of lovely people in a beautiful part of the world. We did the Back O Skiddaw which was clearly marked and marshalled with the medic man just around the corner. Thank you. Eugenia

Our first Keswick Mountain Festival and we all had a fab weekend! Thank you! Claire

It's been worth the wait, BRILLIANT weekend. Rick

Brilliant festival. Thank you! Campsite was great and point to point swim really well organised. Carl

Had a fab time, thank you! See you next year! Sue

A message from the Festival Director:

It was a big call to take a break from the full multi-sport festival, but it gave us the ideal opportunity to take a deep look at what we want this event to be in the longer term. Keswick Mountain Festival is very special to us and to many of you who share our love of this wonderful part of the world and the outdoors in general. We took the time to reflect on all of that and on the changing nature of big events.

There are now new and very different challenges involved in delivering a festival like ours in a responsible and sustainable way. We’re really excited about how we’re tackling those head on, in a way that still offers all of the aspects that our regular visitors tell us they love so much, and more. It’s going to be a vibrant, multi-faceted and inclusive event for everyone, and we can’t wait to welcome you all back in May. Nicola Meadley

Doing good

KMF is on a mission to do some good. A mission to make the festival more sustainable, accessible, inclusive and diverse, as well delivering a positive impact for the people of Keswick.

Alongside National Trust, the charity partner, a new sustainable legacy project with Fix the Fells. Everyone who is coming to the Festival is invited to help on that journey. The aim is to raise £10,000 per year, which will cover the annual cost for the Catbells conservation work. You’ll be able to donate at checkout on the website when buying your tickets. Please do so if you can. Catbells provides the stunning festival backdrop and helping to preserve this national, natural treasure is a wonderful thing to be part of.

The Festival works with venues and stakeholders in Keswick, to integrate aspects of the festival into the town, especially the evening programme, boosting the benefits for the local economy.

Your athlete guide will be emailed to you approximately 2 weeks before the event date.

Entry fees