Kendal for Schools

We are thrilled to invite local school children and their teachers to participate in the Festival as part of our Kendal for Schools Outreach Programme. Established in 2011, this initiative brings over 1700 children from schools across the North West to immerse themselves in a curation of films and speakers from the world out outdoor and adventure storytelling. 

About the session

Each year, we have the pleasure of hosting two dedicated free-to-attend sessions for local Cumbrian schools.

Over 1700 pupils join us to be immersed in extraordinary experiences — expect awe-inspiring outdoor and adventure films, together with the inspiring tales from special guests, such as expedition leaders, scientists, athletes, and storytellers.Hosted by the incredible George Lonsdale, the Kendal for Schools sessions transport pupils through an unforgettable journey of adventure and discovery. We recommend this session for both Primary and Secondary pupils, with content aimed at Years 4-8.

These events are extremely popular, so if you are interested in your school attending, please fill in the form below to let us know which session you would prefer and how many seats you will require.

Interest form

Speakers and films

To give you a taste of what’s on offer, at our 2025 edition, pupils first travelled from Kendal to Alaska with Max Romey's watercolour paintings, environmental storytelling, and honest reflections on growing up with dyslexia.

Alenka Mali shared thrilling clips from her snowboard BASE jumping records, with a discussion about bravery, followig a screening of an artistic short film about children's competitive ski jumping.

Zoe Hart, American mountaineer living in Chamonix, took to the stage with her children Mathias and Mika to share stories from their family adventures, showing their short film about "disaster-style" parenting.

Then, we screened the beautiful film, "Mountain Roots, the Journey Home" – a story of family heritage, self-discovery, and connection to the mountains.

We ended the show with a special appearance from Colin Veranyak, winner of X-Games BMX competition, who showed pupils his favourite tricks live on stage.Films and speakers for our 2026 edition will be announced in the Autumn Term...

The Mountain Project: Poetry Competition

The Mountain Project is part of our Schools Outreach Programme, offering opportunities for local pupils to create work inspired by the themes of the Festival.This year, to celebrate our first Kendal Mountain Laureate – award-winning author and poet Helen Mort – we are inviting local schools to create poetry. This is an opportunity for young people to show us how they think creatively about the outdoor spaces that surround them. Submissions can relate to mountains, nature, wildlife, or the outdoors.This competition is a collaboration between Kendal Mountain, Helen Mort, and the Wordsworth Trust. Entries are open to KS2-4 pupils in the local area of Kendal, including homeschooled pupils. If your school has not been contacted and you would like more information, please email info@mountainfest.co.uk.

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