Next month sees the 10th anniversary of the ever popular Fort William Mountain Festival. Taking place from Feb 11 to 15, the outdoors-themed event will celebrate mountain culture in Lochabar, an area which is also known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK.

The line-up of workshops, lectures and films promises a great range of excitement, interest and thrills. The festival highlights include:

Friday 11 February:  A drop in the ocean, and aware of it: A sea and white water kayaking evening is hosted by adventurer Patrick Winterton. This is followed by a few  extreme white water paddling films.

Saturday 12 February: Jump Jam – biking aerial skills workshop – It’s time to get airborne with theAirBag.net, which is a safe, painless and addictive means of increasing biking aerial confidence and skill.

Lecture: The Edge to The Great Climb. Richard Else, one of Europe’s most experienced remote location film makers, as well as wilderness hiker, author and broadcaster Cameron McNeish, take the audience on a historical journey behind the scenes of mountain film making over the last 100 years.

Sunday 13 February: Mammoth Descent – A ski/snowboarding and running event at Nevis Range. There’s a  mass start ski/board race from the summit to the bar! This is for anyone who can ski or snowboard competently.

Monday 14 February: Welcoming back a host of fab film highlights from the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Book early to avoid disappointment is my tip!

Tuesday 15 February:  Closing Party with altitude! A Party at Nevis Range, the popular ceilidh at the top of the Nevis Range mountain gondola, 650 metres up Aonach Mor beside Ben Nevis, will close the 2011 Festival.

As Mike Pescod, chairman of the Highland Mountain Culture Association, which organises the festival, said: “The inspirational and entertaining five-day Fort William Mountain Festival programme for 2011 promotes the mountains as an attractive, accessible and enjoyable place to be.  It includes a superb line up of top climbers, mountain filmmakers, cutting edge outdoor athletes and adventurers.

“The varied and entertaining programme of new events and old favourites being staged in and around Fort William caters for everyone of all ages from elite climbers, hill walkers and outdoor enthusiasts to sea and white water kayakers and budding cycling aerialists.”

You would be mad to miss out on this festival if you are an outdoors Scotland fan.