While most of the people who follow this website prefer to be outdoors having their own adventures, the next best thing is watching other people having great adventures. The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is a popular event and it returns to UK & Ireland this year.
With extreme climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and more, the film festival features two new collections of inspirational short films from remote corners of the planet.
Tour director Nell Teasdale says: “Immerse yourself in a night of gripping adventure – up on the big screen. The Banff Mountain Film Festival showcases the year’s most inspiring stories of adventure, with cutting-edge expeditions, extraordinary human resilience and the enduring magic of wild places.”
The documentaries are introduced by a compère and each screening will include a free prize giveaway to win outdoors goodies from the tour’s partners.
The films are chosen from hundreds of entries into the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, which is held every November in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. The UK and Ireland tour is back for its 17th year, and will visit move than 50 locations in spring and autumn 2026.
For more information and to book tickets, see www.banff-uk.com.
Scroll down for a competition to win two tickets.
Dates in Scotland
- Edinburgh, Festival Theatre, February 7 (matinee and evening shows)
- Inverness, Eden Court, September 6
- Aberdeen Music Hall on September 10
- Stirling, Macrobert Arts Centre, September 12
(More autumn dates and venues announced soon)
Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour film highlights
Gabon Uncharted
Four elite whitewater kayakers embark on a 12-day descent of the mysterious Ivindo River in Gabon, Central Africa. Battling towering waterfalls and treacherous rapids, this is a story of friendship, teamwork and passion. A high-stakes adventure revealing the gritty reality behind the veneer of social media.
The Finisher
The extraordinary story of British runner Jasmin Paris and her groundbreaking completion of the Barkley Marathons, a race known for its extreme difficulty, cryptic rules and unpredictable conditions. Only a handful of runners have ever completed the course, and never a woman. The Finisher chronicles Jasmin’s three-year journey of preparation, and brutal scenes from the race itself, in this monumental achievement.
Mandala
A spellbinding mountain bike journey through Nepal, from the bustling streets of Kathmandu to the vertiginous mountain paths of the Himalayas. Starring legendary French mountain biker Kilian Bron, who is passionate about finding the balance between culture and sport, Mandala is a visual and sensory work of art.
Win 2 tickets to a Scottish show
I have two tickets to give away. All you have to do is tell me the anniversary year of the Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour in 2025. You can contact me with your answer by email: [email protected], or on social media messenger on Instagram and Facebook @fionaoutdoors by January 23 at 5pm. I will pick a name randomly and you will win two tickets to a Scottish show of their choice.