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For Sara Barnes, cold water became a way back to the outdoors, and to herself. Now, after two near-death experiences, she reflects on ageing, resilience, choice and the preciousness of a life lived on your own terms.

The mountains of the Scottish Highlands hold more than spectacular landscapes, they hold centuries of songs, stories, language and memory. From traditional Gaelic music and storytelling to the contemporary artists continuing these traditions today, Highland culture remains a living connection between people and place. We explore the the musicians, poets, writers and storytellers featured at Fort William Mountain Festival’s Mountain Voices: Stories & Song.

Alex Staniforth is an adventurer who has spent more than a decade chasing ambitious endurance challenges, from running the National Three Peaks to setting records across Britain’s mountains. Yet when we spoke a few months after his appearance at the Fort William Mountain Festival, it quickly became clear that Alex is entering a different, albeit no less fulfilling, chapter. After a year disrupted by post-viral fatigue, the record-breaking athlete who once measured success by summits and finish lines is instead talking about coaching, connection and the importance of simply being well.

Showcased in Lily Canter's appearance at the 2026 Fort William Mountain Festival, Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport explores the extraordinary women who have challenged assumptions, broken records and redefined the limits of human endurance, and asks the question, what finally becomes possible when women are given the freedom to go the distance?

Why do thousands of people spend years climbing Scotland’s 282 Munros? The answer goes far beyond ticking summits off a list. From personal challenge and mental wellbeing to history, culture and breathtaking landscapes, Munro bagging continues to inspire generations of walkers, the journey often mattering more than the destination.

Wild foraging is growing in popularity across the UK. Gathering edible plants, berries and fungi can transform the way we experience the outdoors. From nettles and wild garlic to chanterelles and blaeberries, foraging encourages a slower, more attentive connection with landscapes often taken for granted. Beyond seasonal recipes and outdoor adventure, it highlights a deeper desire for reconnection with nature, reminding us that understanding and appreciating the natural world is often the first step towards protecting it.

Against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis and Taliban rule, skiing in the mountains of Bamyan became an unexpected symbol of unity, hope and resilience. Champions of the Golden Valley follows former Olympic hopeful Alishah Farhang as he builds a ski community that brings together young people from rival villages through sport and shared purpose. Alongside the work of the UK-based Compass Collective, the story highlights how creativity, connection and collective experiences can restore dignity, confidence and possibility for refugees and displaced communities navigating conflict, exile and uncertainty.

Pioneering women have long challenged the traditionally male-dominated world of mountaineering, from Bolivia’s Cholitas Escaladoras climbing in traditional dress to trailblazers such as Lhakpa Sherpa, Junko Tabei, Sophia Danenberg and Arunima Sinha. Spanning centuries and continents, women from diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds have redefined who belongs in the mountains, overcoming discrimination, hardship and exclusion while reshaping mountaineering as a space for visibility, resilience and empowerment.