The Mountain Equipment Risk Sessions Blue

Last year’s Risk & Rewards In The Mountains event was so gripping that people were dismayed when it finished; they wanted more!

So, by popular demand, the concept is back, but with a new spin. This year, the Mountain Equipment Risk Sessions will feature climbing psychologist Dr Rebecca Williams talking one-on-one with a selection of well-known climbers and outdoor adventurers about their attitude to risk, their motivation and how we can learn to manage the dangers faced in adventure sport.

Taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday - each day will feature different speakers. The Mountain Equipment Risk Sessions Blue will feature:

James ‘Caff’ McHaffie

When people start discussing the best British climbers, Caff will always have a place at the table. Often referred to as the Dark Lord of British Trad (for his sense of humour as much as his climbing style) Caff has a truly astounding track record of hard trad ascents, including onsights of more than 80 E7s and a tally of over 200 routes graded E7 to E9. He has also shown top form in the arena of hardcore sport climbing, breaking into the 9th grade twice, and has proved to be just as effective on big walls, including modern test pieces on El Cap and the Grand Capucin. Caff grew up in Keswick, climbing classics with his father (the equally well-known Ray McHaffie), became hooked and soon enough he was soloing around, reaching increasingly impressive levels: in 2014 he soloed 100 Lakeland extremes in a day. He is an MIA-qualified instructor, until recently worked as the BMC Youth and Equity Officer, is very active in climate advocacy, and this year published his first book, Eleri.

Dave MacLeod

Firmly established as one of the world's best all-round climbers, Dave MacLeod has a string of outstanding ascents to his name. No stranger to ‘pushing the boat out’, Dave’s climbing CV includes milestones such as Rhapsody (E11 7a) on Dumbarton Rock, the world’s first E11 trad route; Echo Wall (E10/11? unrepeated) and Anubis (XII,12) both on Ben Nevis; Lithium (8B+) a boulder problem in Arisaig Cave; and the almost unbelievable ‘24/8’, a link-up ‘fun day out’ involving an 8A+ boulder, E8 trad route, 8a sport route, VIII,8 winter route, and 8 Munros all in 24 hours. As someone who says he’s pretty obsessed with getting better at climbing, Dave has spent a lot of time studying the sciences that underpin athletic performance: exercise physiology, sports medicine and nutrition, sharing this knowledge via books, blogs and social media.