The big weekend quiz

With the Fort William Mountain Festival taking place next month, we’re testing your knowledge of the town that is branded as the Outdoor Capital of the UK

The Fort William Mountain Festival (FWMF), established in 2004, is a celebration of mountains and the spirit of adventure, full of daily guided outdoor activities, inspirational talks from worldrenowned adventurers, internationally acclaimed films, competitions and awards, and an interactive, adventurethemed exhibition.

FWMF 2023 will be staged in Fort William and across Lochaber, the Outdoor Capital of the UK, from February 16-19, perfectly timed to coincide with the best chances of the optimum weather for winter walking, climbing and snowsports in the region. See mountainfestival.co.uk for more details.

1. For how many years has the Fort William Mountain Festival been running?

A. 12 years

B. 19 years

C. 22 years

2. Who sponsors FWMF’s Wild Places Film Award?

A. John Muir Trust

B. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE)

C. Nevis Landscape Trust

3. At what age did Nick Gardner, featured in the FWMF 2023 Best Short Film Moving Mountains, begin to climb all of Scotland’s Munros?

A. 25

B. 50

C. 80

4. How many Munros are recognised in Scotland?

A. 257

B. 282

C. 293

5. Nouria Newman, featured in the FWMF 2023 Best Mountain Sports Film Wild Waters, was the first female to paddle a 100ft waterfall. Which waterfall was it?

A. Big Banana Falls, Mexico B. Alexandra Falls, Canada C. Pucono Falls, Ecuador

6. What is FWMF 2023’s Best Exploration and Adventure film, on Salomon developing mountaineering blades for amputees, called?

A. On My Own Two Feet: Destination 3,000m

B. A New Way to Climb C. Unhindered: On My Way to the Top

7. Hamish McInnes was awarded the first Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture, in what year?

A. 2000

B. 2004

C. 2008

8. Karen Darke received this award in 2022. In what sport did Karen win Paralympic medals in Rio 2016 and London 2012?

A. Cycling

B. Rowing

C. Swimming

9. A second award was added in 2015 to celebrate youth achievements in mountain culture. What is it called? A. Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture: The Next Generation

B. Scottish Youth Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture C. Future Ambassador in Mountain Culture Award

10. It was awarded to Kirsty Muir in 2022. She is known for competing internationally in what?

A. Snowsports

B. Paddlesports

C. Climbing

11. Fort William has been home to a round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup since 2002. What makes the downhill course so special?

A. It has the biggest jumps on the circuit

B. It has the largest number of fans C. It has the longest course on the World Cup circuit

12. Fort William Mountain Festival has two exciting Bothy Sessions this year sponsored by The Gin Bothy. What is gin traditionally made from?

A. Grapes

B. Juniper

C. Barley

13. The Bothy Sessions are hosted by Fort William’s climbing wall, called what?

A. Monkey see Monkey Do

B. The Mighty Monkey Centre C. Three Wise Monkeys

14. At the free festival ceilidh which of these is a real dance?

A. Dashing White Sergeant B. Bold Purple Captain C. Heroic Green Lieutenant

15. When did the Nevis Range Ski Centre open?

A. 1985

B. 1987

C. 1989

16. The Tales from the Trails festival event features all of these walking trails but which is the shortest?

A. Cape Wrath Trail

B. Great Glen Way

C. East Highland Way

17. Who stands on top of the Glenfinnan Monument at the head of Loch Shiel?

A. Rob Roy

B. Bonnie Prince Charlie

C. A lone kilted Highlander

18. What famous waterfall can you visit in Glen Nevis?

A. Falls of Falloch

B. Steall waterfall /Steall Falls

C. Inchree Falls

19. What event takes place in Fort William and Lochaber every year in May?

A. Watersports Festival

B. The Scottish Six Days Trial (motorcycle event)

C. Art and Literature Festival

20. What are the eight famous locks called on the Caledonian Canal at Banavie, Fort William?

A. Telford’s Triumph

B. Neptune’s Staircase

C. Lochaber Locks

21. Which was the first commercial ski area to be built in Scotland?

A. Cairngorm

B. Glencoe

C. Glenshee

22. What is the name of the only ski area in the United Kingdom to be serviced by a gondola? A. Glencoe

B. Nevis Range

C. Cairngorm

23. What year was the Outdoor Capital of the UK (OCUK) established as the active tourism brand for Lochaber?

A. 2000

B. 2002

C. 2004

24. What is the official height of Ben Nevis?

A. 1,120m

B. 1,200m

C. 1,345m

25. How far (round trip) is the walk to the summit of Ben Nevis from the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre Car Park via the “mountain track”?

A. 11km

B. 16km

C. 18km

26. Who was the main speaker at the 2020 FWMF?

A. Sir Chris Bonington

B. Nims Purja

C. Alan Hinkes

27. What are the fringe events at the festival all about?

A. Mountain based comedy

B. Meeting festival speakers

C. Getting outdoors and experiencing the landscapes of Lochaber

28. Over how many days is FWMF 2023 festival being held?

A. One

B. Four

C. Six

29. What is the classic ridge walking circuit starting from Glen Nevis called?

A. Ring of Steall

B. Nevis Horseshoe

C. The Nevis Round

30. Trek & Mountain are co-hosting the festival launch night. But what are they best known for?

A. Guided walks

B. Outdoor equipment

C. Magazine publisher

VIEW FOR TWO: FWMF 2023 will be staged in Fort William and across Lochaber, the Outdoor Capital of the UK, from February 16-19.

Brought to you by

AIMING HIGH: The festival has daily guided outdoor activities and talks from famous adventurers.

The area around Fort William is stunning.

Limbering up for an adventure in the hills.

Spectacular challenges for expert climbers.