Witness amazing scenery – from a comfortable chair

Embrace the spirit of the great outdoors – from the safety of a comfy seat later this month.

The Scottish Adventure Travel Film Festival returns to the National Trust for Scotland’s idyllic Inverewe Garden on the shores of Loch Ewe, Wester Ross, for a third year to showcase the best adventure films from around the globe.

Over the course of the festival (21–23 September), adventurers and cinema fans will be treated to more than 14 inspiring feature-length films as well as a selection of shorter works. The festival also features talks from filmmakers and adventurers.

A setting that inspires art and creativity itself, Inverewe Gardens was created in 1862 by Osgood Mackenzie and was donated to the National Trust for Scotland by his daughter in 1952. 90 minutes’ drive from Inverness, the heritage gardens benefit from the mild climate thanks to the Gulf Stream and is home to a wealth of rare species.

The Scottish home for the festival since its inception three years ago, Inverewe is a popular destination for hikers and walkers alike, embodying the sense of adventure that will be found onscreen during the festival.

Festival highlights include a restored version of Ian McCluskey’s 1938 Voyagers Without Trace which documents, in colour, the first ever kayak descent of the Colorado river in collapsible canvas canoe and Hubert Davis’ Once More – The story of VIN903847 which tells the story of Paul Loofs, who fled communist 1940s East Germany to achieve his dream of traveling the world in his early VW Beetle.

Look out too for 2017’s Skye’s the Limit – James Appleton’s film about a stand-up paddle tour around Skye reporting on chronic plastic pollution and, also from 2017, Michael Worrall’s The British Backpacker Society about a group who actively travel to destinations discouraged by the Foreign Office.

Adventures in Morocco are part of the festival

From the frigid perimeter of Iceland in From Morocco With Love to a cross continental journey to Australia in Oxford to Sydney in a KR2, the festival’s line-up is packed with thrilling expeditions, incredible true stories and unfathomable achievements documented and displayed on the big screen.

The festival will also offer the chance to hear from guest speakers, including filmmakers Global Convoy who filmed their budget round-the-world adventure and climber/extreme runner Paul Tattersall who advises the film industry on safety in the Scottish hills.

On the Friday and Saturday nights of the event, festival goers can also enjoy live music from acts including Iona Fyfe, Luc McNally and Cera Impala. A key point on the North Coast 500 route, festival goers can camp nearby at the Inverewe Caravan and Camping Club.

Kevin Frediani, operations manager at Inverewe Gardens said: ‘Our aim is to showcase the best independent adventure travel films ever made and bring together the adventure travel community in a unique destination between the mountains and the lochs.

‘So many of the film makers have been inspired to take on these amazing adventures, purely for the love of it. This is something we really understand at the Trust, as all we do is for the love of Scotland.

‘The Adventure Film Festival is a highlight of our calendar at Inverewe. It’s a chance to showcase some incredible films and to welcome a wonderful mix of like-minded people to this unique place.’

Full weekend passes for the festival are £135.50 which includes meals from Osgood’s Café at Inverewe Gardens. Ticket price without food is £85.50.

Tickets include entry to all the films, talks, live music as well as two day’s entry to the Inverewe Garden & Estate. Children under 12 are admitted free if accompanied by paying adults.

Session Tickets – Day session tickets: £12.50 (3 hours); Evening session tickets: £15.00 (3 hours+); Concert tickets: £12.50.

More information on the festival can be found HERE.

For more information on Inverewe Gardens and the National Trust for Scotland, visit www.nts.org.uk.