Mountain Heritage Trust

24/08/2026

We're very excited to see that MHT ambassador and three-time Piolet d'Or winner Mick Fowler's new book is available for pre-order via our friends Vertebrate Publishing https://bit.ly/4wDHkJH.

Newly retired and immersed in the logistical and bureaucratic maze of planning an expedition to Chombu – an unclimbed Himalayan peak in the Indian state of Sikkim – Mick’s life is turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis.

In Eternal Alpinist, his fourth volume of climbing memoirs following Vertical Pleasure, On Thin Ice and No Easy Way, Mick describes – with his trademark dry wit – his determined and at times frustrating attempts to regain ‘mountain fitness’ and return to the places he loves most. Reaching Chombu with his climbing partner Victor Saunders becomes a constant focus during treatment and recovery.

Leo Houlding "Proof that age, cancer and adversity are no barrier to attaining ambitious dreams"

28/07/2026

Recently two of our Patrons, Sir Chris Bonington and Jeff Ford, visited Keswick Museum to enjoy a viewing of our first exhibition this year, Pillar Rock and Beyond. It is on until 31st August in the Community Gallery and will be followed in October by a much bigger exhibition at The Beacon in Whitehaven. The photo shows Chris being welcomed by museum manager, Jane Affleck.

28/07/2026

Have you popped into our community gallery yet? Honestly, you never know who you might bump into around here!

Today we were thrilled to welcome the legendary British mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, along with his wife Loreto and Mountain Heritage Trust patron Jeff Ford.

They came by to check out our latest exhibition, Today Pillar, Rock & Beyond: 200 Years of Rock Climbing, which is brought to you in partnership with the Mountain Heritage Trust

Sir Chris is a patron of the Mountain Heritage Trust and an absolute legend in the climbing world, with nineteen Himalayan expeditions under his belt, including four trips up Mount Everest!

The exhibition is running until August 31st, 2026.

Head over to our website to find out more and plan your visit! https://keswickmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/event/pillar-rock-beyond-200-years-of-rock-climbing/

10/07/2026

The Mountain Heritage Trust exhibitions are celebrating 200 years of English and Welsh rock-climbing heritage which began on Pillar Rock in Ennerdale on 9th July 1826. This history of rock-climbing features pivotal routes and climbers.
Exhibitions will be at the Keswick Museum & Art Gallery from 6th July - 31st August 2026 and The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven from 31st October 2026 - February 2027.

09/07/2026

Imagine climbing a sheer 500-foot cliff in 1826 with no modern ropes, no sticky rubber shoes, just pure grit.

Two centuries ago, a local farmer named John Atkinson scrambled up the formidable Pillar Rock in Ennerdale. He wasn't chasing lost sheep or surveying land; he did it purely for the thrill of the challenge.

With that single ascent of what we now call The Old West Route, recreational rock climbing was officially born.

By the late 1800s, this single peak had drawn over a hundred pioneering adventurers, sparking a global passion for the crags.

To honor this incredible 200-year milestone, the Mountain Heritage Trust is hosting a two-part exhibition called Pillar Rock and Beyond:

Until August 31, you can catch a special preview display in the Community Gallery here at the museum.

Then from October 31, 2026 you can dive into the complete, deep dive history of the sport's evolution at The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven

Whether you are an active climber, a weekend fellwalker, or a history buff, you won't want to miss the story of how our local hills shaped a global adventure sport.

You can find out more in the infographic
below.

Would you have been brave enough to tackle Pillar Rock 200 years ago with zero safety gear? Or are you sticking to the indoor climbing gym?

📷The Mountain Heritage Trust

09/07/2026

07/07/2026

After months of hard work the first of our two exhibitions this year is now open in the Community Gallery at Keswick Museum. Taking as a starting point John Atkinson's ascent of The Old West Route on Pillar Rock in Ennerdale on 9th July 1826 we attempt to tell the story of 200 years of rock-climbing in England and Wales highlighting significant climbs and climbers.

23/06/2026

Looking for a job in the Lake District? Experienced in the charitable sector? Excited about climbing and mountaineering history? 👀

We’re recruiting a Communications & Business Development Manager. £42k-46k PA, full-time fixed-term (initial period of 2 years, but extendable as funding is secured), based in Blencathra Field Studies Centre, Threlkeld, Cumbria (flexible hours and hybrid working by agreement).

More details available on our website

£42,000–£46,000 per annum. Full-time, fixed-term (Initial period of 2 years, but extendable as funding is secured). Blencathra Field Studies Centre, Threlkeld, Cumbria (flexible hours and hybrid working by agreement).

23/06/2026

We’re excited to announce that, after a lot of hard work from the team, we have secured a £198,00 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund!

The two-year project will enable the Trust to expand public access to its nationally significant collections through digitisation, exhibitions, outreach programmes, volunteer development and new digital resources.

A major focus of the project will be widening participation and engaging new audiences, including young people, schools, community groups and those who may not previously have connected with mountaineering heritage.

The project will also strengthen the long-term resilience of the Trust through volunteer development, partnership working, audience growth and new approaches to fundraising and income generation.

Julian Duxfield, Chair of MHT, said:

“We are delighted to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to protect, share and celebrate Britain’s rich mountaineering heritage with many more people across the UK. This funding will help us improve access to our collections, develop new partnerships, support volunteers and ensure these remarkable stories continue to inspire future generations.”

01/03/2026

Last year we were fortunate to take on the Ken Wilson collection. Those who knew Ken will appreciate the size of the cataloguing process ahead of us, but in the meantime we couldn't help but offer a glimpse at some of the beautiful material in the collection.

Ken was a force in mountaineering and climbing publishing for many years, and as such he collected many lovely portraits of the people he met and write about. Here we have a small selection of portraits of American mountaineers and climbers.

1. 📸 David Braeshears, who summitted Everest multiple times
2. 📸 John Gill, widely credited with developing bouldering in the modern form we know it today
3. 📸 Steve Wunsch, who pushed the standards of free climbing in Eldorado Canyon and The Gunks
4. 📸 Jim Erickson, who climbed alongside Wunsch

If you'd like to support this work and more please visit our donation page https://www.mountain-heritage.org/donate