Talks & Films
Friday night at the South Scotland Outdoor Festival throws you headfirst into stories that don’t sit still. This is where ordinary ends - and the wild begins. Expect raw, unfiltered tales from people who’ve pushed way beyond comfort: world-record cycling missions, brutal Pacific crossings, freezing wild swims, lung-burning trail runs, and mountain biking at full throttle.
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These aren’t armchair adventures. These are real stories from real people who’ve tested their limits - and then kept going.
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And just when you think you’ve seen it all… there’s even stone skimming, taken to obsessive, unexpected extremes.
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Come for the films. Stay for the stories. Leave with the itch to go further.
The Maclean Brothers
21:00 - Main Stage
Meet the Maclean brothers - known for taking on some of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet.
On Friday night, they bring their extraordinary Pacific Ocean row to the South Scotland Outdoor Festival. Their journey saw them battle isolation, sleep deprivation, relentless storms and the sheer scale of the open ocean - a test of resilience few ever experience.
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Through a gripping short film, live talk and audience Q&A, they’ll share what it really takes to cross an ocean under your own power, the highs that keep you going, and the moments that nearly break you.
This is a story of endurance, teamwork and pushing far beyond the limits most of us will ever face.
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Hear it first-hand. Ask your questions. Step inside the journey.
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Mark Beaumont
20:45 - Main Stage
Join Mark Beaumont, the world-record breaking cyclist who redefined what’s possible on two wheels.
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Best known for cycling around the world in just 80 days, Mark has spent his career pushing the limits of human endurance - riding across continents, through extreme climates, and against the clock. His journeys are as much about mental strength as physical resilience, navigating isolation, exhaustion and the relentless demand to keep moving.
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On Friday night, experience his story through an inspiring talk, film highlights and live Q&A. Go behind the scenes of record-breaking rides, and hear what it really takes to sustain performance day after day on a global scale.
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This is ultra-endurance at its absolute edge.
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Tracy Moseley - 7 Stanes in 7 Days
19:45 - Main Stage
Join mountain biking legend Tracy Moseley for a different kind of journey - one that blends elite performance with everyday life.
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In her 7 Stanes in 7 Days challenge, Tracy set out to ride every trail centre across the South of Scotland in a single week, linking together long days on the bike with the realities of family life. It’s a story that weaves together her years at the top of professional mountain biking with the balance, perspective and motivation that come beyond competition.
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Through film, a live talk and Q&A, Tracy shares a more personal side of riding - the joy of being out on the trails, the challenge of fitting big goals around real life, and what keeps the passion going long after the podiums.
This is mountain biking not just at its fastest - but at its most meaningful.
Elise Downing
19:00 - Main Stage
Elise is a trail runner and writer. Her biggest claim to fame was being the first woman to run 5,000 miles around the UK coast aged just 24, a feat she couldn't have been less qualified for. Since then she's completed many more self-supported adventures and iconic ultramarathons like the CCC by UTMB, Lavaredo Ultra Trail and Transgrancanaria.
She's the author of Coasting (one of the The Times Best Sports Books of 2021) and Walk Britain, a guidebook of 90 car-free hiking routes.
She now lives in Cumbria, where she's attempting to get better at running up and down hills and find the best post-run cafe spot.
Sara Barnes
18:00 - Main Stage
On two occasions in 2025, author and filmmaker, Sara Barnes nearly died in hospital. It taught her that life is incredibly short and can turn on a sixpence. Through her social media presence she tries to encourage every person to understand that we’re not being invited back, so let’s make the most of every moment.
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The author of two bestselling books: The Cold Fix and The Winter of Our Lives, Sara’s writing is inspired by being immersed (often literally) in the landscape around her. She has recently been a guest speaker at Ilkley Literature Festival and Fort William Mountain Festival. The Cold Fix is a touchy feely account of how it feels to allow the cold water to embrace you and change your life, while her debut novel The Winter of Our Lives is a Lake District love letter to growing older, falling back in love with yourself and healing through the power of cold water, friendship and trust.
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Sara is someone who may inspire you in some way to find yourself or she may help you navigate life’s challenges more confidently by spending more time in the outdoors …
Sink or Skim
17:10 - Main Stage
Sink or Skim is a film about obsession, precision, and the pursuit of the perfect throw.
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Dive into the surprisingly intense world of stone skimming, where split-second technique meets years of dedication. What looks simple at first glance quickly becomes something else entirely - a craft honed through patience, failure, and a relentless drive to go further… or just one bounce more.
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On Friday night, watch the film and then hear directly from the director and a world stone skimming champion in a live Q&A. Go behind the scenes of the film, the culture, and the mindset behind mastering something so deceptively small.
Because sometimes, the biggest stories come from the smallest stones.