THE book festival part of Kendal Mountain Film Festival is attracting some of the top nature writers in the world.

Three of the best will team up at the town's Brewery Arts Centre on Saturday, November 10 (8pm), to look at the resurgence in popularity of books about the environment and nature.

Richard Mabey, described as the godfather of nature writing'; Scottish poet and writer Kathleen Jamie; and Canadian journalist John Vaillant - all major award-winners - will be in conversation with writer and journalist Ed Douglas, talking about their work and their relationship with the natural world.

The 20th International Festival of Mountaineering Literature also features live music, readings, discussions, conversations and debates on the theme of When is Adventure Madness? at the Brewery on Saturday (November 10, 10.30am-6.30pm).

The day after (Sunday, November 11), Nicholas Crane will be presenting and entertaining at 2.30pm at the Brewery. The event is sponsored by the Lake District National Park Authority and hosted by its chief executive Richard Leafe.

Other literary-linked events include An Audience with Doug Scott on November 15, (2pm) at Kendal Library; The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful at Kendal Town Hall on November 16 (7.30pm), with Al Alvarez, Andy Cave, and Greg Child; and on Saturday, November 17, there will be a book signing, including among others, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Sir Ranulph will be at lakes leisure kendal at 9pm, but will also be across town at Waterstone's bookstore at 2.45pm.

Also on the book front will be the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature 2007 on November 16. From 1.30pm-3pm, the shortlisted authors will chat about their work, followed at 4pm by the awards ceremony.

Meanwhile, there are five stunning art exhibitions running at the Brewery.

In the Warehouse Gallery, there is a joint retrospective of fine art prints by Sir Chris Bonington and Tony Riley - Near and Far - as well as paintings by the living artists of the Alpine Club.

Henry Idden's Lakes By Night photographs are on show in the Introbar, and up in the Sugar Store there will be Symphony for Mountains, a photographic exhibition by Si Homfray.

Last, but not least, gracing the walls of the Corn Store Gallery will be Iconic photographs from the Alpine Club.

All the exhibitions run until November 18, when the curtain comes down on the festival.

All tickets are available from the Brewery Arts Centre box office or website www.mountainfilm.co.uk.

The Waterstone's event is free.