2015-2016  50th Anniversary Season


We hope that you will join us to celebrate the Club's 50th season, including our golden anniversary event on April 19th.

  • Rusted old car

    Southern Africa's Toughest Trek

    October 6th

    Lee Farmer

    In 2014 Lee Farmer led a small team through the Namib-Naukluft desert of Namibia on reputedly the toughest trek in Southern Africa. The team were self-supported as no other people were encountered in this petrified desert area.

  • Balkan gentlemen in animated conversation

    A Balkan Adventure

    October 20th

    John Pilkington

    In 2013 John spent the summer walking and hitch-hiking from Trieste to Istanbul, enjoying the mountains and meeting people in remote villages, travelling through Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania, Greek Macedonia and Bulgaria.

  • Felicty hauling her sled across the ice

    Alone In Antarctica

    November 3rd

    Felicity Aston

    In November 2011, Felicity Aston is left completely alone on the coast of Antarctica. The isolation is instant and devastating. Only two people had crossed Antarctica alone; Felicity was to become the third

  • OMO valley children decorating their faces

    Members' Social & Ethiopia – History and Culture

    November 17th

    Elizabeth and Ben Baker

    Join us for our annual social evening. This year we have a golden anniversary quiz, BYO buffet and a short talk given by two former committee members on the history and culture of Ethiopia.

  • Portrait of Vedda man

    Sri Lanka – Elephant Complex

    December 1st

    John Gimlette

    John travels through Sri Lanka, trying to make sense of the country as it emerges from 26 years of civil war. Along the way he meets elephant experts, tea-planters, terrorists, politicians and soldiers.

  • Oli and bike silhouette at sunset

    Cycling to The Ashes

    December 15th

    Oli Broom

    Oli pedalled through 23 countries from London to Brisbane to cycle to the Ashes. On the way he played cricket with the national teams of Hungary, Serbia and Turkey, desert nomads in Sudan, and Google executives in India.

  • golden domes and crosses of Siberian church

    Secret Siberia

    January 5th

    Paul Whittle

    Paul is just back from an amazing 2,500 mile trip by rail across Siberia from Vladivostok to Lake Baikal. He will show lovely photos of the scenery, Soviet-built secret cities, the fortifications at Vladivostok and of course Lake Baikal.

  • Leon and some Iranian taxi drivers

    Human Power Along Iran's Longest River

    January 19th

    Leon McCarron

    Leon and Tom Allen follow the River Karun from its humble origins in the Zagros Mountains, to the Persian Gulf. They travel by foot, packraft, and bicycle. As well as mayhem, madness and misery, Leon also had the time of his life.

  • vietnamese boat

    Vietnam – A Land of Contrasts and Colour

    February 2nd

    Sam Manicom

    Hiring local scooters, Sam and his partner explore Vietnam. There we will find that there are more cultural contrasts than perhaps any small country should hold, and enough vibrant colours to make an artist’s palette battle to keep up.

  • African Renaiassance monument

    Around Africa by Public Transport

    February 16th

    Ian Packham

    In a 25,000 mile journey through 31 countries, Ian attempted to complete the first solo circumnavigation of Africa by public transport. He used bush taxis, flatbed trucks, dugout canoes, and a van delivering freshly-made meat pies.

  • Everest view from Gokyo-Ri

    Trekking the High Himalaya

    March 1st

    Kev Reynolds

    Kev walks among the world’s highest mountains from the remote far west of Nepal into Sikkim, exploring valleys rarely visited by Westerners – taking in the Annapurna, Everest and Langtang ranges.

  • cliff tombs at Revash

    Northern Peru Revisited

    March 15th

    Hilary Bradt

    Hilary Bradt, co-founder of Bradt Travel Guides, will share some of her experiences of travelling in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca, plus an exploration of the little known pre-Inca ruins and natural wonders of the Chachapoyas region.

  • Sona Camp

    AGM & Ethiopia – Trekking the Simien Mountains

    April 5th

    Jenny Allan and Andrew Luyten

    Jenny and Andrew bring us their experiences of trekking in the isolated splendour of the rocky plateaus of the Simien mountains, encountering the indigenous wildlife including the Gelada Baboon and Lammergeier.

  • Tiraspol and Lenin

    50th Anniversary Event – Back in the USSR: Heroic Adventures in Transnistria

    April 19th

    Rory MacClean and Nick Danziger

    Join Rory, best-selling travel writer, as he recounts his and award-winning photographer Nick Danziger's remarkable journey to Transnistria, a nowhereland hugging a narrow valley near the Black Sea, Europe’s secret state. This is a special ticketed event, free to members. Wine and canapés included.

These are the main items of the programme, but they may be subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control. Other events will be announced at the meetings and in our newsletters.

Download this season's programme as a pdf file

Download this season's programme as a calendar file


Members' Evenings:

Members' evenings are given during the season, for members by members, either in their own homes or in the small hall at Onslow Village Hall. Full details and bookings will be available at regular Club meetings.

We would like to be able to offer a programme of Members' Evenings this season, so if you have digital photographs or slides and have some interesting travels to share, please let us know!