2026-2027


A list of this season's talks appears below, click on an individual entry for more information.

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    Wallace’s Grand Adventure

    October 6th

    Mark Stratton

    Mark recalls the exploits of the great evolutionary biologist Alfred Russel Wallace, tracing his travels by sea from West Papua in Indonesia to the little-known Maluku Islands.

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    On Thin Ice: A Siberian Winter’s Walk

    October 20th

    Charlie Walker

    In 2022 Charlie hiked 600km along the frozen surface of a remote Arctic river to reach indigenous peoples - horse breeders, fur trappers and reindeer herders.

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    In the Steps of Eric Shipton

    November 3rd

    Stephen Venables

    Eric Shipton, one of the greatest mountain explorers of the twentieth century, inspired Stephen, the first Briton to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen.

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    The Wonderful World of Natural Navigation

    November 17th

    Tristan Gooley

    Tristan takes us on solo crossings of the Atlantic in a small yacht and a light aircraft, and reveals how these journeys led to a career searching for signs in nature.

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    Members’ Evening Talks

    December 1st


    Hear from members about their travels and adventures. Talks cover different parts of the world and many forms of travel. Great inspiration for your next trip.

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    The Cave Elephants of Mt. Elgon

    December 15th

    Stephen Powles

    Mt Elgon is an extinct volcano straddling the Kenya Uganda border. It is home to a unique population of elephants who visit the caves to “mine” the mineral-rich rock.

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    Mountains, Marathons and Movies

    January 5th

    Jo Bradshaw

    Over the past decade, Jo has completed the Seven Summits, the world’s highest marathon and made films, discovering that the real journey begins long after the summit is reached.

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    The Nine Times I Nearly Died

    January 19th

    Benedict Allen

    The exciting times of ‘extreme explorer’ Benedict from when he was chased in the Amazon by Pablo Escobar, to his latest venture with the reindeer herders of Mongolia.

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    River Oxus: From Source to Sea

    February 2nd

    Sophie Ibbotson

    Sophie will speak about her search for the river’s source in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor and her journeys following its course across Central Asia to the Aral Sea.

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    A Journey Through Festivity

    February 16th

    Daniel Stables

    A journey through the vibrant tapestry of human festivity,with a series of travel narratives exploring the joy, chaos and vibrancy of celebrations across the world.

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    The Slow Road to Tehran

    March 2nd

    Rebecca Lowe

    At the height of the Syrian War, Rebecca set off by bicycle to the Middle East, driven by a desire to learn more about this troubled region and its relationship with the West.

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    Enchanted Islands: A Mediterranean Odyssey

    March 16th

    Laura Coffey

    Across the ages people have tried to map the fantastical lands that Odysseus visits to actual locations. Inspired by these theories, Laura set out on an odyssey of her own.

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    On A Wing and a Prayer

    April 6th

    John Blashford-Snell

    The story of the Kota Mama VI expedition seeking a meteorite impact in the Amazon basin and the delivery of a pedal organ to a remote tribe.

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    AGM & The Shrink in the Drink

    April 20th

    Andrew Hill-Smith

    In 2023, retired psychiatrist Andrew became only the third person to attempt an extraordinary feat: circumnavigating Britain’s entire coastline in a 13-foot dinghy.

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