What should you do when you fail on a 6,000 metre peak or a high pass in the Himalayas? Should you walk on or turn back?
This evening Tony shares a video of when he walked back to the Annapurna range in Nepal to deal with some unfinished business.

Look forward to seeing you all there. Drinks from 7pm and talk starts at 8pm

Oli is a 21-year-old explorer, photographer, writer, and aspiring filmmaker.

Oli recently got back from an expedition to survey an area of unexplored Sumatran jungle, make a first ascent of the 3080m Mount Kurik, and cross the island on foot (https://maptia.com/olibhead/stories/sumatran-megatransect-mount-kurik).

In 2015 Oli spent 2 months walking across South India from the Bay of Bengal (East Coast) to the Arabian Sea (West Coast). Key events include a 450km detour to avoid a mountain pass which had just witnessed two consecutive leopard attacks, sleeping rough in fields frequented by tigers, facing torrential monsoon rain with no tent, and trekking in the cloud forests of the Western Ghats (http://www.sidetracked.com/big-cats-and-bus-shelters/).

Oli will be giving a presentation on his adventures to date

Drinks from 7pm and talk starts at 8pm

The AGM is an important process in determining the future direction of the club so it's important to have as many club members there as we can to ensure everyones voices are heard. From ensuring you get the right candidates for the appropriate committee positions to ensuring everyone can provide feedback and vote, a well run AGM will ensure that preparations for the rest of the year are on track.

Please make every effort to attend the AGM this year. 7pm start.

***THERE IS A FREE DRINK FOR THE FIRST 20 PEOPLE TO ARRIVE***

Please note change in venue:

Ye Old Cock Tavern, EC4Y 1AA

Come along to our next gathering of climbers and walkers in the London and South East area and get involved in the work of the BMC.

Date: Wednesday 12 April 2017, starting at 7.00pm

Area meetings are run by volunteers and are your chance to join in with debate and influence decisions about what happens in your area as well as the rest of the country.

A major talking point of the meeting will no doubt be the motion of ‘no confidence’ in the BMC Executive Committee, which will be voted on at the BMC AGM on 22 April – members can also vote by proxy if they won’t be attending the AGM. Simon Lee, our commercial partnerships manager will be at the meeting to talk about and discuss affinity partnerships, and hill walking development officer Carey Davies will also attend, to hear feedback from the last Mend Our Mountains campaign, and talk about plans for a follow-up initiative this year.

James McHaffie talk
Guest speaker for the evening is the super-talented rock climber James McHaffie, whose talk will roam far and high from new routing and UK trad to the big walls of Yosemite. James is also a BMC ambassador, and the BMC youth & partnerships officer.

All are welcome; food will be provided by the BMC.

Raffle prize kindly donated by Cold Mountain Kit

See the BMC Local Areas site for more details of the meeting

Tristan Gooley is an author and natural navigator.

Tristan set up his natural navigation school in 2008 and is the author of the award-winning and bestselling books, The Natural Navigator (2010), The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues & Signs (2014) and How to Read Water (2016), three of the world’s only books covering natural navigation.

Tristan has written for the Sunday Times, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC and many magazines.

Tristan has led expeditions in five continents, climbed mountains in Europe, Africa and Asia, sailed small boats across oceans and piloted small aircraft to Africa and the Arctic. He has walked with and studied the methods of the Tuareg, Bedouin and Dayak in some of the most remote regions on Earth.

He is the only living person to have both flown solo and sailed singlehandedly across the Atlantic and is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Royal Geographical Society. He is Vice Chairman of the UK's largest independent travel company, Trailfinders.

Tristan has appeared on TV and radio programmes in the UK and internationally, including The Today Programme, Night Waves, Countryfile, BBC Stargazing Live, Country Tracks, Ramblings, Open Country, Shipwrecks, The One Show and All Roads Lead Home.

Tristan will be giving a presentation on "The wonderful world of natural navigation"

Tristan blends natural science, myth, folklore and the history of travel to introduce you to the rare and ancient art of finding your way using nature’s own sign-posts, from the feel of a rock to a glance at the moon.

With Tristan’s help, you’ll learn why some trees grow the way they do and how they can help you find your way in the countryside. You’ll discover how it’s possible to find North simply by looking at a puddle and how natural signs can be used to navigate on the open ocean and in the heart of the city.

http://naturalnavigator.com/books-and-library/the-natural-navigator

Drinks from 7pm and talk starts at 8pm

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the famous LMC 'Viking' ascent of the East Face route spearheaded by Ralph Hale back in 2006, a small hit-squad of three LMC-ers set off in May 2016 to re-create this classic ascent complete with horned viking helmet.

Drinks from 7pm and talk starts at 8pm

Thanks to those who have already completed the survey regarding club socials, for those who have not yet completed it please take 2mins to fill it in as ideas generated will shape club socials going forward, the more club contributions we have the better

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MQYP9DK

Titled ‘Of Mountains and Men’, and with a foreword by legendary British mountaineer Stephen Venables, this book is a real life, detective-like quest to explore why climbing mountains for some is a search for their soul.

Author Mateo Cabello joins us to share his experiences whilst writing this book which tells the story of three Oxford students (William Bell, Ian McKean and James Ogilvie), killed together on the Matterhorn in 1948. Mateo was inspired to find out more about their lives, hopes and dreams. In doing so, he unearthed a story about passion and zest for life, which is what this book is really about, with post-war Britain as a background; a story that will resonate not only with climbers and mountaineers but in general with any person passionate about the great outdoors.

Drinks from 7pm and talk starts at 8pm

Bored of the normal London life, Gemma revisited her childhood love of the mountains in 2015 with a life changing trip to Nepal - kick starting her life as a novice mountaineer.

With 2017 bringing a dual Alpine adventure in the Matterhorn and the Eiger, Gemma will be sharing more about her adventures to date along with how she's been preparing for her 2017 challenges.

She'll also provide insight into how she builds the mental resilience required for climbing at altitude and the physical requirements to tackle some of the Alps most well known peaks.

https://gemlaurensmith.com/home/

Drinks from 7pm and talk starts at 8pm

London based, Iranian born mum of two, Shirin Shabestari explores the pivoting role climbing with her dad played in her life as a young girl growing up in Iran. Shirin will be showing a short film on Damavand and will be talking about how she started leading expeditions in Iran. Shirin will also be discussing Iran as a destination for mountaineering looking at its potential for outdoor pursuits and adventure travel. She will also touch on travel practicalities and the challenges of travelling to Iran for outdoor enthusiasts.

Drinks from 7pm and talk starts at 8pm

Jo is an Outdoor Instructor and Expedition Leader, travelling all over the UK for DofE and all over the world for big mountain challenges but life hasn't always been that way. She started off her working life training horses then moved into business management, and being a risk averse, no saying, height fearing comfort living girl, adventure was never on the radar. Saying yes once gradually changed all that and last year she stood on top of Everest, having survived the tragic earthquake in Nepal in 2015. To say life has changed is an understatement! Jo will walk you through her former self, how she challenged her fears and why her work, the 7 summits and children's mental health charity Place2Be are so important to her #onelife #findyoureverest

Cancelled as venue being refurbished

CANCELLED

This years LMC Christmas party will be at Dishoom (Kings Cross branch) on Wednesday Dec 13th

As we have a large group there is a set menu of sharing dishes (vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes available). The cost is £30pp.

We have a limited number of spaces for the Christmas dinner so drop me an e-mail at alibyrnie@gmail.com if you would like to reserve a space

Dinner is booked for 8pm but theres space for a drink or two at the bar for those who arrive early :)

https://dishoom.zendesk.com/attachments/token/uf3MMJlF9pXW3HoOQfMa1yhqz/?name=Christmas_Feast_London_2017_WEB.pdf

***Fully Booked***