This meeting will be held online in zoom in line with UK Covid-19 regulations.
This month we have:
AGM: The clubs AGM starts at 12:30 pm (card carrying members only), then at 2.00 pm the meeting begins
Speaking this month at 2pm we have: (Get Tickets)
1st. Paul Gillingham – Across Spain the Roman Way, At a Snail’s Pace.
“What have the Romans ever done for us?” scoffs John Cleese in Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’.
Plenty, discover Paul and his son, who cross Spain along the ancient Roman routes, Via Augusta and Via de la Plata
Their 800 mile bike ride starting from the Roman city of Gades (Cadiz) takes them through Andalusia, Extremadura and Castilla y Leon, provinces where the Romans left their mark with bridges and roads, aqueducts, theatres, circuses and baths.
They then head for the hills of Galicia along the Camino Sanabres, completing their journey at the post-Roman shrine of St James in Santiago de Compostela.
Paul taught history in UK, Canada, Tanzania and Hong Kong before becoming a journalist and broadcaster. He began as a TV newsreader in Hong Kong in the 70’s (see Paul Gillingham, HK TV via Google), returning to UK as a TV presenter, and went on to produce travel features from around the world for BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service and Classic FM. He has written many articles on travel and a book, ‘At the Peak: A History of Hong Kong Between the Wars’ (Macmillan, 1983).
The highlights of his career include: a spell in the Swedish Merchant Navy, a month in a Rwandan refugee camp during the genocide, meeting Ginger Rogers on Broadway and interviewing, among others, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Quentin Crisp, Little Richard and the sons of Martin Luther King and Mussolini.
2nd: Alan Palmer – In Search of ‘Attaland
Travels in The South of Morocco
Morocco first began to capture Alan’s imagination while he was on a fleeting visit to the country in 1979. He returned to complete his first ascent of Jebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in north Africa, in 1986, and has remained a frequent visitor, trekking regularly, ever since. During this time, he has developed a particular fascination for the Berber Aït ‘Atta warrior tribe which valiantly resisted the French occupation of their country, culminating in their honourable surrender at the Battle of Bou Gafer in 1933. In this talk, Alan describes how and why he has been slowly but inexorably drawn towards the Ait ‘Atta and his exploration of ‘Attaland, their homeland, which stretches from the snowy peaks of Jebel Azourki in the Central High Atlas Mountains, across the barren slopes of Jebel Sahro, to the green oasis of Nekob in Morocco’s deep south.
Alan is Founder and Director of Yak Travel, his company which organises bespoke treks and tours through rarely explored regions of Morocco and North-East India.
He is author of Moroccan Atlas the Trekking Guide (Trailblazer Publications) and has also contributed to three other guide books, Pakistan and The Silk Road (both published by Insight Guides), and the Rough Guide to Morocco. Additionally, he regularly writes articles for travel magazines and travel books and frequently delivers talks and presentations on Morocco, North-East India and Burma (Myanmar) at travel clubs and shows, both in England and in India.
He is:
- a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS)
- a member of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs (RSAA)
- a life member of the British Moroccan Society (BMS)
- a member of the Pakistan Society
- Secretary of The 153 Club (Sahara)
- a member of The Globetrotters Club
- TripAdvisor Destination Expert (DE) for Morocco
Find out more at:
- http://www.yaktravel.co.uk/
- YouTube –https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbeFQsXbenMiGh9bhm50TdQ
The talk by Derek Mansfield – Riding the Scythian Empire has had to be postponed.
You only need one ticket per screen, not one for each person watching or attending.
Date And Time
Sat, 7 Nov 2020, AGM 12:30, talks 14:00 GMT (London time)
For forthcoming meetings we have
- a suggested donation £2-3 for members to help with our costs. Members will be emailed a ticket code link allowing access to this option or you can access it from the members area.
- a donation of £5-6 for non-members, non-members may join the club for £12 per year and get this and future meetings at members rate for £12, members can also watch the 3 previous online talks, members also receive Globe our members magazine and our annual members calendar, why not join and enter your pictures.
- a catch up to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders. (Members can also watch the previous online talks)
Chat comments on Paul Gillingham – Across Spain the Roman Way, At a Snail’s Pace.
15:28:30 From Emily Gillingham : Fantastic talk Dad!
15:28:41 From Helen Stewart : Brilliant and fascinating, thank you Paul! ????
15:29:18 From Jessica Gillingham : Brilliant talk Dad! so glad I got to hear it ‘live’.
15:29:19 From Gary Bagnall : Thank you very much, Paul. Your stories are entertaining as always.
15:29:20 From Hemant Amin : Fab talk. Would like to do this route.
15:29:46 From Grazyna Bonati : Very enjoyable and wonderful photos.
15:29:47 From Svatka Hermanek : Thanks. Wonderful presentation.
15:30:13 From Angela Byrne : Thank you Paul, it brings back good memories of cycle tours through Spain with Chris Juden
15:30:22 From Anna Gillingham : Fascinating journey and tales, pa. Loved it, thank you!
15:30:44 From Peter Hackman : Great talk Paul. Inspiring
15:30:46 From Rosemary Spalding : Great talk Paul. Really enjoyed rel
15:30:51 From Leyre Arroyo Abaroa : Soooo interesting and fun. For me very touching too!. I am so glad the kids let me watch it all.
15:30:58 From Doreen Tayler : Well done Paul, excellent presentation. It went very well and admire you for taking on the trip and the talk. congrats.
15:31:08 From Peter Hackman : Thanks
15:31:45 From carol : Really enjoyed your talk and pictures Paul,
15:31:59 From Rosemary Spalding : visiting Cadiz and Jerez and seeing the rest of the route for the first time. Whetted my appetite. Thank you,
15:32:10 From Paul Avison : Very interesting talk, thanks Paul. We’ll add the route to our growing list.
15:32:10 From Chris Forse : Loved the journey. Well done. Who put the bikes back together?1
15:32:27 From Patricia Wager : Brilliant talk. Thank you, Paul
15:54:10 From Stephen Jones : Thank you Paul, I very much enjoyed your talk
Chat comments on Alan Palmer – In Search of ‘Attaland
17:20:22 From Grazyna Bonati : Fabulous talk. Thank you!
17:21:32 From Pamela Davies-Ratcliffe : Thank you Alan. A fascinating trek!!
17:21:56 From Steve Parry : Great talk, thank you Alan.
17:22:18 From Dan Bachmann : Great talk …. Q:
17:22:53 From Svatka Hermanek : Fantastic! Lots of great info, and lots of research prior to your journeys. Thanks.
17:22:58 From Doreen Tayler : Always a brilliant speaker. lively, entertaining and informative. Thank you Alan
17:23:02 From yeon barrow : great presentations! thank you
17:23:21 From Gerard O’MARA : Wonderful talk – thanks very much Alan
17:23:27 From Dan Bachmann : You are making records to be treasured by future generations. How are you documenting these stories/facts? How will they find your work in 50 years time?
17:23:58 From Jan Parsons : Thanks again Alan. Greatly enjoyed your talk at Guildford Travel Cub
17:46:29 From pamela gillingham@ : Very much enjoyed your talk. Thank you