We
were delighted that Kev Reynolds (left) was our speaker for April in his own
words he said; "I'm the man with the
world's best job, earning a modest crust by writing and lecturing about some
of the most scenically spectacular places on earth; spending many weeks each
year with camera, notebook and tape recorder wandering among mountains
straight out of dreams. Someone once said that all who love the wild places
are incurable dreamers. That's certainly true of me! How about you?
Should your dreams include mountains of the Alps, Pyrenees or the high Himalaya - or perhaps the more modest landscapes of southern England - maybe through my guidebooks (or lectures) I can help you turn those dreams into your own personal reality. It's what I'm about. So let me share with you some of the most magical places. There's plenty of them."
In partnership with Cicerone Press, he has produced more than two dozen guidebooks for walkers and trekkers. Guides that indicate the where, the why and the how to make the most of your outdoor holiday, whether that be in various corners of Europe, or in Nepal.
His superb talk highlighted his 40-year love affair with mountains: from Snowdonia to the Himalaya by way of the Caucasus of Russia, High Atlas of Morocco, the Alps, Pyrenees, Corsica, Turkey and the Peruvian Andes. Kev continued "But it is not just the delights of mountain scenery and adventures to be found there, but the variety of flowers, animals and people too."
Kev enhance his presentation with about fifty superb photographs from his various treks and projects, only a sample are shown below, but between the slides a commentary that was pure poetry seemingly flowing from one picture to the next giving a fine impression of a film, this was inspiring and imaginative that held the fifty plus membership enthralled.
There were addition of individual cases of local hospitality, coupled with coldness and hardship endured, plus the delighted of the heart warming experiences, such as:-
When Kev arranged a 24 day hike for a guy who has lost his sight and yet wished to see the Himalayan Rhododendron forest in bloom and when there could only tell the difference between light and shade rather as he said a Venetian blind, it was then the Nepalese guide scaled a tree (they grow to 80 feet) and returned with a cluster of blooms, not just to smell but was able to pour the nectar into the blind guys hands so he was able to drink the beauties of creation as well as being there.
This was a great presentation and David Smart with our Club's vote of thanks, complimented Kev on the pure quality of the pictures which ranged from majestic mountains to miniature plant growing in the most impassable places on earth, a top grade lecture and the membership approved in our traditional manner.
All images on this page are © Kev Reynolds more on his website http://www.kevreynolds.co.uk/
"The Club accepts no responsibility for any statement, views, opinions of whatsoever nature expressed or given above which is just a summary of a talk given to the Club and does not necessarily reflect those of the Club or its members."