The Alpine Club, the world’s first mountaineering club, was founded in 1857. For over 150 years, members have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration.
With membership, experienced and aspiring alpinists benefit from a varied meets programme, regional lectures with notable guest speakers, reduced rates at many alpine huts, opportunity to apply for grants to support expeditions, significant discounts at many UK retailers, extensive networking contacts, access to the AC Library and maps - and more!
Becoming a Member
This visually stunning and thought-provoking lecture was first presented at the Banff Mountain Book Festival in 2022 where John’s book 'A Path of Shadows' was shortlisted in the literature competition. The book is a biographical record of the inspiration the author has found in over sixty years of a life dedicated to mountaineering and mountain culture. The lecture includes readings both from the poems and essays in the book, and asks the question, ‘Are we living in an extreme landscape on an unclimbed Himalayan peak, or on a city street crowded with people and skyscrapers?' The answer perhaps lies in an evolutionary path we have yet to truly begin.