In this thought provoking and beautifully illustrated new lecture, the mountaineer, filmmaker, award winning author and poet John Porter will recount some of the experiences that shaped his life.

John is arguably one of the most accomplished but understated mountaineers of his generation. He made pioneering ascents of the North Face of Bandaka and the South Buttress of Changabang. Neither route has been repeated.

The talk encompasses nearly 70 years of a life informed by adventure, from childhood tragedies to major first ascents with some of the world’s best climbers. Like many of his friends, he was committed to the idea of alpinism, climbing in very small teams without the use of oxygen or any outside support. The race was on to do the purist lines before they were climbed by fixed ropes expeditions. There were many successes, and many tragic failures. He and his friends have been dubbed; “the generation that nearly climbed itself into extinction.” They embraced risk as an essential part of life.

Yet climbing is only a small part of John’s life. He will talk about his many other adventures from leaving American at the age of 20 to start a new life in the UK: how he brought New Balance to Cumbria, his award-winning writing and filmmaking, and work for various charities.

7.30pm | 1 hr 10 mins plus Q & A (no interval)
£10 Full
£8 Concession