THE final talk of the season was given by Chris Johnson and was a thrilling account of his trek to (and up!) K2, in the Chinese Korakorum.

With a summit almost as high as that of Everest, this was never going to be an afternoon stroll, but was challenging, in the extreme.

Starting from base-camp in a fleet of sturdy trucks, the terrain meant that these had to be abandoned and the party transferred its equipment to a train of camels.

The scenes captured on camera were breathtaking and included not only the majestic scenery, but any flora and fauna equipped to survive the extreme cold. The mountains appeared frighteningly stark and inhospitable and the trail led the intrepid explorers across glaciers, along narrow defiles and up what appeared to me to be sheer cliffs.

As the temperature fell and the going got more difficult, the camels were relieved of their burdens and returned to base. With the help of Sherpas, the party now had to carry all the equipment needed for the final ascent.

Chris's description of the measures the party needed to take just to prevent the cold from freezing them as they slept, made us all shiver.

We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share what must be one of the most challenging holidays on the planet. Where will he go next, I wonder! Wherever it is, I'm sure it will make for another fascinating evening for the Society's armchair travellers.

I'm in the process of preparing next year's programme of speakers for our monthly meetings. If any reader has someone to recommend, I'd be grateful for relevant details. 01531 632247

MARY WINFIELD