Programme
The
Saturday evening presenter is Scotland's own polar explorer Craig
Mathieson. On 28 December 2004, Craig Mathieson, an accountant and
father of three, completed his lifelong dream by skiing across the
frozen wastes of Antarctica to reach the South Pole. Hauling his
160lb sledge for over 730 miles, Craig had to endure temperatures
of below -60c, hunger and injury (a ripped knee tendon) to achieve
this ultimate feat of endurance. He finished the epic adventure
in 56 days, despite his partner, Fiona Taylor, dropping out suffering
with hypothermia and frostbite.
The Royal Scottish Geographical Society officially recognised this expedition as the first ever Scottish expedition to reach the South Pole. In 2006 Craig led an expedition to the geographical North Pole. Following mental and physical preparation and training, the team were successful in taking a previously inexperienced 16 year old Scottish school boy to the Pole. Craig's talk, "Some like it cold", will cover both polar trips and his latest expedition to Greenland.
On
Friday evening we are delighted to welcome back the "Queen of the
Mountains" Catherine Destiville. Catherine’s mountaineering
accomplishments are impressive. On the 10th March 1992, it took
her 17 hours to solo the north face of the Eiger (3970 metres),
in the Bernese Oberland, a mythical rock-face, regarded as the most
fatal in the Alps. During the same year, she attempted the huge
Latok in Pakistan. In 1993, she achieved the winter solo of the
North Face of the Grandes Jorasses, and attempted the West Pillar
of the Makalu in Nepal. In 1994, she soloed in winter the Bonatti
route on the North Face of the Matterhorn.
In 1995 she climbed the South West Face of Shishapangma in Tibet,
and attempted the South Face of Annapurna. The year 1996 was a break
in her activity, because of an accident in Antarctica, but she recovered
very quickly.
In early summer 1999, Catherine climbed the Direct North Face of
Cima Grande di Lavaredo in the Italian Dolomites. Catherine was
again the first woman for this solo ascent which took her 2 days.
Catherine has been involved in making many mountaineering films,
the most notable being ones being Seo, where she solo climbs
a sandstone cliff in Mali, Rock Queen where she solo climbs
the Old Man of Hoy and her latest film Au-dela des Cimes
is often cited my climbers as their favourite climbing film. Her
talk this weekend will cover all aspects of her career and is entitled
“From Bouldering to Mountain Climbing”.
Our films are of a high standard as usual with a selection of the best award winning films from the Banff World Tour and new films from local and international film makers, some shown for the first time in the UK. A full downloadable programme will appear later.
