JD Hooker Illustration Greeting Cards

The Alpine Club are pleased to present a pair of greeting cards featuring illustrations by 19th century British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker. The illustartions in question feature the Blue Himalayan Poppy and a Magnolia, and are taken from Hooker's 1855 book 'Illustrations of Himalayan Plants'.

The inside of the cards is left blank for your message, making them appropriate for a wide variety of occasions.

They are available in packs of 10, with 5 cards of each design, at a price of £7 plus UK postage of £2 for 1-2 packs and £3 for 3 packs (or each multiple of 3). For international shipping, please contact the Alpine Club Office.

The cards can be purchased using the PayPal checkout below or by cheque made payable to 'Alpine Club' and sent for the attention of The Alpine Club Office Manager, 55 Charlotte Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3QF.  

Expedition Essentials for Women Explorers 2023

Have you done Scottish winter climbing or been to the Alps and are yearning for more adventure? Have you been on a commercial expedition and want to do something similar with friends? You might be planning an expedition right now! If any of these apply, or you just want to know more, Expedition Essentials for Women Explorers is for you!

What: An event focused on answering the questions of women climbers who want to take part in expeditions.

When & Where: 28 & 29 January 2023 at The National Outdoor Centre, Plas y Brenin, LL24 0ET.

Cost: £35 for Alpine Club and BMC members; £70 for non-members. (Price includes all lectures and workshops plus lunch and dinner on the Saturday).

Who: The event is sponsored by the Alpine Club, BMC, Mount Everest Foundation and Montane, with sessions delivered by experienced expedition climbers and experts in the field.

Tickets: Book your tickets via the BMC Website. (You will need to create an account to book, but this is straightforward and has no additional cost).

Contact: If you have any concerns or questions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

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Tailored specifically for women, this is a fabulous opportunity to learn about the skills, knowledge, mental and physical preparation you need for a successful expedition and how to get that all important grant to help you on your way.

Speakers include experienced expedition skier Iona Pawson, expedition veteran Susan Jensen, four time Piolet d’Or winner Paul Ramsden and the climbing star Fay Manners. Fay, alongside Line van den Berg made the first female ascent of ‘Phantom Direct’ on the huge south face of the Grandes Jorasses in the Mont Blanc massif. We are also pleased to confirm that the line up now also features Montane Ambassador Katy Parrott and Guinness book of records holder Masha Gordon.

Experts on nutrition, menstrual cycles on expeditions, expedition first aid, safety in the mountains and the psychological aspects of expeditioning will be sharing their knowledge in a series of participatory talks and interactive workshops throughout the day.

On Sunday there will be an opportunity for informal discussion over a coffee with many of the speakers. If you are planning an expedition, this is an ideal opportunity to ask searching questions on any aspect of your expedition.

You can view the full programme for the weekend here.

The Plas y Brenin climbing wall will be open for delegates to use free of charge on the Sunday. If you would like to use the wall, please email Helen or Emily at Plas y Brenin on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Pritchard and Porter Nominated in Banff Mountain Book Competition

Alpine Club members John Porter and Paul Pritchard are among the nominees in this year's Banff Mountain Book Competition.

John is nominated in the Mountain Fiction and Poetry category for his new book 'A Path of Shadows' which brings together poems and essays from over 50 years of writing. Meanwhile, Paul's new autobiographical work 'The Mountain Path' is nominated in the Mountain Literature category. Paul's book has also been shortlisted for this year's Boardman Tasker Award.

A full list of the category nominees and details of the competition can be found here.