AFTER a break of two and a half years, The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) has announced a return to face to face talks in what has become widely regarded as the best national talks programme in Scotland.

Taking place in 13 towns and cities around Scotland, and with an added monthly on-line extra talk, RSGS is hosting 96 talks between September 2022 and March 2023.

Including six at the Scottish Borders Campus, Nether Road, Galashiels.

Colin Ballantyne – Scotland’s Mountain Landscapes 7.30pm September 27

Colin will embark on a journey through time to explore their geological evolution, the effects of glaciation, the ways in which they have changed since the end of the Ice Age, and the processes that are altering them today.

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Cameron McNeish FRSGS – An Eye to the Hills  - 7.30pm October 25

For over four decades, author and TV presenter Cameron McNeish has captivated audiences with his chronicles of Scotland’s majestic landscapes and the outdoor communities who inhabit them. He will raise awareness of unresolved conservation issues, and rejoices in the opportunities now available for young people

Rebecca Lowe – The Slow Road to Tehran 7.30pm November 29

In July 2015, as the Syrian War raged and the refugee crisis reached its peak, Rebecca Lowe set off alone on her bicycle across the Middle East. But, plagued by punctures, fearsome heat, repressive police states, and a truly obscene number of kebabs, it also frequently came close to defeating her.

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Richard Clubley – Orkney A special way of Life - 7.30pm January 31 2023

Richard Clubley set out to capture the experience of life on Orkney, from the history of Neolithic sites to a future in renewable energy. He takes to the Outer Islands to meet the people who live there and to tell their stories, shares rich descriptions of the islands, and transports us to this fascinating and special way of life.

Sal Montgomery – Bets Day Ever Road Tripping with a Kayak 7.30pm February 28 2023

Sal Montgomery has led several world-first expeditions for TV documentaries and short films.. National lockdowns may have put this wild girl’s travels on hold, but that didn’t mean that her craving for adventure was dimmed. She shares her latest stories and adventures from road-tripping around America and British Columbia with her kayak.

Peeblesshire News: Sal Montgomery – Bets Day Ever Road Tripping with a KayakSal Montgomery – Bets Day Ever Road Tripping with a Kayak (Image: Royal Scottish Geographical Society)

Alice Morrison – Walking with Nomads 7.30pm March 28 2023

In 2019, adventurer and explorer Alice Morrison began an epic walk across Morocco with three amazing guides and six camels, never imagining that she would be finishing it in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. And she learned how Covid affected even the remotest of communities in the Atlas Mountains, with no one to buy the sheep and goats they rely on.

Tickets for all Inspiring People talks for 2022-23 are now available to purchase through rsgs.org/events.

Tickets for live talks are free for RSGS members, students and under-18s, and £10 for general admission.

Tickets for online talks are £6 for general admission, £2 for RSGS Members, and free for students and U-18s.

Book now to secure your ticket for what promises to be a popular line-up of speakers.